Buying a Used Guitar? - 5 Things You Should Check BEFORE You Buy!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Time to go shopping for some used guitars! Enjoy :) Are there any other things you guys look for when shopping used?

[@SeasonedSalmon]

I have an idea for a video I think many would find interesting but I am not sure how to contact you about without just saying on youtube and giving the idea to whoever. let me know if your interested at all. Watch all your videos, great stuff as usual!

[@AndyDion]

Fret wear and fretboard condition.

[@drsumitrai]

Thanks Daryll. Very helpful. Amazing tips. Big Fan🙏

[@nerfgun260]

When will you announce results of giveaway

[@mkflyy]

@@nerfgun260 what he said^ Wondering too! 😊 🎸

[@earlmace]

Fret wear and other setup needs can add significant $$$ to a used "find".

[@MrPhins]

Surprised nothing mentioned about frets at all.

[@Chord_The_Seeker]

Absolutely. A refret job could cost anywhere from $200-$500. That’s a significant amount for a used guitar, unless you’re buying something vintage that costs as much as a new car. Obviously used guitars will most likely have been played a lot, and there is a very good chance the frets will be worn down if they’re not stainless steel.

[@fawkesandhound]

Yup, affordable guitars with dented frets are a dealbreaker. Not worth fixing or repairing.

[@Wells306]

Depends on the value of the instrument. Anything less than say an American Standard level Fender probably isn’t worth a refret.

[@jmangi6221]

Yea,I got burned on a firefly that was unplayable. Hundreds later,it's playable now,not perfect but at least playable now.

[@bobafett4889]

The dislikes for this video are probably sellers who are trying to sell damaged guitars. LoL

[@nickgames7120]

Yeah lol

[@joguipo]

Amen brother man...

[@gringogreen4719]

Well, then, part the guitar out and throw away the bad stuff. Or sell it as a project guitar.🤔

[@qwertyuioplmzaswq]

Maybe the just hate the dood preaching about the shits.

[@donbishop6994]

Facts. 💯

[@erikdmckenzie]

I will add for the jack tightening at 8:00 make sure to hold the jack and the nut. If you just tighten the nut you'll spin the jack and doing that enough times will cause the jack wire to snap off. (It happened to me) So hold the jack in place with one hand and twist the nut with the other :)

[@wolfman8666]

Same thing happened to me, after I repaired the wire tho I put loc tite on the threads of the jack and it hasn’t moved since

[@plumbummusic2051]

Just an addendum regarding the output jack: when tightening it, hold the soldered parts inside in place, or they can end up twisting and snapping some (or all of the) wire connections. Which will result in no sound coming out of your instrument.

[@mogsy2112]

Check for fret wear. You don't want something that's going to need to be refretted soon. Check the tuners for binding/skipping. Cheap and easy fix, that may get you a better price, if they're not functioning properly. If you're looking at something with a Floyd Rose, check for wear on the base plate knife edges, and posts. Very frustrating to have a guitar that won't stay in tune.

[@oeald886]

How often does one typically need refretted?

[@justcallmed933]

@@oeald886 depends on how often you play. The most used guitar of mine is 6 yo, frets are still fine, so that's mostly about old instruments (or you must be some addict playing 40 hours per day)

[@Spudsmachenzie1]

Yes I’m surprised this wasn’t mentioned

[@mikejackson6751]

If you're buying a Gibson pull the truss rod cover and see how many threads are sticking past the brass. lot of Gibson's out there that the truss rod has met their Max that neck is no longer adjustable

[@PulauSwan]

Great point Mike, obviously there are more than 5 deal breaking ideas, this is most certainly one. I considered buying an Aria Pro 2 semi hollow electric recently. The Japanese shop advised me about a complete lack of truss rod adjustment, and away I ran.

[@onlyguitars]

I was also going to comment on this. Especially on older Gibsons this is an important thing to look into.

[@kensingtonong5737]

Not just gibsons, any guitar. once the truss rod is not adjustable and cant be adjusted, the repair will be super expensive. and complicated

[@PulauSwan]

Talking about deal breakers and 2nd hand guitars, it is possible to straighten some warped necks, but it can take 6-8 months, and, of course, if it's a bolt-on, replacement is a feesible option. Emphasis on fee 😁

[@leonborden9883]

This is actually easy to get around. You can buy washers that act as spacers and it solves the problem.

