Consignment of your Guitar
to Savage Classical Guitar
This brief discussion pertains to my very simple consignment policy.
This page pertains to Retail Customers.
Luthiers should contact me, though the details are somewhat similar.
Luthier Contact to Savage Classical Guitar and Rich Sayage
I am now taking on Archtops – Acoustic Guitars – Vintage Electric Guitars as well as
Classical Guitar Consignment
I will also Buy Your Classical Guitar (see discussion below)
First, I do everything I can possibly do to market your guitar to the playing and professional public. As the largest classical guitar dealer and shop in the world, I have a very aggressive advertising budget and campaign. From print advertising to internet marketing, using such services as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. I record the guitar, photograph it, set up its very own web page and have it displayed in at least 3 to 4 places within my own web site.
Secondly, I AM Savage Classical Guitar. Everything I do here has my name all over it. I take this very seriously, as I do you, your guitar and my clientele in general. My reputation as a fair, honest and generous classical guitar dealer to the playing public and representative of luthiers and guitar sellers is known throughout the guitar world.
My knowledge base of guitars from the late 19th Century to modern day instruments gives you a distinct advantage when dealing with me. I have over 200 instruments for sale here, many historical, most others modern day.
I do not market the historical instruments, keeping a repository of reference instruments on hand, which allows me to make direct comparisons, measurements, woods, and workmanship to other guitars. Besides, they are my babies! LOL
My resources of advertising and business network allow me to market and sell your high end instrument to the entire globe.
My ability to set up and or repair an instrument is another distinct advantage. I do not have to send it to someone else to make it as perfect as it can be.
I have an extensive list of people who are looking for a particular instrument or range of instruments. I have sold instruments in one day, others within a week. I usually figure on a six month turn around for a guitar, but you never know who is waiting for your guitar.
The sum total of my personal and business resources are at your disposal when selling your instrument for you.
Nuts and Bolts of Consigning your Guitar to Savage Classical Guitar
Selling your guitar is very simple thru my studio. Firstly, I do not charge you anything to initially setup the consignment of the guitar. Some places will charge you $100 or more to just look at the guitar. No worries.
I have also set up a graduated scale of commission that makes me the most competitive in the business. Please call me to discuss this important part of having Savage Classical Guitar represent your instrument to the professional and playing public.
My Guitar Consignment Agreement can also be found below at the bottom of this page. It explains the graduated scale of commission.
Expenses are Credit Card Fees and Shipping Expenses to the buyer, which are usually $50- $300+ per instrument, depending upon the sale price of the guitar, (obviously a very expensive instrument will have much larger CC fees) and are deducted from the total sale price. My fee for selling your instrument is based on the net price after expenses.
- A question asked many times is, “How long does it take to sell my guitar”? A fair question, one that I cannot answer. I have sold guitars in 1 Day, others not for a year. I will not and can not make a guarantee of timeline. That would be silly and rather disingenuous, which is not in my nature. Anyone that says anything regarding a guaranteed timeline is lying to you. It is simply impossible to know when a guitar will sell.
- Please note that their is a minimum $1,000 Consignment Fee on any guitar sold by our gallery. Thus, a $2000 guitar sold by us, will be charged the minimum consignment fee.
First things first, you should call me at 631-335-5447 and ask for Rich. We need to discuss your guitar before you go thru the expense of shipping her to me or driving over for a visit. Time is precious for both of us, so let’s not waste too much of it. In my ABOUT Page, I talk about being picky regarding guitars. I mean picky. I do not just accept anything here. Only the best comes thru my studio. Space is limited. I only offer the best to my clientele. So let’s be clear about your guitar. Thanks for your understanding.
- If your guitar is cracked … I need to know this before you send it to me.
- If your guitar’s finish is messed up, dinged, chipped, fingernail marks, string burns, etc….I need to know this before you send it to me.
- If your guitar is buzzing … I need to know this before you send it to me.
- If the neck is bent, warped, too much relief, not enough, … I need to know this before you send it to me.
- And so on….Let me be clear….I will SEND it back to you if issues are not disclosed. I have opened up 6 guitars in the last week that are not up to the task. Nice looking, nice sounding, but they are buzzing, neck issues, etc. or they are cracked. I need to know this, otherwise I don’t want it. Are you kidding me? What exactly do you want me to do with a buzzing, cracked guitar that you think is worth $7K? Exactly! It will not sell.
- I will also charge you for my time to open her up, inspect her and the shipping cost to send it back to you.
- Sidenote…it sounds like I have a bad attitude. I do not. I protect my shop, my stock, and my clients on both sides of the guitar. I will not misrepresent anything or anyone. Don’t expect me to do so and you won’t be disappointed.
