Sourcing acoustic guitars and violins
Acoustic and classical guitars, violins, violas, cellos, double basses, ukuleles, harps and other string instruments without electric pickups from China pay 2% UK duty with no anti-dumping duty. Instruments made with CITES-listed timbers, such as Brazilian rosewood, need permits, and quality rests on the timber, setup and humidity control. Cambridge China Bridge sources string instruments.
Acoustic and classical guitars, violins, cellos, harps and other string instruments from China pay 2% UK duty. CITES timbers, setup and a worked example.
2% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, violins and other bowed string instruments, guitars and other string musical instruments of heading 9202 carried 2% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. Electric guitars and instruments whose sound is produced or amplified electrically are in heading 9207, see the digital pianos and electric guitars guide, and cases, strings and parts have their own codes, so confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violins | 9202 10 10 00 | 2% | None |
| Other bowed string instruments, such as cellos | 9202 10 90 00 | 2% | None |
| Guitars | 9202 90 30 00 | 2% | None |
| Other string instruments, such as ukuleles and harps | 9202 90 80 00 | 2% | None |
CITES timbers and product rules
Some tonewoods are listed under CITES, which the UK applies through its own wildlife trade regulations with APHA as the permitting authority. Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) is in Appendix I and needs permits even in a finished instrument, while exemptions for finished musical instruments cover many other rosewoods, so state every timber species in the specification and check the paperwork before shipping.
Instruments are consumer products under general product safety law, with small parts and finishes to consider for children's instruments, and instruments sold as toys for young children fall under the toy safety rules. Lacquers and glues should be free of restricted substances.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 1,000 acoustic guitars, entered under 9202 90 30 00: £60,000 free on board plus £4,000 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £64,000. The 2% duty on acoustic guitars comes to £1,280, and import VAT is 20% of £65,280, which is £13,056. If you are VAT-registered you normally reclaim the £13,056, leaving £1,280 as the real cost at the border. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
What goes wrong
String instruments fail on timber, setup and humidity. Wood that was not properly seasoned shrinks when it reaches a centrally heated home, so fret ends stick out, tops crack and bridges lift, and necks bow so the action is too high to play. Intonation is off because the saddle or nut is badly cut, glue joints open, finishes crack or yellow, and cheap strings and tuners will not hold tune.
Check wood moisture content on samples, inspect the setup with action height, neck relief and intonation measured at several frets, look for fret sprout, glue gaps and finish defects, play-test and tune samples over several days, specify strings and tuners, and pack instruments with humidity control in padded cases or double cartons.
Cambridge China Bridge sources acoustic and classical guitars, violins, ukuleles and other string instruments, with timber, setup and packing agreed before production. See how we source musical instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on acoustic guitars from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, guitars, violins and other string instruments of heading 9202 carried 2% duty from China.
Do rosewood guitars need CITES permits?
Brazilian rosewood is in CITES Appendix I and needs permits; many other rosewoods are exempt in finished instruments, so check the species.
Where do electric guitars go?
Electric guitars are in heading 9207, not 9202.
Why do guitars crack after import?
Wood that was not seasoned for dry heated homes shrinks, so tops crack and fret ends stick out.