Brueko Purchasing Question

Vitazora

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I am interested in purchasing a custom Brueko concert or tenor ukulele, and wondered if there is anyone from the U.S. on the forums who has purchased directly from Brueko.

Did you have to pay additional custom duties or import fees? If so, how much did you have to pay in additional fees beyond shipping?
 
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I bought a concert from them. I was not charged any customs duties ore import fees. The overall cost and shipping was quite reasonable.
 
Thanks for letting me know about your experiences with them. I know that for most purchases under $200 sent to the U.S. there are usually no import fees, but wasn't sure about crossing that price threshold. I have a Soprano Number 6 on order and even with shipping it is extremely reasonably priced.

Was your concert model a custom order?
 
My concert was just one that was listed on the site - not made custom for me.
 
I was also wondering what the turn around time is for customs. I read somewhere, but don't have the link, that it can take at least 12 weeks or so for a made-to-order ukulele from Brueko.
 
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Advice based on my experience when I bought my baritone from Brueko is to be patient. :) Even though I was corresponding via email, it could be several days between replies. I don't recall the total time frame to be honest but i would not be surprised at 12 weeks or more. I also did not have to pay customs though shipping across the Atlantic was quite expensive, compared to domestic of course.
 
Thanks for the advice. :) I originally contacted them a couple of weeks ago, because their on line store seemed to be broken (and still is) for anything other than shipping within Germany. I wanted to buy a Soprano #6 and ended up purchasing it from another vendor. Now I am extremely interested in working with Brueko to build a custom model.

I've downloaded their spec sheet and suppose the best way to go is to send it along to them and just wait for a price quote. Hopefully by then, everything will be back up and running again.
 
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I've downloaded their spec sheet and suppose the best way to go is to send it along to them and just wait for a price quote. Hopefully by then, everything will be back up and running again.

Yeah, that's the only way to go if you want something special. The good news is that the "custom" options are generally very reasonable over the stock instruments.
 
An Update of Sorts.
H. Pfeiffer responded to my emails in a very timely manner. He would not be able to start work on a custom for 4 months, but he offered me several options of already built bodies and neck configurations, that were close to my original checklist request.

So far it has been a great experience.
 

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Communication is not the best thing with Brüko. Difficult to get something that is not already built. Strangely what is avalaible includes expensive options.
Good luck should you want to get a standard baritone n.16... Quite impossible.
I have already been discouraged by the way they communicate and had to turn my choice on another brand.
 
I can only speak about my own experiences which so far have been a mix of almost immediate responses to my emails along with gaps of several days between messages. H. Pfeiffer was straightforward about the time frame (more than 4 months before starting a custom build), and also offered several combinations of partially complete components that were very close to my original custom request. To elaborate on my earlier post, he sent images of two tone wood combinations for the body and three different neck combos for me to consider. Although the materials are not exactly what I had originally wanted, they are close enough that I am happy with the selection I made. I am getting a jumbo concert with a sitka spruce top/mahogany sides and back, maple binding, rosewood/mahogany neck with center maple stripe, mini schaller tuners, and a two-piece bridge.

Even so, I assume it will take another month or two for the ukulele to be completed. I am in no hurry - I don't need the ukulele right away, and I have been very happy with the process so far. I have never worked directly with a luthier on a build before, but I can only imagine the wait times could be up to a year or longer.

I am looking forward to the next update from him, as I imagine it will be a shot of the assembled ukulele. Very excited to see what it looks like. :)
 
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Communication is not the best thing with Brüko. Difficult to get something that is not already built. Strangely what is avalaible includes expensive options.
Good luck should you want to get a standard baritone n.16... Quite impossible.
I have already been discouraged by the way they communicate and had to turn my choice on another brand.
All that is just part of the mystique. If you can't deal with it, by all means go somewhere else. They couldn't care less. They're German :p (it's a joke folks)
 
Communication is not the best thing with Brüko.

My experiences with Brüko have been nothing but positive. I always received prompt responses, either on the same day or the next morning.
 
Hmm, might have something to do with your location. Just sayin. :)

You're right, they may not be as comfortable or quick with English as they are with their native language. Most Germans understand and speak some English, at least those younger than fifty and who grew up in the west (East Germans learned Russian as their first foreign language instead, before the nineties), but fluency, and thus speed, isn't always a given. But if that applies here, it is just related to a language barrier, not lack of customer care.
 
I have a Bruko large body concert rosewood b/s and cedar top and had a pick-up added thru the factory. Great set-up and sound. I am very happy with it!
 
Hmm, might have something to do with your location. Just sayin. :)

Jim, did you have an account with Bruko before the website makeover? Have you tried to log on under your previous account? I had an account and my entire purchase history is gone and I can't log on any under my old account information. I tried setting up a new account and it seems that option is now only available for residents of Germany. I've had great service from Bruko in the past but all my present attempts to communicate with them have fallen on deaf ears.
 
But if that applies here, it is just related to a language barrier, not lack of customer care.
I was not trying to say they didn't care about their costumers. I would consider my experience to be a positive one as well but there are cultural differences to be aware of. As long you understand that going in, you'll be fine.

Jim, did you have an account with Bruko before the website makeover? Have you tried to log on under your previous account?
Sorry, Bill, can't help there. I only got the one uke and I don't think I ever had an account on the website. My first query was an email to discuss baritones, custom options, etc. We emailed back and forth til the details were worked out and they sent me an invoice. I havent had a need to get service but if I did, I imagine it would have to be pretty serious to warrant shipping across the Atlantic and back.
 
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