Once we decide that you want to sell your guitar, you have to be concerned with shipping it to my studio. There are a few things you should do to prepare the guitar and the case for shipping:
Look over the SCG-Guitar Consignment Agreement, sign it and put it in the box with any other paperwork. (This is also at the bottom of the page for your convenience).
- It is helpful to have as much detail about the guitar as possible, woods, bindings, machines, scale, etc. Anything helps.
Slack the strings by at least 3 half steps, not too much but not too little (please do not completely slack the strings, it’s not good for the guitar).
Stabilize the headstock in the case by putting soft cushion or bubble wrap underneath the headstock so she doesn’t bounce around or move at all
I feel it is necessary to point out that you should be using a HARD SHELL CASE. A case that is commensurate for the guitar that it is holding.
A good one! Please do not send me a $10K guitar in a $100 HSC? Really? I will replace the case with something appropriate. I will have charge you full retail for this service.
Do not send me a guitar in a soft case.
I will reject it, send it back unopened, etc.
I don’t want to hear …”oooh, my guitar got busted in transport”. Of course it did.
The guys at FedEx and USPS handle hundreds of packages.
They are “rough” with them…get over it. OK, rant over…continuing…
Make certain that the guitar is immobile in the case. Again, cushions or bubble wrap will do.
- Peanuts are fine if that is what you have available. I’ll deal with it LOL
Put your polishing cloth folded over the bridge of the guitar to protect from strings unwrapping.
The case must also be secure. Cushion the bottom of an appropriate box for the case. The case should literally bounce off the bottom (and top) of the box!
Wrapping the case in bubble wrap is a great idea! It won’t hurt, that’s for sure!
Insert the case into the box and proceed to pack the hollow sides so she doesn’t move.
Feel free to use very light packing material.
Very important is to stabilize the headstock part of the case. I will typically cut cardboard squares and insert them into the large hollows created by the case and the box. I do not want the case moving in the box…at all!
- Make certain the top of the box, the headstock of the case is equally cushioned to the bottom of the box.
In summary, guitar immobile in case, case immobile in box. – Please read the above again. It is super important that the guitar and the case are totally not moving!
Wrap her good, label her good. Large label with capital letters to:
SAVAGE CLASSICAL GUITAR
385 Central Ave.
Suite E
BOHEMIA, NY 11716
ATTN: RICHARD F. SAYAGE
You do NOT need to insure the guitar. I pay good money for insurance purposes, including transportation insurance of up to $100,000, every year.
Use the insurance money to send the guitar USPS Priority or Express Mail to me or (because USPS has gone up so terribly much) use the below links to send it 2 day to me via UPS or FedEx.
If you’re not worried about the guitar, send it FedEx ground or UPS Ground
- Another large point. DO NOT pay too much to send a guitar.
- USPS Express should cost less than $200 – 300 from CA to NY (USPS prices as well as UPS and FedEx have gone up significantly of late).
- FedEx Ground should cost less than $75 from CA to NY
- Both will cost less if you’re closer to me than CA
- I have heard people spending $300-$500 to ship a guitar to me? Huh?
- Use an on-line account or contact me for a label (I have to charge you for it, but it will be less expensive in the end).
- Luthiers all over the world contact me personally for best shipping methods. I truly am an expert at what I do. Take advantage of that.
Again…DO NOT Insure the guitar. Anything labeled to me as referenced above is automatically insured for its full value.
- Please have the courtesy to send me a Tracking Number and Identify the shipper used, USPS – FedEx – UPS – etc – if you do it electronically, meaning create the label, please have tracking information sent to rich@savageclassical.com
Once I have the guitar here, a few things will happen:
The guitar will be assessed by me personally. Once it clears inspection and my approval (the same applies to SCG purchasing your guitar):
She will be cleaned and polished. (It would be nice if you cleaned the guitar before sending to me…plus it’s gross LOL)
Strings will be changed if necessary, along with minor tweaking of setup (again, putting new strings on her before you send to me would be nice. also, if you change the strings, leave the string package in the case, so I know what you used. Thank you)
She will be extensively photographed and cataloged on my web site, as well as updated to any of my advertising accounts
She will be added to my Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts
She will be recorded and or video taped and uploaded to my Business Web Site and/or my YouTube Account.
This costs you nothing except the agreed upon Consignment Fee once she’s sold.
If you decide that, after all the work I put in to selling your guitar, you do not want me to sell your guitar, no matter the amount of time passed, as in “Hey…send me back my guitar!”, no worries, but there will be a $250 fee for the above services, plus the cost of shipping.
- Last point and quite important. Be certain of the condition of your guitar. Explain it to me clearly. Cracks, separations, marred finishes, staining, anything that would detract from the value of the guitar. If you think it will be a tough sell, why would it be different for me? Bottom line, I reserve the right to return the guitar back to you at your own expense. Note that I say this to be very clear. I do not want to receive a guitar without full disclosure of issues. It is a waste of all our time and your money to do so. Thank you for understanding.
