Shipping Guitars - Savage Classical Guitar

Shipping of any Classical Guitar to the 50 United States

FedEx Ground – USPS Priority Mail – USPS Express

Shipping a classical guitar is a tricky business.

It is clear that many dangers might exist once your guitar leaves my hands.

This is what I am doing to protect your guitar.

I’ll say it first…I’d rather you came over to play, test, inspect, buy and take the guitar home with you. In case that’s not possible……here’s what I will do to ensure safe delivery of your instrument.

Please note that you will need to have a confirmed address, and this confirmation of address must happen thru PayPal.

We do not accept International Credit Cards. Period!

International Customers! Please note that I prefer direct wire transfers from this point forward for any major purchase. You may purchase from us with a total retail value of under $1000 USD.
You must contact me and initiate a Bank Wire Transfer for any amount over $1000 USD – there are zero exceptions to this policy. Thank you kindly for your consideration.
International Wire Transfers are the most secure way of paying for your guitar. This is the only method you can use to purchase a guitar from us. I use TransferWise.com to send and receive monies Internationally. You can find details below.
If you’re address is not confirmed, the guitar will not be shipped. This applies to International and Domestic buyers as well. Take the time to confirm your billing information with PayPal (this referring to Domestic clients).
Orders of any kind coming from an unconfirmed address will be declined immediately, where the monies will be refunded.
Please be considerate of everyone’s time! Thank you. Rich

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First off, your guitar will be photographed the day of shipping, with a time stamp. They will contain back and front pictures of the top, back and sides, neck and headstock. If the delivery people hurt the instrument in any way, you will have proof of condition on the day that it was sent to you. I will back any and all statements and/or official documents to that purpose. Please inspect the box and the guitar as soon as you receive it.

Guitars are always shipped in their case…always a single or double arch top hard shell case.

Guitars will always be de-tuned to relieve undue stress on the top.

Guitars will always be fitted to the hard-shell case and made to be snug within using soft packing material if it is not already snug, with support for the headstock to avoid unnecessary vibration.

The Guitar CASE is then secured within the box to avoid movement and vibration. I use fitted cardboard around the headstock area of the case to make certain it does not move side to side during transport, as well as soft packing material around the case. I try to avoid peanuts for packing purposes.

Guitars and their boxing will always be CLEARLY marked “Extremely Fragile”, “KEEP ON TOP” and “This End UP”

I’m now using FedEx Ground Shipping (exclusively) for less expensive guitars (those under $4K unless the cost is within reason..then I will use USPS Priority Mail)

or USPS Express/Priority Mail Shipping exclusively for more expensive guitars (Usually Express 1-3 Day)

It is my preference to get your guitar to you as quickly as possible…One to Three Days tops for guitars priced over $2500 and Express One to Two Day for Guitars priced over $4000

Insurance and Protection

Every Guitar in my shop is insured for its full value. The value must be able to be verified thru a clear paper trail. Every guitar in my shop has its value verified..

Every Guitar that I ship to you or have shipped to me from my studio is insured for its full value.

Guitars will ALWAYS be insured for their full purchase price value in case of mishandling by the carrier used to deliver your guitar.

I do NOT insure thru FedEx or the US Postal Service. The paper trail and the work is too extensive.

If there is ever a problem with ANYTHING regarding that which I sell and ship to you or vice versa, it will be handled by me and my insurance carrier. Believe me, you’d rather deal with me rather than FedEx or the Post Office. I can handle claims within a week or two.

My insurer is Heritage Insurance of Pennsylvania, a specialty insurer for musical instruments and dealers such as myself.

The process will be way easier with me. Put your mind at ease in this regard.

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It’s my job to make sure that nothing happens to your guitar. And I will do everything in my power to make it so.

I will send all domestic US and North American guitar shipments via FedEx using Business Day Ground Shipping or USPS Express/Priority Mail Shipping from Bohemia, NY USA 11716

It is okay to overpay for shipping on our site. I will refund any excess costs to you immediately. If a guitar has 99.00 packed into it for shipping and it ends up costing me 69.00 after all expenses, you will be refunded $30.00 ASAP through PayPal or my corporate check. By the way, the same goes for the shipping of our books overseas.

As I said earlier, I also Insure everything that goes into and out of my studio myself thru Heritage Insurance.

To be clear, I insure for the FULL purchase price of the guitar.

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International shipping will have to be shopped at the time of sale. More than likely, it will also be done using the US Postal Service exclusively.

Please note the following:

Dimensional weight is used by FedEx – UPS and the US Postal Service.
On average, the dimensional weight is calculated by multiplying the 3 dimensions of the box and dividing by 166
Thus, where my box may actually weigh 20 pounds, the US Postal Service is actually using an average dimensional weight of 40 lbs.
Additionally, the US Postal Service does not deliver boxes with a 45″ length to all countries. Those that pop out as unusual, even to me, is Australia (it’s weird that New Zealand has no restriction), Mexico carries a small premium as well, many Far East countries, including Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, all South American Countries, Caribbean countries, and many old Soviet bloc countries as well as the Middle East.
What this means is that they use GXG shipping, which is a division of FedEx International.
What that means is that is can get expensive, upwards of $150 to $800 to ship the same exact box! Yikes!!
If, when you are shopping, and choosing a shipping method, it doesn’t give you an option, or it comes up with a big number, write to me at rsayage1@savageclassical.com so I can check it for you. I will be happy to confirm the number. Note that I am not profiting from this in any way. If the Checkout process says it costs $450 to ship the guitar, understand that I am paying the US Postal Service $450 to ship that guitar to you.
I will try to compile a database of countries that cost a premium to ship to as I understand fully that it can be very confusing.
The list is here: USPS International Guitar Shipping Costs.pdf – if you’re country is listed, it carries a premium. The PDF is self-explanatory. Any questions, please write to me. My email is above, to the right panel and in the lower panels or in my Contact Page. Thank you

I will box and care for your guitar in exactly the same manner no matter where it is being shipped.

