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Posts: 1704
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
In 1970 I was in Moron de la Frontera and I bought a new Manuel Contreras primera through Donn Pohren as the middle man for $200 or $300, can't remember which.
In 1970 I was in Moron de la Frontera and I bought a new Manuel Contreras primera through Donn Pohren as the middle man for $200 or $300, can't remember which.
A bargain. My '67 1a blanca Ramirez cost almost $400 new. Locker's in Philadelphia wanted $650 for the same, imported to USA.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Richard Jernigan)
quote:
A bargain. My '67 1a blanca Ramirez cost almost $400 new.
In 1968 a Ramirez 1a blanca cost £100 from their shop. £1 was worth about $2.8 in those days. In 1962 you could order a guitar from Arcangel Fernandez for £60. During this period the duty on musical instruments imported into the UK was about 100%. I don't know what it was like for US imports at the time. Makers used to write a "cheap bill" for a small fraction of the true cost. Customs officers in the UK had no knowledge that enabled them to distinguish a master guitar from a cheap plywood one. They were also very lenient, valuing the case (which had little or no duty attached) as up to half of the purchase.
Posts: 3454
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
As recently as 1991 the maker wrote a receipt for 1/10 the value of a $4500 guitar I bought in Madrid.
I traveled a lot outside the USA on business, I had a number of security clearances from three different countries, and I had imported a fair number of 1a Ramirez classicals, so I paid the full import duty to bring the 1991 guitar into the USA.
I declared the guitar's value on my customs form, and confirmed to the customs agent at JFK in New York what the guitar was worth. He wrote a bill for the amount of the duty and directed me to the cashier's window. I signed a couple of $100 Travelers' Cheques to pay the bill. The cashier moistened a finger on a sponge and rubbed it across the back of each Cheque. The ink smeared, an indication of authenticity.
I asked the cashier, "Why did you think I might try to pay in counterfeit Travelers' Cheques, when I could more easily have just lied about the value of the guitar?" In keeping with the long and deep running tradition of rudeness at that airport, the cashier merely scowled, and gave me my change without replying.
Posts: 1704
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Richard Jernigan)
When I came home to the US in 1971 after a year in Spain, I was totally unprepared for Customs. The agent asked me what I brought or had bought from Spain and I tried to think of everything--a bottle of wine, some souvenir coasters with pictures from the Prado, a blanket--but I didn't even think of the guitar I was carrying (the Contreras) and he didn't ask about it.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
The bass end seems be a little better...IMHO The mid and treble end...Well, Tom, it will be interesting to see how you improve their tone as the build progresses.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to mellowmel)
Tom....If you are still listening. I can't speak for the other forum members, but I am still curious about how the Manuel Reyes build is progressing. Hope you will consider posting a report soon.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to SephardRick)
quote:
ORIGINAL: SephardRick
Tom....If you are still listening. I can't speak for the other forum members, but I am still curious about how the Manuel Reyes build is progressing. Hope you will consider posting a report soon.
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