[@benjaminlechuga7139]

I Bought a used squier affinity for less than 100 usd. In my country Colombia thats really cheap. it was super dirty and needed some love. I learned to deep clean a guitar, to set a bridge and polish the frets and even round the edges. something I'd never do on a new guitar. I think a used cheap guitar is a really nice way to join this world

[@mightyV444]

I've had no idea about that 'hump at the heel' phenomenon! Thank you, Darrell! 🙂

[@sonsauvage]

It’s just like cars, always go used. I recommend every player primarily buying used gear after a certain point. Guitars for better or worse are like toys to many-I’m tempted to say most-players. A lot of players will buy an instrument, play it a few times, then move it on for the next thing. If you’re patient you can snag pretty much anything you need in the gear space used and in great condition. And unless you want something stupid rare like a synthaxe or something, your money goes far, FAR Further.

[@woodreed52]

Check the truss rod to make sure its not maxed out or frozen- especially on older acoustics !

[@zylavormusic2616]

Thanks this could be useful, seeing as I can’t buy a guitar new! XD Edit: Congrats on 700k Darrell! Here’s to 1 Million!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks man!

[@zylavormusic2616]

@@DarrellBraunGuitar Np :)

[@audiophileman7047]

Yes, the best guitar guy on YT deserves 1 Million! 👍👍👍

[@joshuajohnson2216]

@@DarrellBraunGuitar you're awesome man. Have you got my message about guitar give away?

[@cscap77]

I look for sharp, or uneven frets. Looking down the neck and seeing an elevated fret, or frets which appear low as well.

[@rodrich1644]

Not a dealbreaker.IMO

[@andrewdescant4996]

I’m getting my first electric guitar this Friday! It’s an Ibanez S621QM!! So exited!

[@korat10]

Ibanez are a great company own 4 guitars by them all play flawlessly

[@phillippitts6294]

Congratulations!

[@luisaucedo]

Nice

[@yapangnrongsen5864]

Congrats

[@stufromoz8164]

nice

[@yactabay]

Dead pickup is the least of my worries: Just pop in a working one. I can repair most electronics. Repairing wood problems is a whole different story. Run like mad from those. That includes guitars with high action that, when lowered to a decent height, start buzzing. That means fret work that takes a lot to learn or pay a pro to do. Then, like Darrell said, you start losing savings you got buying used: not just the money cost but driving cost, fuel cost, time cost.

[@WattchomanBrandySavage]

Always, ALWAYS check the truss rod. A seized rod with either lead to a new truss rod replacement + installation ($$$) or a new neck altogether. Most imports use standard metric Allen wrenches (I recommend buying an inexpensive full set at Walmart or something) but companies like Gibson and PRS have a specific rod nut which usually requires a special tool. Be safe, good luck!!

[@grantkoeller8911]

My Squier bass is 4 mm Allen wrench

[@jamesreardon6819]

Thanks for this video, Darrel. I recently bought my 1st electric, an Ibanez RG170R. Armed by viewing many of your videos, I was comfortable doing so. Background research is so valuable. Several guitar handbook pubs were great too,: Denyer (rev.ed.2014) and Cutchin et al (2008).

[@MarcCoteMusic]

Good advice for the newbies, Darrell. And maybe a few not-so-newbies, too. I'd agree with all of your walk-away suggestions except for a dead pickup since I'm almost certainly going to replace them anyway. Other things to watch for are divots in the frets or substantial fret wear... Yes, a guitar can have a serious fret dressing done or even partial or complete fret replacement but this can be expensive and if the guitar you're considering is entry level it probably won't be worth the expense. Also, check to see the tremolo arm or socket isn't stripped, if you care about that feature. A lot of entry level guitars use the crappiest metal for the bridges and arms and that metal is easily damaged.

[@craftultimator]

also make sure the frets arent super low, sucks to find out you bought a guitar that pretty much needs a re fret

[@tonygairomusic911]

Hey Darrell. Great video. As always! But this one was especially informative, even for an old pro, lifelong full-time musician like myself. For these many years doing this, I have always advised to playtest an instrument before purchasing it. Always! But just in the last few years, that notion has gone by the wayside. Many to most instruments, including my very own, are now bought online. I have a brand new method of advising on the purchase of an instrument now. I wonder: could you prepare a video on the manner in which to search for and purchase a new, or especially a used, instrument sight unseen, or remotely? What are your methods? What do you look for? What are your "red alert" issues? Etc. It's a new era within a global economy and consumerism. How do you go about making wise, smart, educated, informed and smart purchases without good, old-fashioned hands on?

