Online shoppers should be aware of a tax bill they may receive if they order Christmas gifts from outside the EU, the UK tax authority says.
Many shoppers could be caught out if they think they have a bargain but fail to factor in VAT and customs duty, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned.
Any package valued at more than £15 bought over the internet from outside the EU faces a £15 VAT charge.
Customs duty might also be due for goods valued at more than £135.
If somebody receives a gift from outside the EU, import VAT will be charged if the package is valued at more than £40.
A package qualifies as a gift when it is sent from one private individual to another without any money changing hands, according to the tax authority.
“You do not want to be faced with unexpected extra charges, when you thought you had found a bargain,” said Angela Shephard, of HMRC.
Piano Covers Online view – Purchase from the UK and help our own small businesses wherever possible!
Source: BBC News
The latest newsletter with some great ideas for Christmas presents is out now. Also an extension to our 10% discount offer until the end of the year, so bag yourself some great pre-Christmas bargains.
Check it out online here
Our new Power Guard covers protect your instrument against dust, damp, accidental spills and light impact.
A light-heavyweight range, made from a layer of nylon on the outside, a layer of high-quality table-felt on the inside and Dacron padding sandwiched in-between.
The 3 layers are diamond-quilted together to protect the integrity of the materials. Power Guard covers have a straight hem making them easy to use – just pull them on and off as you need, and we provide separate ties for the odd occasion when you may wish to move or transport the piano elsewhere.
They are:
- Robust Nylon Outer – the Power Guard nylon outer protects against damp and spills
- Luxurious Table-Felt Inner – the Power Guard inner is table-felt – soft on the piano surface
- Dacron Filler – the Power Guard Dacron filler helps protect against light impact
- Diamond Quilting – the 3 Power Guard layers are diamond quilted together which protects the integrity of the materials
- Easy to Use – they simply pull on and off
- Custom-Made –custom-designed and made to your piano’s specific dimensions
- Dust, Damp and Impact-Resistant – made specifically to keep environmental dust and damp at bay, and protect your piano from accidental spills and knocks
- Ties – PowerGuard covers for grand pianos come with separate webbing ties to hold them in place when moving the piano.
- Belts / straps – Power Guard covers for upright pianos come with separate belts to hold them in place when moving the piano
- Choice Of Colours – available in navy blue, royal blue, red, bottle green or black.
Check out the New Power Guard Piano Covers for Upright and Grand Instruments Here!!
We are pleased to announce a new arrival to the extensive range of sheet music bags which we offer. TGI (Terry Gould International) Sheet Music bags and Recorder Bags are now in stock. Two designs of sheet music bag and a wide range of colour choices.
The standard Music Carrier boasts a good specification, nine colour options and budget price: Featuring:
- Carry handle
- Name card holder on top
- Velcro fastening
- Reflective Strips
- Single width
- Available in nine colours
The Music Carrier Plus is the TGI premier range of music bags and also available in nine colours:
- Adjustable shoulder strap
- Gusseted – high capacity
- Carry handle
- Name card holder on top
- Large capacity internal Velcro pocket
- Velcro fastening
- Reflective Strip
- Available in nine colours
Check them all out here
We are pleased to announce the arrival of a custom made to measure keyboard bag manufacturing service now available.
With two types of keyboard bag available and suitable for all keyboards, whether 61, 76 or 88 key instruments, we are sure these custom bags will be a big hit with everyone who is lookng for a bag that is guaranteed to fit perfectly and provide a great level of protection.
Standard Bag
High Quality Keyboard Bag, Custom Manufactured to the specific size of your keyboard by our dedicated team!
High Specifications including:
- 16mm thick luggage grade material
- 600 denier exterior bonded to 10mm open celled foam with 5mm closed cell core.
- Inner lining is 210 denier Polyester with Wipe Down surface
- Exterior Padded Pocket
- No. 10 Chunky Zip
- Metal Fittings
- Heavy Duty Carry Handle
- Detachable padded shoulder strap
This case is designed to be completely flat and open like a book. Once keyboard is placed into the case the case will then be zipped up and form around the keyboard for a custom fit.
Premium Bag
High Quality Premium Keyboard Bag, Custom Manufactured to the specific size of your keyboard by our dedicated team! Our top Keyboard bag in terms of protection and reliability – custom made to your exact keyboard specifications!
High Specifications including:
- 30mm thick luggage grade material
- 600 denier exterior bonded to 10mm open celled foam with 5mm closed cell core.
- Additional Internal 17mm Padded Velcro adhered to a 3mm rigid foamex panel
- Inner lining is a soft brushed nylon
- 1 x Exterior Padded Pocket
- 2 x No. 10 Chunky Zip opening at front
- 50mm Velcro closure flaps front & sides with 2 side release clips at front
- Metal Fittings
- Heavy Duty Industrial Rubber Side Handles
- Heavy Duty Padded Centre Carry Handle
- Padded Detachable Shoulder Strap
- Outer base has anti-scuff material sewn on for added protection.
This case is designed in the standard way with a gusset.
The attractive, yet very reasonably prices Musicwear Wavy Stave Music Bags have now arrived. Available in a range of colours (Red, Navy, Black, Purple, Light Blue and Pink) these bags are sure to prove popular for novice and experienced musicians alike.
An attractive music bag, with reinforced corners! Ideal for sheet music scores and accessories.
- Extra strong PVC lined Polyester
- Easy open Velcro
- Secure when closed
- Full length safety reflector
- Reinforced PVC corners
The search is over! It isn’t too hard to find nice vinyl materials but it has proved very difficult to find something with a good piano friendly lining. Well, we found it in the end!
