Avoid Richards Guitars - Incredibly Rude

PengaMax · December 2020

HI,

I would urge you to avoid dealing with this retailer, he is very rude and there are much more deserving independent guitar shops who are actually friendly and helpful to prospective customer enquiries.

I’ll just post the screenshots of my interaction with him and let you make up your own mind. I certainly won’t be visiting his site / store again.

PengaMax · December 2020

fastonebaz · December 2020

He's certainly marmite that's for sure.

EricTheWeary · December 2020

There is a long and complex history on here with RG. I'll try to flag this with the modmins as they may have an opinion on whether the Discussion can run.

PengaMax · December 2020

fastonebaz said:

He's certainly marmite that's for sure.

Just can't believe someone in retail would be so rude to a prospective customer! His ignorance around guitar pedals seemed to inflame some deep paranoia or something

PengaMax · December 2020

EricTheWeary said:

There is a long and complex history on here with RG. I'll try to flag this with the modmins as they may have an opinion on whether the Discussion can run.

Sure thing. I'm new here so not aware of tge history! Just wanted to warn people and maybe deal with someone else, plenty of struggling guitar stores out there that dont treat people like this!

Hattigol · December 2020

Who knew?

PengaMax · December 2020

Looks like im a bit late to the party with this then, preaching to the converted

PengaMax · December 2020

Still, now im here at least i can start chatting about guitars

digitalscream · December 2020

Yes, Richard has a long and storied history here - including making legal threats and then likely-slanderous videos about us (and me in particular) when we didn't immediately delete everything that was critical of him. It all started, I believe, when he got abusive with one of our members for criticising a guitar brand that Richard likes.

Having had extensive email communication with him, I can confirm that the conversational style he displayed in those screenshots is absolutely consistent with what I experienced.

PengaMax · December 2020

Sadly i didn't screenshot all of it, i guess i was a bit bemused by what was happening

AK99 · December 2020

PengaMax said:

HI,

I would urge you to avoid dealing with this retailer, he is very rude and there are much more deserving independent guitar shops who are actually friendly and helpful to prospective customer enquiries.

I’ll just post the screenshots of my interaction with him and let you make up your own mind. I certainly won’t be visiting his site / store again.

Just out of curiosity, can I ask how many other places you posted details of this particular gripe (if any) ?

PengaMax · December 2020

AK99 said:

PengaMax said:

HI,

I would urge you to avoid dealing with this retailer, he is very rude and there are much more deserving independent guitar shops who are actually friendly and helpful to prospective customer enquiries.

I’ll just post the screenshots of my interaction with him and let you make up your own mind. I certainly won’t be visiting his site / store again.

Just out of curiosity, can I ask how many other places you posted details of this particular gripe (if any) ?

I left a text review on Trustpilot and google just saying i found the owner to be particularly rude. This is the only place i have (and will) leave any screenshots.

PengaMax · December 2020

I managed to go back on the chat and take screenshots of the rest of the chat, just so i have it all in case he decides to come at me and tell any lies about it. Happy to share if anyone wants to see but its more of the same, seems you're all aware of what he is like anyway. What happens if you ask him in the actual store if its a plate reverb, does he just punch you in the face?

S56035 · December 2020

Are we going to have another bashing thread while simultaneously making threads supporting mental health?

PengaMax · December 2020

S56035 said:

Are we going to have another bashing thread while simultaneously making threads supporting mental health?

Not trying to bash anyone here or trying to encourage others to do so, just wanted to make people aware of the terrible service i received from a retailer.

VimFuego · December 2020

S56035 said:

Are we going to have another bashing thread while simultaneously making threads supporting mental health?

that's a bit of a strawman argument to be honest. The guy seems to have a long and consistent history of being abrasive if he perceives insult. I'm not really seeing any actual bashing here, more sharing of information. The OP is new here, so seems unaware this is not a new subject in there here parts, but I've seen enough here and previously to not want get myself involved with him. I'm sure there are many sides to the stories and probably many happy customers as well as disgruntled, but I'm glad these topics get aired, so others can be forewarned about what and who they may be dealing with.

