We do guitars, differently. We also do gifting, differently.
Guitars are such a personal thing for the player. It's not always about brand, size, woods, or appointments. It is, however, most often about how the instrument makes them feel- how it inspires them. Because of that, we don't recommend purchasing a premium guitar as a gift. We've found the best intentions of the gift giver don't often translate to the player connecting with the chosen guitar. There are some exceptions, which we'll talk about, below.
It follows that a better choice for gifting a premium guitar is to give a gift card to the player, so they can choose their own guitar. We think that is somewhat impersonal, especially when you are considering spending a considerable amount. So, we offer a gift experience where the player comes in and meets with us to play and discover all of the instruments we have. We generally spend several hours with them and they get to play as many of our guitars in stock as they want. In the end, they get to choose a guitar they connect with and you know it's one they will love and cherish.
The Simple Process:
1- Purchase one of our linen gift notes ($5.00) and we will send it to you to hand deliver to your recipient or we'll mail it directly to them. We will reach out to you after your purchase to get your instructions. Alternatively, let them know about your gift in your own way and connect with us so we're expecting them. We don't collect any advanced payments or deposits for a guitar and you set the budget.
2- Schedule the experience for them or let them schedule it themselves. We have online scheduling or you can let us know when you'd like to come. Once that is set, we'll discuss your budget and other particulars.
3- The player comes for their experience and we work with them to find the perfect guitar. Should they choose one, we will contact you for payment and they will leave with the guitar. We will follow up with them a few days after and ensure they are happy with it. If they're not, we'll bring them back in and find one they are happy with (this rarely happens and when it does it's because they were torn between two instruments and after sleeping on it, decide they prefer the other). Should they not want to make a decision on their first visit, that's perfectly fine- they can come back whenever they choose.
Exceptions to Gifting a Guitar:
We have found great success with people gifting guitars under certain circumstances. Here they are:
1- It's a guitar they have played, loved, and couldn't or didn't purchase it for themselves.
2- It's a specialty guitar, like a travel size. These guitars are much more about utility than connection. As long as it's a high quality instrument that is best in class, these types of instruments are well received and appreciated by the player.
3- They are a collector or you are choosing a guitar for them because of a significant connection to the materials, origin, or other intrinsic characteristic for which the ownership of the guitar is more important than the player's tonal connection to it.. For example, a particularly rare wood from a geographic region you or the player have a connection too or wood reclaimed from old church pews.
As always, we're here to help. If you have any questions, just ask and we'll be happy to assist with getting a great guitar into the hands of your loved one.
