How to Visit or Contact Classical Guitar Centre to Buy a Guitar

Classical Guitar Centre (classicalguitar.co.uk) sells in two ways: online through its cart, and in person at the shop by prior appointment. To visit, phone 0121 429 7446 or email [email protected] and arrange a time; stated visiting hours are Tuesday–Friday 10am–3.30pm and Saturday 10am–5pm. To buy online, add an instrument to the cart and check out; UK shipping is free on orders over £50. One restriction to plan around: the site says it cannot supply EU countries with music, books or accessories because of current postal restrictions.

Booking an In-Store Visit

The shop describes itself as holding Europe's largest stock of fine classical guitars, with a particularly wide choice of concert models, so an appointment is the practical way to try several instruments in one trip.

1. Decide what you want to compare. For example, a concert classical versus a flamenco guitar, or a full-size model versus a smaller-scale instrument. The site's instrument menu groups stock into New Arrivals, Guitars Under £1000, Guitars Above £1000, Smaller Models, Electro Classicals, Flamenco Guitars, Left Handed Guitars, Second Hand Models and an In-Store Clearance Sale.
2. Contact the shop with your shortlist and preferred slot. Call 0121 429 7446 or email [email protected]. Ask whether the specific models you want are in stock and available to try during your visit.
3. Confirm the appointment before travelling. The stated hours are Tuesday–Friday 10am–3.30pm and Saturday 10am–5pm, but sales are by prior appointment, so treat the hours as the window in which appointments are offered rather than a walk-in guarantee.
4. At the visit, compare instruments under the same conditions. Play the same short piece or passage on each guitar so differences in response and tone are comparable, and ask about strings fitted and any setup work included.

Expect to leave with a decision or a held instrument rather than browsing anonymously; the appointment model is built around focused comparison.

Buying Online

The site runs a standard cart: product pages have "Add to cart" buttons, and a cart counter sits in the header.

• Instruments: product pages show a price and an add-to-cart option — for example, the Asturias Custom Spruce 63cm at £2,600.00 and the Ramirez Del Tiempo Spruce at £2,460.00. New arrivals listed include an A. Burguet ABF Mixta 2012 at £2,800.00.
• Books and recordings: some items are sold in variants rather than single units. Guitar Making In Nineteenth-Century London is priced £120.00–£160.00 and Dr Walter Leckie & Don Francisco Tárrega £80.00–£100.00, each with options to select before adding to the cart.
• Shipping: free on all UK orders over £50.
• EU restriction: music, books and accessories cannot be supplied to EU countries at present. This applies to those categories, not to instruments as described on the page.

If you are outside the UK, email before ordering an accessory or book to confirm whether it can be sent to your address.

Choosing What to Ask Before You Commit

Use the same questions whether you buy in person or online:

Common Sticking Points

• Turning up without an appointment. Sales are by prior appointment; call or email first even during stated hours.
• Assuming the hours are walk-in hours. Tuesday–Friday 10am–3.30pm and Saturday 10am–5pm describe when visits are offered, not guaranteed drop-in access.
• Ordering EU-bound books or accessories. The postal restriction is stated plainly on the site; check before paying.
• Comparing prices across categories. Under-£1000 and above-£1000 are separate menu sections, so browse both if your budget is flexible.

For a first step, email [email protected] with the models you want to compare and two or three appointment times that suit you; you will get either a confirmed slot or a clear answer on availability.