PSA: Hamer USA Special in Japan

[1 bottlerocket]

No affiliation:USA  Hamer Special 

It looks like an okay deal on a quilt top, but they do not actually show the serial number stamp in the head stock, and it appears the frets are nearing the end of their life.

[Saul Goodman]

Special with binding and quilt top. Custom order?

[currypowder]

10 minutes ago, Saul Goodman said:

Special with binding and quilt top. Custom order?

It was a run for the Japan market. Basically a Special FM with body binding and quilt top. I’ve had a couple pass through my hands. Nice guitars. 

Any potential buyers should keep in mind that there will be an additional 15% tariff to import into the US. 

[DarkHammer]

1 hour ago, currypowder said:

Any potential buyers should keep in mind that there will be an additional 15% tariff to import into the US. 

Even on the USA made goods? I was under the impression there were no import fees on American made guitars.  

[1 bottlerocket]

30 minutes ago, DarkHammer said:

Even on the USA made goods? I was under the impression there were no import fees on American made guitars.  

Yes. When that guitar is shipped from Japan into your country, it is treated as an import and you will almost certainly pay import charges, even though it was originally made in the U.S.

What matters is where it is shipping from and where it is shipping to — not where it was built.

[currypowder]

33 minutes ago, DarkHammer said:

Even on the USA made goods? I was under the impression there were no import fees on American made guitars.  

Technically, this is correct. However, in my experience, you’ll pay the tariffs/duty to US customs or the shipping company acting as Customs agent, then need to dispute the charge and attempt to get reimbursed. I had some success getting duties reversed on US made guitars coming to me from Japan over a decade ago. In today’s environment, it may be more difficult to be successful. 

[DarkHammer]

14 minutes ago, currypowder said:

Technically, this is correct. However, in my experience, you’ll pay the tariffs/duty to US customs or the shipping company acting as Customs agent, then need to dispute the charge and attempt to get reimbursed. I had some success getting duties reversed on US made guitars coming to me from Japan over a decade ago. In today’s environment, it may be more difficult to be successful. 

I bought some Gibson and Hemmers USA guitars from Japan and I didn't pay any customs fees, specifically because the guitars were made here. However, this was couple years ago, perhaps with recent tariff changes it's different now. 

[bry4321]

42 minutes ago, DarkHammer said:

I bought some Gibson and Hemmers USA guitars from Japan and I didn't pay any customs fees, specifically because the guitars were made here. However, this was couple years ago, perhaps with recent tariff changes it's different now. 

I didn’t have to pay tariff on Hamer from Germany a few years ago. FWIW. Would think twice before buying now though since if they do assess tariffs they would be much higher than in the past. 

[Dave Scepter]

Nothing is concrete... We live in a different world nowadays... plus it is quite literally the luck of the draw... it depends on which carrier you get, the day and their mood

[Dr. Bear]

During decades as a touring muso I learned to carry documents proving that my instruments were made in the USA. 

When shipping gear home, one only had to include some variant of CBP Form 3311 - “Declaration of Free Entry of Returned American Products.” My memory is no longer great but I think I used a form like that one when freighting American-made guitars and mandolin back to the States from Japan, Korea, China and Vietnam. 

But here’s the catch: DHS/CBP is now so well managed that Form 3311 has not been updated or replaced even though it expired in March, 2025. One customs official might say that it’s just fine but another might notice the expiration date — it’s in very small print near the upper right hand corner — and not honor the form.

Incidentally, my worst experience with customs was flying into Buenos Aires with a FrameWorks nylon string built by Frank Krocker in Germany. The Argentinian customs official insisted that I intended to sell the guitar in Argentina. We only got out of there unscathed because my wife found a photograph on her phone of me on stage with that guitar back when I headlined on some cruise ship.

I’ll spare you the story of how much I had to bribe an airport security officer to let me bring spare strings in my carry-on for a flight from Mexico City to Honolulu. (Not long before, a crazed passenger had tried to garrote a flight attendant with strings ripped from a requinto.)

[golem]

So the people who say you shouldn't get charged tariffs if you reimport USA made goods are technically correct. But I've absolutely heard of people getting charged (maybe the paperwork wasn't in order) and then having to go throught the effort to get their money back. 

[Bennyboy-UK]

Surely its: tHe JaPaNeSe ThAt HaVe To PaY tHe TaRifF!

 

 

....go on, give me a strike - its well worth it.