How the heck do you sell a guitar, anyway ?

[Guitar Cowboy]

I am looking at thinning the herd and I have what sounds like a stupid question: How the heck do you go about selling a guitar? I have never done that. Obviously,  I am aware of this  Board  on the Forum  and I am aware of Reverb, although I am not  familiar with how it works, so  I have some homework to do there. But, it  seems that  there are a million guitars on that site plus  all the  new guitars out there. I just don't see  how anyone has success  selling a guitar for  a reasonable price. I have heard many of you say things like " I have bought and sold many guitars in my lifetime ... ", so I am seeking any advice anyone may have on the subject. Thanks.

[Guitars44me]

Hey Cowboy.  The sooner you start...

It helps to have a good selling history, but everyone has to start somewhere. A meticulous and COMPLETE description, including any issues at all, and clear, closeup pics are most helpful.

Scroll down here to see my listing below, for example.

I always have an excellent Luthier check over my guitars and do a completely setup and any work needed at all first thing after getting them. Then they are as playable as possible and I get to enjoy them when dialed in.
Plus if and when I go to sell all is correct. Not always the case, sadly.

PM me for more, including questions to ask when buying (and answer when selling) and shipping tips.

I hope to help!

Best on this, and stay vigilant, well, and have FUN

Paul

[Strumming Fool]

I probably take a different direction than most here. I don't want the hassle of dealing with people I don't know, playing the negotiation mind games, worrying about the shipping, insurance, etc, in the quest for getting top dollar on the sale. When it's time for a guitar to go, I want it to be swift and painless.

If you have a trusted FLGS that will do a consignment sale, I'd say go for it. I have done many consignments through my FLGS with 100% success in selling quickly and getting a decent dollar amount after their percentage. They have way more connections than I do and they ship worldwide. Just my opinion, based on my experience.

[Guitars44me]

Strumming Fool has a great point. I am semi retired and have plenty of time to futz with my instruments, as well as play them.
If I was more busy I would just find a store with a Killer reputation and a world wide customer base, and put it on consignment.  It would have to be a place where I was comfortable with the staff and the consignment process.
Do NOT just take it to a big box store and accept their offer!  Unless money is no issue...
Again, I hope these ideas help!

Salud

Paul

[DennisG]

For me, the easiest way to sell guitars has been through Craigslist.  I prefer getting all the particulars out of the way via email, then meeting the person at a neutral, well-attended place.  If the person likes the guitar, they hand me the cash, I hand them the guitar, and it's done.  No shipping, no insurance, and no giving up at least 25% in consignment fees.

Having said that, I would wait until the end of Covid before I'd sell a guitar this way.

[Guitar Cowboy]

Thanks for the info everyone. I do have a somewhat local  ( 1 hr and 15 minutes away) store I would trust based on their excellent reputation. So , I will talk to them about this. Is 25%  the usual consignment fee ? That seems high...  So,  if I have a $3000 guitar  in great condition. It may sell  for $2000 to $2400  based on Reverb prices and  net $1500 to $1800 ... OUCH!

That's equivalent to  selling an 800 series guitar and having to pony up another $500  to purchase a 300 series guitar. I'll say it again... OUCH! 

Craig's List may be an option to save consignment fees, but I live out in the sticks , so the chance of getting a reasonable offer is  probably  very low.

Thanks again  for the info.

[Strumming Fool]

I'm not sure what the usual consignment percentage is, but I have never paid that high a percentage. Here's another path: would you consider trading 2 or more instruments for another that you'd rather have? In that way, you don't worry as much about the dollar value, you get something you really want, and still reduce the herd. Just a thought....

[Guitar Cowboy]

SF, Funny you say that because that is exactly what I am thinking of doing. I have two guitars that I may be willing to let go ... and yes, I may be willing to trade them for that theoretical guitar that I  absolutely must have. But I have to admit that I am a little reluctant to trade a guitar I paid $3000 for plus a guitar I paid $1500 for  a guitar that retails for $2400. ... But maybe that’s what I need to do to get the guitar I want. ...

[DennisG]

I'm not sure what the usual consignment percentage is, but I have never paid that high a percentage.

My dealer takes a 25% cut on consignments.

[Guitars44me]

Consignment costs.  Yep. Ouch. But it is a passel of hassle for the shop, just like if you did it yourself.

I believe 25% is pretty normal. Plus most dealers will list it on Reverb, eBay etc.  so there may be more costs as well. And it will probably need to be shipped. Plus the buyer will have to pay tax.  Eventually lots of guitars will end up being worth only a fraction of what they cost...  sigh.  But that is the way it goes, and sewers, roads and schools are worth having.

I live in the sticks too, so have never used Craig's List either, but if I was in a city I would sure give it a try!

The two for one trade up is a reasonable way to thin the herd and get a new one as well.

Hope you find just what you seek, and wind up with less case count!

Paul

[Strumming Fool]

SF, Funny you say that because that is exactly what I am thinking of doing. I have two guitars that I may be willing to let go ... and yes, I may be willing to trade them for that theoretical guitar that I  absolutely must have. But I have to admit that I am a little reluctant to trade a guitar I paid $3000 for plus a guitar I paid $1500 for  a guitar that retails for $2400. ... But maybe that’s what I need to do to get the guitar I want. ...

It might work. I once traded a guitar of higher value for a lesser priced guitar that I wanted, and got cash back! Best to see what they would offer before proceeding....

[Edward]

Hey Cowboy,

You've got lots of good advice here already.  There are positives and negatives to online sales as well as local like CL. 

The obvious negs you've noted already about selling is true of commission on a store listing your guit, or the amassing fees you get nailed with through Reverb and ebay.  Having bought, sold, traded some over the decades, I will no longer ever sell a guitar online again as the costs and risks (particularly with shipping) simply kill it for me.  It wasn't always this expensive, but for whatever reasons, it has now become quite costly to sell/ship online (anything large and/or heavy, that is ...clearly I'm not referring to small gear).

The positives with a live sale is obvious: you save dough and it's a one and done.  But it is still not without its headaches, like someone showing up and trying to barter down after you've struck the deal, the gamesmanship of hemming and hawing ...ugh.  But each person has their own tolerance level for that sort of thing, so I'll leave that up to you to decide.

The bottom line with either method is to be super clear, redundant if need be, and obey your gut!  Anyone giving you a flakey or otherwise "iffy" vibe, simply cut bait and move on.  Personally, I don't mind buying a guit online ...do your due diligence and you'll do well.  Selling large gear is no longer anything I care to do which has created another plus for me: I'm even more discerning now about what guit or gear I may buy knowing that selling later will be a pain. 

Edward

[dougdnh]

I've bought and sold about a dozen guitars over the years, and in general Craigslist is the easiest. No commissions, no packing and mailing.  I live in a fairly rural area, but folks will often drive an hour or so if they are interested. Of course you might have to haggle a bit, but most guitar people are civilized. The covid thing makes indoor transactions tricky, but things can be figured out.
I've also used Reverb and Ebay to sell and never had a problem - make sure you are totally upfront about any negatives to avoid any hassles. Of course you will need to get a shipping container and be very careful packing. Also shop around for the best shipping rates - USPS, UPS & Fedex prices can vary based upon distance and weight.

[Guitar Cowboy]

Thanks for all the advice an sharing your experiences everyone. I'll let you know how it goes.

[AmericanEagle]

What does FLGS mean?