Hello from The Big Apple

[Eduardo Aguilu]

Hi all: I'm a good ol' boy from New York City. I'm not a musician but I think like one and I travel a lot on Google staying up to date on the state of the music business. I have admired many groups that have produced Top 40 hits and I play close attention to the instruments they play. Not to start a flame war but I find that the majority of instruments used (primarily guitars and basses) are all the same styling and none stick out as different. However, there is one exception: Mosrite of California and, especially, The Ventures model. These instruments are to die for. I've always felt that why should one bother buying a clone when one should get the real thing.

That said, I'm going to backtrack to tell you that I am considering buying a Mosrite bass, a Fillmore 1965 reissue, single p/u in beautiful condition with an HSC. The price is attractive ($1,250 shipped free), I'm guessing after much window shopping, The only problem is that the bass is being sold by a seller in Japan and I am concerned with the warning on the listing page about - International items may be subject to customs processing and additional charges. - The seller has a large inventory and he tells me that he sells to American buyers without problems from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, "Internet Purchases - Your Responsibility and Liability". That page scares the bejesus out of me! That and the added concerns of my wife that I could be getting in over my head if I go ahead and buy the bass has made me decide to pass on it and wait it out until a similar or better offer appears and from a U.S. seller.

How do you all feel about clones such as manufactured by Fillmore and allegedly made in California with some electronics done by Dana Moseley and how do I know if I bought one that this is the case?

I'm interested in reading your, hopefully, knowledgeable replies. Hit me!

[panther]

Eduardo, Welcome to the forum.
When you say import fees from Japan in your other post, do you mean Shipping Cost ?

Dan

[FrankJames]

Welcome to the forum !!

[Eduardo Aguilu]

Hi panther (et al): Thanks for the welcome. I have bought many things on ebay that were imported from Japan but they were small, inexpensive items and I always received them without any problems. I must say that I never noticed the bay warning about Customs tariffs, etc.: "International items may be subject to customs processing and additional charges." Considering buying the bass coming from Japan I paid more attention to the listing and saw the warning so I started to research what the warning meant. Before I went to the U.S. Customs and Borders Protection and saw their website titled "Internet Purchases: Your Responsibility and Liability", I looked around and on a few forums/blogs they talked about what problems some buyers had to contend with when purchasing musical instruments from Japan. It's all spelled out on "Internet Purchases:..." Those warnings and the seller also telling me what one or two buyers encountered plus the added hassling from my wife to stay within the U.S. finally convinced me to stay away from imports.

While I would not have minded a good-looking Fillmore Mosrite Bass, in a way it worked out better 'cause shortly after telling the Japanese seller that I was bowing out of the purchase, I found a Japanese Mosrite bass on a Guitar Center website in Dublin, CA with the "The Ventures model" logo on the headstock. The bass is also a good-looking Mosrite clone and to the untrained eye it looks like an original Mosrite. The logo is well-placed and the edges don't show as I've seen on other clones. The lacquer seems to have been put on as on originals. So I bought it and it will be sent from Dublin to the Guitar Center on 14th Street store in Manhattan where I'll pick it up. I think I'm going to be happy with it and I'll eventually ignore that it wasn't made by Semie. Looking at the highly-magnified pickup I could swear I see Mosrite, giving it a more favorable air.

[Sarah93003]

Welcome!

[Tronman]

For some items, there is US customs duty, customs clearance, broker fees and delivery fees. I don't know where the line is drawn, but I just paid over $700 in fees to be able to take possession of a new Mellotron from England. The last time I bought one (5 years ago), it was over $1200. I guess they decided to give me a break this year.