Best way to sell a guitar?

coffeehound · 8 January 2017 at 9:02AM

I'm looking to sell a late–'80s Fender USA Standard Stratocaster in slightly rough but original condition. It plays fine.

How/where would you recommend selling it to get full market value? Since it is in less than brilliant condition I suspect people would shy away from it on ebay unless they happened to live near enough to try it first.

Thanks for any suggestions.

googler · 8 January 2017 at 1:05PM

eBay, Gumtree, Facebook.

Google for 'guitars for sale' forums.

If you're moving on to another, trade it in at your local shop for the next one, and drive the best deal you can.

interstellaflyer · 8 January 2017 at 8:46PM

A lot of guitar player would consider a naturally distressed guitar as having a soul and some spend lots of money on deliberately worn and battered guitars, you are talking a 30 year old guitar, if it's been well played and gigged it will have a lot of wear and tear, nothing to wory about, personally I'd get it professionally valued rather than rely on Ebay or Gumtree.

googler · 8 January 2017 at 11:28PM

interstellaflyer wrote: »

personally I'd get it professionally valued rather than rely on Ebay or Gumtree.

Yes, but once it's been 'professionally valued', where would you actually sell it?

interstellaflyer · 9 January 2017 at 10:33AM

googler wrote: »

Yes, but once it's been 'professionally valued', where would you actually sell it?

Point I'm making is I'd make sure I knew the value before putting it on any internet where you are going to get chancers offering well below realistic money and as the OP clearly knows very little about guitars, is likely to get burnt.

bertiewhite · 9 January 2017 at 10:44AM

interstellaflyer wrote: »

Point I'm making is I'd make sure I knew the value before putting it on any internet where you are going to get chancers offering well below realistic money and as the OP clearly knows very little about guitars, is likely to get burnt.

Why are you assuming that? The OP already knows he wants full market value and is actually asking where best to sell it, not how much to ask for it.

I bought a PRS Custom 22 a few years back and the seller (a friend) said that it had been valued at £3500 but in reality anything is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I paid £2200 for it in the end but there are examples on ebay for as little as £1800.

OP - how about taking out an advert in one of the guitar magazines? That way you will be targeting a better audience and I'm sure the expense will justify the sale price.

coffeehound · 10 January 2017 at 8:30PM

Thanks a lot for the replies; the info and suggestions have been helpful.

googler · 11 January 2017 at 4:42PM

coffeehound wrote: »

Thanks a lot for the replies; the info and suggestions have been helpful.

If you have an eBay account, look for sold listings of similar guitars.

A 1980 one is showing as £1230,

Even component parts of 80s strats seem to be fetching good money - a 1988 neck for £317 , body for £164, set of three pickups £225 ...

Wookey · 12 January 2017 at 2:49PM

Sometimes local music shops will sell it for you for a small fee or percentage, does no harm to ask next time your in your local shop.

Zzelonzi · 28 April 2017 at 10:43AM

eBay. my friend always sells his stuff there

Dennis-ka · 25 May 2017 at 8:37AM

The most popular and effective method of selling - is through the internet, and it doesn't matter what you sell. For example eBay is a good option.

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Best way to sell a guitar?

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