Initiatives | Whitney Guitars

FROM SEED TO SONG

Your new guitar plants a seed. OneTreePlanted.org is a non-profit organization based in Vermont, USA with a simple mission to plant trees around the world. Quite simply, every dollar donated plants one tree. Whitney Guitars has volunteered as a donation partner with One Tree Planted and pledges to donate 1% of every guitar sale to One Tree Planted and their reforestation initiatives here in British Columbia, Canada. Just think… on the purchase of one Whitney Guitar, you’re significantly contributing to reforestation efforts in British Columbia, the origin of some of our most beautiful tonewoods.

OVERVIEW

British Columbia is characterized by abundant forests, iconic wildlife like the moose and grizzly, rugged Pacific coastline, mountains, plateaus, and pristine lakes and rivers. Forests cover two-thirds of the province – an area of almost 60 million hectares. However, visitors will have noticed a marked difference in B.C.’s trees in recent years. Insect pests and diseases have decimated enormous areas of forest. These dead trees become fuel for wildfires, and in summer 2017 B.C. experienced its worst wildfire in history, with over 1.2 million hectares burned.

IMPACT

British Columbia has established itself as a leader in forest management, implementing stringent forest policies, stewardship programs and scientific research. ‘One Tree Planted’ reforestation partners are experts in rehabilitating B.C. forests and ensuring they have a sustainable future. Help contribute as we plant trees in British Columbia to help reduce the damage from beetle infestations, lessen the impact of wildfires, provide habitat for B.C.’s abundant wildlife like the moose and grizzly bear, and preserve the province’s natural beauty for generations to come.

TREE SPECIES

B.C.’s rich forest diversity includes more than 40 different species of native trees, with some of Canada’s most interesting and valuable tree species. Coniferous, or softwood, species such as pine, spruce, fir, hemlock and western red cedar are predominant in close to 90 per cent of B.C.’s forests. Some of these very woods are critical to the construction of our guitars right here in the shop! To maximize the impact of your donation, our partners will determine the most appropriate species of tree to plant, depending on the time of year.

HEADING

FAQs

Where does 'One Tree Planted' plant trees?

One Tree Planted is a non-profit environmental charity on a mission of global reforestation. They plant trees in North America, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Whitney Guitars has chosen to focus all donations to BC forests.
I'd like to just make a donation. Can I do that?

Definitely – you can make a direct donation on the One Tree Planted website, here. If you’d like to attribute your trees to our mission here at Whitney Guitars, just choose the ‘Donate’ option and assign us as your recipient. This simply attributes your donation to our initiative. We do not earn any commissions from your donation.
Can I get involved with 'One Tree Planted' as well?

Yes! You can help reforest the planet! Every individual contribution makes an impact. Here is a direct link to the One Tree Planted website.
How do I pay?

When you submit your order form, a $1500 CDN deposit secures your place in Michael's build schedule. As he begin building your guitar, he'll request 50% of the remaining balance, payable by credit card, PayPal, Wise, bank transfer, or money draft. Before shipping your completed instrument, an invoice for the final balance plus shipping and insurance will be sent. Applicable duties, taxes and brokerage fees are your responsibility. Please note that we require final payment within 30 days of build completion to avoid order cancellation.
How long will it take to build my guitar?

Our build commencement timeframe is 6-8 months. The build itself takes approximately 12-16 weeks, depending on complexity. To keep you involved, Michael documents the process with progress photos, presented in a book with your guitar. Please note, this is a detailed process requiring time for wood preparation, meticulously crafting your guitar, allowing for lacquer curing, and a precise setup with a white-glove treatment before shipping. Your deposit places your order in our priority build sequence.
What does the listed price include?

Every ‘Whitney Guitar’ includes a hardshell case as described above as well as a warranty card, build document and photo book of the build process. Also included is a guitar-case humidifier to help keep your guitar at a relative humidity (RH) of 45-55%. Our listed prices do not include applicable taxes, shipping, added insurance or duties / brokerage fees.
How do I receive my new guitar once it's finished?

