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Godin Deliveries & Cites

For details on what CITES is please click on this link https://cites.org/

As of January 2017 rosewood has been added to the list of protected endangered species that require official sanction to be imported/exported from country to country.

Any item containing any element of rosewood is effected.

Whilst I completely agree with the principals behind this decision, the way in which it has been introduced has been at best a total farce.  Industry has been given literally no advanced warning and the systems were simply not in place to handle the new "red tape".

As time has gone on from January it is becoming clearer that Godin has been particularly effected (which is particularly tragic considering their incredibly "green" ethics in terms of the woods they use and sourcing locally!) for the following reasons...

*  Godin "direct" distribution has allowed Godin to ship direct to the customer (me) from Canada in order to reduce middle man costs.  CITES states each delivery has to be registered (at a cost per delivery) which would make this form of delivery unsustainable for the future.  

* Due to Godin direct, there is no "surplus" UK stock in storage to cope with any delay caused by CITES regulations coming in from outside of the Country.

* Some Godin guitars are made in the USA, then travel across the border to Canada for completion and dispatch.  This means that CITES certification has to be produced to get it from American to Canada - and then Canada to UK!

Communication regarding Godin back orders has never been an easy affair hence why we created this page... https://rguitars.co.uk/pages/godin-back-orders

 

Delivery Scenarios...

* The UK distributor has already begun the process of importing stock so that by the time you or I need it, we will not need to wait for the guitars to arrive in from Canada.  This is the best case scenario and will leave orders unaffected and will in fact arrive quicker than normal. 

* If the guitar your ordered is not in stock in the UK but in stock at Canada (I carry a stock list so can let you know) and has no rosewood in its build, then we are looking at 7-14 days to get the guitar to me.

* If the guitar your ordered is not in stock in the UK but in stock at Canada (I carry a stock list so can let you know) and has rosewood in its build, then we are looking at 2-3 weeks to get the guitar to me (Guitar has to be certified by CITES to enter the UK!)

* If the guitar your ordered is not in stock in the UK but in stock in USA (I carry a stock list so can let you know) and has rosewood in its build, then we are looking at 5-6 weeks to get the guitar from USA to Canada and then Canada to me (Guitar has to be certified by CITES TWICE in the process!)

If your guitar is out of stock then of course you need to refer to this page first https://rguitars.co.uk/pages/godin-back-orders

The bottom line is CITES have brought in regulations for all the right reasons and as humans who have decimated the planet its time we all put our guitars into perspective.  Rosewood is now rightly being scrutinized to ensure it doesn't become extinct and brands who have been using illegal means to source the rosewood will be brought to justice.  Manufacturers will also now consider the need to use rosewood and use it where only absolutely essential.   All this is a good thing.

Godin as a manufactuer have alway been extremely eco friendly (they were one of the first to move away using from ebony on fretboards and have been sourcing managed, locally grown wood for as long as I can remember).

Please support Godin and be patient over your order.  It is very dfficult, nigh on impossible for us to provide accurate, fly on the wall overview of each order and this is naturally causing concern amongst our many customers.

Rest assured, if you have been assured your guitar is in stock, it is in the system, it will be on its way and please be patient and you will be rewarded with a wonderful guitar.

 

Your Purchases are Making A Real Difference

Beyond natures constructs - what you experience every day is the result of someone's thought. Actions follow thoughts and every action has an impact - for better or for worse.

Thinking of buying a guitar?

If you buy from us - the impact will be a guitar received setup to perfection, personally recommended based on 29 years industry history & research - you wil avoid buying a guitar you regret - you'll help remove.a plastic bottle from the ocean, £1 will go to butterfly conservation, you'll receive a tree to plant & you will be contributing to the £100 a month we forward to MIND mental health.

As I say, thoughts lead to actions which will have impact - for better or for worse :)

Ocean Bound Plastics

Butterfly Conservation

Mental Health

RE Forestation

Daily Insta Pics

A great WaY to Stay Connected

Subscribing to our Instagram will bring you the pics & reels I create but checking them out here will give you so much more context with additional detail available on the product pages - and of course you can click on chat and discuss anything you see appearing, and i'll be happy to give you the back story behind the recommendaton.

Just click on an image to learn more!

For me - there is no difference between "personal" and "business" life - It is all "my life". Interconnected and therefore highly personal. Every guitar I sell (EVERY) is one I can tell you the backstory - about the people who make them - the ethos of the brand and how they align with my own - they are a genuine personal recommendations based on 28 years in the industry.

