Terms and Conditions

The following terms and conditions apply to online and phone orders, by using this website you agree to the terms as set out on this page. Our terms and conditions for in-store purchases are different and are on display on the shop counter next to the till.

1. PRICES AND PAYMENT

1.1 All prices are shown in British pounds sterling (£, GBP). Prices for brand-new items are inclusive of 20% VAT. Prices for eligible pre-owned items are inclusive of VAT calculated under the HMRC VAT Margin Scheme (VAT on pre-owned items is non-reclaimable by business purchasers). Advertised prices do not include delivery charges, which will be calculated and shown at checkout depending on your order and location.

1.2 Any orders for standard-rated new items received from outside the UK will have the UK VAT deducted automatically at checkout once the delivery address is entered. Please note that under HMRC rules, VAT deductions do not apply to pre-owned items sold under the Margin Scheme; the advertised price for pre-owned items remains the same regardless of the delivery destination. For all international orders, you will be liable to pay any applicable import duties, customs clearance fees, and local taxes in your country upon arrival. Please read our Delivery Policy for further details.

1.3 The following methods of payment are accepted online: all major credit and debit cards, and finance (UK residents only).

1.4 All credit and debit card data are encrypted and handled securely. We only have access to the last 4 digits of your card number for referencing purposes.

1.5 3D Secure checks are performed on all online card payments and further fraud risk screening may be carried out.

1.6 We also accept bank transfers in GBP. Please contact us at [email protected] for more info.

1.7 Payment, excluding finance payment, should be made in full before we release orders.

1.8 We reserve the right to change any advertised prices at any time.

2. PURCHASE OF GOODS

2.1 All orders made through our website are subject to acceptance by us. In the circumstance we refuse your order we will contact you to advise you. We cannot be held liable to any party.

2.2 After submitting an order to us we will send you an order acknowledgement email with your order number and details of the goods that you have ordered. Please note this email is an automated acknowledgement and is not an acceptance of your order.

2.3 If we do not accept an order, a full refund will be processed. The following are examples of why we may refuse to accept an order:
2.3.1 We cannot obtain a successful authorisation from the bank
2.3.2 We suspect fraudulent or unlawful activity
2.3.3 If goods are no longer available

2.4 It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.

2.5 We will require a contact number and email address for all orders and these may be used to discuss your order further if we need to speak to you (e.g. to arrange delivery). If your purchase is a secret (either a present or you simply don’t want your partner to know) please specify this when placing the order with us.

2.6 Payment will be taken as soon as an order has been accepted and processed.

3. DELIVERY POLICY

• We use UPS, DHL and Royal Mail for all domestic and international deliveries. Third party courier collections are not permitted.
• All items are fully insured. A dispatch confirmation and tracking reference will be sent once the delivery has been shipped. You may track your item here:

UPS:  https://www.ups.com/WebTracking

DHL: https://www.dhl.com/gb-en/home/tracking.html

Royal Mail:  https://www.royalmail.com/track-your-item

• All orders received by 2pm (Monday – Friday) will be dispatched that same day.
• Orders placed on or around a UK bank holiday may be subject to delay in delivery. We will endeavour to reflect this with the shipping options available at the checkout or contact you if we are unable to fulfil the delivery date on your order confirmation.
• Delivery charges will be calculated at the checkout depending on the goods purchased and your location. We will occasionally offer special offers on delivery prices (e.g. free UK delivery). If available on your purchase these will be shown at the checkout.
• Whilst we have taken great care in selecting the most reliable courier for our packages, once the package has been collected by UPS we cannot be held responsible for delays in deliveries.
• All orders must be delivered to the customer’s billing address.
• If you happen to be out when UPS come to deliver your parcel, they will leave a card with instructions on how to either re-arrange the delivery for another day or to an alternative address the following day. There is also an option to collect from your local UPS Access Point.
• Some guitars that feature a separate non-fixed bridge will have a thin piece of foam under the bridge to prevent damage to the body or bridge during shipping. This can be easily pulled out and removed once the strings have been loosened. Please note the bridge position will affect the intonation of the guitar so should not be moved back and forth, only lifted to remove the foam. To find out more information on this please feel free to give us a call and our tech will be happy to guide you through the process.
• We aim to keep original packaging and shipping boxes where possible but occasionally we will recycle another branded box if we deem it to be safer and more suitable for transporting that item.