It is available now in very nicely grained black or brown. High Quality supple leather look Vinyl exterior, with soft and piano friendly lining.
Hugely popular choice as this cover is practical, attractive and robust! Easy to clean, will not stain and will not absorb liquids.
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Available in Black or Brown
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Wipe Clean when damp
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Light Weight for ease of removal
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Great Fabric choice for visible locations
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Low Cost yet one of the most water proof in our range
When it comes to learning and playing piano, there are some clear differences between acoustic and electric instruments that you’ll want to consider. For practical reasons, you should also figure out which will be easier for you to own and maintain.
The Musical Style You Wish to Play
A digital piano is a versatile option for those who would like to learn many styles, or who have not yet discovered their musical preferences. A pianist can successfully learn traditional styles – such as classical, blues, or jazz piano – as well as more modern electronic music with a keyboard. The latter style isn’t accomplished as easily on an acoustic piano without quality recording equipment and a knack for mixing software.
However, despite there being some excellent electronic replicas of the piano’s sound (and the option to buy standard foot pedals), many classical pianists prefer the feel of an acoustic piano; in which case consider….
Size & Feel of the Keys
Some keyboards – portable keyboards in particular – have small, thin keys with a light, plastic feel. Fortunately, many modern digital pianos offer a more realistic experience with full-sized, weighted keys that feel like a real piano.
If you can only afford a keyboard but plan to eventually play on an acoustic, weighted keys are the way to go; if you begin learning on light, unweighted keys, switching to an acoustic instrument might prove to be a bit of a challenge while your hands adjust to the added labor.
- Tip: Keyboards with “graded hammer-action,” also known as “scaled hammer-action,” take the realistic feel a step further by giving the bass octaves a heavier touch than treble notes.
Keyboard Range
A piano has 88 notes, which range from A0 to C8 (middle C being C4). Of course, many digital pianos can be found in this size, but smaller ranges such as 61 or 76 keys are common, more cost-friendly alternatives.
Now, a lot of piano music can be played in full on 76-key models, as the highest and lowest keys on the board are often ignored by composers. Early classical piano and harpsichord music may even be played on 61-key models, since the range of early keyboard instruments was a couple octaves shorter than today.
- Tip: If you plan to use a keyboard to mix and record with music-editing software, a smaller range is suitable, since pitch and octave can be manipulated easily during the editing process.
Your Purchasing & Maintenance Budget
Let’s face it, whether you buy one new or used, a decent acoustic piano can cost a fair bit… not to mention the cost tuning and repairs (which depends on the piano’s condition and how often it needs to be tuned in your climate).
On the other hand, portable keyboards range from £50-£300, and digital pianos average £250-£1000. 76-key models offer a wide range of notes while still remaining cost effective, but price tends to jump up considerably for a full set of 88 keys.
- Tip: If you’d like a full-sized keyboard with a lower price tag – and you have a capable computer – 88-key MIDI controllers can be found for as low as £200-£500; check out M-Audio’s line of instruments.
Present & Future Locations
I doubt I need to convince you that keyboards are more convenient spatially, as the dilemma of getting a full sized Grand or Upright Piano into your home itself can be daunting. Moving a piano up or down tight staircases and through doorways can damage walls, door frames, or the piano itself. Therefore we recommend to only use a professional Piano Removal Company who will be experienced and should have suitable insurance cover. We have contacts with highly professional Piano Removal experts if needed and always recommend the Piano Removal Team Bath Ltd and Piano Removals UK
Never heard of it? Until fairly recently we hadn’t; however these instruments are gaining in popularity and we were approached to manufacture bespoke protective top covers.
Our Universal range of Pedal Steel Guitar Top Covers offer a variety of material finishes for any make and model of steel guitar.
What ever your Steel Guitar, we can manufacture a made to measure cover for you. All we need is the make, model and basic dimensions.
You can choose to have a new Black Pedal Steel Guitar cover manufactured in lightweight 4oz Nylon or upgrade to the Hard Wearing 8oz Polyester, or decide on the padded versions available (Either 4mm or 10mm for extra protection).
The 8oz Polyester and padded versions are available at extra cost as per the choice below and all covers come in black.
The 4mm and 10mm Padded materials are 600 Denier PVC Backed Polyester which is bonded to 4mm or 10mm Open Celled foam with a soft inner lining.
This is an interesting question and one we get asked often. The answer is in fact quite simple.
The Quilted Grand and Upright Piano Covers which we offer provides the absolute top level of protection for your prized instruments. Whether you have a £25,000 Steinway or a budget Grand these instruments represent a signicant investment as well as providing hours of pleasure. Therefore it is only right that you want to protect them with a cover that not only looks great but also does the job well.
Our Top Cover for robust protection and beautifully attractive appearance. Ideal for Schools these high quality covers have heavy duty fleece lining with black polyurethane-coated nylon. The extra thickness of the Quilted piano cover will give your piano more protection than our light weight covers, and looks elegant in any setting of your home or school.
Our Top Grade 3 layered Quilted fabric is approximately 10mm thick at its thickest point , Water Repellent (but not waterproof) in a Black, Blue, Brown or Green nylon Matte finish. This beautiful fabric is quilted and the backing is 100% soft cotton flannel to protect the finish on your piano.
The image shown does not do justice to this beautiful cover and does not illustrate the quilting which is both attractive and functional/