Once the guitar is sold thru either personal Gallery visits, Internet and or Website Purchases, the buyer has a 3 day approval period upon receipt of the instrument. A check for the balance will be forwarded to you once the guitar is approved by the buyer and the funds have cleared. This should take no longer than 7 business days, usually sooner.
Please note that purchases made in person, IN my studio, are not refundable. There are no credits – no refunds – no rain checks – no exceptions.
Any questions?….give me a call. My number is below. I almost always pick up the phone personally. I’m always available to discuss any of your needs or concerns. If I do not pick up the phone, that means I am working with someone else, but please leave a message or send me an email (best option). I will always return your email. Best…Rich
- Note for Luthiers shipping guitars to me: International shipments should be processed thru YOUR Country’s Postal Service or FedEx/UPS when sent to ME.
- Please contact me for shipping details.
- Your best bet is to use your Country’s Postal system, which will then be funneled to the US Postal Service.
- This is best for a number of reasons, which I will not explain here.
- Do not presume to send a guitar to me under any other method.
- I will NOT accept it.
- I will have it returned to you unopened.
- You will be responsible for all shipping charges.
- I say this to be exceptionally clear. Thank you for your consideration.
Appraisals
• Please note that I appraise and value instruments. Please contact me for appraisals.
• I will forward an example copy for your perusal. I’m sure you will find it more than sufficient for your insurance needs and peace of mind.
• My appraisals are $300, where the guitar is photographed, researched, inspected.
• The appraisal is then professionally presented on thick presentation paper containing my company information, watermarks, signature, my business stamp and all attached photographs and information that an insurance company would need to properly insure your instrument.
• Additionally, they are more than welcome to contact me directly to verify said appraisal.
• Contact information is here and below. A more detailed page is here. Hope that helps…Rich
On the question of free appraisals! There are none!!
• For the sake of professional courtesy, please do not ask me to appraise your instrument unless you are willing to pay for the time I spend to do so.
• This includes phone time (domestic and international), email time, subscription costs, and various other research resources. These issues take time. I do not give ballpark figures. You can figure that out on your own in the time it took you to write me and ask what is your instrument worth.
• Thank you for your understanding and consideration in advance.
I will Buy Your Fine Classical Guitar
• There are times where you need to sell your classical guitar. I understand this and will do my best to work with you.
I tell all my clients the same thing: It is better for your wallet to sell the guitar yourself.
Of course, there is a bit of hassle involved in this process (ok, a lot of hassle, but that’s why I get paid to do what I do LOL).
Second choice is to consign the guitar with a dealer at a certain percentage. Here, you have to wait for the cash until the guitar is sold. That is mainly what this page is about.
Last choice is to sell the guitar to me (or another dealer). Immediate cash, but the worst option payment-wise. Knowing this ahead of time will make it easier for us to discuss this last option. You would be looking at no more than 50% of realistic retail value of your guitar from our gallery.
• I will do trade-ins as well. Again, not the best option, but I will do my best to work with you, either on the trade-in or the guitar you are buying. I try to do trades at a value of 60% of realistic retail value, but that is not always possible. Your guitar must also be commensurate with the caliber of guitar that is available in my gallery.
Call anytime and we’ll figure it all out together.
- As one of the largest and premier classical guitar shops in the country, I am always looking for the finest classical guitars and flamenco guitars to offer to my ever growing list of international clientele. Guitars by Daniel Friedrich – Dominique Field – Robert Bouchet – Hermann Hauser I – Francisco Simplicio – Santos Hernandez – Ignacio Fleta – Domingo Esteso – Arcangel Fernandez – Marcelo Barbero – Manuel Reyes – Andrea Tacchi – Enrico Botelli – Hernandez y Aguado – Hermann Hauser II – Gary Southwell – David Jose Rubio – Enrique Garcia – Greg Byers – Robert Ruck – Geza Burghardt – Daniele Chiesa – Olivier Fanton D’Andon – Eric Monrad – Gernot Wagner – Paulino Bernabe – Jim Redgate – Greg Smallman – Dominique Delarue – Stephen Connor – Miguel Rodriguez and the list goes on, no? LOL I will purchase outright, I’m happy to consign, and I will always help to facilitate a great guitar moving into the hands of the player and or the collector. Call me anytime or write. Thank you kindly.
All the best, Richard F. Sayage
Savage Classical Guitar (email I can’t ignore 🙂
Write to me at rich at savageclassical dot com
631-335-5447 – Mobile Work Phone (best way to contact me, it’s always on my hip and you can text me here as well. Please Identify Yourself in the text)
631-647-4572 – Studio/Workshop Phone
This page is updated as of January 29, 2021
