The Guitar Vault ("The Guitar Vault", "Guitar Vault", "we", "us", or "our") is a trading name of Seth Baccus Guitars Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (Company Number: 11239391, registered address: 11a Kimberley Park Road, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 2DA, United Kingdom). These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of The Guitar Vault mobile application, website, and related services (collectively, the "Service").
By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to these Terms in full. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.
01 Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old, or the legal age of majority in your jurisdiction, to use the Service. By using the Service, you confirm that:
- you have the legal capacity to enter into binding agreements;
- all information you provide is accurate and current;
- you will comply with these Terms and all applicable laws.
02 The Service
The Guitar Vault is a digital platform for cataloguing, documenting, and sharing records relating to musical instruments, amplifiers, pedals, rigs, and associated equipment. Features may include:
- digital instrument records and equipment logs;
- maintenance, care, and service histories;
- ownership history and chain-of-custody records;
- builder-issued birth certificates and provenance documentation;
- claiming codes for instrument registration;
- rig and signal-chain management;
- public and private sharing tools;
- exportable records for insurance and valuation purposes;
- contact request tools enabling users to initiate communication, with further correspondence taking place off-platform.
We may add, modify, suspend, or remove features at any time without notice or liability.
03 Beta and Experimental Features
The Service, or certain features within it, may be made available in beta, preview, or experimental form. In such cases:
- features are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind;
- features may be incomplete, unstable, or subject to change;
- features may be modified, suspended, or removed without notice;
- data generated during beta periods may not be retained;
- beta access does not create any entitlement to continued access or to the feature in any final form.
By using any beta or experimental feature, you acknowledge and accept these additional limitations.
04 User Accounts
You are solely responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials and for all activity occurring under your account, whether or not authorised by you. You agree not to:
- impersonate another person or entity;
- create misleading or fraudulent records;
- access accounts belonging to others without authorisation;
- attempt to disrupt, circumvent, or compromise the Service or its security.
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, at our sole discretion, without prior notice or liability.
05 User Content
You retain ownership of any images, text, records, notes, or other content you upload ("User Content"). By uploading User Content, you grant The Guitar Vault a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to store, host, reproduce, display, process, and distribute such content solely for the purposes of operating and improving the Service. This licence terminates when your content is deleted, subject to any retention obligations.
You represent and warrant that:
- you own or have all necessary rights and permissions to upload the content;
- the content does not infringe the intellectual property, privacy, or other rights of any third party;
- the content is accurate and not misleading to the best of your knowledge;
- the content complies with all applicable laws;
- the content does not include AI-generated or AI-edited material that misrepresents authenticity, condition, or provenance of any instrument.
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Seth Baccus Guitars Ltd and its officers, employees, and agents from and against any claims, losses, or expenses arising from any breach of the above representations or from any User Content you submit.
06 AI-Generated and AI-Edited Content
Users must not submit content that uses artificial intelligence to fabricate, alter, or misrepresent:
- instrument photographs, condition images, or visual records;
- provenance narratives, ownership histories, or chain-of-custody records;
- builder certificates, signatures, or documentation;
- any other content where AI manipulation could mislead another user or third party.
Guitar Vault does not represent that it has the technical capability to detect all AI-generated or AI-edited content. The responsibility for submitting accurate content rests entirely with the user.
07 Builder-Issued Certificates and Ownership Records
7.1 Nature of Certificates
The Guitar Vault enables luthiers and instrument builders to issue digital birth certificates and provenance records. These certificates are informational records only. They:
- do not constitute legal title to an instrument;
- do not guarantee authenticity, originality, condition, or value;
- do not represent a warranty of any kind from the builder or from Guitar Vault;
- are only as reliable as the information provided by the issuing builder;
- are not certified documents for any legal, insurance, or regulatory purpose.
7.2 Claiming Codes
Where a builder issues a certificate with a claiming code, that code enables a user to associate the record with their account. Claiming a record via a code does not:
- transfer legal ownership of the instrument;
- constitute proof of purchase, title, or provenance;
- create any contractual relationship between the claimant and the builder;
- impose any obligation on Guitar Vault in relation to the underlying instrument.
7.3 Chain-of-Custody Transfers
Users may transfer instrument records to other users. Such transfers reflect a change in custodianship of the digital record only and do not constitute, evidence, or substitute for a legal transfer of title. Users are solely responsible for ensuring that any transfer of a physical instrument is supported by appropriate legal documentation outside of this platform.
7.4 Exported Records
The Service enables export of records including maintenance histories, ownership records, and builder certificates. Such exported records are generated automatically from user-submitted data and carry no warranty of accuracy or fitness for any purpose. They must not be submitted to insurers, courts, or any third party as certified documents without independent verification.
08 Provenance and Authenticity Disclaimer
Guitar Vault provides organisational and informational tools only. We do not independently verify ownership, authenticity, originality, provenance, legality, valuation, condition, or any chain-of-custody claim. For the avoidance of doubt, Guitar Vault is not and does not purport to be:
- an authenticator or authentication service;
- a marketplace, broker, or sales intermediary;
- a valuation or appraisal service;
- an insurer or insurance intermediary;
- a certifying authority for legal, regulatory, or insurance purposes;
- an escrow agent or custodian of title;
- a legal authority on instrument ownership or provenance.