UK DELIVERIES

• All UK orders (non-extended areas) received before 2pm (Mon-Fri) will be dispatched that same day for next working-day delivery. Please contact us if you would like to nominate a delivery day.
• The post codes below are deemed ‘extended areas’ by UPS (e.g. non-mainland UK, North Scotland and other remote areas) and we need to charge a £20 delivery fee to cover this (we subsidise these orders to the same extent as standard areas). These deliveries will generally take 2 days to arrive and will be confirmed with the tracking information.

AB37 – AB38
AB44 – AB45
AB53 – AB56
CA18 – CA27
HS – All
IM – All
IV7
IV9 – IV12
IV14 – IV28
IV30 – IV32
IV36
IV40 – IV56
KA27 – KA28
KW – All
LA15 – LA23
PA20 – PA38
PA41 -PA49
PA60 – PA78
PA80 – PA88
PH17 – PH26
PH30 – PH44
PH49 – PH50
TR21 – TR25
ZE – All

• If you’re not a million miles away why not come in and collect it from the shop? Select “Collect from store” at the checkout, pay in full online then pop in with proof of purchase, along with some photo ID*.
  

  *Photo ID must be a valid passport or driving license.

INTERNATIONAL & EUROPEAN UNION DELIVERIES

• As of 01 January 2021, rather than pay any tax at the point of purchase, VAT needs to be paid at the point of arrival of goods into your country.
• All international and EU orders of new and pre-owned products will be subject to local tax and duty charges.
• New products subject to UK VAT (20%) will have VAT removed at the checkout depending on your location.
• Pre-Owned goods are sold under the UK Margin Scheme. UK VAT is built into the cost and cannot be removed or discounted at checkout under HMRC rules. You are still required to pay the same rates of tax and duty upon delivery.
• When your order arrives in your country you will be contacted by UPS and it is at this point that you will need to pay the applicable VAT and any duty. UPS have excellent international experience of the process and ensure your delivery is processed efficiently. Please see the table below for each EU country VAT rate*:

*Correct as of June 2026

For other countries please check with your local customs office.

COLLECT FROM STORE

• Any distance-sales can be collected from the shop by selecting “Collect from store” at the checkout or by arranging with a member of staff.
• Any goods not collected within 30 days of purchase will incur a charge of £5 per day thereafter.

4. RETURNS POLICY

Online & Distance Sales

We understand how daunting it can be buying something online without seeing it or trying it first, especially when it comes to rare or valuable guitars. We want to make your shopping experience as comfortable and seamless as possible.

If you receive your order and it is not as you were expecting, we offer a 14-day hassle-free returns policy for all online and phone orders, provided that:

• The goods were purchased outright via online or phone order (where you were unable to try or see the product before committing to a purchase).
• The goods are normal stock items and have not been specially ordered or customised at your request.
• A valid receipt or proof of purchase is produced.
• Original delivery charges are non-refundable.

How to Initiate Your Return

1.Notify Us & Request a Returns Number: Within 14 Days.

Contact our team in writing within 14 calendar days of receiving your delivery to inform us of your intent to return the item. You can email us at [email protected] or use our website contact form. We will then authorise your request and issue you an official Returns Number.

2.Package the Item Securely: Follow Packaging Guidelines.

Carefully pack the guitar back into its original retail box and shipping carton. Please ensure all tags, films, and accessories are included, and strictly follow the Returns Packaging Reminder instructions below to avoid value deductions.

