Should You Buy a Second Hand Guitar?

People have different reasons for considering to buy a second hand guitar. When I bought my first one, I opted for new. But since, I've bought multiple guitars on the second hand market.

In this article, let's go over why you should consider it, and what to look for if you are.

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Why Consider It?

Let's first go over some reasons. The first is probably price. In most cases, a second hand guitar is often cheaper than a brand new one. I've found that with budget brands, this price often drops much faster than with high end brands. This makes sense. A $299 brand new Harley Benton is more accessible than a $1299 Fender. So more people don't mind getting it new rather than second hand with potential issues and, no returns.

The age old story of supply and demand.

But even in budget models, price most definitely makes a difference. You can scoop up really cheap guitars if money is really tied or if you just want to let a kid have a go for example. Budget second hand guitars are perfect for that. They're also great if you want to try your hand at modding. Swapping out parts like the tuners, the bridge or the pickups. Make it a little budget monster!

The second reason, is mostly because of the model. This is why I bought my first second hand guitar. And while it was a more budget oriented brand, I actually ended up paying significantly above the original sticker price.

Collectors item are mostly sold this way since original supply often low. They go to either a small engaged audience, and then later broader appeal makes them valuable, or people with connections or previous buyers and then get 'flipped' for more. Or a mix of both, it's never black and white :)

This gorgeous Lee Malia (Bring Me The Horizon) signature Epiphone Les Paul Custom was my first second hand buy back in 2021, on Reverb:

Orginally priced around €800 in 2014, I looked on Reverb for about 8 months until I finally saw one for sale. I ended up paying €1.200 for it.

To me, this is is a collectors item as well as a signature model from the guitarist of one of my favourite bands. Countless of songs I love have been written on this. This has been played live in front of my very own eyes. That's what made it worth to me. You will undoubtably come across a similar one in your playing career. Wether it's a new or an older one.

This one then, was quite rare to come by so I didn't have much choice when buying. There are never active listings for this guitar, only for other Lee Malia signatures like the RD and Explorer model. Today only 5 on Reverb show up as 'sold' (though I know there have been more).

If your pool of available guitars is bigger, prices will naturally be lower and you have more of a choice when it comes to picking the right one. Let's talk about that now.

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Key Things to Check When Buying

If you can, check the guitar with your own eyes. Small scratches show up way less on images and small dents are sometimes left out. Though sites like Reverb or even Facebook Marketplace you can find the best deals by far. Especially Reverb is pretty good. With public reviews, an account that has a 4.8 out of 100 reviews can be trusted to have super accurate info. One with 5 out of 3 reviews or 3.2 out of 200 should be avoided.

Some things are more important, like cracks in the neck (especially if it's a glued neck), the headstock, and overall things wrong with the body. Electronics can be replaced, tuners are also not the end of the world. These are still annoying and have impact on the value are not necessarily deal breakers.

Also make sure to ask about the frets. If they're super worn it's a nightmare to replace. You most likely won't want to do this yourself (unless on a real budget model where you care less, to my points above).

Strings don't matter. You should probably replace these every 6 months with average playing time anyway.

Some Potential Red Flags

• Major Repairs: A guitar that's had significant repairs might be more trouble than it's worth. Be wary of instruments with major structural repairs.
• Poor Sound Quality: If a guitar doesn't sound right, it's probably not a good investment. Even if you're a beginner, you want an instrument that sounds good to you. It's a bit subjective but the more you play, the more you notice.
• Resonating: Similar to the point above. If a guitar doesn't resonate well (sound without an amp) the mojo is often just off.
• Mismatched Parts: Non-original parts can decrease a guitar's value and potentially affect its sound. This was a big deal in my purchase of the Lee Malia signature for example.
• Super high or super low price: If the guitar is listed for ridiculously cheap or insanely high prices compared to similar ones, it's probably fishy.

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What To Do When It Arrives?

The first step is always to admire it for a few moments. You got a new guitar. These moments are awesome and often rare. Take a moment to let it sink in, congrats on your purchase!

Now then, inspect it thoroughly. From the headstock to the bottom, back and front. Then, it's time to plug it in. Tune it, and go to town. Play your favourite songs that you know how to play. What does it sound like? Anything feel off? Do you vibe with it?

Make some small adjustments, put new strings on it, and see how it feels then.

Only then, when you feel it's the way it should be you will know if the guitar is what you thought it would be and if it was presented well in the listing. Most sites have some kind of return policy when things are not right or something got damaged in shipping.

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To End

Buying a second-hand guitar isn't just a smart financial decision. It's a choice that connects you to the past while starting your own musical journey. Each second-hand guitar has a story, and by choosing one, you're becoming part of that narrative. So next time you're in the market for a guitar, consider the second-hand route. You might just find a hidden gem that resonates with your soul as much as it does with music.

Hope you find your personal holy grail that inspire you to keep playing!