Cost of shipping from the USA

H

HamishR

Well-known member
I have bought a LOT of stuff from the USA over the past 20 years. From guitars to electronics - amp part, transformers, PCB - from small sellers to stores.

But I just can't any more. The cost of shipping is making it far too expensive. It's not too long ago that I could buy a good used guitar from Dave's Guitars in Wisconsin and shipping was US$150. That seems extremely reasonable to me, living in Australia. But every time I've enquired when looking at guitars in the US lately the cost is over US$350. For the first time I can remember it's cheaper to buy guitars in Australia. If I want to get some components from any electronics supplier like Antique Electronics or Mojotone the shipping cost more than the cost of the parts.

So I'm not building amps any more. Thank goodness for Tayda so I can still build pedals! Tayda shipping is peanuts - I just ordered about US$100 in parts from Tayda and 4-day shipping was $8. And Mouser have just opened operations here too, Although their outlet in HK was good, with free shipping on orders over Aust$60.

The last time I spoke to a guitar store in the US it sounded like they don't sell outside the US anywhere near as much as they did just a few years ago. The cost of shipping must be affecting a lot of businesses over there. I understand that prices go up, but shipping from the USA has sky rocketed in just the last few years. I know my problems are nothing compared to what a lot of people are going through but it all seems so unnecessary. And frustrating.
 
It's gotten intense on the domestic front too.

USPS has gotten rid of parcel post and is all in on ground advantage: it's a better service, as it'll usually just take a day more than priority mail, but its also about 200% of the cost of the old parcel post.

Louis Dejoy has been drastically changing things at the post office. The understaffing and employee abuse has always been an issue, but it's really kicked into overdrive recently.

Our postal employees aren't allowed to go on strike. Even talking about going on strike is a crime. That came to a head in the 1970s, though, and there was an "illegal" strike. Things look like they're heading that direction again. Dejoy's post office has been doing everything it can to squeeze profitability out of the postal service...something I'd argue shouldn't be the main focus of a government service that was mandated through our nation's founding document.

Prices go up, wages get stolen, carriers and customers get the shaft so the government can make the service look appealing to private sector investors that the Republicans desperately want to sell the USPS off to.

America, man. We're kinda going through it.
 
HamishR said:
shipping from the USA has sky rocketed in just the last few years.
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preaching to the choir. i complain about this bullshittery all the time 🥵

HamishR said:
If I want to get some components from any electronics supplier like Antique Electronics or Mojotone the shipping cost more than the cost of the parts.

So I'm not building amps any more.
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mouser sells hammond transformers though? and they're like the most expensive components in an amp.

and for a lot of weird specific amp stuff we have evatco.

although if there's a specific chassis you're after, yeah it's a bit of a shit scenario here.
however, could just go a hammond blank chassis from mouser and drill it yourself.

have you tried https://modulusamplification.com/ ?
(i've not bought a chassis from there, but i've ordered a couple faceplates from them before)

was curious about cost of shipping a chassis, so just had a quick squizz
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Dang. Sorry to hear you're struggles. I'm 7 miles away from Dave's guitar shop. Despite being a great shop, why on earth would this be your primary in Australia?
 
falkry05 said:
Dang. Sorry to hear you're struggles. I'm 7 miles away from Dave's guitar shop. Despite being a great shop, why on earth would this be your primary in Australia?
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1) have a look at the giant RRP markup we get in AUS.
import taxes, weak as piss dollar, distributor jackoffs = daylight robbery for new guitars.

for example:
www.sweetwater.com

Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s Electric Guitar - Bourbon Burst

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Mahogany Body, Maple Top, Mahogany Neck, Rosewood Fingerboard, and 2 Humbucking Pickups - Bourbon Burst
www.sweetwater.com www.sweetwater.com
sweetwater/USA: USD$2799

AUS retail: AUD $5599 = USD$3556 per google exchange rate.

2) australia is of a relatively small population on a remote island adjacent to nothing. (AUS 26m vs USA 340m)
- there are fuck all good examples of nice used guitars that haven't been jacked sky high, cos sellers know shit's rare and there's nothing here.
- pretty much all the good stuff has been or has to be imported. (hello used japanese market)
 
I was surprised the Wilde pickups shipping was as affordable as it was. But even shipping to Europe is pretty much no-go for me, except for my PCB orders so far. And if PPCB shipping prices go up, I might have to give up on it. Note that I don't think there's anything Robert can do about that, it just is what it is and it's not great. USPS has been bearable so far, but I suspect it won't be in the near future. Maybe a huge order after a bunch of new PCB's pop up might work out economically, or we'll have to start organizing EU group buys or something.

Hopefully if that happens and orders from Europe dry up Robert could consider selling PCB's and not just kits through Musikding or something and save by shipping a ton of PCB's at once, but maybe it wouldn't be possible.
 
I think it's Musikding choosing not to offer PCBs, rather than Robo's decision.
But yeah, the shipping sucks. Basically doubles the list price of the PCB!
 
Stickman393 said:
It's gotten intense on the domestic front too.

USPS has gotten rid of parcel post and is all in on ground advantage: it's a better service, as it'll usually just take a day more than priority mail, but its also about 200% of the cost of the old parcel post.

Louis Dejoy has been drastically changing things at the post office. The understaffing and employee abuse has always been an issue, but it's really kicked into overdrive recently.

