and you can spend that £200 on lessons matey so it's win winwhen i brought a guitar in it was 21% plus handling fee
different items have different tax applied and i found it useful to contact the custom and excise people to find out exactly what the charges were.
in my case, I paid £400 for the guitar, then shipping and VAT etc made it around £600 total. Still made for a very good deal on a rare instrument (which when they do surface in the UK fetch over £800)
www.myspace.com/theendingof for proof i can playand you can spend that £200 on lessons matey so it's win win
If the seller is going to be helpful, they may put the customs info saying the contents are 'a sample' or put the value of approx $10. that way you will be passed through. that of couse would be fraud, and i couldnt condone such goings on..... .
or have a word with a frieldly chap in USAF, and get them to buy you a gift......
Mark