3.Ship the Goods Back to Us: Within 14 Days of Authorisation.

Organise shipping to get the item back to our shop at your own expense and responsibility. You have 14 days from the date your return is authorised to get the goods back to us. We strongly advise using a tracked, insured courier service, or you may hand-deliver it back to the store.

Condition Criteria for Returns

Goods must be returned to us in the same condition they were sold. To qualify for a full refund, your return must meet the following strict criteria:

• Packaging: All original and supplied packaging materials must be completely intact, in a saleable condition, and not defaced or written on.
• Protective Films & Tags: Any plastic coverings, protective films (on pickguards, pickups, LED screens, etc.), stickers, labels, hangtags, and accessories must be present, intact, and in re-saleable condition.
• Signs of Use: There must be no signs of use, play, or wear.
• Sealed Items: Goods in packets or containers must be unopened, and factory seals must remain intact.
• Manufacturer Registration: Items must not have been registered with the manufacturer, and extended warranties must not have been redeemed.

Returns Packaging Reminder: Please protect the original product box. Do not use black, heavy-duty tape, and only apply tape over existing tape lines. Do not write directly on the product packaging. Please place any new returns labels directly over the previous shipping label.

Right of Refusal and Resale Fees

Under the UK Consumer Contracts Regulations, you are permitted to inspect a guitar as you would in a physical shop. However, if an item is returned to us and has been handled beyond this requirement (e.g., the packaging is ruined, accessories are missing, or it shows signs of play), Guitar Village reserves the right to deduct an appropriate fee from your refund to reflect the diminished value and loss in the guitar’s current resale value.

Once the goods are safely received at Guitar Village and have passed inspection, we can either exchange them or process a refund. Refunds are usually processed within 7 days of receipt, though it may take up to 30 days to process.

Damage During Return Transit

Because organising the return shipping is entirely the customer’s responsibility, Guitar Village cannot be held liable for any items that are lost or damaged in transit back to us.

• If a returned item arrives at our shop damaged, the return cannot be accepted for a refund.
• We will notify you immediately and provide photographs of the damage so that you can log a claim and seek compensation directly with the courier service or postal provider you chose to use.
• The damaged goods will be held for your collection or returned to you at your expense so you can present them to your courier for inspection.
• We strongly recommend that you use a fully tracked, signed-for courier service and purchase adequate shipping insurance to cover the full value of the goods.

Purchases Made Via V12 Retail Finance

Orders placed online or over the phone using V12 Retail Finance are fully covered by our 14-day returns policy and your statutory 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Credit Act. You have the right to cancel the finance agreement within 14 days of the signature date and return the goods under the Consumer Contracts Regulations.

• No Partial Exchanges: Because a finance agreement is a product-specific and price-specific legal contract, we cannot offer direct exchanges for items bought on finance. If you wish to change your item, the original finance agreement must be cancelled in full, and a new finance application must be submitted for the alternative item.
• Condition & Value Reductions: Returned items must strictly meet our mint condition criteria. If a finance return is accepted but shows signs of use or diminished value, Guitar Village reserves the right to deduct a resale fee. Because the finance agreement will be cancelled, any deducted fees must be paid to Guitar Village via an alternative payment method before the V12 agreement can be officially closed.
• In-Store Finance: Please note that the 14-day cooling-off return period does not apply to finance agreements executed in-person at our shop counter where you have inspected the goods prior to purchase.

In-Store Sales

The 14-day distance selling returns policy does not apply to purchases made in the shop. We cannot offer refunds on items bought in-store if you simply change your mind, but we may consider offering an exchange or a credit note depending on the circumstances. Please see our terms and conditions at the counter for more information.

