Savage Classical Guitar Customer Service
As of early 2002, since I started my classical guitar music publishing house, I have been working hard and looking towards becoming the finest classical guitar store in the Long Island New York area and now the country. I’ve officially been doing this since 2002, but have been in the business since the early 1980’s. This experience is what I bring to the table, in terms of how to work with customers, listen to their needs and desires, knowing my instruments inside and out, the luthiers, and what they go through to create their wonderful instruments. Customer response has been overwhelmingly positive. I get phone calls, emails, and letters thanking me for the service I provide. I take great pride in this and it is my sole mission to consistently keep this record of service at a very high level.
Bottom line regarding me is simple, my name is all over this business. I am Savage Classical Guitar. You are dealing with me, my reputation, knowing that you will be treated exactly as I would like to be treated when I call someone about any kind of business. Prompt, courteous, knowledgeable, willing to spend time with you, and able to answer any and all questions, while being able to say, ‘you know what, I don’t know the answer to that, but I’ll find out for you’. I am driven to surpass expectations of customer service. I am the dealer, I am the packer/shipper, I am the customer service guy who picks up the phone, I am the owner of this wonderful business, the business of making people happy.
Every care will be taken with every instrument as if they are my own and every customer as if they are my family. The service that I have provided for my sheet music business will be the same in every way for my classical guitar customers. Coming to my studio will be like coming to a friend’s home. First Class treatment the whole way. Coffee, drinks, (no snacks….greasy hands is a no good for guitar! :-), and even pick-up service from and to the Ronkonkoma train station to my studio. My clients have had lunch and/or dinner with me many times. I can also arrange for Taxi service if you wish. Ronkonkoma/Bohemia is 1 hour on the LIRR from Penn Station. We are also less than 1 mile from Long Island MacArthur Airport, where I will arrange pick up service via limousine or pick you up myself. We are also surrounded by Sunrise Highway – The Long Island Expressway and Route 454 all to say that driving out to me is fairly simple (see address below and Contact in the above menu)
Please See the many Services we provide to help support you and your guitar here
Please note a few key issues in dealing with me and my shop.
Everything you see listed on my site is Here ON SITE at my studio. I have personally inspected everything, set them up, cleaned them, recorded them, and wrote to you about them on my site. These are my personal and professional feelings and or thoughts on the guitar you are checking out.
If a guitar is off-site, it will be stated CLEARLY. I almost never have a guitar listed that is off-site. I only trust my own eye and ears and hands except for a few select individuals throughout the country.
Taking stock, coming thru October of 2013 and recovering from Sandy in 2012, it is amazing to me to look around and see how far we’ve come. It doesn’t take much to see that we have the largest and most diverse collection of classical guitars available to players across the globe. Luthiers from England, Spain, Italy and France are joining with me in bringing their fine instruments to the US. The best of the US and Canada are also joining with me and so many more to come. What a great feeling and a great opportunity for you the player to have such choices in the finest classical guitars in the world right at your fingertips.
I also keeps things fairly informal in the studio. It is a warm and inviting space, one well suited to sitting down and checking out classical guitars. They are lined up, in their cases, for easy access all while being protected 100% of the time.
This is the same space I take care of recording, photography and the measuring of each instrument. I attempt to leave no detail unattended. My way, the right way, baby! LOL
Me personally?
The deal with me is quite simple…I’m a stress free kind of guy. Easy-going, laid back, a drink in one hand, a smoke in the other (note that I gave up smoking in May of 2013), I like nothing more than to sit in peace and quiet, play a bit of free flowing guitar music, have a great laugh with friends, be intense and focused when I need to be and mostly, just be way cool. As a result, I do business the same way. Saying that…
I specialize in a no-pressure – you have to love it – take your time environment.
Very informal, I simply want you to be thrilled with your purchase.
The point is that I care for my guitars and I will care for you and your needs. First and foremost is that I’m looking for the guitar that you’re looking for…the one that talks to you…the one that says, “take me…I’m yours”.
The guitars that I offer you get the same care that my personal instruments receive…actually…better if that’s at all possible.. My studio and storage area are fully humidified and air controlled. I’ve installed humidifiers, and numerous hygrometers so that at a glance, I can tell my average humidity. I maintain a minimum of 40% and maximum 60% Relative Humidity, with a temperature range of 69 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Guitars are kept in their cases at ALL times, unless I’m playing them…LOL. I have no problem sitting down with a guitar, setting her up, tweaking, repairing, etc…whatever she needs. I take care of all setups or adjustments as required. I work hard to get a guitar to intonate as well as is possible while keeping action reasonably low.
Another issue that comes up is why I do not offer other mainstream makers to my clientele, meaning factory and production makers, the names of which you may be very familiar. The reason is quite simple. They do not build guitars to the specifications that I demand for my customer base. I’m in the business of offering the best in class based on price points to my clients. I’m not just in the business of pushing guitars, no matter what it is, to make a buck.
The same applies to the accessories that I offer (I offer what I personally use for my own needs – good enough for me, probably good enough for you). My living takes good care of itself by offering you the best to be had, where I do not muddy the waters with inferior builds by makers who have no interest in the long term and the standing quality of what they offer to the public. It’s really as simple as that. For instance, guitar show after show, year after year, Kenny Hill proves that his Player Series are best in class. Manuel Adalid and the Esteve Guitar Co. of Spain does the same from the Spanish School. Both of these gents are building ridiculously fabulous instruments.
