Fodera Emperor Elite 5 in Slovakia

[markcv]

Hey guys, this bass is on Arni's site. Here's the description:

Walnut body, Maple neck, Birdseye Maple fingerboard, Buckeye burl Top, Seymour Duncan pickups with wood covers,
35" scale, 18 volt Pope preamp, ultimate instrument- big & heavy sounding. Bass has some minor scratches and my only reason for selling this wonderfull bass is different preference of my sound.

http://www.leftybass.com/e_start.htm

I contacted this fellow, Oskar is his name, and he's looking for 6500 Euro. Woof. Works out to about $9300 US plus shipping from Slovakia. Reminds me of our previous thread about the Foderas in Minneapolis and the sky high prices.

This probably only makes sense for a european buyer.

[Jeroen]

I always associate Buckeye Burl with a big floorpizza after a few drinks too many. This one looks kinda nice though!

[Frenchy-Lefty]

For a (wealthy) European buyer, It would cost less to order a new one + buy a flight ticket to the US to get it.

[gravesbass]

Oskar seems like a nice guy. I have a few emails back and forth to him but..... Don't think a trade that far away is going to happen tho. 9300 USD is crazy... Plus the customs dealings and possible damage in freight.... Slovakia is too far.

[andrew]

If you can afford a nearly $10,000 bass you'd be better off to fly to Slovakia and pick up the bass yourself.

[Addison]

I shot him an email as soon as I saw it listed on Arni's site, and he quoted me 5500 euro... it's a thousand Euro price-drop over what markcv said, but it's still about $8000 USD with shipping costs... and I'm pretty sure you can buy a brand new one with the same options for that kind of dough.

[leftybassman392]

Shipping across the Atlantic, shipping back to the USA, import taxes at both ends... how much is that? Don't wanna put anybody off, but I can't see how that's an economic proposition at all. Once it's out of the US and into Europe can't see how it would ever go back. 5500euro = £4900, probably get shipping included if you press, and no taxes to pay as far as I know. Makes more sense and as others have said already, is much more likely the way the seller is thinking.

No I'm not, in case anybody's wondering.

Edit: if he's come down 1000 euro already, maybe he'll come down some more...

[AzWhoFan]

There are no import duties on instruments that were made in the USA that get reimported back home. It's called something like the "repatriation clause" in the tax code.
Nevertheless, it's still a big chunk of change.

[leftybassman392]

There are no import duties on instruments that were made in the USA that get reimported back home. It's called something like the "repatriation clause" in the tax code.
Nevertheless, it's still a big chunk of change.

Didn't know that - must check if the UK has a similar arrangement. Good to know for future reference.

[AzWhoFan]

AFIK, the US is the only country that does this. I would love to be proven wrong tho!!