[Harp-L] A Public Service Message on behalf of industry vendors

[Michael Easton <diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I get asked that a lot too. Most of what I ship out are repairs so the  
customer already owns it.
There is no place on US custom forms to id out of country repairs.   
It's odd that the harp can make it into the US with
problems but may cost the owner a lot of money to get it back.

I've been saving the original package material and place the harp in  
there, then in a new box, so customs can see it originated from that  
country
upon return.

A well known harp tech told me years ago that a European customer  
ordered about $1000 worth of  custom harps from him and asked for a  
bulk discount plus he wanted the tech to forgo adding the true value  
to the package. The tech hesitantly shipped them per the customers  
request.  When the harps never made their destination  the customer  
tried to get his money back. He was reminded of his folly.


Michael Easton
www.harmonicarepair.com