Seriously, why offer anything else taking up space and time, where in a few months, it’s just going to piss you off with poor workmanship, sloppy interiors, gluing, wolf tones, warping necks, hazing finishes, etc. Feel free to call me and discuss particulars. I have no problem discussing the realities of other builders with you in person.
Web Site Security
One other issue of import is my web site and your security. I have spent the time and money setting up secure servers with high level encryption to ensure the safety of your information while purchasing from my shop. I take this very seriously. I’d like nothing more than to take down every gotdam criminal across the web. I will not allow you to be compromised while doing business with me. You should immediately check and see that you are on an https://www.savageclassical.com or just https://savageclassical.com address in your top browser bar. The “s” in the “https” means that you are on an encrypted server, as specified below. The entire site is setup this way for your security.
You will see that once it is time for your information to be entered, regarding a purchase from my site, the web address above will go green, with an https://savageclassical.com/checkout/ and a green lock at the beginning. Please check that the web address has again changed to a “secure” address. You are assured of 256 bit encryption and that your personal information is protected. Your payment information is then passed thru PayPal and their secure servers (I only see your address, email and phone number, instructions, etc. there is no financial information passed to me or my business servers), again ensuring that everything is safe. You are good to go when dealing with me and Savage Classical Guitar. You have my personal assurance of this.
I pay attention to every single detail of my business. I do not leave it to other people. Yes, people work for me, but I check their work. If I could do it all myself, I would. But, that’s not reasonable. Fine, I have trust issues, along with a lack of delegation skills. Got it. I’m fine with it. The time for my self-therapy is long past, and hey, this all works out better for you 🙂
Additionally, my web site is up to date with the latest inventory, to the minute. I spent a lot of time, effort and money building a great software system, besides a series of checks and balances here to keep things accurate and up to date. Believe me, if something is incorrect, it is a mistake, one that I wish to know about immediately so that it may be corrected on the spot. I’ve said it before; I say it all the time. That’s how I am, that’s how I do things, my way, the right way, the only way.
Please understand that Prices may reflect my work, my time and the care that I use to care for and to package your guitar. PayPal and Credit Card fees have to be considered as do shipping fees. American Express charges exorbitant fees to process payments. They have also hurt me business-wise in the past. As a result, I have dropped them from my business side, I have dropped them on my personal side, and I sold all of my shares in the firm over a year ago. I will have nothing to do with American Express. Any one company that goes our of their way to hurt an individual is not aces in my book. To be clear, I do NOT accept Amex in any way. Thank you for your understanding.
Custom Ordering
Another aspect of my business is that I am able to take Custom Orders on guitars for you. On your behalf, I am able to do a number of things for you. I can get a better price for you from some of the luthiers I deal with, including Kenny Hill – Manuel Adalid – etc. I can save you at least 5-10% on your purchase, I do not charge shipping costs, case cost, and I only charge Sales Tax in the State of NY, so if you’re out of state, that’s another 6-10% savings. Seriously, that’s a guitar load of money I can save you. Email or call me and I’ll give you a very good idea of what a Hill Signature or one of Manuel’s guitars would cost on a custom basis.
Shipping
I will be primarily using Federal Express or USPS Express/Priority for US and Canadian Deliveries. International Deliveries will receive the same care. I ship Internationally via USPS International Services, where guitars always go Global Express or Global Priority Mail.
Shipping is Not FREE to the 50 US any longer, as all the carriers have raised their prices. I try to minimize the shipping cost for my International Clients as well. It is expensive, however, I try my best. Always write to me to see if I can lower the price of shipping to you in Europe or Asia. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
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Additionally, all shipments, Domestic and International, sent to and from my shop are automatically insured, thus your purchase is fully insured and guaranteed by me and my business insurance carrier, Heritage Insurance Group.
Your guitar is also insured when you send it to me for sale or consignment. All guitars and equipment are fully insured while in my shop or when in possession of a potential client/customer. No other shop insures to this extent, as far as I know. Again…my way 🙂
International Shipping – this can be difficult to manage thru the web site. I have done my best to make it a simple matter, but the US Postal Service sometimes can make things difficult. If you go thru the Cart and try to Checkout and some error comes back about shipping in any way, call me or write to me. I can send you a quote for shipping to your country at the lowest cost possible. Bear in mind, that to some countries, it is simply and downright expensive, upwards of $300-$600 to send a typical guitar box weighing in and around 20lbs. Not all, but some countries are very expensive. Please see this page for further discussion.
Typically, I can send a guitar box for less than $250 and that is Expedited Shipping of 1-5 business days. write to me sales at savageclassical dot com
Please note that you will need to have a confirmed address, and this confirmation of address must happen thru PayPal. If you’re address is not confirmed, the guitar will not be shipped. This applies to International and Domestic buyers as well. Take the time to confirm your billing information with PayPal.
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Please see my specifications on box and guitar case preparations, guitar shipping and other issues designed to protect your investment while being shipped. The way I ask you to ship a guitar to me is the exact way that I ship one to you. This is very important…you should read it. 🙂
Note that I would rather you come to my studio and walk out with your guitar. I realize that this is not always possible, thus the precautions I take with shipping, and the time that I spend with you on the phone or via Skype. I’m here for you when you need me.
Call me at 631-335-5447 for an appointment…ask for Rich
Skype address is savage.classicalguitar
International Phone is 1-631-647-4572
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My Address is:
Savage Classical Guitar
385 Central Ave. Suite E
Bohemia, NY 11716
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email me at sales at savageclassical dot com with any questions you might have or any guitar you wish to discuss. Thanks and hopefully we talk soon. Rich