Users must independently verify all information before relying on it for any purpose, including purchases, sales, insurance, or legal proceedings.
09 Exclusion of Warranties
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Guitar Vault expressly excludes all representations, warranties, conditions, and other terms, including but not limited to:
- any warranty that the Service will meet your requirements;
- any warranty that the Service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free;
- any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any information provided through the Service;
- any warranty that instrument records, provenance histories, or certificates are accurate, genuine, or legally effective;
- any warranty that exported records are suitable for submission to insurers, courts, or any third party;
- any implied warranty of satisfactory quality or fitness for purpose.
10 Limitation of Liability
10.1 Exclusion of Consequential Loss
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Seth Baccus Guitars Ltd and its officers, employees, contractors, and agents shall not be liable for:
- indirect, incidental, special, or consequential loss or damage;
- loss of profits, revenue, or anticipated savings;
- loss of business, contracts, or goodwill;
- loss of or corruption of data;
- business interruption or reputational damage;
- any loss arising from reliance on user-submitted records, certificates, or provenance information;
- any loss arising from disputes between users regarding ownership, provenance, or the accuracy of records;
- any loss arising from AI-generated or AI-edited content submitted by users.
10.2 Liability Cap
To the extent that any liability cannot be excluded by law, Guitar Vault's total aggregate liability to you for all claims shall not exceed the greater of: the total subscription fees paid by you in the twelve months preceding the event giving rise to the claim; or £50 (fifty pounds sterling).
10.3 Statutory Carve-Out
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under English law, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or fraudulent misrepresentation.
11 Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Seth Baccus Guitars Ltd and its directors, officers, employees, agents, licensors, and service providers from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or fees arising out of or relating to:
- your breach of these Terms;
- any User Content you submit, post, or transmit through the Service;
- your use of the Service;
- any misrepresentation of ownership, provenance, or authenticity in any record you create or claim;
- any third-party claim arising from an instrument transfer you have conducted;
- any AI-generated or AI-edited content you submit;
- your violation of any applicable law or the rights of any third party.
12 Intellectual Property Takedowns
12.1 Our Policy
Guitar Vault respects intellectual property rights and will respond to credible notices of alleged infringement. We reserve the right to remove content and suspend or terminate the accounts of users who repeatedly infringe third-party intellectual property rights.
12.2 How to Submit a Takedown Notice
If you believe content on the Service infringes your intellectual property rights, submit a written notice to legal@guitarvaultapp.com containing:
- identification of the work you claim has been infringed;
- identification and location of the allegedly infringing material within the Service;
- your contact details (name, address, email, telephone);
- evidence of your ownership of or authority over the work;
- a statement of good-faith belief that the use is not authorised;
- a statement that the information provided is accurate and that you are authorised to act on behalf of the rights holder.
12.3 Counter-Notice
If you believe content was removed in error, you may submit a counter-notice to legal@guitarvaultapp.com, including your contact details, identification of the removed material, a statement that you believe the removal was a mistake or misidentification, and your consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
12.4 No Liability for Good-Faith Takedowns
Guitar Vault shall not be liable to any user for content removed in good faith following receipt of a takedown notice, regardless of whether the notice is ultimately determined to be valid.
13 Disputes Between Users
Guitar Vault is a neutral platform and does not arbitrate, mediate, or adjudicate disputes between users. If a dispute arises relating to instrument ownership, provenance, or the accuracy of a record:
- Guitar Vault is not responsible for resolving that dispute;
- Guitar Vault may, but is not obliged to, suspend a contested record pending resolution;
- Guitar Vault may cooperate with law enforcement or legal proceedings as required by law;
- users are responsible for pursuing resolution through appropriate legal channels at their own cost.
14 Dispute Resolution and Limitation Period
14.1 Good Faith Resolution
Before commencing any legal proceedings against Guitar Vault, you agree to notify us in writing of the nature of your complaint and allow us 30 days to attempt resolution in good faith.
14.2 Individual Claims Only
All claims against Guitar Vault must be brought on an individual basis. You agree not to bring or participate in any class, collective, or representative action against Guitar Vault to the extent permitted by applicable law.
14.3 Limitation Period
Any claim or cause of action arising out of or relating to the Service must be commenced within twelve (12) months of the date on which the claim arose. After this period, any such claim is permanently barred, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
15 Force Majeure
Guitar Vault shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations where such failure or delay results from causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to:
- acts of God, natural disasters, fire, flood, or extreme weather;
- epidemic, pandemic, or public health emergency;
- war, terrorism, civil unrest, or government action;
- failure of third-party telecommunications networks, internet service providers, or hosting infrastructure;
- cyber attacks, hacking, or distributed denial-of-service attacks;
- strikes, industrial disputes, or labour shortages;
- changes in law or regulation.
