Rguitars Reviews 991

As an ex professional musician signed to EMI (Parlaphone) I am returning to music after a near 40 year break with my guitars in the attic during that time.

So there was no chance I was going into a shop to try out guitars with my old fingers.

After looking around on the internet I came across Richard’s Guitars and based on the reviews and the fact they promise to set the guitar up to your specifications (with useful advice) I decided to take the plunge and invest in a smart acoustic guitar. So that I could relearn to play, teach my son and in the mean time get my old studio gear up and running again.

Throughout the process at no time did I worry about paying upfront and waiting for the guitar to be sourced and prepared. I was kept in the loop and every request, questions, and concerns was handled in a timely, polite and even friendly manner. There were at least 3 members of staff all communicating and clearly working together to make my experience inspiring. Jon, Richard and Jake. Sorry if I missed someone.

I have never bought a guitar online, without playing it (and I have a few). The guitar arrived after a wait of 24 days but boy was it worth it.

Set up to perfection. In fact the best set up I have ever had. I used the word inspiring earlier because I have not put the guitar down since it arrived and when I put it down my son picks it up.

Anyway enough of all this. Needless to say I would recommend Richard’s Guitars to anyone at any level. Trust them you will not be disappointed. I can’t wait to order another guitar from them, if my new playing journey warrants it.

Thank you Richards Guitars and all the great staff there.
Dave

After over 20 years playing electric guitars, I was on the hunt for an acoustic - a whole new kettle of fish and not something I knew much about. After visiting a few shops to play Martins, Taylors, Faiths and Guilds, chatting to some people in the know, and researching online, I came across Richards Guitars. You can tell these guys have a passion for good quality instruments they can be proud to sell. They booked me in for a 3 hour testing session, preceded by a mini "interview" to discuss my influences and playing style. They had selected a few guitars to try on arrival, but said I was welcome to help myself and try any others on the walls I liked the look of. The price included a professional set up, based on how I like to play. The result was a guitar that sounds and plays so nicely, and I have an instrument that feels pretty special. A 1.5 hour pilgrimage in the car that was well worth it! Don't just buy it off the internet - you'll end up with a guitar that needs a set up anyway, and no idea if you'll like the sound. Would highly recommend these guys - they know what they're doing.

I would recommend Richards to anyone wanting to buy a guitar. The products they sell are top quality and the service, communication and aftercare is second to none.

I find Richard & Jon of Richards Guitars 🎸 first class to deal with.
I am very pleased with the guitar, a Vintage vsa500. Flawless finish and build quality, obviously checked thoroughly by Richard and his team prior to dispatch.
Great buying experience.

Would give 10 stars. Went for a visit. Treated so well by Jake. Bought a guitar which was beautifully set up to my spec before I collected and the whole process was a pleasure. Cannot recommend these people enough.

I cannot recommend Richards Guitars highly enough. They recently worked on my behalf with a bespoke guitar luthier to design and create an ebony-bodied guitar—and the result is absolutely stunning. The craftsmanship is superb, the aesthetics are beautiful, and the sound is nothing short of exceptional.

Jake and Jon from Richards Guitars are true experts. They were consistently courteous, attentive, and generous with their time, offering valuable guidance, advice, and reassurance throughout the entire process. Their communication was excellent, keeping me updated at every stage, which made the experience smooth and enjoyable.

This is a company that genuinely cares about their customers and their craft. I will continue to work with them for all things guitar-related and wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone seeking quality, professionalism, and passion.

This was my second buying experience from Richards Guitars,love the selection and quality.

Highly recommend them to anyone looking for quality guitars and excellent service.

Thank you so much!!

Nice little looper pedal! Thanks....
I bought a 12 string from Rguitars because of their reputation simple as that
5 stars from me the guitar and service from these people was quality

I ordered a mandolin in Oct 24. It arrived in Feb 25 with a nasty blemish on the headstock and uneven/sharp frets. I returned it and 7 wks later they sent a replacement also with uneven and sharp frets. This was the brands flagship model. So much for their '£200 custom setup'. I now have to pay around £250 for a fret level/setup elsewhere. Avoid this store if you can

Update: Due to their response I'd like to add that their response even admits they don't have the tools/knowledge of mandolins yet still continue to blame me the end user. There are several 1 star reviews for this store and more often than not the owner is defending the store against the claims and never not once admitting that maybe they've been at fault that time even while admitting they don't have the tools/knowledge for mandolins. We all make mistakes from time to time, the bigger person will admit to them when that happens. This store hasn't done so. Regarding Eastman, they're a great brand this is the third Eastman instrument I'd bought from this store. Sometimes mistakes happen. The problem is retailers who claim to have a £200 value custom setup should be putting right those problems, and not blaming the end user for whatever perceived motivation they're allegedly hiding behind.

