Lol to the down voter 😂. Last week I had SEVEN down votes within minutes - the following day it had gone down to 2. This is UA-cam recognising fake down likes is someone with multiple accounts down liking my videos. A true tribute to the sadness of some individuals
@@RichardsGuitarshop you can inform Riki I'm still waiting for the video of ball and biscuit for my wee donation i made to the SMJ charity, mon the butterflies 🦋
Wanted to thank you for all your reviews of Eastman guitars. Just took delivery of my E20 OM and I love it! By the way , several Eastman dealers in the USA suddenly got a huge restock of Eastman guitars. So it looks like Eastman has recently been shipping supply out.
As one of the people who ordered a guitar a couple of weeks ago (and I confess did email on Friday for an update, sorry!) - thanks for this, I just presumed you were talking to me, so that was great! I'm happy to wait, I'm just not sure if I ordered the right thing on your site (no pic) being an impetuous purchase. So looking forward to knowing what to look forward to, if you know what I mean. I know it's not a huge purchase - but I have my eye on one of those hollow bodied guitars behind you next! Anyway appreciate this video and I'm glad that you're busy - presumably a v good thing. On the interest free thing - absolutely makes sense. Anyone, pretty much, who can afford to buy a guitar can get interest free credit elsewhere - my order on your website for example gave me 4 months by using Paypal. So, yeh, you should concentrate on what you do best, you're not a bank. Not to sound weird, but couldn't help thinking that you looked a bit like the love child of Ryan Giggs and Sting today - do you get that a lot?! Cheers ds
I would like to think the vast majority of people will be completely reasonable regarding any further delays. Surely most people will understand that delays are potentially inevitable currently. Love your passion and customer care as always.
I waited 3.5 months for my Faith Lyra. I was happy to do so and my patience was rewarded with a great guitar, perfectly set up. Thanks again to you and your great team, Richard.
So glad you made it through my man. It's not over yet but I think you've made it through the worst and I'm so glad. Stay strong 💪 stay blessed 🙏 - and stay selling quality guitars 🔥👍
Hi Richard All the points you made\suggest are totally reasonable to me. The situation we’re currently in is unprecedented, as far as I’m concerned “good things come to those that wait”. I’ve just taken delivery of my Faith, overjoyed, so thanks again to your team. I’ll need to contact you regarding my next purchase. I’m after something special so I’ll need some help, I’ll give your team a call, if I have to wait, no worries from me. Keep up the good work, you get my vote👍
Still waiting for my Dowina Acero Jumbo ordered in January - no complaints whatsoever. An understanding of the situation facing Erika and her team, along with yourselves, is paramount. I look forward to visiting and collecting.
So kind of you and I know you know the cutaway is available :) Customers like yourself are literally the blood that keeps this animal alive (strange analogy Rich - but run with it) but your patience will certainly be rewarded and I genuinely believe even the experience of visiting the showroom and chatting to the lovely people I work with will add to your memories. See you.... Soonish?
The old saying is true, you can't sell an empty space. And if your supliers are very slow to deliver, and keep you in the dark with delivery estimates, there is little you can do other than keep a regular check of outstanding orders, chase suppliers and keep your customer updated if an order is long overdue. Few sellers come anywhere near your standards, so please keep trying and keep your customers informed.
All very reasonable. For me interest free finance is a tool I would always use, but not having the option is not a deal breaker. I’m currently waiting six months for a T59v, plus side is it gives me plenty of time to save.