5. FAULTY & DAMAGED GOODS

• Faulty goods can be returned to Guitar Village within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. Any faulty goods returned after this 30-day period will be repaired or replaced under warranty.
• For the duration of the warranty any faults due to manufacturer defect will be repaired at no charge to the customer.
• Faults due to misuse or modification are not covered by any warranty.
• Damaged goods must be notified to Guitar Village within 24 hours of receiving your order and photographs provided of outside packaging, inside packaging and the damaged item.
• Guitar Village will not pay for any faulty item to be independently repaired without our knowledge. All faults should be reported to Guitar Village only in order for the issues to be rectified free of charge.

6. WARRANTIES

6.1 New items come with a minimum 12 month warranty against manufacturer defect.

6.2 Some manufacturers offer extended warranties which will be enclosed with the product and will have to be activated by you, the customer.

6.3 Perishable items, such as valves carry a 90-day warranty.

6.4 Products finished using nitro-cellulose lacquer are prone to lacquer checking/cracking and are therefore not covered under warranty. Manufacturers use nitro lacquer to give the best sound due to the “thin skin” which allows the guitar to breath, resonate, and aid in the natural ageing process (which in turn gives a much more desirable sound). The speed of lacquer checking occurring will depend on how the guitar is stored and things like humidity, temperature, and environmental changes will impact this. One guitar could remain un-checked for 50 years, whilst another could check within days.

6.5 Pre-owned items come with a 3 month warranty against manufacturer defect.

6.6 When an ex-demonstration/new old stock (‘ex-demo’) model is sold it may not necessarily be in perfect condition and could have had minor repairs, marks, scratches and/or other defects. Customers should check the goods are of a satisfactory condition for their particular use and requirement before purchasing.

6.7 Ex Demo products come with the full minimum 12 month warranty.

7. STOCK LEVELS

7.1 All stock levels on the Guitar Village website are updated in real time or as soon as possible. If a product is listed as being ‘In Stock’, then be assured it is available to purchase for immediate dispatch.

7.2 Stock levels on third-party sites (e.g. Reverb) are closely monitored with our website inventory. If there is a disparity in stock levels it will be in the process of being updated. We recommend checking back later or you can contact us with any concerns.

7.3 Products on our website will be displayed as either ‘In Stock’, ‘Out of Stock’, ‘Currently Unavailable’ (usually a pre-owned or discontinued model) or ‘Pre-Order’.

7.4 Products listed as ‘Pre-Order’ are on backorder with the distributor and not available for immediate dispatch. Delivery times can vary greatly and are dependant on the supplier. We will be happy to pass on any information we have regarding estimated time of delivery.

7.5 Errors may occasionally occur but they are very rare and we will always contact you if a stock error affects your purchase.

8. WEBSITE PHOTOGRAPHY

8.1 One of the many things that separates us from many other online shops is our in-house photography. We have our own photography suite where mid- to high-end guitars are photographed when they are unboxed and checked over in quality control.

8.2 Guitars with their actual images will show “✓ Actual product in photograph(s)” on the product listing.

8.3 We may use library images as a placeholder or for guitars with non-distinct finishes, i.e. solid colours or plain woodgrain.

8.4 We will use the most accurate and highest resolution library images available to us where applicable.

9. PRE-OWNED ITEM CONDITION RATINGS

9.1 We use a simple method of rating the overall condition of pre owned items as we can not describe every individual scratch or ding on every second hand guitar. If the product is used, the product name will say ‘Pre Owned’ then the year of production (if known), followed by a short key/code which will describe the condition of that product.

9.2 Vintage or older guitars will usually be given one of the 3 ‘VG’ condition ratings but for very well maintained older guitars they may be given one of the higher ‘EC’ ratings. This will have the age taken into consideration and not compare to a newer/recent EC rated guitar.

10. SPECIAL OFFERS

10.1 Guitar Village periodically offer special deals on selected products, online and in the shop. Special offers include discounted ‘mega deals’, extended term finance deals and bundle packages.

