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I got an email from a guy in Oman, wants me to build a guitar for him. He seems very straightforward and ariticulate, works for a tourism bureau. I'm wondering if anybody has any thoughts about shipping to that part of the world.

Thanks,

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

It should be cool so long as you remember to shroud her in a berka first......

Congrats Pat!

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Ann Arbor Guitars

If he pays for the guitar & shipping before you ship then all is fine.
Insure it for more than your selling it for.

Mike

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Mike Collins

Hope they don't use it as a terrorist weapon (not sure how that's possible unless terrorism includes suicide whacking people with guitars...)

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

You're thinking of shipping a banjo.

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

Hi Pat I have several connections in Dubai, also know people from Oman ! I would suggest the same as Mike did. let him pay full payment before you start building. explaine to him that since he´s not in the USA, you cannot do othervise. If he´s sincere, he will understand and agree.

Also, Guys I though we had a thing here against talking religion, saying some people are terrorists because of where they´re from is a bit close, as I "think" you are reffering to Islam.

But I do agree that it would be a fun thing to ship it in a berka

Lars.

This sounds like a possible scam to me. As mentioned before, get the cash in your hand before you even start the instrument.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Yea, if he starts saying he needed your help in transferring money or whatever or claiming to be the president of some country then really ignore them, it is a scam.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

There is a scam out there that works like this. The buyer orders a custom instrument and pays for it through a counterfeit bank draft or perhaps an electronic transfer. You deposit the money, your bank clears it, you send the instrument. Then the fraud is discovered by the banks and your money disappears.

These scammers were hitting up guitar builders about 3 years ago and a couple got burned badly. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell a legitimate buyer from a scammer and you may walk away from some good business.

Even if this is legit, You will need to know how to deal with customs here and there and if any duties and tariffs are involved either on the export and import side. My guess is that you do not want to do this. if you handle this straight up as a retail sale there is likely to be all sorts of legal issues to deal with. If you ship it as private property shipment then there would be less but you could open your self up to IRS issues. Some how I think you will find if full investigated this is more headache than you really want.

I appreciate the replies, guys.

One thing about this person is that he was apparently on my web site a week ago. I can only assume it was him: same city, the first hit I ever got from Oman, and he was on the site about an hour over two days. Otherwise I probably would have ignored it. I'll play along and see where it goes.

I'm with you Michael, this could turn out to be more trouble than it's worth. We'll see.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

It sounds to me that you have streange banking systems over in the states ??? If a deposit clears, and the bank put their name on that the money is on your account, and then you send it, and "later" the bank says it was a fraud , then wouldn´t that be on the banks responability. wouldnt then the bank refund you as it was their word ? In Sweden if a bank gives their word, then they would have to pay you the money. should be some form of insurance on this ?. its guitar + taxes, shipping etc etc. so that would not come on you, and just call usps and ask them. If I can buy a guitar from the USA-Sweden then how hard could it be to buy a guitar from the USA - Oman. ?

Also let him pay all the costs, and you wont start until the bank gives their word, or better up written word that the money is good.
whatever happends, good luck.

Lars.

The scammers are generally not interested in the goods they buy.
What they want to do is pay you with a dodgy cheque or bank draft for a greater amount, then get you to give them change.

Yep in our country if a transaction is proven to be fraud then you are not allowed to profit from the fraud. That makes you either a willing or unwilling participant. In any case you can not profit from fraud. If you were scammed you have the right to sue the scammer. But you can not except the funds involved. Now you are an unwilling participant your bank can not charge any fees caused by the removal of the fraudulent funds. But it is your responsibility to know the funding is legit.

Pat ...If something doesn't feel right then chances are its not...You are asking the question here because something doesn't feel right to you .....I guess everybody here has had someone try to scam them in someway...Larry

Larry,

You're right. As more time passes, the less right it feels. I might just have to pass on this one.

Thanks,

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Pat two thoughts:

1) Does the prospective client reference your work as displayed on your web site in such a manner that specific things/value that you offer are noted? Or - can you tell that this person is really looking at your work and interested in something along the lines of what you offer?

I ask because offers that I have received in the past could be characterized as not being personalized and I felt like it was a form letter/email and hence a scam.

2) So long as you require 1/2 payment (cleared) in advance of starting and full payment (the balance) plus all associated shipping, insurance, and customs fees that have to be paid for delivery in advance of shipping AND have funds clear the bank and be withdrawn by you and placed somewhere else (another bank), again in advance of shipping I see no risk to you. I would also nix any acceptance period or return rights in advance too and request a signed acknowledgment in the form of a sales agreement with the non-refundable deposit. Make the deposit refundable if you fail to perform but not if the client changes their mind.

Oman is just a place and as Lars correctly reminds us potential customers are everywhere. Oman is also known to have wealthy folks who are interested in partaking in western goods, art, technology, and fabric....

Seriously it might be the real deal. And of course this is all IMHO and how I might handle the situation.

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Ann Arbor Guitars

I used to work in Oman. If this guy really is an Omani and really works for the tourism bureau, then he's probably completely legit. IMO, Omani's are generally the nicest people I have ever met on the planet Earth. I never heard of or saw any form of scamming by any of them. They don't need to - their govt. takes care of them. Set up a separate new account with your bank (with little to no money in it) and ask him to send the money there by wire in advance of you shipping the guitar to him....easy.

Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

I have had commissions from overseas but never from Oman. My most recent was a customer in Portugal. He sent the payment by Western Union. My local Grocery Store has a Western Union counter and they paid me in cash (prior to my shipping of course)

How can that go wrong?

Mike Franks
www.mjfranksguitar.com