With the industry dominated by marketing, hype, and "blinkered" brand loyalty - retailers focus on what they get asked for - with little effort in raising awareness of guitars that are better than the one you asked about. This leads to a lot of poor buying decisions!

Here is a quick introduction to the brands I often refer to as "my babies" but really you could simply refer to them as "benchmarks". Check the prices - check the specs - check the quality and back story - and find me a brand that does it better - or even close. The fact is you cant buy a bad guitar from Richards Guitars - you will only find the best - set up to your personal requirements.

My "Personal Collection"

Art Meets Craft - Artisan - Unique

Hand Made In Slovakia

I have the honour and privilege to be Englands exclusive dealer for Dowina guitars. A completely unique approach to guitar building that blends passion, art and craft producing the most inspiring and wondrous acoustic guitars that represent so much more than the materials they are made from.

Dowina is more than just a guitar - its an experience that you will appreciate and remember for a lifetime.

Buy Dowina Guitars Online

Detail - Clarity-Power-Resonance-Beauty

Furch Changed Everything...

I introduced Furch to to the UK over 20 years ago - with my good friend Keith Twine who has since retired.

At the time I was a leading supplier of brands such as Gibson, Martin & Taylor. Experiencing Furch guitars made me realize there is what you "know" and what you "should know". Just because you DON'T - doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

What does all this mean? Forget what you think you know and open your mind to the possibility that you can find better - and we will guarantee you an experience you will never forget - with help from Furch and my other personal finds from over the decades.

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Inspirational quality, tone & feel at a price you never thought would be possible.

A Benchmark British Brand

With an incredible Back story - A Truly Brtiish yet global brand utilising the shared skills of the Gordon Smith Team in England and a small boutique workshop in China - The result? Unbelievable quality that far surpasses that of recognised mass produced brands at the same price.

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Hand Made - Standard Setting - Affordable

We Were The First UK Dealer for Eastman Guitars...

....and continue to be their largest and most experienced dealer in the UK supplying Eastman guitars throughout Europe.

Originally known for their extraordinary quality, hand made arch tops - produced by violin makers - as their reputation spread they developed into the World of electric and acoustic guitar production which continue to be made by hand.

Eastman have now become a hugely dominant force in the Guitar World producing the "best in class" in any guitar genre they opt to focus on.

Nobody knows them better or can provide you a better experience.

Whether you decide on the showroom experience or buying online you could not be in safer hands.

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Quality - Versatility - Innovation

Canadas Finest

I have specialised in Godin guitars since 1995.

Godin have been solving problems for performing acoustic and electric guitar players for over 30 years, producing the most divine instruments which are stylish, of the highest quality whilst serving the practical needs of the modern performing professional

You could say Godin is the antithesis to Gibson! Godins reputation is built largely on the word of mouth of professionals and session musicians who need their instruments to be highly reliable and consistent night after night.

Get one in your hands, and you will soon understand their unique contribution to the evolution of the guitar.

Buy Godin Guitars Online

Perfection

Hand Made In Italy

I have to thank Stuart - Director of UK Distributor Selectron for thinking of me when he made a very special find in the guise of Luigi - A man building what can only be described as playable works of art. An extraordinary man - extraordinary guitars and I can only thank Luigi & Stuart for thinking of me as a perfect fit to help represent Luigis work in the UK.

Buy Valenti Guitars Online

Hand Made In Ukraine

Valiant Guitars

Breathtaking guitars made by men who continue their passion literally in a war zone.

The human story is inspiring but no less than the impeccable, meticulous qualitywith an enormous dash of the secret ingredient so many guitars can never find - MOJO!

View Our Valiant Guitars

The most comprehensive collection of affordable electric guitars money can buy.

We will help you find The best playing - Affordable electric guitar

I have been promoting Vintage brand guitars since the day they were "born" some 20+ years ago! In this time they have just got better... and better... and better! Not just that but the range has just become EPIC. Something for everyone!!

In the past couple of years ProShop has become one of the mmost exciting UK hand built guitars- using the Vintage range as the building blocks to create wonderful and exciting guitars that would normally cost thousands of pounds.

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Hand Made Ultimate Luxury Leather Guitar Straps

You will see so many marketing stories and false claims of hand made guitar straps in the UK - often with a massive premium price tag added.

TRUST ME - THESE ARE...

The finest hand made leather guitar straps money can buy

Hand made in Walsall using traditional tooling methods by own of the UKs greatest horse sadlers.

Memory foam insert ensures premium comfort - These straps will last you a lifetime.

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