16 Acceptable Use
You agree not to:
- upload unlawful, fraudulent, defamatory, or infringing content;
- upload malware or malicious code;
- scrape or systematically harvest data from the Service;
- interfere with platform security or other users' access;
- use the Service for any illegal activity;
- falsely represent ownership, provenance, or the status of any instrument record;
- use the contact request feature to harass, spam, or deceive other users;
- attempt to circumvent any access controls, subscription restrictions, or security measures;
- submit AI-generated or AI-edited content that misrepresents the condition, authenticity, or provenance of any instrument.
17 Public Sharing
You may choose to share records publicly or keep them private. You acknowledge that publicly shared information may be viewed, copied, or redistributed by third parties. Guitar Vault cannot guarantee complete privacy once content is publicly shared. You remain solely responsible for what you choose to publish and for any consequences arising from such publication.
18 Account Tiers, Subscriptions, and Feature Access
The Guitar Vault operates three account tiers. Features available at each tier are set out below and may be updated from time to time with reasonable notice.
18.1 Free Tier
The Free Tier is available at no cost and includes one Vault with unlimited Collections and up to three (3) instrument or equipment items in total across all Collections. The Free Tier does not include:
- the ability to claim a builder-issued Birth Certificate via claiming code;
- export of records for insurance or valuation purposes;
- private vault functionality;
- multiple vaults or collections;
- rig and signal chain builder;
- contact request functionality;
- Verified Builder status or certificate-issuing rights.
18.2 Standard Tier (Paid)
The Standard Tier includes everything in the Free Tier, plus: unlimited items across all Collections, multiple Vaults and Collections, claiming builder-issued Birth Certificates, exporting records for insurance and valuation purposes, private vault functionality, rig and signal chain builder, contact request functionality, and priority support.
18.3 Pro Tier (Paid)
The Pro Tier includes everything in the Standard Tier, plus: eligibility to apply for Verified Builder status, certificate-issuing rights upon approval, a Verified Builder public profile page, and an optional map listing. Pro Tier access alone does not confer Verified Builder status — certificate-issuing rights are activated only upon completion of Guitar Vault's verification process.
18.4 Subscriptions and Payments
Payments are processed through third-party platforms such as Apple App Store or Google Play. Where Guitar Vault controls billing directly: subscriptions renew automatically on a recurring basis unless cancelled; you will be notified at least 30 days in advance of any price increase; all fees are non-refundable except where required by law.
18.5 Effect of Downgrade or Cancellation
If your subscription lapses, is downgraded, or is cancelled: access to features above your current tier is suspended immediately; instrument records remain accessible in read-only form; previously claimed Birth Certificates remain associated with your records but no new certificates may be claimed without an active paid subscription; Pro Tier subscribers who downgrade lose Verified Builder certificate-issuing rights immediately.
19 Brand Names and Trademarks
The Service may reference third-party brands, manufacturers, and product names for identification and descriptive purposes only. All trademarks, logos, and brand names remain the property of their respective owners. Guitar Vault is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any third-party manufacturer unless explicitly stated.
20 Availability of Service
We aim to provide a reliable service but give no guarantee of uninterrupted availability. The Service may experience maintenance downtime, technical issues, bugs, data delays, or outages at any time. We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time without prior notice or liability.
21 Data and Backups
While we take reasonable steps to protect data, users remain solely responsible for maintaining independent backups of important records. Guitar Vault does not guarantee permanent retention of uploaded content and shall not be liable for any loss of data, however caused.
22 Third-Party Links and Services
The Service may contain links to or integrations with third-party websites, services, or platforms. Guitar Vault has no control over and accepts no responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party service. Your use of third-party services is entirely at your own risk.
23 Termination
We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service immediately and without prior notice if you breach these Terms, if we reasonably believe your use poses legal or security risks, or if required by law. You may stop using the Service at any time. On termination, your licence to use the Service ends immediately. Sections 5, 9, 10, 11, 14, 26, and 28 survive termination.
24 Changes to Terms
We may update these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes via the app or by email. Continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Service.
25 Platform Characterisation and Marketing Consistency
No marketing communication, promotional material, or descriptive statement made outside of these Terms shall be construed as modifying, superseding, or expanding Guitar Vault's obligations or liability beyond what is set out herein. In the event of any inconsistency between a marketing or promotional statement and these Terms, these Terms prevail.
26 Terms Acceptance and Audit Logging
By creating an account, you acknowledge that Guitar Vault records your acceptance of these Terms, including the version accepted and the date and time of acceptance. Guitar Vault also maintains audit logs of key platform actions including instrument record creation, certificate issuance, claiming code redemption, and chain-of-custody transfers. These logs may be used as evidence in any dispute arising from use of the Service.
27 Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or severed if modification is not possible. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
28 Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The parties irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
29 Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, Community Guidelines, and any other policies published on the Service, constitute the entire agreement between you and Guitar Vault with respect to the Service and supersede all prior agreements, representations, and understandings.
30 Contact
Seth Baccus Guitars Ltd (trading as The Guitar Vault)
11a Kimberley Park Road, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 2DA, United Kingdom
Company Number: 11239391
Support: support@guitarvaultapp.com
Legal: legal@guitarvaultapp.com