• From: East Midlands, UK
  • Registered: 2008-06-30
  • Posts: 164

Topic: where to get amp kits from in the UK

hey all, i've been thinking of weighing up building a plexi style head from a kit against saving up for a plexi reissue. i think it'd be more affordable to me this way.

most sites i can see are US based. anyone know of a UK amp kit maker/distributor?

Fender 60's Strat>Fulltone OCD V4>>TC Electronics Polytune>Orange Dual Terror>Torres 2x10 Cab(with a vintage 30 and a greenback)
  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

I would like to know too!

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

Ceriatone ships world wide I think.... Metro amps might too.  hmm

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

Shipping plus customs charges....I'm looking at adding another half an amp cost. hmm

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

Aren't real Marshalls cheaper in the UK?

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

...but I waaaaaaant a Metro. NOW! haha  tongue

  • Registered: 2008-10-27
  • Posts: 176

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

Hey Dave!
I've bought several metro kits and I'm in France (when I mean several I mean like 7 or 8) and I only paid customs fees once... Shipping to Europe with USPS Priority Mail International is safe, insured, trackable, only about 150$ and the US dollar is goin down again, it's time to buy... I wouldn't worry about the probable added costs if I were you... Get your Metro and it's a keeper!!!
Cheers!

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

DaveWammbarro wrote:

...but I waaaaaaant a Metro. NOW! haha  tongue

My bro made a Metro JTM45, and it is "all that" and a bag of potato chips. wink

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

twistingcrow wrote:

Hey Dave!
I've bought several metro kits and I'm in France (when I mean several I mean like 7 or 8) and I only paid customs fees once... Shipping to Europe with USPS Priority Mail International is safe, insured, trackable, only about 150$ and the US dollar is goin down again, it's time to buy... I wouldn't worry about the probable added costs if I were you... Get your Metro and it's a keeper!!!
Cheers!

Interesting...  wink

  • From: Manchester, UK
  • Registered: 2008-04-07
  • Posts: 136

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

DaveWammbarro wrote:
twistingcrow wrote:

Hey Dave!
I've bought several metro kits and I'm in France (when I mean several I mean like 7 or 8) and I only paid customs fees once... Shipping to Europe with USPS Priority Mail International is safe, insured, trackable, only about 150$ and the US dollar is goin down again, it's time to buy... I wouldn't worry about the probable added costs if I were you... Get your Metro and it's a keeper!!!
Cheers!

Interesting...  wink

Having brought several guitars into the UK via USPS my experience is different... USPS partner in the UK is Parcel Force who have built a Customs clearance centre in Coventry. As far as I can see EVERYTHING goes through Coventry. It can stay in there for days to a week or so. The bottom line is that nothing escapes without charge. Last time they asked me to post them the invoices before they would release. So you have to careful about declared value on the shipping docket. i.e no use putting $1500 on a Murphy 59.

I do believe France is different. Lower duty too I think.

  • From: Ridgeland, MS
  • Registered: 2009-08-12
  • Posts: 1,248

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

Cannot recommend Metro Kits or George's pre-built Plexi Replicas enough. They sound phenomenal. (own and play both)

  • Registered: 2008-10-27
  • Posts: 176

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

Pete59 wrote:
DaveWammbarro wrote:
twistingcrow wrote:

Hey Dave!
I've bought several metro kits and I'm in France (when I mean several I mean like 7 or 8) and I only paid customs fees once... Shipping to Europe with USPS Priority Mail International is safe, insured, trackable, only about 150$ and the US dollar is goin down again, it's time to buy... I wouldn't worry about the probable added costs if I were you... Get your Metro and it's a keeper!!!
Cheers!

Interesting...  wink

Having brought several guitars into the UK via USPS my experience is different... USPS partner in the UK is Parcel Force who have built a Customs clearance centre in Coventry. As far as I can see EVERYTHING goes through Coventry. It can stay in there for days to a week or so. The bottom line is that nothing escapes without charge. Last time they asked me to post them the invoices before they would release. So you have to careful about declared value on the shipping docket. i.e no use putting $1500 on a Murphy 59.

I do believe France is different. Lower duty too I think.


I don't know how much duty you guys pay in the UK but in France it's 19,6%, which is a lot. Then we have to add a few other stuff (too long to go into details here) so basically we have to add 20% to the final price.
However, guitars and electronic supplies are two different things and customs know how to deal with guitars. I always pay customs taxes on the guitars I bring from the US and I've brought several. An amp kit is a totally different thing and most customs services do not know how to deal with those, so they pass through easily.

Oh, I got my Metro 50W kit on Wednesday. No taxes once again and this time the courier was Fedex which is supposed to ask customs fees 95% of the time. So either I'm extremely lucky (which is pretty unlikely considering the luck I have when I play the lottery  mad  mad  mad ) or customs do not know what to do with amp kits and just let go...

Buy a Metro kit for Christ's sake's!  big_smile

  • From: Manchester, UK
  • Registered: 2008-04-07
  • Posts: 136

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

For guitars in the UK it's 22.5%is the guide rate for VAT and Duty so with VAT currently at 17.5% Duty on guitars is 5%. The killer is that it is charged on the complete price INCLUDING the shipping costs. To add further insult Parcel Force and Fedex both add an administration charge for collecting the VAT and Duty.

Of course once the duty and tax have been paid then the goods can move around in the EU without further charges.  My other interest is home-built aircraft (full size). Civil aircraft parts are duty free but still attract VAT. For a while people were importing US manufactured aircraft kits via Denmark  because of a very low rate on VAT. I guess it was a temporary reduction in VAT to combat recession.

  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: where to get amp kits from in the UK

Right on, Pete...I've had a lot of trouble in the past...including silly things like a bunch of Mogami cables...  roll   mad

Drives me insane... (let's not start on musical instruments/live music rules/music in the uk - etc to do with the government). Back to '68 we go.