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estebanana -> RE: Shipping from US to Spain (Sep. 18 2012 22:21:16)
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Shipping to Spain is tricky. You have two options for shipping. One is USPS the other is Fed Ex -DHL.
USPS one week delivery will cost about $100.00 from most places in the continental US. It will get to Madrid within one week usually, but it will be held in customs in Madrid for what could be several weeks. Usually two to three weeks. The customer will have to submit import tax paperwork on the declared value to the customs office in Madrid. This can be faxed. You can declare it as a gift, but not sure how this will effect sending more guitars in the future. They keep records. The customer will have to have the paper work cleared by Madrid customs and then the guitar will be shipped by Spanish postal to the destination where they have to pay the required fees when they pick it up. The shipping is reliable and somewhat safe via USPS and you can insure the guitar. However you must make the insured value not more than the declared value or this will raise a flag at Madrid Customs. You can't have 3000.00 worth of insurance on a 500.00 dollar guitar even though you want to do it that way. You have to take one or the other, lower declared value with risk of damage not being covered, or higher declared value and matching insurance. But your customer will pay the higher cost at 20% import duty. You have to come to a compromise with the customer.
USPS uses Fed Ex jets as their over seas carriers. Even though you may use USPS, Fed Ex will be flying it over the Atlantic.
Fed EX -DHL shipping of a guitar is more expensive to Spain, it will run 550.00 to 700.00 depending on your US location with about $625.00 being the average price. There is a size limit of I think 46" long that is difficult to pack to. After the package goes over 46" long the price goes up dramatically. ( as if it is not insane already)
The Fed Ex or DHL 3 day shipping includes expediting the guitar through Spanish Customs in the time they say they will deliver. The cost of the import tax in Spain will remain the same and not be covered by the high shipping fee. What you basically pay for with these carriers is the luxury and peace of mind that comes with being expedited through Spanish Customs as fast as possible. With USPS you have to wait and go at Madrid's pace. The insurance is also more expensive than USPS insurance, although the actual handling of the package is about the same.
Third option is finding a trustworthy hand carrier who you could give a fee to who is going to Spain who can then arrange a pick up or ship by Spanish postal in country. Risky depending on who you know.
Not much fun either way. USPS can stimulate lots and lots...and lots of nail biting while you wait for customs to slog along, and DHL- Fex Ex commit wallet rape.
And if it is Brazilian rosewood forget it. The paper work and risk is crazy making.
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