10.2 All special offers are subject to change and are strictly whilst stocks last.

11. DEPOSITS

11.1 We can take deposits to hold goods for a maximum of 14 days. Please call us on 01252 726821 or email us to find out more/leave a deposit.

11.2 The minimum deposit required is 10% but we may ask for more depending on the price, availability and various other circumstances.

11.3 If items are specially ordered at a customer’s request (for example, a personalised one-off custom shop guitar) we will require a minimum 20% deposit before placing the order.

11.4 All deposits are non-refundable.

12. FINANCE POLICY (UK RESIDENTS ONLY)

• Guitar Village (Guitar Village Limited) acts as a credit broker and not a lender. Guitar Village Limited offers credit products from V12 Retail Finance. V12 Retail Finance Limited acts as a credit broker and not a lender, and only introduces customers to Secure Trust Bank PLC, its parent company.

  As a credit broker, we do not charge you a fee for our services. We do not receive any commission or other financial benefit from V12 Retail Finance or Secure Trust Bank PLC for introducing you to them.

• Finance is available on selected purchases over £280 (£250 is the minimum loan amount after deposit).
• Available finance options will be calculated at the checkout and show the monthly re-payments for each option. Terms are available from 6 to 48 months, with interest rates ranging from 0% to 19.9% Representative APR depending on the item.
• Finance options are not available at the checkout on products with a promotional discount, such as Boss Gone Mad Sale ‘Mega Deals’, Summer Sizzler, Black Friday, etc.
• A 10% minimum deposit is required upon acceptance and is the default deposit for all website orders. You can leave up to 50% to keep the monthly re-payments down if you wish (please contact us to find out how to leave a larger finance deposit).
• You have the right to cancel the finance agreement within 14 days of the signature date and return the goods under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. Should you wish to exercise your right to cancel your finance agreement but keep the products we will require payment in full for the goods.

CRITERIA

To apply for finance, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must be over 18 years of age.
• You must be a UK resident with at least 3 years continual address history.
• You must be in full time employment, unless retired or a house person with a spouse in full time employment.
• You must have a UK bank account capable of accepting Direct Debits.
• For mail order, it is mandatory for the goods to be delivered to your home address.
• Goods bought via online finance must be delivered to the address on the finance application. This is used as a security check meaning we cannot accept delivery to an alternative address or collection from store.
• Credit is provided subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.

HOW TO APPLY

You can apply for credit in several different ways:

• Online: Visit our website and add the items you wish to purchase to your basket. On the checkout screen select the finance option at the payment section then follow the application. (The default deposit amount is 10%.)
• By Phone: Call us on 01252 726821. Our sales team will discuss the best finance deal for you and email you a customised application to complete online.
• In Store: Simply visit our store. Requires photo I.D. (e.g. driving licence or passport).

BENEFITS

• Buy the items you want now, all for a low monthly payment.
• Choose a higher-spec guitar for a few pounds more per month.
• You can spread the cost of your purchase to minimise your monthly payments.
• One-stop shopping: no need to go to a bank to secure funding.
• Keep cash for day-to-day expenses.
• Fixed repayments — your payments are fixed for the duration of the agreement allowing you to budget more effectively.
• No penalty for paying off early.

EXAMPLE FINANCE OPTION

• Cash Price: £1,499.00

• Deposit (10%): £149.00

• Amount of Credit: £1,350.00

• Term: 12 Months

• Monthly Instalments: 12 monthly instalments of £112.50

• Representative APR: 0%

LICENSING AND REGULATORY INFORMATION

Guitar Village is a licensed credit broker of V12.

Guitar Village Limited is registered in England and Wales under company number 04189051. Registered office: 80-82 West Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7EN. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

V12 Retail Finance Limited is registered in England and Wales under company number 4585692. Registered office: Yorke House, Arleston Way, Solihull, B90 4LH. Correspondence Address: 25-26 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff, CF24 5PJ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA registration number: 679653).