[@schnepf13]

Thanks for the video! Great advice overall; I would also check for excessive fret wear on a used guitar, since a re-fret can run a few hundred dollars.

[@troyl200]

I have never bought used. Just buy new and upkeep. It's a trip to have guitars age with you, especially if you can take care of them. My 2007 SG is starting to develop the pink binding and finish checking. Nothing beats genuine aging.

[@daniel.deaconu]

Can you talk about guitar maintenance? especially humidity (to much/less humidity)? Love your videos. You really helped me choose between an acoustic / classical guitar.

[@bldallas]

Great advice. My only comment on neck related “deal breakers,” is if the guitar or bass is a Fender or “fender clone,” replacement necks can be purchased for a wide variety of prices, and they are really easy to install. My preference for necks is any Fender licensed necks from WDMusic.

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

And Allparts !

[@TheGuitarGuy69]

Would love to get your thoughts regarding online buying versus in person purchases.

[@ramjam6934]

I also would like to know more. Its hard to buy without playing first.

[@AdamManley7]

I’ve bought everything online my whole rig, if you use guitar center used market you know that they had to verify that it was worth buying in the first place

[@ramjam6934]

@@AdamManley7 Reverb is good too. It helps that you can call the seller or email them about questions.

[@gavinw5469]

Try a local music store. Got a new gretsch 5232t for 550 instead of 650 new.

[@TheGuitarGuy69]

@@ramjam6934 I haven’t had very good luck with Reverb. My last two guitar purchases had to be returned due to undisclosed damage (dishonest sellers).

[@HiroTheWonderDog]

Also, it's good to play it with a strap so you can really feel the weight. A heavy guitar can be a deal-breaker, especially for a kid.

[@randelcross]

All great advice Darrell!!! I would add a broken truss rod as a deal breaker... also a backbow in a maple neck is most times unfixable... great video!

[@tdtom1376]

ask the Seller! best advice I ever had.

[@PWPau-ly3ll]

Buy both the guitar AND the seller! The same make/model/condition of used guitar generally sells for a bit less from a private seller, and can be a great way to save some of your hard-earned money if you've done your homework regarding that make and model, can inspect the instrument in person before buying, and if you are confident in knowing which questions to ask and what to check (thanks Darrell for the very informative video). If you have less experience and/or would rather have the added peace of mind, then buying preowned through a reputable guitar dealer, luthier, or similar business may be your best bet. Chances are their offerings may be a bit more costly than that same used guitar would be from a private seller, however the upside is after-sales support, greater assurance of authenticity, and in a worst case scenario, more options regarding exchange repair, or return. I've bought guitars both ways in the past: from private sellers after doing my homework and asking the right questions, and from businesses that sell guitars. Last but not least: when buying a pricey guitar from a private seller, one option is to meet at a luthier or guitar dealer, and get an estimate on giving that guitar a full setup. If the answer is it doesn't need anything beyond a setup, pay the seller, get your newly acquired guitar dialed in right, support your local guitar tech or luthier, and *everybody* goes home happy!

[@gringogreen4719]

