SOT: Shipping own guitars from Europe to USA

[Scott Ians Beard]

Long-time no post, sadly due to some struggles in personal life and a lack of enthusiasm. Anyway, I am back now and ready to rock.

I've been living in Italy for the past years and will be moving to the US soon. I'd like to bring with me my two beautiful guitars – a Suhr Reb Beach and a Gibson Explorer. These will be the only items that will be shipped. No removal/relocation company. They are currently in their original hard cases, not flight cases.

Has anyone relocated overseas and shipped to themselves? I have a few questions:

1) What is the best way to ship these guitars from Italy to my new address in the US?
2) Is there a way to avoid or reduce customs charges considering these are my guitars that I have already paid taxes on?
3) If not, what kind of customs charges can I expect?

Any inputs and anecdotes appreciated!

Thanks

 

[nzsteve]

Are you shipping back a container? Being winter here now, if it doesnt pass through any hot areas on the way you could send them in the container, they would arrive in I guess 30 days or so. i sent all my guitars except one strat by sea when I moved back from New Zealand to the USA. The strat, I took the neck off, put it inside my suitcase inside clothes.. I would insure well, but also loosen the strings. But one thing I learned about shipping companies is that they appear to switch your stuff into other containers from the original ones they pack when it leaves your home oddly.. so this explains how lots of my stuff got lost on the way to nz and back to the usa. I noticed when I took pictures of the container that was packed in nz, the lock seal, and when it arrived in the usa, it was a different color container and lock seal... they admitted they switched them. and again a few things were missing but it takes months to realize whats gone.. One thought about checking them as baggage on the plane, the baggage handlers throw stuff around pretty rough so, if you go that route, loosen the strings and packed the guitar case in a well padded box to absorb the impact.

 

[EXPcustom]

I would just carry them on the plane. I know lots of people who buy guitars and will bring the guitars back with them on the flight as it is probably the safest and easiest way to bring them back.

Also you could probably sell them as you will get more money for them in the EU then the USA and buy something or the same thing here in the USA and pocket the difference. No offence but we're not talking an original 59 burst or 63 strat here.