Guitars 'n Jazz

"Good guitars to good people.."

Frequently Asked Questions

  • General Information
  • Who is Guitars n Jazz?
    Guitars 'n Jazz Showroom

    Guitars 'n Jazz specializes in quality Archtop guitars. Always over 150 carved archtops in stock at all times to allow you to find the best possible choice. We offer the largest in stock selection of Eastman carved archtops anywhere to insure that you can find the perfect archtop, including a full 3 day approval period, and a G'nJ warranty in addition to your Eastman warranty!

    Our goal is to provide you with a wonderful archtop guitar that you will always enjoy playing and provides inspiration to improve. They must first of all be excellent players. Most of our guitars are also wonderful to look at. Musicians and teachers have described some of our guitars as” I forgot how good this guitar was" Our local teachers, players, and repairmen constantly praise the Palen archtop saying that it can stand up to even the most expensive archtops at any price.

    At GnJ you have the chance to compare all the major brands in a private quiet setting without interruption or other noise. Feel can be remembered and compared, but "Tone" is very difficult to remember when trying to compare archtops at different stores. At GnJ you can compare all the major luthier archtops at one place. Always call or email GnJ if you are looking for a special archtop.

    Many of our archtops sell before we have the chance to list them on our website and only half of our inventory ever appears on our website. Always call or email if you are looking for something extra special

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  • What does Guitars and Jazz specialize in?
    Palen Archtop Guitar
    Nelson Palen carved Archtops exclusive distributors, Eastman Guitars- largest in stock selection anywhere! Rivera Jazz Suprema, Vero and AER jazz amplifiers.



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  • What are the store hours?
    Store Hours
    Showroom hours are Monday & Tuesday 10am - 3pm, Wednesday & Friday 10am - 6pm and Saturday 10am - 3:30pm based upon availability. Please call 908-403-3426 to reserve an individual appointment time which enables you to compare all the major brand archtops in a quiet setting. We are very flexible and generally able to accommodate most requests, but are not a retail store with unlimited time. Phone hours are 8:30am to 8pm Monday - Saturday. Always 500 carved jazz archtops on display for your private inspection! We are located in downtown Summit, NJ. Only 1 block from the Summit NJ transit train station, and only 35 minutes from Manhattan via NJ Transit Midtown Direct.

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  • Purchasing an instrument
  • How to Purchase an instrument
    Telephone
    To order an instrument, first CALL or FAX to confirm that the instrument is still available. In order to minimize returns (see below), we prefer not to ship any instrument until we have discussed the instrument with you directly. It is important to discern exactly what you expect from each instrument. We will actually tell you whether this instrument will or will not meet you expectations before we ship! Your total satisfaction is our ultimate goal. Click here for testimonials from satisfied customers.

    Please feel free to contact us for more information on any instrument. If you have more questions: Call Lou at 908-403-3426 9am and 7pm EST , for a complete in-hand description of the instrument.

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  • Viewing an Instrument In Person
    Magnifying GlassIf you are within driving distance of New York City, please call for an appointment to preview an instrument in person. We are located in NJ thirty minutes from NYC.


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  • Placing An Instrument On Hold
    Reserved
    The best way to place an instrument on hold immediately is by phoning, faxing or emailing a valid VISA or MC number. Your card will be charged when the parcel is ready to ship. If paying by check or money order, we'll extend a courtesy hold while your payment is in transit.

    Hold time is one week for domestic orders, where a payment is en route by mail. Holds are accepted only for instruments that have been priced. For priority notification on instruments in transit or in the shop that have not yet been priced, contact us.

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  • Layaways/Deferred Payments
    Layaway
    A 20% deposit may be accepted to reserve any instrument for up to 120 days. 50% of the deposit is refundable if a layaway item is cancelled. Layaway orders are shipped on receipt of balance due. Please contact us for more information.

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  • Which forms of payment do you accept?
    Payment
    To order an instrument, first CALL or FAX to confirm that the instrument is still available.

    Within the US we accept money orders, cashier's checks, certified checks, Mastercard, or Visa Amex, and Discover. Outside the US, please send US dollars on a US bank or bank transfer.

    Payment must include the purchase price plus shipping and insurance charges. Layaway plan voids approval period. A 25% non-refundable deposit will hold any instrument for 30 days. No COD's are accepted.