Our postal employees aren't allowed to go on strike. Even talking about going on strike is a crime. That came to a head in the 1970s, though, and there was an "illegal" strike. Things look like they're heading that direction again. Dejoy's post office has been doing everything it can to squeeze profitability out of the postal service...something I'd argue shouldn't be the main focus of a government service that was mandated through our nation's founding document.

Prices go up, wages get stolen, carriers and customers get the shaft so the government can make the service look appealing to private sector investors that the Republicans desperately want to sell the USPS off to.

America, man. We're kinda going through it.
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Oh I know it's because of Louis Dejoy. And the clown who appointed him. I didn't want to go all political but we all know why this is happening. And my wife used to want a Tesla. No more!

I have bought quite a few guitars from Dave's in Wisconsin. It has been so much cheaper than buying locally, plus he seems to get lots of stuff we don't see in the stores here. And we can only dream of the used stuff he gets in. I suspect because he's in Wisconsin his overheads are lower than some of the other guitar stores in the USA and I got some great deals from him in the past. It's mainly the "only just used" stuff I have bought. Plus Dave and I share a surname. I'm trying to convince him that we are distantly related... Actually my grandfather's brother did emigrate to America at about the same time as my grandfather emigrated to Australia. I think that settles it.
 
owlexifry said:
preaching to the choir. i complain about this bullshittery all the time 🥵


mouser sells hammond transformers though? and they're like the most expensive components in an amp.

and for a lot of weird specific amp stuff we have evatco.

although if there's a specific chassis you're after, yeah it's a bit of a shit scenario here.
however, could just go a hammond blank chassis from mouser and drill it yourself.

have you tried https://modulusamplification.com/ ?
(i've not bought a chassis from there, but i've ordered a couple faceplates from them before)

was curious about cost of shipping a chassis, so just had a quick squizz
View attachment 91275
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I know Hammond make decent transformers but I don't really like them that much. A friend of mine brought around a Tweed Deluxe made in NSW with Hammond transformers and it sounded ok but bland. He had me rebuild it exactly like the one I had built for him originally but keep the stock Hammonds and it still sounded a bit flat compared to the one I built with a sightly lower B+ MM PT. Actually it was really interesting comparing them.

I'm taking a look at Modulus right now...
 
szukalski said:
I think it's Musikding choosing not to offer PCBs, rather than Robo's decision.
But yeah, the shipping sucks. Basically doubles the list price of the PCB!
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Oh, I thought it would be down to the vendors. They do sell PCB's from some smaller sellers, and also GuitarPCB PCB's, and older legacy Aion PCB's.
 
HamishR said:
I know Hammond make decent transformers but I don't really like them that much. A friend of mine brought around a Tweed Deluxe made in NSW with Hammond transformers and it sounded ok but bland. He had me rebuild it exactly like the one I had built for him originally but keep the stock Hammonds and it still sounded a bit flat compared to the one I built with a sightly lower B+ MM PT. Actually it was really interesting comparing them.

I'm taking a look at Modulus right now...
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how peculiar. i’ve never had an issue with hammond transformers. sound great to me.
i’ve read about folks having issues with 5E3 power transformers in general with regards to correct B+ voltages etc. and a lot of companies not getting it right.

so if the high voltage secondaries on the hammond PT was giving a higher B+ than the MM, it would appear that perhaps it’s more about the correct B+ than the brand of transformer.

having said that - if i was gonna build myself a fancy treat for something like a marshall or a fender style, well yeah, i’d probably wanna go for something a bit nicer like heyboer or one of those nifty UK companies i can’t remember the name of. (but it would absolutely cost a hell of a lot more than a supply of hammonds on mousers free shipping)
 
Yeah I get a bit over-fussy I guess! If I'm going to all the trouble of building an amp I go all out. I don't really like Mojotone transformers either. I used to use a lot of them but after building the same amps with either better quality Heyboers or Mercury I could really hear a difference. The Mojotones sound a bit less detailed or something - they just don't have the subtlety of the better ones. I guess you get what you pay for. Heyboer can be excellent if well specced by the client - Metroamp Marshall style trannies are Heyboer and they are some of the best I've used. Mojo's Heyboers must be specced differently I suppose.
 
Musikding kits are around 50 euro right now including enclosure knobs and shipping.
I like the Pedalpcb's the best, so I will keep buying them despite a possible EU reaction on Trumps 25 % import tariff.
 
bean said:
Price for me to send a 3oz package 1st Class from USA to UK in 2009: Around $4.
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Yep, I was able to ship flats anywhere in the world for around $4 until some time in 2017.

GlobalPost is an option if the recipient is patient enough, but even that starts at around $11 depending on the destination.


Fama said:
Oh, I thought it would be down to the vendors.
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Nope, Musikding decides what they carry. I suggested they offer the standalone PCBs a couple years ago but I think their primary source of income comes from the kits. Maybe if enough folks requested them?
 
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Robert said:
GlobalPost is an option if the recipient is patient enough, but even that starts at around $11 depending on the destination.
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tbh, if the recipient is like me and has a backlog of 20-30 PCBs already, it really does not matter how long it takes.

in fact, if i had the choice to halve the cost and consequently double or triple the shipping time, that would be preferable
 
I don't order a lot these days... if I order 2 boards, then half of what I have to pay is shipping... but it’s the same on aion, even Tayda does not offer thailand post to canada anymore, so I use DHL to prepay the taxes, it's faster but costs more. Don't know how long Mouser/Digikey will offer 8$ shipping.
 
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