Hi Richard, I have an Eastman on back order, I’m happy to wait I know the issues (globally) I am happy to wait and buy with you. I have been following your videos for a while and find your passion second to none! (Which is why I want to buy from you and support your store and business) I spoke to Rikki when ordering and honestly he was the most helpful person I have EVER dealt with regarding “guitars”. I have checked in on email several weeks after ordering and Jon was super helpful on email. I am excited to get in to meet the team and collect it once it’s in. Looks like Sept/Oct. On the finance issue, you can’t please all, offering as many options as you can is all you can do. Folks need to make their own decisions if they want to finance or not. The fact you offer “options” is great. Keep doing what your doing! 🤘🏽👍🏽
Amazing! That’s so wonderful to hear on all counts. I cannot thank you enough for your genuine support and it’s so great to hear your belief in us has been rewarded so far! That’s a joy to my eyes/ears (?! 🤔) . All I can say is thank you 🙏
@@RichardsGuitarshop your very welcome! Honestly it’s so refreshing to hear genuine passion and see and experience it first hand. Do pass on my thanks to Rikki too he was fab to deal with! Dom
For anyone who is deciding whether to purchase a guitar from Richard.... Just do it. I am a customer and he is a genuinely good guy who will look after you. If I ever buy another guitar, I know I will be heading to Richard!
Re Interest free finance, not everyone has a perfect credit rating, and the major banks are not in the market of lending to people that due not fit their requirements. Some guitars are only available for a limited time, if you can't afford to pay in full, this leaves you very frustrated. You have to take into account how to finance your next guitar, dealers can only do so much in this regard.
Richard, love your content and love your honesty and that is why i want to ask you this, I am in the look for an acoustic guitar. Budget is around 1k. I'm between, Eastman, Lag, Faith. If the money was yours which brand would you go? Thanks in advance. By the way, do you ship to the US?
Personally I think a deposit or the voucher system sounds like a good plan to secure a guitar. I would have gladly paid a deposit to secure my Furch. Most trades that I have dealt with recently all require payment to secure materials. I don’t know why a guitar should be any different. In regards to finance, I see the advantage of 0%, but I will admit that I have been one to take it up when not really required in the past. Having someone secure there own finance before would certainly eliminate the customers that don’t commit once their guitar arrives. That must be infuriating.
Not the right place to ask but can't find where to post questions. Trying to get a professional opinion on the Gretsch Guitars coming out of the far East ( China etc )
If it wasn't for Interest free Finance I wouldn't own my Gordon Smith or my Dowina the Dowina was out of stock that I bought but I was happy to wait for it to be in stock again. I was paying it off without actually having it yet but that didn't bother me. Interesting Free Finance is how I tend to purchase all my Guitar's or payment plans or as the Americans call it lay away. So for future orders I'd either have to save for the guitar first or try my hand at interest free finance elsewhere but if I don't get interest free I don't make the purchase.
@@RichardsGuitarshop my ex partner damaged my credit score massively which I'm still recovering from takes a long time to rebuild your credit score. I already have a loan that I'm paying off, banks don't offer me 0% finance options so I'm left with what guitar stores offer. I think V12 finance who I've used at guitar stores previously actually offer it separately to people so it's might be possible to use them to make purchases going forward but if not it's save up or don't buy it.
Just to capture my experience with Richard Guitars here. I am a musician of many years and decided to learn the guitar again this year. After many hours of research reading through blogs and watching youtube videos, I eventually stumbled across a guitar that I felt was cheap enough (should my learning not work). Again, after a few clicks, I ran into a video of Richard demonstrating the Eastman guitar. It was a PCH3 or so. I went on Richards website, read more and placed an order for the entry level one. Mind you, I had saved for months - putting a 100quid aside every couple of weeks till I had enough to buy what I wanted so didn't have a need for finance. I was also aware that it would take a while to build an Eastman guitar (again thanks to videos such as these) and whilst the website said the type I wanted was in stock, it turned out to not be available after I ordered it and I had to wait for 8-12 weeks (according to the lady I spoke with). I didn't think 8-12 weeks would be long so I agreed and didn't change ny order for available options but if I have to be honest, it was the longest wait of my adult life. The lady was in constant communication with updates on deliveries, delays etc and importantly, we became friends (I want to believe) in that time so much so that when my guitar eventually arrived I named it after her. Was it easy waiting? no! Was it a joy to finally receive a bespoke guitar that didn't give me any headaches from out of the box and was playable and inspiring from out of the box? YESSS! I had spent almost 3 months watching tutorial beginner videos and holding a guitar that sounded good (trying my beginner chords out and applying my knowledge as a seasoned bass guitar/piano player). This kind of service might not be for everyone especially when we are in a hurry and given to big brand names for bragging rights but if you want an instrument that you can be glad to play and enjoy as a musician for a long time, the wait is really worth it and the customer service experience with Richards Guitars has been very great. I would always recommend to anyone!
