Sending concertinas to Bolivia

[SteveS]

As you may know the concertina is very popular in Bolivian folk music.

I've had some enquiries about selling concertinas to players in Bolivia.

Has anyone had any dealings with Bolivia and selling/sending concertinas to Bolivia?

I'm wondering about any potential issues and/or problems for me.

Cheers

[rcr27]

I would recommend DHL, they operate in Bolivia, I don’t know if UPS does. I sent an accordion to Brazil back in January through Parcelforce and it took 3 months to arrive, only to fail the customs clearance (apparently due to insufficient item description...) and now it’s getting returned, and still waiting. I sent an accordion to Chile through DHL about 2 weeks ago and it’s already there. I booked the shipment via parcelhero, the parcel gets sent to a sorting centre here in England so you don’t need to fill any customs invoice papers, they do it for you. I’m not sure about CITES and all the wood-related restrictions. 

[SteveS]

1 hour ago, rcr27 said:

 I’m not sure about CITES and all the wood-related restrictions. 

I think CITES may be the one big problem - the concertinas I have available contain rosewood.

[Sprunghub]

I know from a bit of Melodeon buying via Ebay.De that some sellers are very reluctant to sell to (specifically ) Brazil due to posting problems.....mind you, even pre January, as many were reluctant to sell to the Uk

 

The CITES issue is a worry.....but it depends how - to some extent - you describe the item and how specific you ( or anyone else can be about the nature of the "Rosewood" and it's origins ( or otherwise ? ).  There isn't an infinite amount of space on the form and by the time you have written, "steel, leather, felt, card, wood - hard"......you may not have space for 'rose'..... and I doubt anyone would have the expertise to identify it from the numerous similar perfectly legitimate timbers out there without scientific tests ?

 

That is not to suggest that supporting the trade in any illegally felled/protected Dalbergia Sp. should be supported or encouraged, but when the 'sample' is 100 years ( or so ) old some restrictions are a sledgehammer to crack a nut/legume.....

 

https://www.gearnews.com/cites-rules-end-for-rosewood-in-musical-instruments-official-end-date-announced/