In a detailed response video, popular guitar YouTuber Phillip McKnight reveals he received a legal notice from boutique builder Belltone Guitars, threatening a lawsuit over a review instrument.
Phillip McKnight Threatened with Lawsuit: Belltone Guitars Alleges “Civil Theft” Over Review Unit
Popular YouTube guitar channel host Phillip McKnight has publicly responded to a legal notice received from Belltone Guitars, a boutique instrument manufacturer based in Florida.
In a video titled “I’m Being Sued By Guitar Brand, My Response To The Legal Notice,” McKnight details the escalation of a dispute regarding a loaned instrument, which the brand’s owner, Stephen King Harriman, demanded be returned immediately under threat of legal action for civil theft.
The Dispute: A Loaned Guitar and a Legal Notice
According to McKnight, he received a “Certified Legal Notice” from an attorney representing Belltone Guitars. The notice concerned a Belltone Classic 4 (BC4) guitar that had been shipped to McKnight in December 2025 for a “deep dive” review video.
The legal letter allegedly claimed that McKnight’s continued possession of the instrument constituted “unauthorized exercise of dominion,” citing potential claims for conversion and civil theft under Florida law. The notice demanded the immediate return of the guitar and threatened to seek damages, including attorney’s fees and “treble damages” (triple the value of the theft) if the demands were not met.
McKnight’s Response: “I’m Not a Thief”
In the 22-minute video, a visibly unwell McKnight—recovering from the flu—explained that the delay in producing the video or returning the guitar was due to the holiday season, his illness, and travel commitments for the NAMM show and other events. He noted that he had possessed the guitar for less than two months, a timeframe he described as standard for his detailed “deep dive” reviews.
“I’m not a thief,” McKnight stated. “This company came to me and asked me to make a third video for them… usually, if a company requests something like this… we prioritize it, but we are a week and a half out from it being a month [since the holidays].”
McKnight also revealed that Belltone had requested to preview the video before publication, a request McKnight’s team denied in adherence to their editorial policy of not allowing manufacturers to approve content.
Documenting the Return
Fearing that the acrimonious legal threat could lead to false claims of damage, McKnight used the majority of his response video to film a continuous, unedited sequence of himself inspecting, packing, and shipping the guitar.
The footage documents:
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The Condition: McKnight showed the guitar from every angle, noting minor factory imperfections (like finish ripples and a sanding mark) that were present when he received it, while proving he had inflicted no new damage.
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The Packing: The instrument was packed in its original case, then double-boxed with fresh packing materials.
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The Shipment: McKnight displayed the receipt showing he paid $247 to ship the guitar back, fully insured for its $4,000 value.
The Fallout: Videos Removed and Bridges Burned
The legal maneuver appears to have backfired for Belltone Guitars in terms of publicity. McKnight, who claims his previous coverage of the brand generated over 200,000 views and significant sales, announced he has removed all previous Belltone videos from his channel.
“This is how I get treated for [selling their guitars],” McKnight lamented. “I plan to fight this to the end… because I am not a thief.”
The incident has already sparked discussions on social media platforms like Reddit, where users are debating the wisdom of a niche brand threatening a creator with a massive following over a delay of a few weeks.
About the Parties
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Phillip McKnight: A prominent figure in the “GuitarTube” community known for his “Know Your Gear” series, where he provides technical deep dives, repairs, and honest reviews of guitar equipment.
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Belltone Guitars: A custom guitar brand founded by Stephen King Harriman, known for its “B-Classic” series of customizable, made-to-order instruments.
McKnight concluded the video by stating he intends to reduce his intake of sponsored content to avoid similar legal liabilities in the future, aiming for as few as four sponsored videos a year.
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