Buy, sell & trade
How to change guitars without getting burned
I've bought guitars I shouldn't have and sold guitars I still miss. Here's everything I've learned about the money side of this hobby, in the order you'll need it.
Buying
Buying a used guitar
Set the all-in number first
Your budget isn't the sticker price. It's the guitar plus a setup, plus strings, plus a case, plus a tuner. Decide the all-in figure before you look at a single listing, and shop for a guitar that leaves room for the rest.
Inspect in the same order every time
Neck relief, fret wear, truss rod, bridge and top, electronics. Same order, every guitar, five minutes. Order matters because the first three tell you whether the rest is even worth checking.
Play it unplugged and unhurried
Sit down with it. Fret every string at the first, seventh and twelfth. Listen for buzz. If a seller rushes you through this, that tells you something about the guitar.
Price the work into the offer
A guitar that needs a $70 setup and $250 refret is not a bargain at $50 off. Say the number out loud: 'It needs work — here's what I can do.' Most sellers respect it.
Selling
Selling one of yours
Clean it and restring it
The cheapest value you'll ever add. Fresh strings, polished frets, a wiped fretboard and clean hardware routinely move a used guitar up a whole price bracket.
Photograph the flaws on purpose
Show the ding. Show the buckle rash. Honest photos kill the haggling and attract the buyers who actually complete the sale.
Price against completed sales
Not against active listings — anyone can ask anything. Look at what this exact model in this exact condition actually sold for in the last few months.
Know your walk-away number
Write it down before anyone messages you. Negotiation is easy when the floor is already decided and boring when it isn't.
Trading
Trading up (and when not to)
Trade-in is two transactions dressed as one
The shop is buying yours low and selling you theirs at retail. That's fine — convenience has a price — but ask what they'd pay you in cash, so you can see both numbers.
Trade up for playability, not for looks
The best trades I've ever made moved me toward a neck that fit my hand. The worst moved me toward a finish I liked in photographs.
Never trade the guitar you actually play
If you reach for it every night, its market value is irrelevant. I've watched people trade away the instrument that made them a player and spend years trying to get it back.
Red flags
Six things that end a deal for me
- Photos that don't match the described model, or stock photos on a 'used' listing
- Price well under market with a reason for the rush
- Serial number that's blurred, missing, or in the wrong location for that maker
- Seller who won't do a video call showing the guitar being played
- Payment method with no protection, especially outside the platform
- Story that keeps evolving each time you ask a question
Any one of these is a reason to slow down. Two together and I walk. There is always another guitar — that's the whole comfort of this hobby.
FAQ
Buying and selling questions
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The 7-Point Guitar Buyer's Checklist
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