Personally I don't think luxury goods eg Guitars, should be purchased with finance. I accept this is the modern way, I am old fashioned, but this could last longer than the shiny item (I work in finance and never recommend finance for this sort of thing). Would prefer you discuss wait times (be realistic, don't sell goods you cannot deliver this year etc). Was looking to buy from you, but did not get a great response from your staff and purchased a Yamaha. Love the channel btw
If you're sensible, it's sometimes a necessary evil. I don't go for it myself, because the shop would have to pay commission to the money lender. I usually pay with a credit card. It's a whole lot less hassle than filling in paperwork and the fee banks charge is not as high as it used to be. Also, with a credit card purchase, even if you pay only some of the transaction using one, you are covered with all sorts of benefits, like insurance.
I'm a customer with an order in your backlog. I understand that you are selling quality products and that these are not generally available off the shelf. So no problem to wait. I will pay by card when the time comes, but let me tell you what I think of Interest free. There is no such thing. Interest free means that the prices you charge to the 80 or 90% of your customers who don't take up the offer, need to be high enough to cover the cost of providing it to the minority who want to use it. And as its a free offer I'm surprised that only 20% take it up. I'm sure you would agree that your expertise is in guitars not finance offers, so I'm sure you are doing the right thing in linking to a banks portal for those that do need to finance a purchase. But then you leave the option open for people to call you if they want an interest free guitar. I think that defeats your initiative. Trust your instinct and do away with it.
You took the words right out of .....well.... some dark space in the back of my brain somewhere!. Really do value your comments - and... The Furch Blue OM.... OMG more like! What a guitar! It will be worth the wait I promise! Thank you for your support - I cant thank you enough.
Hi. Indeed its all by appointment - another development of our service which even before Covid was necessary to give our customers the very best experience. There is nothing worse than someone travelling 2 hours to have a wonderful experience only to find 2 other customers battling to be heard - and helped by our team. A controlled environment is perfect and I always know people leave feeling totally looked after.
im someone that normally has to use the interest free finance that guitar companies offer. i can never afford up and will never use a bank that charges interest . Understand your reasons but you will defiently lose business
Thank you for the feedback. As I was saying - the interest free option will be available but not so automatically and the focus will be on providing finance options for the customer so they can buy from us. 20% of our customers use finance and i believe most of those only use it because it’s pretty much shoved down their throat. In fact I am amazed how low the number is considering it’s offered to everyone. So we won’t be denying anyone but we can manage it to make sure interest free is being used in the right way
Interest free credit is great. Why not spread the cost. Does the shop lose out for using this service. I thought the service I received from rikki n John and yourself had been first class, when I decided to change guitars. All my messages got replied, I was in no rush anyway. Got out Jaw Dropping in? 10 guitars now. Stop
Hi Dean, Thank you so much for your amazing support for us. Indeed interest finance is very expensive and in certain circumstances it naturally has its place to help someone but relative to the cost of providing it - vs all the administrative issues it causes I would much rather do what I have suggested - but... as I say... it will be nice to have it there as a help for someone who really does need it.
Lol to the down voter 😂. Last week I had SEVEN down votes within minutes - the following day it had gone down to 2. This is UA-cam recognising fake down likes is someone with multiple accounts down liking my videos. A true tribute to the sadness of some individuals
Your team is awesome Rich!!
Thanks Derek - Yes.... I really believe they are and I feel blessed to have such a wonderful guitar family!
