i want that strat!

It's not just fender or american companies. The last time I was in the Bahamas, I could get bottles of my favorite Irish Whiskey for about $13 a bottle. I was aloowed to take a few back duty free. The same Whiskey here in the states costs me almost $50 a bottle. It's the import taxes that raise the prices so damn high

As Tele says, its a combination of factors, tax being a big one. General economy is another, you have to look at the purchase price in relation to all factors, like average salary and so on.

Fender has a global market and sets its prices to meet each one. Where they make more profit in one country over another they will probably spend more an advertising and so on.

If you think guitar prices are different, take a look at premium tax items like oil, cigarettes(sp?) and alcohol. In the UK, petrol (gas) is 90 pence per litre ($1.74 US) - how much is a litre in the US? And of that 90p, nearly 60p of it is tax.

At the current exchange rate its almost worth flying to New York from the UK for a weekend and buying a premium priced guitar. Choose a guitar that retails at $1500+ and you will save money over just buying the guitar in a UK store and you get a free trip into the bargain.

Hang on, I might just do that :lol:

As Tele says, its a combination of factors, tax being a big one. General economy is another, you have to look at the purchase price in relation to all factors, like average salary and so on.

Fender has a global market and sets its prices to meet each one. Where they make more profit in one country over another they will probably spend more an advertising and so on.

If you think guitar prices are different, take a look at premium tax items like oil, cigarettes(sp?) and alcohol. In the UK, petrol (gas) is 90 pence per litre ($1.74 US) - how much is a litre in the US? And of that 90p, nearly 60p of it is tax.

At the current exchange rate its almost worth flying to New York from the UK for a weekend and buying a premium priced guitar. Choose a guitar that retails at $1500+ and you will save money over just buying the guitar in a UK store and you get a free trip into the bargain.

Hang on, I might just do that :lol:

Great post and info. Thanks.
I get the 'sin tax' stuff re. cigs and booze, etc.
But guitars? What sort of heavy tariff or tax could they fall under? Doesn't the formation of the EU and people's access to internet shopping sort of make these disparities redundant?

someone will eventually figure this out and open Europes version of MF.

im working on making contacts in america as we speak, i figure if i ship a few fenders over then they probably pay for my own.Ill be your local u.K. backstreet dealer :lol: :lol: Ive been working on this since my first post and i still cant find a uk or german dealer that prices arent £180 more than mf. i wish i had'nt found the site in first place :lol: I was all set i picked my strat,picked my colour,went to pay, and then the tears started when i realized they only shipped to U.S.A :cry: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

im working on making contacts in america as we speak, i figure if i ship a few fenders over then they probably pay for my own.Ill be your local u.K. backstreet dealer :lol: :lol: Ive been working on this since my first post and i still cant find a uk or german dealer that prices arent £180 more than mf. i wish i had'nt found the site in first place :lol: I was all set i picked my strat,picked my colour,went to pay, and then the tears started when i realized they only shipped to U.S.A :cry: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Buddy, let 'er rip. Presently you're getting flat out gouged. All bets are off. 8)

Great post and info. Thanks.
I get the 'sin tax' stuff re. cigs and booze, etc.
But guitars? What sort of heavy tariff or tax could they fall under? Doesn't the formation of the EU and people's access to internet shopping sort of make these disparities redundant?

With the exception of food and childrens clothes everything bought in the UK is subject to 17.5% Value Added Tax. That and the fact that we seem to have some kind of twisted logic here in that we (well most the population it seems) are quite willing to pay way over the top prices for things, "it can't be any good if it's cheap". Go figure

Doesn't the formation of the EU and people's access to internet shopping sort of make these disparities redundant?

In a way it does, and all kinds of taxes are being leveled throughout the EU but it's a slow process. So we get out guitars from Germany and our cigarettes from Luxemburg, and they come to us for party favors. Maybe it stimulates regional specialisation or some such economic crap.

Have you tried e-bay? Might be someone selling them on there.