Peach Guitars - opinions wanted!

Grumpyrocker

Bought two guitars online from Peach in 2019. Both excellent experiences. I particularly like that you have photos of the exact guitar on the site. One of the guitars I bought had a burl top and being able to make sure I wouldn't be disappointed with the look - as I have seen some ugly examples of the same guitar - was great. Please keep doing that. Generic model photos from the manufacturer can making buying online a lottery.

I don't live close so not likely to visit the shop in the near future. So I won't offer an opinion on that.

But my experience with Peach online has been superb. 

chris45

I live in Edinburgh and have bought several guitars from Peach / Coda Music and both shops have consistently great email and phone support.  The one time I made it to Coda their in store people were also very good (will get to Peach at some point).  I have obviously got a local alternative but they’ve not been in the same league so I’m happy to buy blind remotely.
Given your location (a bit out of town if I understand correctly), do you actually get much browsing?  The know it’s difficult to tell given COVID etc but maybe appointments are the way to go given the sums involved.

RonnieHotdogs

Hi Peach, not a customer yet. no reason, you seemed well loved here and other sites so you must be doing something right. Good for you
I do find your You Tube Videos a bit dull. bit samey, however I think they've improved a bit recently 
It would be good to have a search by Brand function on the web site. At present you must choose the type of guitar first 

darthed1981

I recently bought from Peach and thought it was an excellent experience, would buy from again for sure.

Why not just open the store fully at weekends and appointment only during the week? 

People buying a 3k custom shop who want to play every one you have to choose the right one will be able to take a day off to do it, and you don't miss the passing trade from crazy impulse buyers (like me - who would love to visit your store for a browse) or little Johnny who wants to learn to play and wants a Blackstar ID Core and a Bullet Strat?

stickyfiddle

I'm a fringe case because I live abroad. What I can say is I bought an HX Stomp and TM Deluxe Reverb from you guys this year and it was awesome as an international buyer. Great online comms, products clearly marked when in or out of stock and international delivery within half a week - even with COVID. That is absolutely the best level service I've had from any UK guitar stores. Coda usually do similarly well. 

In terms of appointments, I would love that as an option. When I visit family I typically fly into Heathrow and drive up to Norfolk. That means I can go via Colchester (for Peach) or Stevenage (for Coda) without too much of a detour, so would definitely stop by if I was in the market for something guitar-shaped. If I could call ahead to get a couple of specific guitars prepped in advance that would be even better. Though as others have said, a complete stop to walk-ins seems like a bad idea. Not least because there must be a bunch of people who don't check websites or facebook or whatever but want to come and look at guitars - especially at christmas, or for birthdays etc.

Either way, the key thing is to keep up the customer service you guys are already known for - it really is a massive credit. 

Dominic

a very nice shop and good service but I preferred the  old shop in the farm center in Braintree and the personal non supermarket ambience
New store is a bit cavernous .
Maybe the Peacocks were the icing on the cake.Oh,and the Tea Room......Dorothy and I were always able to have a nice scone and a cup of tea after listening to those loud rock and roll guitars .

Philly_Q

Dominic said:

a very nice shop and good service but I preferred the  old shop in the farm center in Braintree and the personal non supermarket ambience
New store is a bit cavernous .
Maybe the Peacocks were the icing on the cake.Oh,and the Tea Room......Dorothy and I were always able to have a nice scone and a cup of tea after listening to those loud rock and roll guitars .

A friend of mine lived right near there, it had almost the same postcode but I never figured out where it was.  Really should've visited.

gatheredinsong

RonnieHotdogs said:

It would be good to have a search by Brand function on the web site.  

Agree with this! 

duotone

gatheredinsong said:

RonnieHotdogs said:

It would be good to have a search by Brand function on the web site.  

Agree with this! 

There is already

guitarmanessex89

In the current climate I can see the necessity for this, at last least in the short term.

I get that being almost solely online will probably be a more efficient business model, but I'm sure somewhere as respected as Peach would continue to thrive as they have been for the last few years.

I'm in a fairly ordinary income bracket and have made I some big purchases there - 3 Suhr guitars and one amp, a Tom Anderson, Eastman, PRS Gibson CS, and various other things. Most of these have come about by popping in on a whim and playing some cool guitars.

There's something nice about playing the entire rack and finding one that is right for you. I think it would be a real loss after building such a fantastic business and *easily* the best showroom in the UK if this changed dramatically. It would certainly deter me. Booking an appointment to play a few guitars wouldn't work for me. I might finish work early one day and pop in. I have a chaotic life. That works for me. 

There's something great about having that interaction with staff, whether it be solely about guitars or other things. It's inherently human. It also sits right with me to know that these good people who do such a good job and are stuck talking to people like me, are at the very least being paid to do so.

The new business model would also probably attract a certain kind of staff - young, super-enthusiastic guys who are all over Instagram. Sometimes I want to speak to a grizzly old fucker who says it like it is and may steer me away from one piece of gear. There is a credibility element there! 

There are enough 'Amazons' in the market place. I think Peach really has something special going on, and it would be a shame to lose that.

Just my tuppence worth! 

sev112

Some people work weekends and their days off are in the week
hence an earlier suggestion that the days for “open to all” and “appointments” could be switched week to week, with notice on the website as to which and when.

I’ve got 8 guitars,  only 1 of them did I “intend” to buy with forethought.

breezytele

Post Covid, I would like to be able to visit the shop,  without an appointment being required .

Dominic

You don't get passing trade after 5.30 so why not do evening appointments ? and be open as normal in the day .
I do know the shop reasonably well although I have bought there before it moved to Colchester .
What would deter me from appointment ?.......I like the passing interest approach of picking something up that catches my eye and not feeling at all obligated if I put it down again .
 With a pre-arranged appointment it's easy to feel pressured and not slightly obligated .It's a bit too much like the test drive scenario ....."Right,you've taken me round the block 4 times which colour shall I put you down for ? "There is a certain gent (no names ) who  tends to be a bit too powerful when it comes to that approach ;that would deter me from appointing especially.

RandallFlagg

One polite suggestion for Jack's videos, turn the amps down, turn the treble down and consider using a different amp. That Dr Z hurts my ears, it's harsh!

arayadis

I bought a Sure Modern Plus online from you guys. My online shopping experience was okay but not fully smooth. You were really helpful but you were a little bit out of control of what's going on.
  
So I would buy a case with my Sure Modern Plus and the first case you first advise wasn't fit for my guitar
And I would change my tone knobs and the knobs you sold me wasn't fit and I discover that you use matchwood to make them fit and that was horrible to witness that after buying 3K guitar

What I mean your youtube channel is great and you are great guys but if you wanna go online you have to be well prepared.

PeachGuitarsRyan

Thanks once again for all your feedback guys, it’s been invaluable.

We’re currently recruiting for additional staff with the intention of allowing a few days a week of flexible browsing for passing trade. Most likely Tues, Weds, Thurs with appointments being available for the remainder of the week. We’re still discussing the finer details and it won’t come into play until the new year, but that’s the intention. 

It will be impossible to please everybody but hopefully this will give everybody the option of shopping in their preferred way. We’ll continue to monitor the success and I’ll be sure to update you guys when it’s all confirmed.

Thanks one last time for your help, it’s greatly appreciated!

digitalscream

Well, that seems like a good point to finish - we don't want to risk it becoming a Peach Guitars Megathread for all customer service enquiries, so it seems sensible to close it there.

All in all, I'd say that was a positive welcome back for the Peach boys