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Stoneman Guitars

Each and every instrument reguardless of the price range, is built with the highest level of craftsmanship. The total instrument, right from the selection of the woods (ALL NON-Endangered exotic, mostly U S hardwoods) to the selection of the parts (mostly USA made, whenever possible) can be custom tailored to each and every customer. I am also a Master Luthier who has been doing expert instrument repairs (major and minor) since the late 60’s from my shop in Neptune City NJ, Asbury Park NJ, and Belmar NJ, Brooklyn NY, Wellsville NY, and Olean NY.

19 thoughts on “Stoneman Guitars”

  1. John Stoneman
    John Cappellini

    John is an amazing luthier. I have never met anyone who knows so much and been involved with building guitars for almost 5 decades. These wieners badmouthing him are clueless about guitars and building them. John can repair any stringed instrument. He has worked on at least 20 guitars for me both electric and acoustic. Right now he is building from scratch two electric guitars for me from tone wood over 1500 years old. His electric guitar necks are flawless. This guy is the real deal.

  2. horrible person with alot of words for confusion
    mark lenzi

    worst ax how about the worst person slash con man ive ever come across in my life.i strongly will advise people to stay away from this man very good with words will suck you in and get notjing back in return,took my check and still have not recieved my ax and im going to this bradford pa its only a 12 hour drive to kick the s**t out of him you can take that s**t all the way home for sure

    1. Re: Stoneman is a rip-off merchant
      Matthieu Lazarus

      He won’t talk about it, but he was very sick for a while and almost died, and was or is, for all intents and purposes, out of business. He may not really be back in business yet or able to build guitars or other instruments. Somebody told me he was uninsured (as most self employed luthers are) and maybe he really got behind the eight ball.

      1. Re: Stoneman is a rip-off merchant
        Paul K

        ……. and maybe he really got behind the eight ball.

        Yup. Maybe. But he should still return my phone calls other than when i use a new phone number and impersonate someone wanting to buy a guitar. After over a year, I just want my bass back.

    2. Re: Stoneman is a rip-off merchant
      Walter Vispoel

      I had a similar experience with this man. I ordered two custom instruments and paid half the cost almost two years ago. He kept the money, never built the instruments, and ignored countless emails and phone calls. I contacted the Better Business Bureau, and they too had no success in tracking this man down. He is a fraud and crook. Avoid doing any business with this man.

    3. Re: Stoneman is a rip-off merchant
      Anders Thuen

      I’m in the same situation. In 2004 I prepaid John for a Springsteen copy. I have never seen the guitar and John does’nt reply any of my emails.
      Wondering how many people he owes a guitar?

      1. Re: Stoneman is a rip-off merchant
        Tez

        He lives at 5 Euclid Ave in Bradford Pennsylvania. The shop is in the basement. I’ve been there and he doesn’t answer his phone until he hears who it is talking on the answering machine.

      2. Re: Stoneman is a rip-off merchant
        Randi

        My husband bought me the Boss guitar for Christmas. It took a year, but we did receive it and it is beautiful and well worth the wait. We had no problems with John.

        : I’m in the same situation. In 2004 I prepaid John for a Springsteen copy. I have never seen the guitar and John does’nt reply any of my emails.
        : Wondering how many people he owes a guitar?

    4. Re: This popular thread has been given its own page :... Donnie Burke
      Donnie Burke

      In 2004, I ordered a guitar rom Stoneman guitars. Stoneman himself contacted me and said that if I paid up-front, he could deliver the guitar to me in the Uk in three months. Six months later, after a series of e-mail excuses, he still hadn’t made good on his promise. A year later he stopped replying to my e-mails and I’ve never heard from him again. He must be very happy with his stolen $800. I urge buyers to beware this guy

      1. Stoneman is a rip-off merchant
        Anonymous

        John is healthy and all ways was in good health. He lives at 5 Euclid Ave Bradford Pa. 16701. He is still doing business

      2. Re: Stoneman is a rip-off merchant
        T Remington

        I paid John $1200 in 2005 to have an SB-1 bass built. He stopped responding to emails and phone calls years ago. I live in Texas, so he knows I’m not going to drive to PA to bang on his door.
        I think it’s horrible that someone can continue to take people’s money with no intention of providing an end product.
        Yeah, I heard about the sickness thing when I was having mine built. I think every family member of his died twice. Long story short, when my father passed on, I didn’t take 5 years off due to “hardship”. This guy is a rip-off artist.

