How to Buy a Used Acoustic Guitar
Buying a Used Acoustic Guitar
Private Party or Store?
This is a question that comes up from time to time, so let's address it right away: are you better off buying a used guitar from a private party, or from a store? And the answer is...maybe? Honestly, that can't be answered definitively for at least a few reasons.
Probably the biggest reason is that many sellers don't really know anything about what they're selling, and as a result there's always a chance you're buying something that hasn't been properly cared for or maintained -- perhaps even something that's been abused. This includes not only the Craigslist seller who thought they were going to learn guitar years ago and has had their cheapo acoustic sitting under a pile of laundry in their room ever since, but also the pawn shop that based their price on a quick eBay search with no knowledge of the instrument's condition or history.
Of course there's also the honesty and integrity factor. Sadly, you just never know whether someone is hiding the fact that the guitar they're selling has been damaged and repaired, or that they haven't taken good care of it but are claiming it's been kept in a case all its life with perfect humidification.
On the other hand, I've bought guitars from pawn shops where I dealt with salespeople who were guitar players themselves and could answer any question I threw at them. And I once bought a used acoustic from that big chain store we all know and either love or hate, which happened to be previously owned by their guitar tech who was able to tell me the entire history and how he cared for it. I've also purchased from private party sellers who, at least according to the judgment call I had to make in the moment, seemed to be very honest -- and the condition of the guitars they were selling backed that up.
At the end of the day, that's what you'll always have to make: a judgment call. But if you know what to look for, you can often feel pretty good about that call after you've made it.
Inspecting a Used Guitar
Some of this is obvious, so I won't go into detail about carefully inspecting the entire body for damage/repairs that are visible to the naked eye -- I hope you'll do that automatically.
But sometimes a repair can be done so well, and be in such an inconspicuous place, that you may miss it. So one tip I always recommend is to inspect the inside as well as you can, using your smartphone camera with the flashlight on. Be sure to tap to focus on every area.
Of course you also want to make sure the neck is straight, there's no warping or bowing in the top, and the bridge isn't pulling away. A good bridge-pulling test is to see if a single sheet of paper will slide under the bridge.
Also look along all the edges to make sure the binding is intact and there's no separation, along with the joint between the body and the neck.
Check the tuners -- even though they're easily replaced. A bad tuning key that hasn't been addressed can speak volumes as to how much attention has been given to keeping a guitar maintained. Likewise, the cleanliness of the fretboard is worth inspecting for the same reason.
Essentially you're looking for a guitar that's in good condition (that doesn't mean it looks unplayed, but does mean nothing is wrong with it), and for indications that it has been maintained.
There are some things you might notice and still feel that a guitar is worth buying, despite needing some work done. For example, if it simply needs a setup but is in excellent shape with no damage, and the structural integrity is great, the need for routine maintenance might not dissuade you from purchasing it. Perhaps you're buying a guitar that's been played a lot, as such an instrument should be! There may be some fret wear, but that's normal. Maybe you can even use that as a bargaining chip to get a better deal.
Tips for Buying from a Private Seller
The first tip, of course, holds true for store purchases as well: try before you buy! In most cases, I don't recommend buying a used guitar online that you don't have the opportunity to play before purchasing it. There are a few exceptions, such as buying a very reputable and reliable brand of guitar where you know what you're getting, and you have a way of verifying the seller's reputation (such as seller feedback on Reverb or eBay). It's probably safe to buy a Martin, Taylor or Seagull from someone who's sold several of them to others and they've all been so pleased that they took the time to write the seller a good review.
The second, assuming you're meeting in person and trying the guitar before you buy it, is to be friendly and chat a little. Ask the seller if they have other guitars and like playing them, and why they decided to sell the one you're looking at. Guitar players like talking about playing guitar! But this also gives you an opportunity to make sure you're buying from someone who's likely to have taken care of the instrument in question.
Thirdly, some bargaining is usually expected, but don't make any offensively low-ball offers. Know what the same model is going for used online, and don't be afraid to try and get a little bit better deal. But don't ask them to cut the price in half unless their asking price is absolutely ridiculous (in which case you may be wasting your time asking about their guitar to begin with).
I don't really want to address all the different places you can find sellers (Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, OfferUp, eBay, Reverb, etc., etc., etc.). Yes, you'll hear people say that everyone on Craigslist is a scammer or selling stolen merchandise. That's not true. Others will claim all eBay sellers are untrustworthy; also far from factual. Every platform has great sellers and terrible sellers -- and everything in between.
Regardless of where you find the seller, it is a judgment call, EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. So do whatever homework you can before contacting them. If it's a site with seller ratings/feedback, be sure to read theirs. If it's Facebook Marketplace, check out their profile. Simply put, use common sense rather than believing blanket statements.
Tips for Buying from a Store
This largely all depends on what type of store you go to, but in essence it's just an adapted version of the tips above! Trying before you buy unless you're buying a guitar you can be very confident about from a trusted seller is a no-brainer.
Being friendly and talking to the salesperson is especially important when buying from a pawn shop. You want to make sure they, or someone in the store, knows guitars and has priced them based on some legitimate knowledge and assessment of their actual condition. But this is also just the right way to treat people! So be friendly at the big box music store, to the extent that you can actually find an associate to talk to... and also at your local "mom-and-pop" guitar shop. I've built a good rapport with a local shop that now gets my business every time I need any kind of work done, and will for the foreseeable future. It's always great to have a place you know and trust.
Bargaining...now this is where things vary quite a bit. That big chain store is not always likely to cut you a deal on used gear, but it doesn't hurt to ask! I've never made an instrument purchase from them without asking, "Is this the best you can do on the price?" Usually I'll at least get a small discount that way. Once I even got my favorite Martin of my collection, brand-new, for $100 over the store's cost -- just because I knew the owner of a local music store and told them I could get that deal from him if they wouldn't do it! But on used gear, price matching isn't really a thing.
However, consider that whatever they're asking, they paid the previous owner a sadly low percentage of that figure. So don't hesitate to ask.
When it comes to local, independent shops, I also ask what they can do on the price. But I don't like to push as hard as I might with that other "Center." They don't have the kind of sales volume to absorb a deal like the one I mentioned on my favorite Martin. So if a deal is fair and it's something I really want, I'll usually accept it.
And then...there are pawn shops! I will low-ball a pawn shop every single time. The worst they can say is no. But usually instead of just saying no, they'll come back with a counter offer. And I've had some surprisingly pleasant counter offers -- good enough that in one case, I ended up selling a nice guitar and doubling my money on it. In another case, I was able to trade the guitar for some camera gear worth significantly more than I had paid.
As with the private party section above, there are those who will say you can never trust a pawn shop guitar, or you should never buy from a big box music store. I respectfully disagree, based on personal experience. You absolutely can sometimes get a quality guitar and a great deal from either of these sources, and my collection is proof; you just have to know what to look for, and how to go about it.
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