I bought a "fixer upper" guitar earlier this year and one MAJOR issue I never ran into is...basically the nut is in the wrong place. Right now it's still at the shop, I learned more advanced luthier skills by working on a $35 Strat copy and putting a new bridge on (fill and redrill for the screws and Dremeling the crap out of the tremelo cavity) as well as pretty much everything else. What is stock is the body, the neck and the output jack cup. I bought a drop in nut blank for an import guitar and I started to file a wider slot. Well once I got to about a credit card's width I decided to have a professional do it. Now after a few weeks at the shop, last week I got a call saying it was off so bad that it would never play in tune. Ok, I did not mess up THAT bad. Well, as a first for me I bought a guitar where the nut was in the wrong place. The shop said it was an eight of an inch too close to the body. My response was to say shim that wood and put the nut where IT SHOULD BE. This is a single pickup (GFS Surf 90) single knob (CTS volume) strat with basically GFS parts and I did as much as I could as a learning project. The guitar was not playable as I got it as half the nut was messing on the G, B, and E strings. The finish was cool, the neck is odd but there is so nice figuring on the maple, the fretboard is Rosewood. The whole thing came together with a fair degree of effort but that was the idea until I hit that issue. So still waiting on the outcome and I suspect this repair will double the cost of the guitar. That said it still should be a pretty cool rocker once it is done. UPDATE: Just got the guitar back. So the repairs on the nut (shimmed and relocated towards the headstock) were successful. As I thought the cheapo guitar had the nut slightly too close to the body to play in tune. Since this is the first time since buying it that it has played is sounds really good. A few other issues crept up. The big one is that the truss rod does not work. The edge of the bridge closest to the jack is riding slightly on the pickguard so I need to Dremel that when I replace the strings. There are a few places on the neck where the frets are off. These would be an issue to a lead player but since I am mainly a rhythm cat, not a major deal breaker. So all in all it was money worth spending. I upped my repair game on this guitar. I learned EXACTLY where my novice skills stop. I have a cool looking, cool sounding, and fun playing guitar. While my financial goal was to come out of this between $200-250 was blown past, honestly I can call it a success. There are still a few things to do to get it where I really want it. Also there are a few bigger issues that once I am ready I can tackle them (new truss rod, refret with jumbo stainless steel frets) so it is a purchase and a project where I can continue to challenge myself down the road. It's 90% done. If it was my only guitar I might no be so rosey but it plays, it works, and its cool.😎👍✨

[@danielelamworshipguitar]

I recently picked up a 2003 PRS CE 22 really cheap because the seller had bought the McCarty 3-way harness to replace the rotary setup and whoever installed it really botched it. The volume knob didn’t work and the pickups sounded really thin and quiet. Once I got it home, it took a couple hours to figure out how to fix it and get it soldered up. It came roaring back to life. I could easily double my money.

[@vanman5246]

the used Korean squire i brought i didn’t know until now that there was a crack on the top of the neck

[@jemftw]

I also check if the frets are worn out. Replacing the frets can be expensive and you also need to know that the fret replacement would be successful. I also do some stalking on the previous owner to get an idea on what the guitar might have experienced before I buy it. And I always ask "why do you want to sell it?" and "are you the first owner of this guitar?". If the guitar has passed over several owners, there's probably something wrong with it. Thanks for the video, I would love a part-two

[@Otis-Isom]

Head stock breaks and humps on vintages as long as they’re repairable are fine. The price of buying one of those and then getting it repaired is often less then buying one without the issue in the first place. Living room gear demos has a video on refretting from a while ago with a luthier named lars dalin thats pretty great and informative.

[@mattdyck9931]

I was also thinking of that video

[@geoffgovey9093]

1) I'd look for fret wear and uneven frets. 2) Damaged or broken tuners. 3) Nut wear or damage. 4) worn or broken bridge parts. 4) truss rod overtightened or snapped. 5) Removed seriel numbers (possibly stolen). 6) pickup adjustment.... i could go on!

[@seansguitargarage8525]

As someone who has repaired thousands of guitars, always make sure the truss rod works. I have seen so many unrepairable guitars which had 1) broken truss rod 2) stripped truss rod nut and 3) a truss rod that had no adjustment left (was tightened or loosened all the way). The stripped nut is repairable, but is a very expensive repair. When I buy used guitars I always bring some tools to check out the things that are not readily visible when the guitar is assembled. It is also a good way to avoid being sold a counterfeit guitar or partscaster.

[@mylon999]

I am really getting a lot out of your videos! Just started playing again a couple of years ago and I don’t know a lot about different guitars and the condition, etc so your videos really teach me a lot!! Keep up the good work!

[@martymaker]

Hi Darrell, the hump can be fixed. You can remove wood on the neck and fix any elevation on the frets. Easy...

[@beannie60]

I didn't know about the hump on the neck by the body, good to now. I also check every neck thru or Gibson type guitars for repairs with a little blacklight, to look for hair line cracks behind the head stock or neck, you will see the white glue with a blacklight in a dark room.