  3. Worst Ax I Ever Bought
    relink2

    I bought a solid body mandolin in April ’02 on eBay from John Stoneman of Stoneman Guitar’s. It had many defects. While some were fixed when I sent it back to him, he ignored some of my instructions, and returned it to me half fixed. He doesn’t guarantee customer satisfaction, and won’t return my money, even though I’m extremely dissatisfied with this half-finished instrument.
    Originally I bought this mandolin in good faith, assuming it to be of quality construction. Conversations with the builder made me feel he that he knew what he was doing, and would stand by his product.. Too bad I’m not covered by "Lemon Laws", because it unfortunately had the following problems:

    * No ground wire – A MAJOR omission – resulting in noisy operation
    * Action way too high and unable to be lowered without ‘surgery’
    * Low quality, cheap tailpiece with rough, bumpy finish
    * Cheap pots with crooked control knobs, one of which wobbled when turned
    * Access plate not recessed into back – just screwed on over chamber
    * Wrong pickup, This after-market pickup is made for a bass, not a mandolin, and poles are unadjustable, creating an unbalanced sound that causes some strings to be much louder than others
    * Wrong strings. It came with bronze strings. which don’t have good magnetic response needed for magnetic pickups — Steel strings would be much more appropriate for an electric instrument
    * Hard shell case was an unbelievably lousy fit – totally unuseable for this mandolin.(Fortunately, the deal included a gig bag as well)

    He seemed genuinely sorry for the defects, and said he’d fix everything and pay for shipping both ways, Although he eventually paid for shipping, it was for one-way only. I sent it back to him, and he fixed all but the following:

    * Action still too high and unable to be lowered without surgery
    * Tone control knob still a bit crooked – wobbles a little when turned

    Of course, the problems with the pickup, strings, and case remained unfixed. Also, I asked him to install a strap button on it. He said he wouldn’t do that, but that he’d send me a strap button, and I could install it myself. He failed to send me this strap button, as promised.

    However, the big problem — and the reason I wanted him to take back the mandolin and refund my money — was the height of the action. I gave him very specific instructions, asking him to lower the action ridiculously low, and adjust the nut accordingly. That way I could always raise or lower it myself, and it should still be playable at any height. He ignored this instruction, and when I got it back from him, it was still too high (for an electric), and couldn’t be adjusted lower without taking wood off the bridge, and possibly raising the nut, which is beyond my skill level.

    By this time, I had enough, and asked him to take it back, and generously offered to have him pay me only around $300 and I would pick up the shipping (The original price I paid was $450 + shipping). However, he refused any refunds, saying he didn’t guarantee his instruments.

    Now I can’t even stand to look at the thing, John Stoneman suggested that I sell it on eBay if I want to recoup my losses. At this time, the following problems remain:

    * Action too high (for me)
    * Funky, improper bass pickup
    * Tone control knob still a bit crooked

      1. Re: This popular thread has been given its own page :... Tom Anderson
        Tom Anderson

        I own not one, but TWO Stoneman Mandolins! They are the best sounding electric mandolins made, bar-none. I don’t understand what relink is talking about! The quality, and workmanship is usnurpassed! My action can be adjusted down to the frets! relink complains about a "funky pickup"? What is your defination of "funky". It’s a half of a "P" bass pickup, what’s funky about that? It fits, looks, and sounds great! And to complain about a "wobbly knob" ? Man can’t you adjust a knob on an instrument? It THAT beyond your ability? Who would return an instrument to the manufacturer because the knob wobbled?
        Stoneman has always been extremly patient and helpful when ever I contacted him. He is known to be the best in the business in customer satisfacton. I’d urge everybody to try a Stoneman and judge for yourself!

        Tom Anderson

    1. Best Ax I Ever Bought!
      Bill Winters

      Stoneman builds the highest quality, best sounding instruments in the world. Dollar for dollar you can’t even come close. I can’t even imagine Mr. Stoneman (yes, you can deal directly with the builder himself) not repairing one of his instruments for free, and to exciede the customers expectations. I know an owner of one of his bass guitars who took the bass he bought used, back to Stoneman for a "tune up", and not only did Mr. Stoneman not charge for the set up, but put new strings on it for free! All his instruments are guarrenty for life, and it’s a real guarrenty, not no bull s**t where you need to register, return to the store you bought it, or any of those other hoops you have to jump through that other manufactures require. As for the sound, you will not play a better sounding instrument. Just play a Stoneman next to your best guitar and you will see. I sold my Parker, Alembic, and (older) BC Rich, when I got my Stoneman. My Stoneman is my most comfortable, best sounding and LEAST expensive guitar in my collection! Although I never had a problem with the guitar, Mr. Stoneman seems very happy to answer any of my questions about the construction of the instrument. I am a VERY, VERY happy Stoneman Customer! Play one, and you may be one too! – Bill W.

      1. Re: Best Ax I Ever Bought!
        Tim

        **** the both of you, **** ing shills. Names are uncreative and writing style is the same. Mr. StoneMan your guitars are s**t and you don’t give a damn about your customers.

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