How To Sell A Vintage Guitar
ok, so you've got a rather special vintage guitar that's been under the bed for the best part of 4 decades
. You've not played it in years, but it is a Gibson, so presumably valuable? And whenever you mention it to musician friends, out come the stories of Les Pauls going for 5 or even 6 figure sums.
So how do you go about turning that guitar into thousands of dollars? Well it isn't quite that easy i'm afraid, but the purpose of this article is to give you a few tips on getting the best price on that instrument.
Find out what you've got
The difference in value for two very similar looking guitars can be significant. So knowing exactly what you are selling is paramount. And this isn't easy. First you need to know the make. A guitar in original condition will almost always have a maker's name on the headstock, or less often on the body, scratchplate or pickups.
Then you need to find out what model. This can be problematic, as there are often subtle variations that only real experts will recognise. Luckily many of these experts will happily share their knowledge through websites and books.
Does it have any special features? From rare finish options, to custom wiring, unusual features of an instrument can often add value to an old guitar.
Lastly you will need to know an age for the guitar. This is more important to a potential buyer than you might think; guitar manufacturers changed specifications so regularly that there can be enormous differences between very similar looking models. Woods, construction techniques and hardware all change and these changes can impact value significantly. Collectors and players alike look for certain features.
Find out it's value
Value is an incredibly vague concept. I'm asked continually what guitars are worth, and this is a very subjective issue. The bottom line is, a guitar is only worth what someone will pay for it. So generally I do not like to give a discrete value, rather a range. The same guitar can fetch a very different price on different days. There are vintage guitar price guides published every year, and these do give a ballpoint figure for values, but should never be seen as definitive. Watching advertised prices on ebay and other online vintage dealerships can be misleading, as these will often be way higher than the actual sale price.
It is true that a very few guitars have fetched astronomical prices over previous years. To some extent the value of certain vintage guitars have been hit by the current financial crisis, and this is more true of the really expensive examples. A lot of guitar dealers overpaid for rare guitars over the previous decade, and now they sit unsold in vintage stores at unrealistic prices. An occasional banker around bonus season will buy one, and this just about keeps the stores in business. But it may take years. You will be exceptionally lucky to sell you guitar at anywhere near the prices they are listed in certain vintage guitar shops.
How to sell a vintage guitar
So what options are open to normal people selling guitars? The main avenues are to sell privately, to sell at auction (ebay) and to sell through a professional guitar dealer. All have advantages and disadvantages, explained here.
Selling through ebay
Ebay is the best place to sell your guitar quickly. And if you list it well (including tens of clear, high-definition pictures, detailed description of the instrument, and placing it in the most appropriate category) and promote the listing on relevant forums, you will probably get a fair price. But many sellers list items considerably higher than appropriate and invite offers. Don't confuse high buy-it-now prices with actual values. In reality these can be worlds apart. Ebay (and paypal) give the advantage of a worldwide market and some security within the transaction itself. Care has to be taken when listing valuable items on ebay - incorrect information and unanswered questions can prevent buyers from bidding, and reduce final sale prices.
Selling through classifieds
This is your best bet if you are in no desperate hurry to sell, and you want to sell for a price at the higher end of the value range. There are several free classified sites on the web, from general sites like craigslist and gumtree, to specialist vintage guitar classified sites. The same listing rules for ebay above still hold - provide correct, accurate and detailed information, and LOTS of pictures! Obviously care has to be taken when completing the transaction. This should be face to face, as you have none of the guarantees afforded by Ebay/Paypal.
Selling through dealers
If you have a ridiculously valuable instrument, or just want it all done for you, dealers can be very good places to sell instruments. Rather than selling to the shop (almost always a bad idea), get them to sell on consignment. Consignment sales are when you still own the guitar until it is sold, the store takes it's cut, and you get the rest. They generally have the most potential customers, however they will take a larger fee, normally around 20% of the sale price. Some vintage guitar dealers have great reputations, and these are the people you should stick too. Stories abound about dodgy guitar dealers that change out parts then return guitars unsold - or even just sell a neck and return an unsold body. Ask around relevant forums before
Arrange the price you want for the guitar, and let the dealer try. They may phone you if they receive a lower offer, which you may or may not accept. Keep in contact with them, as some dealers will sell your guitar yet be in no hurry to inform you.
To conclude
Find out as much as you can about your guitar, and only then list it for sale. Don't bother selling online, unless you have lots of clear photographs. Finally, be patient.
by: Mickey Blibbage
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