Hi fam,
I’ve been buying and selling a lot of guitars on Facebook Marketplace and craigslist lately. This made for a good opportunity to do a video on 9 Tips for Buying Used Guitars. I learned some of these tips by trial and error, and I learned the others from my five years of working at a music store. These are great things to keep in mind if you are in the market for a new/used guitar. I know everyone’s experience is different, so it would be great if you would leave any tips you may have in the comments below.
I hope you enjoy the video,
Nate
9 Tips For Buying Used Guitars On Facebook Marketplace or Craig’s List
1 - Don’t ever start by paying the full asking price. (You don’t get 100% of the discounts you don’t ask for.)
2 - Know what the used guitar you are looking at is going for on the market. (use Reverb.com)
3 - Be courteous when asking for discounts. Two lines I like to use are "I'd like to offer you $XX for your guitar." and "I have $XX if you are willing to let it go for that.".
4 - If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. (There are a lot of scammers out there, so be careful.)
5 - A “Cash Only, Local Pickup Only” policy will protect you from a lot of scammers.
6 - Ask the seller a few open-ended questions like “Why are you selling it?” or “How long have you had it?” or "Has the guitar been repaired?". Specific questions like this can sometimes reveal unexpected things.
7 - Be patient… if you can. ;) Waiting for the right guitar at the right price can be very rewarding.
8 - Check for trouble spots on the guitar. (See the video for more details.)
9 - When in doubt, bring a friend with more experience.
I bought my left handed Larrivee guitar from a californian retailers that was specialised in used musical instruments. I first check online about his reputation, if there was any negative comments about him and such. I love my guitar!!! and i had it for a great price, sadly, i was SO excited about finding a used lefty Larrivee that i didnt bargain at all.... next time maybe!
I bought a used Taylor on Reverb. Because there was shipping and tax included, I negotiated the price by saying my budget was $X total. So that helped me in the long run. And I have a great guitar.
Yet another helpful, and fun, video, Nate. Thanks! I liked the hints about check the nuts and frets. I'd love to see one on selling guitars too.
I can definitely agree to the "just ask for discounts" piece. When I got my Michael Kelly 53DB tele last summer the owner had it listed for $350. I looked it up and saw it was retailing for $450 new. So, I could have said, "Well that is a great deal already" and just paid him. But, when I 1) saw that he had TONS of guitars, a drum set, a couple of basses and 2) found out that he was trying to lighten his inventory so he could buy a "dream gui…