To Order: Call or e-mail to confirm availability. If the item is in stock you may prepay by cashier’s check or money order and the item will normally be shipped within 24 hours of receipt. Personal/business checks are always welcome, however, there will be a brief hold while the check clears my bank. Additionally, I request an e-mail with full name, address, and phone number prior to shipping. Prices listed on my web page do not include shipping. If I ever have a new guitar comparable with one from another dealer who offers free shipping, I’ll be happy to match their price if you’ll let me match their selling practice – just slap a label on the box and send it out with factory (i.e. crappy) setup. We set up and adjust each guitar prior to shipping, including but not limited to: filing fret end burrs, filing down string slots in the nut, adjusting bridge/saddle height, adjusting neck angle, and adjusting truss rod. While the major mail order houses may save you $30 on shipping, if the guitar arrives needing a $75 setup, you haven’t saved a dime.
Holds/Layaways: I cannot hold any equipment without a deposit. If you assure me that payment will be forwarded within the next business day I will hold it pending receipt of your payment or deposit. A 15% deposit will hold most items for 60 days. In the event a customer fails to pay-off an item within the 60-day period, the customer will be charged a restocking fee of 15% of the full purchase price. Layaways are not transferable, i.e. the deposit on one item cannot be switched to another item. In most circumstances, layaways are not allowed on items under $100. Items that are on layaway for more than 30 days are not afforded a 48-hour inspection period upon receipt.
After we agree that a piece is on hold for you, I recommend checking back at my site the next business day to make sure that it marked as such. On rare occasion I will inadvertently sell the same piece two times: I check my site, see that it’s not marked “hold” and will tell another buyer that it’s available. If it’s marked “hold” I know that it’s unavailable.
Credit Cards: Check/money order payments do not have a handling fee. For a 3% (4.2% international) handling fee, I accept Visa/Master Card payment through “Paypal” which is a secure online service. If you’re not already signed up, you can do so at the following link: https://www.paypal.com/refer/pal=XLUEN6EE88FMC. If you elect to pay through Paypal, please include the following on the notification email when you’re signed onto the site: item you’re buying, full name, shipping address, and phone.
Wire Transfers: There is a $20 fee for a domestic wire transfer, at least on my end. International orders need to add $25-$35 for wire transfers. Should you choose to make your purchase via wire transfer, the item is normally shipped within 24 hours after the wire is received at my bank. Please note that in addition to the fee on my end, your bank will probably charge an additional fee on your end. Due to a recent fraud resulting in stolen funds from my account, my bank has advised me not to publish my account info on line, however, upon request I will provide all the information your bank will need.
Shipping and Return Policy: Except for Ebay sales, items off my web page (except amps*) come with 48-hour inspection with full refund, minus shipping, if not satisfied for any reason. Shipments are normally done via UPS and are insured for the full value. Depending on distance, guitar shipments normally cost $25-$60; amps and other large items can vary greatly on cost. Pedals and other small items will be shipped UPS or Priority Mail, fully insured, usuall at a cost of $6-$8. I pack well and there have been very few damage claims throughout the years, however, any damage claim must be made with the carrier—by the customer—though I can intervene and assist as needed.
Due to non-receipt of a recent first class shipment, I no longer guarantee delivery of small items sent via first class mail. On small items such as decals, truss rod covers, etc., I can only guarantee delivery if shipment is via Priority Mail w/tracking, at a cost of $5. Note that I’ve only had one piece of mail “lost” in my many years in business but, again, due to this one instance delivery is only guaranteed with Priority Mail.
*Amplifiers are fully checked prior to shipment but are sold “as is” with no refund policy.
**I allow full inspection/return privileges on pre-arranged 30-day layaways only. I’ve had customers send final payment on 60-day layaways only to tell me before the guitar even arrived that they would be sending it back and the payoff was merely to prevent loss of their deposit – which is the reason for my no-return policy on 60-day layaways.
Restocking Fees: Normally there is never a restocking fee. Exceptions: (1) Guitars where there is a modification done at the customer’s request such as adding a pickup, sanding back of neck, special setup (such as changing to heavy flatwound strings), changing parts, etc. In these cases a restocking fee will be charged, at least in the amount of parts and labor – plus, in some cases, devaluation due to potential loss of sales to future customers, e.g. future customers may not want a saddle pickup or the neck sanded. (2) Guitars that were on layaway will be charged a 15% restocking fee. I’ve had customers who did not want to forfeit their deposit so they made final payment only to ship it back for full refund.
Transit Times: I have daily pickup service with United Parcel Service (UPS) and most shipments are sent via UPS Ground. Click here for transit times: UPS Transit Chart.
Trades: I LOVE TO TRADE!. If you’d like to do a trade or part trade, please include a full description of your trade, including: year, model, color, condition, breaks/repairs/problems, modifications, and type of case and accessories. Once we agree on a deal, you ship me your trade-in and I ship out your purchase the following day. I reserve the option of returning, freight-collect, any items that were, in my opinion, misrepresented or unplayable. Please do not send me your problem gear and hope that I won’t notice or won’t mind…work with me on this to prevent any returns where the only winner is UPS/Fedex. For trade values, please keep in mind that I cannot pay full retail but generally 80% of retail—and I’m told that my trade-in values are higher than any stores and most web dealers.