[@ChesneyDigital]

Dang, all these years and I never knew about the neck twist thing. Thanks. At the end of the day, buying a used guitar for the purpose of actually playing (as opposed to displaying for prestige) is all about the neck and fret wires. Pickups, tuners and everything else can be replaced. Still to this day I can’t get over how profound it was trying different pickups in my guitars, the difference between each was astounding. I highly recommend giving different pickups a chance. Experiment with different pickups, even if you have to tape them down temporarily to try em out. You may discover something great!

[@apogeedata]

Can we agree? The twisted neck I totally understand but the hump if the guitar is a classic and an unbelievable deal that can be fixed these can be found on Martin guitars from the 30s and 40s so all I’m saying is of course a recent guitar if you see it but an old classic guitars and if the deal is amazing it can be repaired it will take a complete refresh it will take Many things so there are just other things to think about here but your videos as always are awesome keep up the great work Daryl

[@duffyweber3701]

Tbh Darrell, I watch multiple KZbin guitarists and whenever I’m watching your videos my wife always comments on how soothing your voice is 😂😂 I love your content. Keep doing what you’re doing 👍🏻

[@DeAthWaGer]

Another way guitars are commonly dropped is onto their tuners. Check if they all turn evenly. If they're bent/warped and you're not one to replace them (which may require drilling if they're not identical), walk away. Fine tuners on a floating trem should also be tight and not warble sideways, and if you don't want to buy step-up sized replacements and re-tap the holes (or get a whole new trem system), walk away.

[@carsonwiltink9613]

For me other than the major structural/ playability issues such as the twisted neck I would just use the small flaws like faulty wiring and finish cracks as negotiation points to get a lower price. But all of these are great points especially for a first time buyer who maybe isn’t familiar with the many problems that guitars can develop over the years

[@kevincourcey813]

I check the intonation and make sure that if it is off, there is room on the bridge to fix it. If a string is flat at 12 and the saddle is all the way forward (toward the pickups), you're not going to be able to fix that. Same if the string is sharp and the saddle is already all the way back toward the bridge.

[@MB57]

Incredible video. I know this seems dumb, but it happened to me. If it is a guitar which uses a trem bar or bigsby, make sure the trem bar is included or bring your own. Test that bigsby to make sure it works. Out of tune is okay, broken is a big expenditure.

[@BrandonTheBoyWonder]

I started buying and reselling guitars about a year ago. It has been soooo much fun!!!! I've had over 30guitars. Most important thing to check is the neck

[@williamstanford7994]

Thanks, Darrell. I've played for 60 years, 40 of those professionally, and I learned a thing or two.

[@australier263]

1301! That it's!😉😘 You're great ! My best guitar, a Strat style in classic metallic blue HSH, had cost about 60 dollar, it's amazing, even in sound! No Gibson, PRS, Fender will do this!

[@jdavis6650]

Owned 4 Gibsons over the last 30 years (LP standard, L6s, 135 and a used J45). Lot's of people love them and should be happy having and playing a great guitar. I'm not one of those people. But I'm still hoping.

[@grene1955]

I found a nice Epiphone Les Paul at a guitar swap meet for $225. It was filthy, but nothing that i couldn't deal with. But it had really loud buzz when plugged in that went away when i touched the bridge. I figured it was simply a bad ground wire so i bought it. Sure enough, broken ground wire. Took 5 minutes to fix it. Great guitar after a minor repair and a lot of cleaning!

[@steaveg]

You didn’t mention that very high action on an acoustic or set net = costly neck reset

[@ljjacko1988]

Great video, mate. This is great advice for those who are new to buying used guitars. As someone who has bought many used guitars over the years, this is the kinds of advice I would have loved 15 years ago rather than learning the hard way! 🤘🎶

[@jeffkellogg76]

Contact cleaner will clean a pot but it is made for contact points not the wiper or the resister filament of a pot. Fader cleaner is made for this purpose as it cleans and lubricants the moving parts of the pot to prevent premature wear that contact cleaner causes when the pots lubricant is cleaned out by the contact cleaner. This is a common mistake made by lots of people.

[@rencemc]

One thing I was waiting to hear on this video was checking to ensure the truss rod works as designed. I bought a used guitar where the truss rod just spins or stops. I didn't know that when I bought it. Check the truss rod operation !

