Opinion: What do you want that you can't get here in Australia?

[narcdor]

Just got back from the melbourne guitar show and damn if I could hear anything clearly. It must be better in a much larger space as NAMM but forget subtlety.

[Shappo]

It's not what we can't get in Australia, it's that what we CAN get in Australia is so much above it's real worth. With our import taxes and the low dollar value we pay $3,800 for a bass that costs $1,200 in the USA. A $200 pedal in the US will cost us at least $360 here. It's killing us. Think of why it's cheaper to buy an amp from America and pay hundreds for shipping as opposed to buying it here.....

This ^^^
I remember in 2011 I got a brand new American Standard Jazz for like $1250 from the shop. I was looking a couple months ago out of curiosity and they're all like $2500+ for the same model. Wish I held onto it

[BazzBass]

I remember in 2011 I got a brand new American Standard Jazz for like $1250 from the shop. I was looking a couple months ago out of curiosity and they're all like $2500+ for the same model. Wish I held onto it

I got my Am Stnd P in 2014 and it was $1800, yeah now the RRP is $3,500 , ($2,800 street price) crazy

[narcdor]

Aussie dollar is doing much better than in Dec, it does take time to filter down. I'd still be much happier if it went back up to parity!

[aphekgreg]

We used to have large music shows in Sydney. They were great. I thought they alternated between Sydney and Melbourne. Originally at the showground in Moore Park and then at the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre. Stopped sometime after the mid '90s. Saw lots of cool gear there. First played a Steinberger at the '84 show. I remember walking in and The Emmanuel Brothers band was playing on the Australis Music stand -using Ibanez, Tama and Peavey gear. At another show in the early '90s, I tried to stay around to see John Entwistle play, but had forgotten to bring earplugs and that year was so loud, I couldn't stand it any more and left. I did see him wandering around though. Just remembered that Dimbag Daryl was at another one. We walked past the small stand he was on and he was tiny and in a high winy voice kept asking who was going to get him a beer?

[rodl2005]

I want nothing from the US.. Especially not their gun habits or political system (not that is is any better ) or that orange ooompa-loompa. ...that "runs" or fires everyone. Maybe just the variety of basses...but I'm set for them really.
Apart from that. .. I bought a good amp back when the Aus $$ was good. .. got it. ...well a couple. .. for a comparatively good price and have no amp gas.
And apart from THAT. ...I'm happy to have our way of life. ..
The US to me at least. ..nice to visit. ... Let's leave it at that, but I feel that way about many places.

[Paisley]

Anything that violates the ridiculous CITES agreement!

I remember jumping for joy a few months ago when I scored a very nice Irish Bouzouki for a steal on eBay UK. CITES was already in effect then, so I went to great pains to ensure there was no Rosewood in its construction.
A couple of days later I woke up one morning to a plethota of messages stating that the transaction had been cancelled, the Instrument quarantined, & a full refund was already in my Paypal account. Apparently somewhere along the line African Blackwood had been added to the CITES agreement - & guess what the bridge/fretboard were made of??

That was it; no warning, no discussion, no options for obtaining the Instrument (I went to the trouble of ringing a couple of places in the UK about it) - all over red rover!

[BazzBass]

Amsterdam mari@#$na and window h@@kers ?

[slowlearner]

Sensibly priced shipping OS. How is it that they can send me some for $1 and free shipping from China, but the same part sent across Australia would cost minimum $3, just in shipping? Makes no sense. Shipping to and from the US is even worse.