@@RichardsGuitarshop you can inform Riki I'm still waiting for the video of ball and biscuit for my wee donation i made to the SMJ charity, mon the butterflies 🦋
Wanted to thank you for all your reviews of Eastman guitars. Just took delivery of my E20 OM and I love it! By the way , several Eastman dealers in the USA suddenly got a huge restock of Eastman guitars. So it looks like Eastman has recently been shipping supply out.
As one of the people who ordered a guitar a couple of weeks ago (and I confess did email on Friday for an update, sorry!) - thanks for this, I just presumed you were talking to me, so that was great! I'm happy to wait, I'm just not sure if I ordered the right thing on your site (no pic) being an impetuous purchase. So looking forward to knowing what to look forward to, if you know what I mean. I know it's not a huge purchase - but I have my eye on one of those hollow bodied guitars behind you next! Anyway appreciate this video and I'm glad that you're busy - presumably a v good thing.
On the interest free thing - absolutely makes sense. Anyone, pretty much, who can afford to buy a guitar can get interest free credit elsewhere - my order on your website for example gave me 4 months by using Paypal. So, yeh, you should concentrate on what you do best, you're not a bank.
Not to sound weird, but couldn't help thinking that you looked a bit like the love child of Ryan Giggs and Sting today - do you get that a lot?!
Cheers
ds
I would like to think the vast majority of people will be completely reasonable regarding any further delays. Surely most people will understand that delays are potentially inevitable currently.
Love your passion and customer care as always.
I waited 3.5 months for my Faith Lyra. I was happy to do so and my patience was rewarded with a great guitar, perfectly set up. Thanks again to you and your great team, Richard.
So glad you made it through my man. It's not over yet but I think you've made it through the worst and I'm so glad. Stay strong 💪 stay blessed 🙏 - and stay selling quality guitars 🔥👍
Hi Richard
All the points you made\suggest are totally reasonable to me. The situation we’re currently in is unprecedented, as far as I’m concerned “good things come to those that wait”. I’ve just taken delivery of my Faith, overjoyed, so thanks again to your team. I’ll need to contact you regarding my next purchase. I’m after something special so I’ll need some help, I’ll give your team a call, if I have to wait, no worries from me. Keep up the good work, you get my vote👍
Jon has been fabulous to deal with, can’t wait for my Furch Yellow GCCR!
Still waiting for my Dowina Acero Jumbo ordered in January - no complaints whatsoever. An understanding of the situation facing Erika and her team, along with yourselves, is paramount. I look forward to visiting and collecting.
So kind of you and I know you know the cutaway is available :) Customers like yourself are literally the blood that keeps this animal alive (strange analogy Rich - but run with it) but your patience will certainly be rewarded and I genuinely believe even the experience of visiting the showroom and chatting to the lovely people I work with will add to your memories. See you.... Soonish?
The old saying is true, you can't sell an empty space.
And if your supliers are very slow to deliver, and keep you in the dark
with delivery estimates, there is little you can do other than keep a
regular check of outstanding orders, chase suppliers and keep your
customer updated if an order is long overdue.
Few sellers come anywhere near your standards, so please keep trying
and keep your customers informed.
All very reasonable. For me interest free finance is a tool I would always use, but not having the option is not a deal breaker. I’m currently waiting six months for a T59v, plus side is it gives me plenty of time to save.
Hi Richard, I have an Eastman on back order, I’m happy to wait I know the issues (globally) I am happy to wait and buy with you. I have been following your videos for a while and find your passion second to none! (Which is why I want to buy from you and support your store and business)
I spoke to Rikki when ordering and honestly he was the most helpful person I have EVER dealt with regarding “guitars”.
I have checked in on email several weeks after ordering and Jon was super helpful on email.
I am excited to get in to meet the team and collect it once it’s in. Looks like Sept/Oct.
On the finance issue, you can’t please all, offering as many options as you can is all you can do. Folks need to make their own decisions if they want to finance or not. The fact you offer “options” is great.