[@caseylee12]

It's ok to buy a Guitar with a twisted neck if you plan on replacing the neck. I bought a MIM strat with a twisted neck for $100, popped on a Mighty Mite neck, good to go. But you gotta know that before you buy it.

[@stufromoz8164]

I ordered an Artist grungemaster today for the princely sum of $260 Australian Dollars, I have bought from them before and recieved a great guitar, this is the first guitar I have owned with P90 pups and my first ofset style guitar so I am excited and am looking forward to the tones I should be able to get with it.

[@paradiswest4395]

One thing I like to check is the neck profile - how does it fit and feel in my hands. I would like to see a how to on amp buying.

[@gavinw5469]

Missing parts, problems with electronics are no gos, unless you can work with electronics well.

[@skintslots]

Spot on. Comfort and feel are the top priority with electric guitars and sound is secondary because the parts that make the sounds can be changed. Shape,profile and guitar comfort are often not changeable.

[@qwertyuioplmzaswq]

Thx mang, buying an axe for a loved one for Xmas. You wisdom is appreciated.

[@masonhoward7826]

Darrell, probably doesn't get mentioned enough, your hair and facial hair are always on point. Nice work.

[@Chord_The_Seeker]

Everything you mentioned was excellent advice. The problem for a lot of people now is that there’s a good chance they will be buying a used guitar online. That makes it impossible to check several things. I bought a used guitar because the particular one I wanted had been discontinued, and it was impossible to buy one new. The condition listed for the guitar was mint. There were a lot of clear pictures of the guitar in the listing, and it looked flawless. When I got the guitar and started to play it I quickly realized that the pickup selector knob (yes, knob, one that looks just like the volume and tone knobs) was bad. Something that was not visible in the pictures, but that could clearly be seen while actually holding the guitar was that the previous owner had placed a washer under the pickup knob to try to get it to work. Despite the washer the knob slipped quite a lot, making changing pickup positions difficult and unreliable. Obviously not mint condition. It cost $100 to get it all sorted out. It wasn’t a catastrophic problem, but it’s a good example of the kind of hidden problem you can encounter when buying a used guitar online. If it were a budget guitar then $100 could be a good percentage of the total price.

[@Epiwater11]

I am not exactly sure what pickup knob u talking about but i make a guess, for les paul type of guitar? And i don't want to assume exactly what is the problem you facing but $100? I think u can buy a new switch for less than $40? Or just change a washer for less than $3?

[@Chord_The_Seeker]

@@Epiwater11 The guitar is the Charvel Justin Aufdemkampe signature model. The washer was not supposed to be there in the first place. It was between the body of the guitar and the base of the knob, which made the pickup selector knob higher than the other two knobs. It also didn’t fix the problem, so putting another washer in the same place wouldn’t help.

[@Epiwater11]

@@Chord_The_Seeker oh that rotary switch is quite unique..

[@alaricpaley6865]

I've played a few guitars with neck twists. Sometimes it's perfectly fine - Usually these are ones where the twist is gradual along the whole length of the neck, and they have individually height adjustable saddles. This can get you some real good guitars really cheap, if you're daring. Mind you tho, Torzal makes basses with a 20 degree twist in the neck. Crazy stuff.

[@jltrem]

I'm old enough to remember before used guitars became "vintage".

[@stufromoz8164]

LOL over 50's hey????

[@Customwinder1]

Hang on a minute ! We're vintage ! 😳

[@stufromoz8164]

@@Customwinder1 sure are, like fine antiques.

[@bldallas]

Funny, me too! I also remember when a brand new American made Fender Strat was $600!

[@jltrem]

@@bldallas I'm closing in on 70. I remember when they were $300.

[@fishforce545]

Congrats on 700k!!! Love your videos Darrell!!

