Buying an acoustic guitar

A new guitar often arrives in a box. When you open it, it can feel quite different from the one you pictured. UK consumer law gives buyers some time and some rights when that happens.

Changing your mind after buying online

Citizens Advice explains the rules for England. When you buy something from a business without seeing it in person, you automatically get a 14-day cooling-off period. Items that were made to measure or personalised for you are left out.

These rights do not apply when you buy from a private seller, such as someone on a social media marketplace.

Within 14 days of receiving it, you tell the seller you don't want it. After that, you have another 14 days to send it back. The seller then has to pay you the refund within 14 days. The law behind this is the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulations 30 and 34.

If the guitar arrives faulty

Section 9 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says goods must be of satisfactory quality. Citizens Advice says that for a guitar that is broken, damaged or not as described, you may be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement.

Section 22 gives a short-term right to reject faulty goods. It runs to the end of 30 days, counted from the day after the guitar is yours and has been delivered. Citizens Advice says your rights apply whether you bought the guitar new or secondhand from a business. They do not cover damage from wear and tear, an accident or misuse.

Paying by card or PayPal

How you paid can give you another way to get your money back. Citizens Advice explains Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. It usually applies to a single item paid for by credit card or buy now, pay later that cost more than £100 and no more than £30,000. It usually doesn't apply if you bought through a marketplace such as eBay rather than from the seller directly. Below that, or for a debit card, the route is usually a chargeback through your card provider.

Buying a guitar from abroad

GOV.UK says anything posted or couriered to you from another country goes through customs. You may have to pay VAT or Customs Duty before you receive it. The parcel or courier company tells you if anything is due.

A musical instrument made with material from a protected species can count as a specimen under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). GOV.UK's CITES guidance has a section on musical instruments. It was last updated on 23 June 2026. For a personal, non-commercial move, a musical instrument certificate can be used, and it has no fee.

Lessons and graded exams

Trinity College London runs graded music exams in many instruments. Classical and Acoustic Guitar is one of them.

Musicians in the UK also have a trade union of their own, the Musicians' Union.

Useful links