Keep doing what your doing! 🤘🏽👍🏽
Amazing! That’s so wonderful to hear on all counts. I cannot thank you enough for your genuine support and it’s so great to hear your belief in us has been rewarded so far! That’s a joy to my eyes/ears (?! 🤔) . All I can say is thank you 🙏
@@RichardsGuitarshop your very welcome! Honestly it’s so refreshing to hear genuine passion and see and experience it first hand. Do pass on my thanks to Rikki too he was fab to deal with!
Dom
For anyone who is deciding whether to purchase a guitar from Richard.... Just do it. I am a customer and he is a genuinely good guy who will look after you. If I ever buy another guitar, I know I will be heading to Richard!
Bless you Paul. That’s really kind.
No problem and thanks for the help!
If I lived on that side of the pond, I would buy from Richard, too!
Re Interest free finance, not everyone has a perfect credit rating,
and the major banks are not in the market of lending to people
that due not fit their requirements.
Some guitars are only available for a limited time, if you can't afford
to pay in full, this leaves you very frustrated.
You have to take into account how to finance your next guitar,
dealers can only do so much in this regard.
Richard, love your content and love your honesty and that is why i want to ask you this, I am in the look for an acoustic guitar. Budget is around 1k. I'm between, Eastman, Lag, Faith. If the money was yours which brand would you go? Thanks in advance. By the way, do you ship to the US?
Personally I think a deposit or the voucher system sounds like a good plan to secure a guitar. I would have gladly paid a deposit to secure my Furch. Most trades that I have dealt with recently all require payment to secure materials. I don’t know why a guitar should be any different.
In regards to finance, I see the advantage of 0%, but I will admit that I have been one to take it up when not really required in the past. Having someone secure there own finance before would certainly eliminate the customers that don’t commit once their guitar arrives. That must be infuriating.
Not the right place to ask but can't find where to post questions. Trying to get a professional opinion on the Gretsch Guitars coming out of the far East ( China etc )
Imagine Anderton’s putting out a video like this.
It’s clear who wants to sell you the better guitar.
If it wasn't for Interest free Finance I wouldn't own my Gordon Smith or my Dowina the Dowina was out of stock that I bought but I was happy to wait for it to be in stock again.
I was paying it off without actually having it yet but that didn't bother me.
Interesting Free Finance is how I tend to purchase all my Guitar's or payment plans or as the Americans call it lay away.
So for future orders I'd either have to save for the guitar first or try my hand at interest free finance elsewhere but if I don't get interest free I don't make the purchase.
But why not just get the loan as suggested and then contact us with the money?
@@RichardsGuitarshop my ex partner damaged my credit score massively which I'm still recovering from takes a long time to rebuild your credit score.
I already have a loan that I'm paying off, banks don't offer me 0% finance options so I'm left with what guitar stores offer.
I think V12 finance who I've used at guitar stores previously actually offer it separately to people so it's might be possible to use them to make purchases going forward but if not it's save up or don't buy it.
Just to capture my experience with Richard Guitars here.
I am a musician of many years and decided to learn the guitar again this year. After many hours of research reading through blogs and watching youtube videos, I eventually stumbled across a guitar that I felt was cheap enough (should my learning not work). Again, after a few clicks, I ran into a video of Richard demonstrating the Eastman guitar. It was a PCH3 or so. I went on Richards website, read more and placed an order for the entry level one. Mind you, I had saved for months - putting a 100quid aside every couple of weeks till I had enough to buy what I wanted so didn't have a need for finance.
I was also aware that it would take a while to build an Eastman guitar (again thanks to videos such as these) and whilst the website said the type I wanted was in stock, it turned out to not be available after I ordered it and I had to wait for 8-12 weeks (according to the lady I spoke with). I didn't think 8-12 weeks would be long so I agreed and didn't change ny order for available options but if I have to be honest, it was the longest wait of my adult life.
The lady was in constant communication with updates on deliveries, delays etc and importantly, we became friends (I want to believe) in that time so much so that when my guitar eventually arrived I named it after her.
Was it easy waiting? no! Was it a joy to finally receive a bespoke guitar that didn't give me any headaches from out of the box and was playable and inspiring from out of the box? YESSS!