Please note that you will need to have a confirmed address, and this confirmation of address must happen thru PayPal. If you’re address is not confirmed, the guitar will not be shipped. This applies, as well, to Domestic buyers. Take the time to confirm your billing information with PayPal.

International purchasers: Simply wire the money to my bank directly. Please ask for wiring instructions. This will guarantee your purchase and your delivery.

It is your only option. International Buyers must wire funds directly. I am unwilling to accept International Credit Card purchases, especially from those that do not have verified information. This, for obvious reasons. Anyone purchasing Internationally (outside of the United States) must contact me for Bank Wire Instructions. I use TransferWise.com – a most convenient and inexpensive alternative to direct bank transfers.

International Wires can be handled by TransferWise.com for much less than your Bank will charge you in Wire fees and unfair Currency Exchange Rates. Try them. I’m certain you’ll be happy with the service. I can send you invoices from them that you can pay in your own currency, inexpensively and quickly.

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On the subject of NY State Sales TAX:

Sales Tax is only charged to NY State Residents at a rate of 8.625%
Sales Tax is NOT charged to any client whose address is out of NY State
Sales Tax is applicable to all clients, regardless of address, when purchasing in person at my studio in NY. Please be aware of this.
International clients are not charged Sales Tax by Savage Classical Guitar
- International clients are wholly and fully responsible for any costs associated with Customs & Duty in their respective country.

Please feel free to call or write to me with anything. My staff and I will always do our best for you.

Customs – Duty and International Shipping

Any and all customs and duty taxes are the FULL responsibility of the buyer.

If Customs requires a payment for duty tax, pay it. Do so immediately. Any holdup will cause the authorities to have reason to inspect the guitar more carefully. This is not, I repeat, not to your benefit. Agencies get things wrong all the time. Pau Ferro and Ziricote, for instance, are easily mistaken for Rosewood. All Rosewood (those woods beginning with a “Dalbergia” prefix), were previously restricted without proper paperwork and CITES certification. Now, for those instruments under 10Kg of Mass, i.e. any classical guitar I’ve ever seen, have Zero Restriction for all Rosewoods, EXCEPT Brazilian Rosewood (known also as CSA RW). Please read the following link found on this site CITES

The last thing you want is for an enthusiastic Customs agent to call over for a Biological Inspection. Pay the Duty and go home with your guitar. If you don’t pay the Customs/Duty…

You will otherwise be charged by me for shipping 2 ways and a RETURN fee of as much as 20% of the purchase price if the guitar is returned back to me for non-payment of Customs taxes.

I will mark the guitar as YOU see fit for Customs and Duty purpose.

The Insurance amount will not change regardless.

Please note that there are ZERO refunds regarding International Purchases, for any reason imaginable. I have stated this elsewhere on my site, but I am stating it again, for the sake of clarity.

Please note that once I have shipped the guitar, I cannot and will not be held responsible for anything that might happen along the way, including Customs Inspections, CITES holdups, etc. This is a global statement.

Many luthiers around the world simply DO NOT have origination paperwork for their woods used in a classical guitar. All Rosewoods are restricted, not just Brazilian Rosewood. All to say that getting paperwork from the USDA or US Fish & Wildlife Services for a particular guitar is almost impossible. Thus, it is our preference to not send any guitar, built with Rosewood of any kind, to any International Destination outside of the USA. However, if you choose to accept the risk, please be aware of the following:

I have and will do everything possible to ensure that the guitar is delivered safely, but I have no control over the actions of other people outside of my business.
I cannot track a guitar down once it is in the hands of the USPS or your national Postal Service. It is impossible.
I cannot and will not be held responsible for any damages to an instrument due to the mishandling or misappropriation of any one person or agency outside of Savage Classical Guitar.
CITES enforcement is included in this statement.
My company nor myself will NOT be held responsible for the actions of any government official and their actions towards an instrument, accidentally so or otherwise. This is a global statement, whereby you tacitly and implicitly agree that the risk of misappropriation by any agency outside of Savage Classical Guitar is solely on your person and that Savage Classical Guitar will not be held responsible in any way, shape or form, financially or otherwise.

In other words, you own the guitar, you must deal with what happens to it as a result. I cannot waive this for any one at any time. In my professional opinion, it is simpler for you to come to the gallery and personally pick up your guitar. I have said this many times throughout my site, please be very much aware of these simple facts. Thank you. Rich

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Outside of International Destinations – in other words, Domestic (USA) Deliveries

You are responsible for all shipping charges if you decide to return the guitar. This includes MY cost to ship to you as well. There are zero exceptions to this policy, whether the guitar is damaged en route, you are dissatisfied with the guitar, or any other possible, conceivable reason.

By purchasing an instrument from Savage Classical Guitar, you implicitly agree to the above conditions. See My Refund Policy

Of course…you are welcome to come over and pick up your guitar anytime! 🙂

This is preferred…really really.