Detman, every time the wind took me over the big ocean to the USA, we tried ALWAYS to avoid Interstates. So you drive on smaller roads and you pass a lot of interesting villages.
Every single village in the USA, it was a relevation for me, has, besides the classics, like HAMBURGERS, or Kentucky Fried Chicken, and often a Motel, also a pawnshop. It is a phenomenon we don't really have in Europe. In Chicago, I bought a very beautiful but VERY expensive watch, I asked the retail price in a jewellery store, using as excuse a question about that watch. They still could order an extra bracelet, and they told that my watch was real (I didn't ask the price) and very expensive. On the other hand, you still are able to do great business, WHEN YOU ARE LUCKY, and find a great guitar, but I noticed, going every time I was in the US, that pawnshops start more and more to be part of a BIG ENTITY like Burgerking, and worse, they start to know the value of guitars, compared to a few years before. I even saw in a pawnshop, a TAYLOR, who was as expensive as a new one. But still, and more in the Midwest, you can do good business, and KNOW the price before you enter. About CORT, they have real nice and affordable guitars. For us Europeans, it is 30% cheaper to buy there a guitar, and without thinking about an € versus a $ they were already 20-30% cheaper compared to Europe.
A brandnew Gibson SG standard is 50% more in price in a guitar store here.
You will pay here 1000€ (=$700 now) for the same guitar, sold in a store for 750$ in the USA.
Conclusion: for us, Europeans, your ticket and hotel, are paid with the profit from buying there.
Customs: no problem, I used to know and to have the serial number, and also a letter from a friend here, that he sold me that guitar for that price.
This and other things are always more exciting. Great names as Gibson and Fender, start more and more to produce lower priced, so more affordable guitars.
[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color] AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]