[@BraydenM014]

I recently bought me a used b.c. rich and when I saw it online, I honestly just wanted a body and a neck so I could build it up. But when it got here, it was definitely dirty and crusty, but after a good clean, it was really nice. For less that $200 I got an amazing guitar. Out of all my guitars, that one is the best "out of the box" guitars. I haven't modded anything (yet). One of my best guitars

[@rayschoch5882]

Good recommendations all, Darrell, but very difficult to follow if you're not located near a gigantic guitar store that does land-office business in used instruments. Most of my guitar-buying has been online, so I've never had an opportunity to play the instrument before forking over my hard-earned cash. On Reverb, especially, many used guitars are sold with a specific "as-is" statement, so if you find a flaw after it arrives, you're stuck with the lemon. So far, all but one of my Reverb purchases, both new and used, have turned out OK, but the first one I bought was from a less-than-honest seller, and once it was in my hands, there was no recourse. Photos don't always tell the whole story, and sellers, understandably, would rather focus your attention on the good parts while they minimize the bad. It's a crapshoot. Find out as much as you can about the model / brand you want to buy, and, as Darrell said, take your time. You can't afford the one-of-a-kind custom-made instrument anyway, and if you're buying something that's from even a small manufacturer, another one will turn up eventually. Just keep an eye out for it.

[@TheZynMan]

About 8 years ago i picked up a used esp m-ii for less than $600 over some finish cracks on the back. Play it every day, still haven't heard the finish 😂

[@jacobseal]

The neck repair on a Gibson isn't the end of the world if the price is right and it was done by a pro. If it looks like a "wood glue and clamp" hack job then definitely run. The fret wear is also super important as a refret is 200-300 bucks.

[@stevenpipes1555]

Hey everybody, hey Darrell. I would also suggest doing some basic research on the value of parts. Sometimes the combined value of the parts will be more than the the asking price. For me thats always a no brainer! Thanks Darrell, love the channel.

[@jamesshort9217]

Two things I know to look for from personal experience: 1. Test out that floating tremolo!! I bought a used Ibanez RG a couple years ago and the guy would not let me try it. He said it was "so people would not go crazy and break strings." I bought it anyway and later discovered that the knife edges were worn dull :'( 2. Do check for fret wear. Whoever had that Ibanez played the crap out of it and the frets no longer have that nice crown. Bending and vibrato and just overall playability isn't quite as good. In my case, it wasn't so bad, but if you don't look you may end up with much worse frets.

[@AzaleaMusic]

Major congrats on the major 700,000 milestone, Darrell! Quite well-deserved. 👏👏👏

[@markpickardlife]

Always enjoy watching this channel.

[@glennselwitz1377]

I love the 80's era Ibanez Roadstar guitars and especially the basses.. incredible instruments that's what I shop used and have some great basses from that era at great prices...your #1 is amazing...race car is apt for that beauty

[@jointsalot]

One big thing to watch out for is counterfeit guitars. Scammers are getting pretty good these days at making fakes. Be wary

[@jmangi6221]

Man Darrell is the best. Now, he's teaching us the ups and downs of buying used instruments. I really have only taken two chances on ebay and it worked out fine. But, that's it, not buying another one that way.

[@rayyan1495]

Congratulations on 700k subscribers!!

[@TreatzTMA]

One of your best videos and my go to guide for when I venture out in the world of second hand guitars. Thanks!!

[@Nirvanaandtool]

Read my mind! Have been on the hunt for a used MIM strat. Great info here!

[@elsapucai]

Darrell this is a great video. Maybe you can get different examples of those wrong things in used guitars: photos or something like that to compare and know better. Saludos!

[@D64S]

Many old pots won't just magically start working like new with cleaning even if you find a hole where to put that stuff in. And old jacks usually need to be tightened from the contact point which is a bit more problematic.

[@Pearl_25]

Thanks for the vid right in time

[@BruceDoesStuff]

I would just add that you should do this with new guitars as well. Here in Canada I've bought ~15 guitars from Long&McQuaid over the years, and 3 have been returned for issues like these (including one that was still sealed in the box when I got it home), and there have been another 5 or so that I've walked away from because of cracks at the heel or something of that nature. Just because something is brand new and the company is big (or in this case the actual Gibson/Epiphone wholesaler for the entire country) doesn't mean they're actually checking the instruments before they sell them, or that they even care that there is a defective $3000 guitar on the wall for 4 years.

[@Mindermaniac]

I think Darrell may know about Long & McQuade Music store as I'm pretty sure he mentions that he's a Canadian in other videos on his channel. I've never bought any new guitars from them, but I did snag a great deal on a 5 string Ibanez Roadstar bass with a hard shell case for only $145. I took it into Steve's to have it restrung and set up properly for another $95, so it was a great deal for a great playing 5 string bass for under $250 - bonus active pickups for a great variety of tones. It was at their annual attic sale in the fall, where you can buy used instruments from their rental department on sale at a great price. I think your point about buying new guitars and checking them out for flaws is very smart and worth mentioning. Peace to my Canadian guitar loving brother!