S56035 · December 2020

He's discussed his mental health issues on his channel.

PengaMax · December 2020

S56035 said:

He's discussed his mental health issues on his channel.

I'm sorry to hear that but doesn't give him carte blanche to speak to me in the way he did. As a consumer i'm voicing my dissatisfaction with a business. I'd do the same with any other business if one of their employees were that rude to me.

viz · December 2020

PengaMax said:

Still, now im here at least i can start chatting about Brexit, laminate flooring, toasters and Trump.

Corrected

DrCornelius · December 2020

He seems an interesting character for sure - I actually think if 99 pct of us sat down and had a beer with him and talked guitars we would enjoy it. He'd be enthusiastic, a bit controversial and probably quite a laugh.

He does seem to have a pattern of throwing his toys out of the pram when dealing with punters who irk him - it's difficult to take a behind the scenes role when your brand is basically 'you'...'Richards Guitars'. I wonder if he can be persuaded by his nearest and dearest to take a more Lee Anderton role ?

viz · December 2020

I just congratulate you on being able to post images on here without the standard two years’ trying.

VimFuego · December 2020

S56035 said:

He's discussed his mental health issues on his channel.

and? We can have threads about supporting mental health and threads warning others of possible poor service. The two are not mutually exclusive.

S56035 · December 2020

VimFuego said:

S56035 said:

He's discussed his mental health issues on his channel.

and? We can have threads about supporting mental health and threads warning others of possible poor service. The two are not mutually exclusive.

If it stayed that way then yes, but it never does.

VimFuego · December 2020

S56035 said:

VimFuego said:

S56035 said:

He's discussed his mental health issues on his channel.

and? We can have threads about supporting mental health and threads warning others of possible poor service. The two are not mutually exclusive.

If it stayed that way then yes, but it never does.

that smacks of slippery slope fallacy. The thread hasn't gone that way, if it does then action can be taken at that point. But can't really take preemptive action because you fear something may happen. Freedom of speech innit, the OP, so long as he stays in the bounds of law and the rules here, is free to say what he wants. And of course, you are free to say what you say, and I am free to disagree with you.

PengaMax · December 2020

viz said:

I just congratulate you on being able to post images on here without the standard two years’ trying.

I did receive some admin help so can't fully take the credit for that but i did read the 'how to' and set up a flickr so i'll accept a half point

Bridgehouse · December 2020

S56035 said:

VimFuego said:

S56035 said:

He's discussed his mental health issues on his channel.

and? We can have threads about supporting mental health and threads warning others of possible poor service. The two are not mutually exclusive.

If it stayed that way then yes, but it never does.

You seem eager to criticise/voice concern in thread, but yet you haven’t flagged it to the mods....

S56035 · December 2020

The big mod has already seen it.

VimFuego · December 2020

he may be the big mod, but we all know he's just a bellboy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVZ_47CHK6c

EricTheWeary · December 2020

PengaMax said:

EricTheWeary said:

There is a long and complex history on here with RG. I'll try to flag this with the modmins as they may have an opinion on whether the Discussion can run.

Sure thing. I'm new here so not aware of tge history! Just wanted to warn people and maybe deal with someone else, plenty of struggling guitar stores out there that dont treat people like this!

It is a semi regular thing that Richard comes up. Unsurprisingly some of the bigger stores get regular mentions on here both good and bad but he must be the most name checked smaller retailer in the history of the forum. And he doesn’t always take it, let’s say, with good humour.

PengaMax said:

viz said:

I just congratulate you on being able to post images on here without the standard two years’ trying.

I did receive some admin help so can't fully take the credit for that but i did read the 'how to' and set up a flickr so i'll accept a half point

I’ve been here 7 years and it’s still 50:50 if I can get a picture to work.

PengaMax · December 2020

The plot has certainly thickened. Richard replied to my trustpilot review. I'm utterly shocked by the response!

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Avoid Richards Guitars - Incredibly Rude

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