I had spent almost 3 months watching tutorial beginner videos and holding a guitar that sounded good (trying my beginner chords out and applying my knowledge as a seasoned bass guitar/piano player).
This kind of service might not be for everyone especially when we are in a hurry and given to big brand names for bragging rights but if you want an instrument that you can be glad to play and enjoy as a musician for a long time, the wait is really worth it and the customer service experience with Richards Guitars has been very great.
I would always recommend to anyone!
Personally I don't think luxury goods eg Guitars, should be purchased with finance. I accept this is the modern way, I am old fashioned, but this could last longer than the shiny item (I work in finance and never recommend finance for this sort of thing). Would prefer you discuss wait times (be realistic, don't sell goods you cannot deliver this year etc). Was looking to buy from you, but did not get a great response from your staff and purchased a Yamaha. Love the channel btw
If you're sensible, it's sometimes a necessary evil. I don't go for it myself, because the shop would have to pay commission to the money lender.
I usually pay with a credit card. It's a whole lot less hassle than filling in paperwork and the fee banks charge is not as high as it used to be. Also, with a credit card purchase, even if you pay only some of the transaction using one, you are covered with all sorts of benefits, like insurance.
I'm a customer with an order in your backlog. I understand that you are selling quality products and that these are not generally available off the shelf. So no problem to wait. I will pay by card when the time comes, but let me tell you what I think of Interest free. There is no such thing. Interest free means that the prices you charge to the 80 or 90% of your customers who don't take up the offer, need to be high enough to cover the cost of providing it to the minority who want to use it. And as its a free offer I'm surprised that only 20% take it up.
I'm sure you would agree that your expertise is in guitars not finance offers, so I'm sure you are doing the right thing in linking to a banks portal for those that do need to finance a purchase. But then you leave the option open for people to call you if they want an interest free guitar. I think that defeats your initiative. Trust your instinct and do away with it.
You took the words right out of .....well.... some dark space in the back of my brain somewhere!. Really do value your comments - and... The Furch Blue OM.... OMG more like! What a guitar! It will be worth the wait I promise! Thank you for your support - I cant thank you enough.
@@RichardsGuitarshop Ya see - blessed! Stay strong my man, there's people out here loving what you do 🔥
Of course you should take deposits
Can I just turn up at the shop and have a browse, or do I still need to book an appointment?
Hi. Indeed its all by appointment - another development of our service which even before Covid was necessary to give our customers the very best experience. There is nothing worse than someone travelling 2 hours to have a wonderful experience only to find 2 other customers battling to be heard - and helped by our team. A controlled environment is perfect and I always know people leave feeling totally looked after.
im someone that normally has to use the interest free finance that guitar companies offer. i can never afford up and will never use a bank that charges interest . Understand your reasons but you will defiently lose business
As I said, it wont be cancelled entirely - but kept on the back shelf for those that really need it.
no interest free over 12 months is a pain when guitars are over 1000 squids.... so that would be a lost customer.
Thank you for the feedback. As I was saying - the interest free option will be available but not so automatically and the focus will be on providing finance options for the customer so they can buy from us. 20% of our customers use finance and i believe most of those only use it because it’s pretty much shoved down their throat. In fact I am amazed how low the number is considering it’s offered to everyone. So we won’t be denying anyone but we can manage it to make sure interest free is being used in the right way
Interest free credit is great. Why not spread the cost.
Does the shop lose out for using this service.
I thought the service I received from rikki n John and yourself had been first class, when I decided to change guitars.
All my messages got replied, I was in no rush anyway.
Got out Jaw Dropping in?
10 guitars now. Stop
Hi Dean, Thank you so much for your amazing support for us. Indeed interest finance is very expensive and in certain circumstances it naturally has its place to help someone but relative to the cost of providing it - vs all the administrative issues it causes I would much rather do what I have suggested - but... as I say... it will be nice to have it there as a help for someone who really does need it.