Secure Trust Bank PLC is registered in England and Wales under company number 541132. Registered office: Yorke House, Arleston Way, Solihull, B90 4LH. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (FCA registration number: 204550).

13. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES

13.1 General Retail & Customer Service Complaints

At Guitar Village, we strive to deliver the highest quality products and customer service. If you are unhappy with any retail aspect of your purchase (such as delivery delays, product condition, or general customer service), we want to hear from you so we can make it right.

• How to contact us: Please email us at [email protected], call our shop team on 01252 726821, or write to us at: Guitar Village, 80-82 West Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7EN.

• Our promise: We will investigate your issue immediately and aim to respond with a resolution within 48 working hours.

13.2 Regulated Financial Services Complaints Procedure

This section applies strictly to complaints relating to our regulated credit broking services and V12 Retail Finance applications.

• How to complain: You can raise a finance-related complaint using the contact details provided in Section 13.1.

• Our Process: We will acknowledge your finance complaint within 5 working days. We will investigate the matter fully and issue a final response within 8 weeks.

• The Financial Ombudsman Service: If you are not satisfied with our final response, or if we have not resolved your complaint within 8 weeks, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). You must do this within 6 months of the date of our final response.

  • Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

  • Address: Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London, E14 9SR

  • Telephone: 0800 023 4567

14. WEBSITE USAGE

14.1 From time to time we may include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse these websites and we have no responsibility for the content of the linked websites.

14.2 We use our own dedicated server to ensure the Guitar Village website is available 24/7, but we will not be liable if our website is unavailable at any time due to maintenance, system failure or any other conditions outside our control.

15. THE TRADE

15.1 All items marked as ‘New’ have been purchased by Guitar Village directly from the official manufacturer or their official distribution channels. Guitar Village will never buy new goods from third party suppliers.

15.2 If you would like Guitar Village to become a dealer for your products please email us at [email protected] for more information. Any unsolicited visitors trying to sell their goods at wholesale will be refused.

15.3 Guitar Village occasionally purchase pre-owned guitars from customers on either a full purchase or part exchange basis. If you would like to enquire about trading in your guitar to us please view our Sell Your Guitar page.

16. PRIVACY POLICY

• Cookies are used to keep track of the contents of shopping carts.
• Data collected by this site is only used for:
  • Taking and fulfilling customer orders, including automatic delivery tracking purposes.
  • Administering and enhancing the site and service, including collecting customer reviews through our feedback partner Trustpilot.
  • Providing delivery information to UPS for delivery purposes only.
• Newsletter distribution through our mailing list partner Mailchimp for participating customers who would like to receive our exclusive newsletters.
• Guitar Village, UPS, Trustpilot and Mailchimp will never under any circumstance disclose customer’s information to any other third parties.

17. COMPANY INFORMATION

Our Registered Address:
Guitar Village
80-82 West Street
Farnham
Surrey
GU9 7EN
United Kingdom

Tel:
01252 726821

Email:
[email protected]

VAT Number:
GB 492 7309 22

Company Number:
04189051

18. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

18.1 Nothing in these terms and conditions shall limit or exclude our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or any other matter for which it would be unlawful to exclude or limit liability.

18.2 Subject to clause 18.1, Guitar Village Limited will not be liable to you for any business losses, loss of revenue, income, profits, anticipated savings, loss of contracts, business relationships, reputation, or any indirect or consequential loss or damage arising under these terms and conditions.

18.3 Our total liability to you in respect of all other losses arising under or in connection with the contract, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), or breach of statutory duty, shall in no circumstances exceed the price of the goods purchased.

19. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

These terms and conditions, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. You and Guitar Village Limited both agree that the courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any such dispute or claim.

20. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All content included on this website, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, button icons, images (including our in-house product photography), and software, is the property of Guitar Village Limited or its content suppliers and is protected by UK and international copyright laws. The copying, reproduction, or redistribution of any content without our express written permission is strictly prohibited.