What is the difference between an electro acoustic and an acoustic guitar?

An electro acoustic guitar has built-in electronics or a pickup, allowing it to be plugged into an amplifier or PA system. It delivers the same natural tone as an acoustic guitar but with the flexibility for live performance and recording.

Why buy a handcrafted acoustic guitar instead of a mass-produced one?

Handcrafted acoustic guitars offer richer tone, superior materials, and lasting value. Builders like Furch, Eastman, and Dowina focus on precision craftsmanship rather than volume production, resulting in instruments that sound and feel exceptional.

What are the best acoustic guitar brands available in the UK?

We proudly stock Furch, Eastman, Auden, and Dowina, renowned for their craftsmanship and tonal excellence. Each offers distinct tonal profiles, from warm cedar resonance to bright spruce clarity, catering to every style of player.

Guitares Acoustiques & Électro-Acoustiques

Handcrafted Excellence in the UK

Discover the finest selection of acoustic and electro acoustic guitars in the UK, all hand-selected for tone, playability, and craftsmanship. At Richards Guitars, we’re proud to be the only UK guitar shop offering Furch, Eastman, Auden, and Dowina under one roof, world-class acoustic brands you won’t find in mainstream stores.

Unlike mass-produced instruments, our guitars are handcrafted by skilled luthiers across Europe and Asia, combining tradition with innovation for inspiring tone and feel. Every model is individually inspected and professionally set up in our workshop, so you can be confident your guitar will play beautifully straight out of the box.

Don’t settle for marketing hype, experience the world of truly handmade acoustic and electro acoustic guitars that deliver exceptional quality and value. Talk to our experts via chat, explore our videos and blogs, or visit us to find your next lifelong instrument.

Shop the full range of Acoustic & Electro Acoustic Guitars – Expertly Set Up in the UK

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Worth the wait!!!

Although it took a little while to get the guitar in (not Richards Guitars fault - it was an importer problem), it was worth the wait.
I was able to book a showroom slot, the guitar had been set up for me according to my playing requirements, and I had a very pleasant hour or so trying the guitar - finger picking, strumming, different tunings, slide. No interruptions by staff - up to me when I had played enough. I was also given the option to play other guitars on display (I daren’t, otherwise I would have been there all day, and much poorer!).

I fully recommend Richards Guitars - the offer of 6-month and 12-month check-up for the guitar, with flexibility around timings for this service is great.

Extremely good service and helpful team throughout the process

Extremely good service and helpful team throughout the process. Thanks to Jon and Jake for answering all my queries.

One happy guitar player……

The staff at Richards Guitars gave me great service and Eastman make very good guitars.
The chaps at Richards sorted delivery of an Eastman E20 OM-MR-TC to their showroom to suit my travel timetable and arranged an appointment for me to check it out and to part exchange my E10. The E20 was perfectly set up by Chris ant Richards and I even got a discount because he noticed a slight cosmetic flaw on the guitar. All done painlessly. Many thanks.
I had my E10 OM as a working guitar for five years or so and was very pleased with it, but came to realise I prefer the sound of rosewood guitars to mahogany - neither is better or worse, it’s just personal taste. But this E20 is in another league - I don’t know if it’s the Madagascar rosewood or the torrefied Adironak top or something else, but it seems to have all the best features of rosewood and mahogany. It plays like a dream too. I have a forty year old Martin M36 and a 30 year old Gibson Advanced Jumbo and I can assure you this brand new Eastman is already playing in the same league.

The perfect guitar for songwriters

This was an unintentional purchase (honestly!) - originally I got it for a mate but he changed his mind when I showed it him online "too small for me" 🙄
Well - unfortunately for my finances! - I loved it from the moment I picked it up, even knowing that I was supposed to be handing it over to my mate. When he said he didn't want it, I then had to justify keeping it as it doesn't fit my business needs - I have a Little Jane LJ11-SR for overseas gigs, a Furch Red Deluxe GC-SR and Yellow OM-CR, and a Blue OM-MM for recording. I just don't NEED this Pioneer - where would I use it?
Well the answer is in the guitar itself - for pleasure; it is such an intimate instrument, having a huge presence and such a direct, focused tone, without being too midrangey like so many all-Mahogany guitars tend to be.
I lined it up against my other Furchs, and a couple of Taylors, and honestly, I prefer sitting on the sofa with the Pioneer.

The soundport really does appear to transmit the guitar's tone to the player, making it sound bigger than its physical size, and the neck width is just right - no silly scrawny typical 'travel guitar' thing here. When put up against my Blue OM-MM (the fairest comparison due to the woods used), it sounded pretty much as loud, and somehow having a pretty equal bass response. The OM is more complex, with more overtones, as one might expect, but in terms of projection, the Pioneer is quite remarkable. Up against the Red, it's just a different tone, but again, probably what I'd choose to pick up if I'm writing a song - and that's exactly what I did the morning after my mate decided he didn't want it. It's definitely fun, and let's face it, that's why most of us play guitar. I have been very business oriented in my choice of instruments, for more than 25 years, and whilst this Pioneer MMa wouldn't be my first choice for a big gig, that's only because I play with 3 guitars in different tunings, and I would find the change in body size between songs a bit weird. I'm playing at a festival in December, and often the venues are cramped and lugging big guitar cases is not very practicable, so I'll probably take the Pioneer along with my Little Jane.

I really should mention you wonderful guys at Richards Guitars! I needed this in a hurry to fit in with my mate's diary, and Chris fitted the LR Baggs Element VTC and set it up in a ridiculously short period of time. If you visit the store then make sure you say hello to Chris - he's a real gentleman, but often not seen as he is so busy. Jon and Jake are stars; this time Jon was in the limelight and he made the entire experience (especially as he knew the odd circumstances around me trying the Pioneer) a whole lot of fun - he had me howling with laughter during our email exchange after my mate rejected the guitar!

I am so impressed with Richards Guitars, with the ethos behind the business, the different instruments I might never have come across, and the people who really do make you feel like a friend, that I have put a link and a recommendation on my website www.markrobinsonmusic.com.

If you're considering a Pioneer, just do it - you won't regret it, and the only place I'd buy it is from Richards Guitars, where everything is about the customer, and providing the best experience and instruments you could possibly wish for.

Thank you, guys!

Gorgeous guitar and great customer service.

I love this gorgeous guitar. And Richards Guitars have many great guitars in the showroom. I tried others but couldn’t beat the Gatsby. It was perfectly set up before my arrival to give it a road test. I was given plenty of time to try it and Jon was really helpful in keeping it aside for me.

Lovely guitar that sounds as good as it looks

Lovely guitar that sounds as good as it looks.Your Set up obviously helped .
Thanks for the advice on guitar selection, you got it absolutely right

Richards provides nice customer service as well as guitars

Richards provides nice customer service as well as guitars. I'm very happy with my guitar – well-set – and sounds lovely.

Bella

Very happy, thanks. Bass is set up well and plays beautifully. Named her "Bella"...It was a pleasure dealing with a customer focused and ethically minded company.... and I got a free tree!.. don't get that with Gear for Music etc...
Will definitely recommend, and when I can convince myself that I really need a Vintage VSA500 ReIssued Semi Acoustic Guitar ~ Natural Walnut, I will come looking here 1st