Update 2:
Richard Guitars deleted their first two comments entirely where they admitted they have no tools/knowledge required for working on mandolins and for throwing Eastman under the bus by asking why I wasn't blaming them instead of RG's. I have the screenshots if necessary. Around an hour ago I'd cordially emailed with their sales manager (Jon) stating "I'm going to just keep it and move on with a sour taste in my mouth of Richard's Guitars. I'll pay for the work out of pocket when I get time to deal with it." and "The more Richard responds by throwing blame at me for a problem that arose from RG's not having the tools/knowledge (as admitted to online) the more I will respond back in kind. I'd prefer not to but that's up to him, I don't care.". Anyhoo, he chose to respond again. This didn't have to end this way but it's how the store chose to deal with me over 5 months of trying to purchase this instrument. The final straw for me happened last Friday when I'd sent them an offer 1, send a shipping label to pickup the mandolin and do the work it needs, or 2, I showed them screenshots of how much it would cost for me to get the work done elsewhere (by people who have the tools/knowledge to work on mandolins) and to discount me enough to cover that cost. The store went home without responding to me (despite reading the email) and thought they'd leave me over the weekend with an unplayable mandolin and no resolution of what happens next. For the record, After 5 months of being patient and with disappointment that was the final straw for me, just leaving me hanging.

I discovered Richards Guitars store whilst researching Furch guitars and found them to be one of only a handful of dealers that stocked them. Myself and a friend booked a 2 hour appointment during which we were to try out a selection of instruments which was arranged via email prior to our visit. On arrival we were greeted by Jake and Jon who, after a chat about the various makers and models, left us free to try out a vast array of wonderful guitars. It was so good to be able to try out so many instruments without any pressure to purchase, just helpful assistance and info when requested from two very friendly, knowledgable and understanding staff members.
End result? I tried the Furch and, yes, they are truly lovely guitars but I fell in love with a Dowina on the spot and had to have it. A good deal was struck which included a hard case, 6 and 12 month free instrument check and set ups and initial set up to personal requirements.
Less than two weeks later I was informed that my guitar was ready for despatch or collection and decided to collect and have another chat with Jake whilst there.
The whole experience from beginning to end has been faultless and an absolute joy. Great info, honesty and communication throughout and I really cannot recommend them highly enough. Great system, store, staff and a host of lesser known guitars that will leave you speechless when compared to prices of major brands.
A final thankyou to Jake and Jon for introducing me to Dowina guitars (who I have to admit I knew nothing about) and whose help ensured that I am now the very proud and very pleased owner of a hand built guitar, the like of which I always believed to be well beyond my means.
A wonderful place that I shall certainly be visiting again soon. Huge thanks to you all.

Just a short note to thank you for your outstanding help and support in choosing my new Furch Yellow Gc-SR Deluxe acoustic guitar.

Jake, your attention to detail during the selection process was so welcoming and professional. The way you organised the demos and kept me updated throughout the sales process was truly refreshing—thank you!

John, the setup you did was fantastic. While I might switch to lighter gauge strings, the guitar itself is absolutely mind-blowing.

Richard, what a team you’ve built! It’s always a pleasure coming back to your store— my first purchase was way back in January 1996. That Epiphone Les Paul (Gold Top) is still going strong, and now, after a three-year wait, I have the most amazing Furch guitar. Your expertise, principles, and trusted support make all the difference.

Thank you all for an unforgettable experience!

Excellent customer service from ordering to dispatch, all of the staff very helpful at all hours of the day.

Result - a quality guitar comparable to a more fashionable brand for half the price and set up exactly as I wanted.