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  • Satisfaction Guarantee
    satisfaction Guarantee
    I would never purchase a guitar without first playing it, and I offer "hands on" approval always!

    I try to represent all the instruments as accurately as I can. Some things like “sound & feel” are quite subjective.

    If you are not satisfied for any reason you will be issued a full refund less actual shipping and insurance charges and a 5% ($75 minimum) restocking fee provided that we are notified within 72 hours of delivery and the guitar is in the EXACT same condition as you received it. It must be packed carefully in the original box in the same way it was packed when we shipped it to you. NO full or partial refunds will be given if any items are damaged, marked, or modified. The customer will be responsible for all shipping, insurance, and handling charges. If there is damage when I ship the instrument to you please call me immediately. The original box and all the packaging must be saved! I will deal with my insurance company. If the instrument is damaged in transit from you to me, you are responsible for dealing with the damage and insurance claim.

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  • Shipping
  • How do you handle shipping?
    Shipping
    The customer pays all shipping, insurance, and bank charges including all charges for returned merchandise. All insurance claims are the responsibility of the customer. The original packaging and box must be saved. Shipping will be via UPS or Federal Express unless other arrangements are made.

    The most cost-efficient air delivery in the continental US is by UPS 3 Day Select.

    We prefer to ship on a Monday or Tuesday, to keep your parcel from languishing in a warehouse or truck over a weekend. Every instrument is meticulously packed and padding in carrier-approved guitar boxes, and each parcel is fully insured against damage or loss in transit.

    Depending on distance and value, UPS Three Day delivery is about $95 within the continental US, for a guitar and case, fully insured. UPS Ground shipping runs about $45, and can take up to 7 business days to the East Coast of the US. Accessories are generally $5-$15 via Priority Mail.

    On shipment, we will forward the tracking number of your parcel to you by email, so you can track the progress of your order at will. Second-day, overnight, and international air shipping are also available at additional charge. Send us your zip code for a more precise quote on any given item.

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  • Trades / Selling your Guitar
  • Do you sell on consignment?
    For Sale
    Consignment is the way to get the highest return on your instrument. Ask about our "Buyout Guarantee" in the rare event that we are not able to sell your guitar. Guitars 'n Jazz has one of the lowest consignment fees in the industry. Consignment sellers receive up to a full 85% of net consignment proceeds. ($400 G'nJ minimum fee.) We will attempt to get you the full asking price and more if at all possible.

    Click here to fill out form with a description of your guitar, or contact us, and we will promptly give you an asking and realistic selling price.

    If your sale expectations are realistic we will pay the freight to ship the guitar to us. We look for the best qualities in your guitar, that will allow us to market it in the very best way possible. Superb tone or effortless action will be emphasized. Therefore, we prefer to see the guitar in person, or have it in our possession. When we receive your guitar we will thoroughly examine and adjust it to maximize tone, playability and appearance. This includes adjusting the action, truss rod, bridge, pickup adjustment, and a thorough cleaning, polishing and lubrication of the instrument at no charge. If additional work like fret dressing, replacement parts or repairs are necessary, we will be happy to supply these at cost, which will be deducted from the proceeds at time of sale, with no out-of-pocket expense to you.

    You may also keep the guitar while it is being listed for sale if you will offer the same 48 hour approval period to a prospective buyer as is our policy. It is however much easier to sell and describe a guitar that is in hand.

    For complete information on shipping your guitar safely and securely, see our Shipping page here.

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  • Networking & Sales Leads
    Networking
    Guitars n' Jazz specializes in new & vintage archtop guitars. We can quickly find a buyer for your guitar, or purchase it outright for a quick, hassle-free cash sale, or accept it as a trade towards your purchase. Guitars n' Jazz advertises in the most known music publications. Our gbase website inventory gets over 100,000 hits per day. Because we deal only in archtops we rate very highly with the best search engines on the web.

    We have sold and personally displayed archtops to the greatest jazz players in the world, including George Benson, Rodney Jones, Jack Wilkins, Lou Mecca, Vic Juris, Scott Anderson, and many more.

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  • Do you accept trades?
    Trades
    We accept many trades towards purchase of a guitar. Some of our nicest guitars were taken as trades towards more expensive guitars. Occasionally we must take in trades that normally don't meet our standards. These will de designated as "taken in trade", and be specially priced.

    Click here to fill out form with a description of your guitar, or contact us, and we will promptly give you an asking and realistic selling price.

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