When buying online, where do you buy your guitars from?

bingefeller

I'm doing some research as I'm going to be buying a new guitar very soon.  

Normally I buy from Guitar Guitar, and have done for the past 10+ years, but I thought I'd get some opinions on other shops that are good to buy from when buying online.  

BloodEagle

Project Music are excellent and very very helpful 

Moe_Zambeek

BloodEagle said:

Project Music are excellent and very very helpful 

They don't have a great return policy, though, if buying online. As far as I recall they deduct credit card charges / percentage off any refund on returns. They state a £1k order would likely incur a £42 deduction, not including the return postage the buyer has to pay for. That has stopped me buying from them in the past; too much of a risk.

Ive had good online guitar-buying experiences with Guitar Village, Merchant City Music, Vintage and Modern, Sound Affects Premier, an OK experience with Coda, poor experience with Thomann. 

usedtobe

All over the place..

CarpeDiem

I've had good guitar-buying experiences with DV247, Guitar Guitar (Newcastle), and @guitars4you

Alnico

Andertons.

I live close enough to Coda and a few others  to physically go there but if it's online and I need to trust them, I go to Andertons.

Fair Deal Music are also very good online and so are Riedys. ........although I've never tested their returns policy.

thebreeze

Has to be Coda Music.  Every time.

mbe

Preject Music, Red Dog, PMT and Dawson's average.

Thomann, DV247, Gear4music, Rimmers and Fairdeal good.

GAK, Anderton's, GuitarGuitar, Richtone, Absolute Music and Norman's better.

Coda best.

guitarfishbay

Any larger shop should be fine on paper, they’ll have to honour laws relating to distance selling.

I’d specifically highlight Coda, Andertons, and Peach for dealing with issues and returns very well. Probably other shops too but I’ve forgotten right now.

RandallFlagg

Andertons, GuitarGuitar & World Guitars supplied the ones I currently own.

Whitecat

Peach, Coda, World Guitars, Sound Affects Premier and Guitar Village have all been great.

Had some issues with Andertons a couple times (just getting the wrong thing and having to sort it out which is a ball ache, even though they did make it right with no quibble - everyone's time is wasted)

Guitars4You is great too, bought a couple pieces from Mark over the years but it's intentionally not so "click & buy".

Bygone_Tones

Music Ground (now called Hanks) and Cash Converters. That's where all the best stuff is.

mbe

Bygone_Tones said:

Music Ground (now called Hanks) and Cash Converters. That's where all the best stuff is.

I suppose that's true if you like tribute guitars.

Musicman20

Had good and bad experienced with a lot of stores.

Andertons are generally great but I don't like the new site navigation as much, despite it looking better. They've slowed down on good deals and tend to be more expensive (and won't match) now they've dominated.

GAK - Unfortunately, quite a few issues.

Peach - Fantastic.

GuitarGuitar - Good and bad....but they tend to be pricey and always try to persuade you not to return stuff. I wouldn't buy anything on display from them because I've seen the state of some of their gear!

Dawsons - Nope. Manc city store is ok but seems to have lots of grubby guitars. Pricey as well.

PMT - Mixed but mainly not so great.

Richtone - Great service.

Sound Affects - Brilliant and great deals if you ask.

Amazon - WHAT?! AMAZON? Always had great service for things like pedals and even bought an SG that was Amazon exclusive. Best customer service I've experienced.

I should try Coda really!

bingefeller

Thanks guys, lots of good shops to check out.  Keep going if anyone has any other suggestions.

JezWynd

I've used GAK for most recent purchases. They're very efficient (regular email updates, arrives when promised etc.) but their online operation is as a box shifter so it arrives as it left the factory (with whatever setup it received there). Mostly it's good and if there's a problem they're equally efficient in arranging return and prompt refund.

Bygone_Tones

bingefeller said:

Thanks guys, lots of good shops to check out.  Keep going if anyone has any other suggestions.

I was joking by the way. Please do not check out my suggestions.

bingefeller

JezWynd said:

I've used GAK for most recent purchases. They're very efficient (regular email updates, arrives when promised etc.) but their online operation is as a box shifter so it arrives as it left the factory (with whatever setup it received there). Mostly it's good and if there's a problem they're equally efficient in arranging return and prompt refund.

Yeah, I'd prefer somewhere that checks the guitars before they send them out to be honest.  I would have to consider them carefully.

ennspek

@guitars4you , World Guitars. These both offer perfect service, and I don't use that word lightly.
More mainstream stuff, Andertons.
I will take a risk on a deal now and then.

crunchman

bingefeller said:

JezWynd said:

I've used GAK for most recent purchases. They're very efficient (regular email updates, arrives when promised etc.) but their online operation is as a box shifter so it arrives as it left the factory (with whatever setup it received there). Mostly it's good and if there's a problem they're equally efficient in arranging return and prompt refund.

Yeah, I'd prefer somewhere that checks the guitars before they send them out to be honest.  I would have to consider them carefully.

You could always go to the shop and look it over yourself.

I bought my last guitar from Andertons, but I did it in person.  To be honest I would never have bought it online.  The thing I went there thinking about buying was awful, so I tried a PRS Vela Satin.  I would never have bought that in an online purchase.

randella

JezWynd said:

I've used GAK for most recent purchases. They're very efficient (regular email updates, arrives when promised etc.) but their online operation is as a box shifter so it arrives as it left the factory (with whatever setup it received there). Mostly it's good and if there's a problem they're equally efficient in arranging return and prompt refund.

I've only bought one guitar sight-unseen and it was from GAK.  It arrived very well set up, although whether or not it was by them I don't know.  It was an Ibanez Artcore, if that's any help.  Very good price and textbook delivery service.

I also bout a used Mesa Mini Rec from them, and I have to say they couldn't have been more helpful there either.  The amp was in better nick than they had me believe when they described it on the phone.