Richards guitars is a must if you are looking for a new or used guitar 😎😎👏🏻

If, like myself, you have mostly purchased guitars after trying out in a shop or privately, then Richards Guitars might not be for you. If you are unable to visit their showroom then buying unseen might put many off, particularly if the guitar is an expensive one which you have no previous experience of. An experienced player who knows pretty much what kind of guitar they want should do plenty of research ( forums, youtube reviews, etc ) to make sure their choice is suitable. In the case of a less experienced player, I would recommend either visiting their showroom if possible, but if not, then go elsewhere. When originally trying to contact Richards Guitars it soon became clear that Jon and Jake field all the questions, usually via email / live chat, as it`s nigh on impossible to get anything other than a recorded message by phone. This does take time. However, in my case, my guitar eventually arrived on time and in pristine condition. I have mentioned a couple of points regarding some incorrect info ( phone number for priority matters is out of date and gets you a doctors` surgery in London! ) and opening hours, and general clutter ( IMHO ) on the website, but as yet, have not received a response. In conclusion, Richards Guitars can supply great instruments, but the buying process might not suit everyone.

* Right of Reply*
Richard continues to misrepresent me and my Consumer Rights. Read up on them Richard, they're not optional.

I bought the guitar, I'm the purchaser, my account paid for it. It's my rights Richards have sought to obfuscate. Richard wants to speak with my son, accuses him of mistreating the guitar. My son is a minor. I'm not putting my son in such a position. No-one else would have their young son argue with a belligerent adult.
D'you know, sh*t happens, mistakes occur. I don't measure anyone by the mistakes they make but by their efforts to remedy them. Richards let me down badly and by the other recent reviews on their website I'm not alone. Richard is having his Gerald Ratner moment. Customers are the problem? Really? Take your money elsewhere folks.
***
There's lots of positive reviews on here so maybe I'm a quirk, but like you I read the reviews to inform my purchase. I chose Richards given their rep for set up and aftercare. My guitar arrived damaged, I didn't realise how damaged until I had a local Luthier look at it weeks later. In his view it had been set up poorly, parts coming loose, superglued as a fix, a cracked nut, varnish flaking. Richards initially said I must've dropped it, my problem not theirs. After a month of emails I gave up and had it fixed locally (I'm in Glasgow). Most worrying for me was Richards advice and interpretation of my Consumer Rights. I was wrongly advised to pay for my own return, I was wrongly advised that it was likely my problem to fix/pay for whereas the law assumes any fault in the first 6mths was already there and the seller must prove it wasn't. Read up on your rights if you have similar issues.

Excellent customer service from ordering to dispatch, all of the staff very helpful at all hours of the day.

Result - a quality guitar comparable to a more fashionable brand for half the price and set up exactly as I wanted.

Richards guitars is a must if you are looking for a new or used guitar 😎😎👏🏻

sold me a substandard guitar which I returned for adjustment only for it to be returned no better than it was to start with ,then got stroppy when I complained

This was my second buying experience from Richards Guitars,love the selection and quality from makers such as Dowina,Furch and Auden.The quality for the price you pay is a lot higher in my opinion.My first choice was a Dowina Acero which still makes me smile every time I play it.This time I chose a Furch OM Vintage which compliments it beautifully.The quality of these two guitars is amazing.The buying experience from beginning was great again, dealing with Jon etc. Played so many amazing guitars but the Furch grabbed me this time.The guitar was set up nicely and I received within a week this time.Thank you again guys... I totally recommend.
Simon Rees

**Excellent Experience at Richards Guitars**

I recently visited Richards Guitars for a private appointment to try out some acoustic guitars, and I was thoroughly impressed with the service. Upon arrival, I was greeted warmly and found a selection of six guitars prepared for me to test, all within my budget. I had discussed what I was looking for prior to my visit via email and telephone with Jon.

What stood out to me was the lack of price tags on the guitars. This allowed me to focus on the feel and sound of each instrument without being influenced by their cost. The shop provided all the necessary accessories, including a capo, tuner, and various plectrums, which was a thoughtful touch :)

I appreciated the privacy given to me during my visit. I had the freedom to spend time with each guitar and even explore others from the shelf, knowing that assistance was available whenever I needed it. After about 2.5 hours, I found the perfect guitar!
A stunning Dowina OMG! The store will now set it up, install a pickup, and ship it to me.

I had an absolutely fantastic experience at Richards Guitars and highly recommend them to anyone looking for quality guitars and excellent service.

Thank you so much!!

From start to finish, my customer order was seamless. I was kept informed every step of the way by Jake and Jon and honestly, I couldn't be more pleased with my product. It was an expensive order but worth every penny. If you're looking to purchase a guitar (I ordered an amazing Furch acoustic) then this is the company to do business with. Thank you.

Twice I've messaged this company about a product on the website and won't even get back to me??? And don't answer the phone either???