I've found a guitar I like, I'd love to test play it but my local dealer has some awful feed back & reviews & in my experience of contacting him this has been born out. So I'm left with online. Has anyone bought a guitar this way? I'm concerned about set up etc. I'd love to use a local shop but they really make it awkward to take my money
Worse case assuming you like the sound is to take it to a local luthier for a setup? Anywhere else that has it in stock for a looks-see?
Nearest is in Guildford, 6hr round trip
Any guitar needs setting up to your style, chances are the price difference online would cover the cost of having a tech sort it for you.
Have you actually been into the shop - could be half decent just a few bad reviews and crap at contact.
Online is generally fine, i've bought several online some great some not so good but they can all be set up nicely. You're Mids aren't you? Martin @ the little guitar shop is a good recommendation if you need someone to set up.
What's the guitar/shop?
It would have to be a very expensive guitar for me to do this as that way I know the quality and sound will be there.
IME sub £1k there is a variable quality in the production methods that I would want to test play it first just to be sure.
Can you not combine the trip to a decent guitar shop with a route ride somewhere interesting? [ not guilford 😉 ]
^ I'd do that the other way round, i've punted on guitars for a few hundred quid without any real worry to have a play knowing if it's really not good then you can move them on. Everything with a decent name on it is pretty good these days QC is much better, and a good setup makes most guitars pretty playable.
Anything decent or that I actually want to use properly i'd have to have a few good demo's on first though, wouldn't just take a punt. If I really liked something like the OP does, i'd definitely want to demo it though just in case I'd got all excited about it then didn't like it!
Distance selling laws say if you're not completely happy you can send it back no questions asked
I've done it before and it wasn't an issue.
If its Andertons in Guildford I'd say you will get a better service than most on line stores
Learn how to set up yourself (not really that hard) and buy it online from somewhere like GAK.
It is Andertons yea, I'll give them a ring and see what the set up process they do/don't do is
Speaking as someone who works for an online guitar store I'd say do it...
I've done it a few times, as has my dad. No problems at all.
Wrt set up, I've always done it myself, it's really not difficult. Normally I find the action of most guitars too high, and intonation a bit off. A quick adjust of the saddles and its bob on to my liking. Sometimes it takes a few plays over a few weeks to land on a set up that suits you and the guitar, I don't think you'd get the perfect set up from a one off fettle by a shop. So long as the neck is true (chances are it will be from the off, and even adjusting the neck is a two minute job with an Allen key), and the action at the nut isn't too high the rest is simples.
The Anderton's youtube videos crack me up, seem like a good bunch of people. Will probably spend some money there at some point.
Yeah those videos would lead you to believe the store is like that too.
In my experiences its a pretty soulless shop to visit, lots of bling though
OP, yes give them a call and ask if you can return if you don't like it - perhaps agree you'll pay the return postage. Alternatively take a day off and do a Surrey Hills ride, Nirvana "old blokes ride" is Wednesday afternoon or I am sure an STWer would agree to hook up with you and guide you round over a weekend or I'll send you a map. 6hrs round trip might be worth it for a decent guitar/ride combo.
This is worth NOTHING but I found the shop a bit too much (we bought my daughters electric guitar there and my acoustic which was a gift) and I used to use a little shop in Ripley instead but I think its closed now. The shop is walkable from the train station FYI
You don't have to ask if you can return it - its the law within I think 14 days with original packaging and not damaged
lemonysam - Member
Speaking as someone who works for an online guitar store I'd say do it.
Who do you work for? Email in profile if you prefer
Hopefully not GuitarGuitar
Both my son and papadirt have ordered several guitars online without issue. In particular, papadirt was after a spalted maple electro-acoustic, the grain and finish of which varied considerably. Despite providing many photographs of the actual item the seller had no problem with returns. We've used both GAK and thomann.de many times.
I bought a baby taylor online. Cheap'ish guitar but decent brand so wasnt concerned that it would be a shocker. If it didnt feel right i would of sent it back but its been fine.
slight hijack, i'm sorry. But what's the general opinion of thomann? Are they like the on-one (variable customer service) or the Charlie Bike Monger (wonderful customer service) of the bike world?
i've spent a huge amount there on all sorts of stuff over the years and never had anything but great service. Bought an amp there but the fan was too loud for my liking so returned it, no problems. Had a radio mic break down after two years and they just emailed me a return label, i printed it, stuck it on and shoved it in the mail. Came back repaired 3 weeks later. They've also been great on the phoneslight hijack, i'm sorry. But what's the general opinion of thomann
great! that helps a lot. [url= http://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_btb675ntf.htm ]i'm looking at this[/url] 🙂
No way am I clicking on that link. It will be something lovely and i'll want one 🙁
Pretty! They don't carry what I'm after though 🙁
Thomann are good, never had a problem and also quick delivery i've found.
Check out guitar guitar they've often had some good deals on the ibanez thru neck basses, not sure what's on there now but i've been tempted a few times and don't even play bass! Some of the Schecter stuff is lurvely too.
Bought an Epi LP online a few years back and was happy enough. Could have probably got a nicer top if I'd gone to a few stores and hand picked one, but I'm happy enough with it.
Would have no problems buying online from Andertons, and as others have said above, having watched loads of their vids I feel somewhat obliged to chuck a few quid their way at some point. Gotta love the Captain and Chappers
I'm VERY tempted to get a chapman ML1 from andertons.. Quite happy to buy mail order, I accept its not the most expensive guitar in the world but andertons seem to have a very good QC prosess.
Well, if the YouTube vids are to be belived!
Andertons are fairly local to me, took my niece down to try out acoustic guitars, really good sales people, took the time to make sure she got the right guitar.
Had a right old bash on the electronic drums as well.
I built my last with parts from warmoth, and will do again next time. I'd just be concerned if you're buying a guitar style/neck profile you're not familiar with e.g. you usualy play a 50s tele and fancy an ibanez.
I'm currently lusting after a Chapman ML-3 RC. If I get a decent bonus at work this year I suspect I'll be putting in an order through Anderton's for one
I've bought a few guitars, amps and wot not online. Thoman, and andertons, guitar guitar and others. Not had a bad experience with any of them.
My LP came from andertons, came setup well but had a prob with the neck pup. They replaced it the next day shipping out the replacement and collecting the old one. Great service. Give em a call and they'll set it up how you want it. All I did to the replacement was drop the action a smidge.