So I guess I start here

Welcome along RB! Looks like you're planning the right approach!

So it's all getting a lot closer, but I am a bit perplexed.

The guitar finally arrived in Australia the week before last and was despatched on August 14th. It only took 2 days to reach Coventry, UK and the most recent entry in the tracking is on august 18th when it says In Transit, attempted delivery this was at 6.37 in the morning!

There was no attempt, and I've heard nothing since. I'm assuming that it is sat somewhere having the VAT and import duty worked out, but does anyone in the UK know how long this process takes and if there is any one I can contact to chase it up? I'm off Thursday and have a good opportunity to sort it out.

Thanks

I've had that before and 'attempted delivery' here is as you suspected, the VAT and duty stage. They 'would' have sent it out but there's money to pay. You should get a card in the post very shortly stating the amount due. Then you can either go down to the listed sorting office with the card and some ID and pay + collect there, or pay on-line and you then get typically get it delivered two working days later.

Thanks Simon, so pretty much as I suspected. I'll just watch the post for the notification. Is it a Post Office sorting office or other company?

Post Office once it gets to the UK.

I go to the local sorting office to pay and collect it at the same time.. can't be bothered waiting in for the postie I get too excited, I've learnt now to order the guitar over the weekend, Adam then ships it on the Monday, normally in Coventry like yours on the Wed night, Saturday the little card comes through the post and If I'm sat ready can get to the sorting office before it closes. My last order was done on a Tuesday night, shipped the next day, arrived at Coventry last Friday night and not heard a thing since....

Well nothing came n the post today :( fingers crossed for tomorrow or Thursday at the latest.

So frustrating that it managed to come 3900 miles or so in 2 days and has now taken the best part of a week to come the last 162 miles :). Sounds like your sorting office are more switched on than mine Chrissy
inbkk!

Decided on a stain / spray job / colour yet?

I think so. Having read around I decided that the blue I really wanted wouldn't suit the spalting so I'm going with yellow with possibly a very fine orange burst. I couldn't give up the blue entirely though so the back and neck will be blue.

I've bought stains from Crimson Guitars, along with some of their finishing oil.

I've bought some flame maple veneer that I'm going to stick to some scrap wood so I can have a practice with the finishing. I know it's not quite the same, but it'll help.

Funnily enough I've just ordered a couple of stains from crimson and the oil to try too, good idea to get some veneer, never even thought of that