If you’re not local and can’t make it to the shop, we ship worldwide via UPS and FedEx. Every shipped guitar is enclosed in a hardshell case and then professionally packaged in a proprietary 'air-ride' shipping system, which includes: Acoustic Inflatable Bottom End Cap Acoustic Inflatable Top Hat Custom corrugated cardboard box with centre reinforcement If you would like a shipping quote ahead of time, send an e-mail with your address so we can give you a more precise shipping price. In most cases, the tracked freight price is $250 USD. Insurance would be additional. Generally, it takes 10-14 business days for the guitar to arrive to your door from our workshop in Canada.
What is your warranty policy?

All ‘Whitney Guitars’ come with a limited 5-year warranty. This warranty applies to the original owner of the instrument and covers any defects in materials or workmanship. If you notice something wrong with your ‘Whitney Guitar’, contact Michael immediately for a diagnosis. If the guitar requires a repair, shipping costs are the responsibility of the owner. Repairs not included under the warranty include: Fret wear, saddle wear, nut wear, strings, shrinking, discolouration, setups, adjustments or routine maintenance, damage due to extreme temperature or humidity, damage resulting from customization or repair, or normal wear and tear on parts, instruments or cases, damage caused by neglect and regular wear and tear. The limited warranty is void if another party does a repair or alteration to the instrument.
Okay, I'm interested. What's the first step?

To get started, take a look at our guitar models using the navigation at the top of the page. Once you've found the perfect model, head over to our order form to personalize your build and reserve your spot in our schedule with a deposit.
Does my new guitar include a case?

Yes. To protect your new ‘Whitney Guitar’, all orders include s standard hard-shell, Tolex case in either black or brown. The case is padded with plush inserts to protect the instrument. If you would like to upgrade the case (i.e., Hiscox, Vicenut, etc.) you can select those options from the order form.
Returns & Refunds

All commissioned, new and 'studio demo' instruments come with a 5-day grace period which allows the customer to experience the guitar and ensure that it meets their expectations. If, for any reason, the customer is not satisfied with the guitar they must contact Whitney Guitars within five days of taking delivery or collection. If the problem cannot be rectified and the customer still wishes to return the guitar, shipping costs will be the responsibility of the customer, and the guitar must be returned in 'as-new' condition. The full price paid for the guitar, less any deposits, will be refunded once it has been re-sold by Whitney Guitars. The guitar will be listed on Whitney Guitars’ website and on social media as being for sale.
How much will I pay?

All of our Gypsy Jazz Guitars as well as our 'Studio Demo Guitars' start at $7500 CDN (excluding shipping duties and added insurance). Any brand-new steel-stringed guitars such as our 'OM Model No.1' start at $9500 CDN. To secure a slot in our build schedule, we request a deposit of $1500 CDN. From there, 50% of the remaining balance is due at the start of the build and the remainder is due prior to shipping.
Okay, how do we start?

Simple! Just complete the order form or book a consultation call with me via phone or email.
How long will it take?

As we work in small batches, our wait time is currently 6-8 months for builds to commence. Depending on the complexity of your project, you can expect the build process to take roughly 12-16 weeks once your build starts. Michael will be communicating with you throughout the build process. Having a guitar custom made for you is an exciting experience. Michael likes to include a photo book of the build process of your new guitar that you can keep.
What is the warranty?

All ‘Whitney Guitars’ come with a limited 5-year warranty. This warranty applies to the original owner of the instrument and covers any defects in materials or workmanship. If you notice something wrong with your ‘Whitney Guitar’, contact Michael immediately for a diagnosis. If the guitar requires a repair, shipping costs are the responsibility of the owner. Repairs not included under the warranty include: Fret wear, saddle wear, nut wear, strings, shrinking, discolouration, setups, adjustments or routine maintenance, damage due to extreme temperature or humidity, damage resulting from customization or repair, or normal wear and tear on parts, instruments or cases, damage caused by neglect and regular wear and tear. The limited warranty is void if another party does a repair or alteration to the instrument.

Commission your own Whitney Guitar.

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HANDMADE IN CANADA

Crafted and voiced in our Canadian workshop, we produce uniquely designed heirloom steel-string acoustic guitars and Gypsy Jazz guitars, each made with meticulous attention to detail.