Best Place to Buy Used Guitars

by

Skye Parker

|

August 22, 2023

You’re off to get your next greatest masterpiece of an instrument. Looking for the best bang for your buck, but still not looking to buy a brand new guitar? You might be asking yourself; where is the best place to buy used guitars?

Online

Online shopping can be hit or miss. There are many different avenues to go down; you could find yourself checking out ads on Ebay or looking at classified based sites such as ksl.com and Craigslist along with other sites where you could potentially purchase a guitar from an individual owner, or even apps like Let Go, Offer Up, and Facebook Marketplace. Online ads where the seller is local to you might be the better of the two options, and here’s why; local based ads are very convenient if you feel the need to play a guitar first before you purchase it. Getting a feel for whether or not this is a guitar that suits you is super important! Most guitar fanatics know that online shopping is not the best place to buy used guitars.

After all, you don’t want to go through the hassle of buying a beautiful guitar online and then finding out it doesn't match the picture, or wasn't your ideal match, then having to return the guitar and start the search over again from square one.

Music & Instrument Stores

Occasionally stores like Guitar Center, Sam Ash etc. will have used Guitars available for purchase. Most of the instruments for sale in stores like these are of good quality, but on the flip side they’re very particular in what they’ll accept when selling your guitar or offering it up for trade. The process can be over complicated and at times a bit overpriced. For those looking for a stepping stone guitar (let’s say you’re interested in learning or playing but you’re not ready to buy the Rolls-Royce of guitars just yet!) there is a better option out there than instrument specific stores.

Pawn Shops

If you’re at all familiar with how a pawn shop works, you know that they give cash loans for people’s beloved valuable items. Pawn shops don’t sell junk. If it wasn't worth anything, the pawnbroker simply wouldn't make an offer on the item. For this reason, you can trust that the price will always reflect the quality. 

One of the great opportunities you’re granted when buying a used guitar from a pawn shop is you can check the condition of the guitar in depth. You can see what the guitar looks like, whether there’s any body damage that might affect the sound of the guitar. You can take a look at the hardware; have a look at the frets and ensure there aren't any abnormal areas of wear and tear that will create that awful buzzing sound as you play. Check the tuners, nut, neck, bridge, pickup selector, electronics and knobs. Each thing being in good condition will save you money in the long run if any repairs are necessary. It can be really frustrating to have a guitar that goes out of tune every 5 minutes, so check the tunability before you buy!

Why Pawn Shops Are the Superior Choice

Pawn shops are the best place to buy used guitars because they’re such a friendly environment it makes  the buying process less stressful and more honest and upfront. No marketing tactics to try to get you to leave with the most expensive guitar or other gadgets you didn't intend to purchase. If it’s an electric guitar you can ask to plug it in and check the volume knob etc. give it a full use and decide if it's the one for you!

Most pawnbrokers build relationships with their regular customers, so if you’re not under a time constraint, try visiting multiple pawn shops regularly and even ask the shop owner to give you a call if they have any good guitar finds! If you’re lucky you could even build enough rapport with your local shop owners to ask for a discount at check out!


At Xtreme Pawn we value our customers and love learning about individuals in the community! Come in, give us a call at (801) 876-1768 or contact us online today for all your music needs, questions or concerns!


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