[@BruceDoesStuff]

@@Mindermaniac I figured he probably would, but wasn't sure how many other subscribers/viewers were also Canadian so it was mostly for their benefit. Last time L&M did their big clearance sale I bought 5 mics, a full set of cymbals for my drums, and a Gretsch... so I'm dangerously familiar with that sale. It's too bad their national policy of medical discrimination will keep me from ever buying anything else there though!

[@Mindermaniac]

@@BruceDoesStuff Not familiar with their medical discrimination policy, that sounds strange to me. My last attic sale was 18 years ago and along with the bass, I got a P-95 88 key Yamaha digital electric piano and a set of Samson PRO2000 Headphones, which I used for recording for almost 15 years before they gave out. My local store is Steve's for new gear & Paul's Boutique in Kensington Market for vintage gear, which I am usually on the look out for when I am out looking for instruments.

[@dc3643]

i'm buying an excellent condition used guitar from guitar center, gibson les paul classic, any thoughts? they said they inspect them before reselling them.

[@glenngardin3561]

Great advice Darrell! I've gotten many good deals used. Thanks for posting!

[@Giveme1goodreason]

Half of my guitars are used aria pro ii LP, SG and strat and an aria diamond trini Lopez custom. All law suit era. I have a hagstrom super swede tremar p90 and les Paul custom I built myself. All of them bought on the internet. Never had an issue with any of em. Also I really hope you do a review of the hagstrom super swede tremar p90 and or the humbucker. I reckon you’d be really into them. Great guitars.

[@joshuafreedman7703]

My non-player Dearheart Wife had bought for me online from overseas a completely no-name S-type I dubbed my Faux Knock Off of a Genuine Generic Strat that the previous owner sold that still had his personal rewiring scheme where the middle pickup worked in 2 and 4, but 3 was a total killswitch. Irritating as hell at first, but made me eventually think of how I'd want to remod to how I'd want the electronics wired: Bridge, Bridge + Middle, Bridge + Neck, Middle + Neck, Neck; no tone controls for Bridge or Neck, and an active tone control on the Middle -- BUT! I like dark, jazzy tones, so what I thought I'd do is dial the Middle tone fully dark, take the knob off the pot, and stuff that tone pot into the cavity where it's out of my way, and I'll never miss it. The only controls on the face remaining would be the volume and the pickup selector, and change the selector to a rotary knob.

[@michaelp8856]

What if the guitar frets are corroded? walk away? sign of corroding in electronics? thanks

[@NickShvelidze]

Thank you! I had no idea about the hump!

[@stufromoz8164]

I look for any sort of modifications like tuner changers or pick up changes and then try to investigate who did them and why they were done, whether they were an upgrade in quality or a repair done from breakage etc.

[@24FretsGuitar]

I would suggest if buying a strat style guitar check the nut for hair line cracks. Not the end of the world but, the plastic type nuts can crack, especially the thin ones. Good tips though, especially cleaning the pots.

[@headphonejack9479]

Fret wear. If I have to get the frets either level again or even an entire refretting, that can be a potential deal breaker, depending on the price of the guitar. Where I live refretting done by a professional clocks in at around 250-300 bucks.

[@Philtration]

You and your high voltuten guitar advice! Good tips Darrell and that is still one of the nicest looking Les Paul guitars I have seen.

[@tore-andregurandsrud1043]

A cheap guitar doesn’t necessarily mean a bad or low quality instrument. Don’t simply walk away just because the headstock doesn’t say Fender of Gibson or another well I known brand. There are lots of guitars from lesser known manufacturers that are still pretty good. Don’t turn down a deal only because it’s a Cort, Reno, Ltd, Stagg, Harley Benton, Michael Kelly or whatever.

[@Bliggick]

If you look down the neck of my new Gretsch you might think for a minute like I did that the neck is twisted but on close inspection the nut is actually sloped down a full 1/16th of an inch from the bass to the treble side. It's because of the way the nut itself is flattened on the bottom, not the way the nut slot is cut or a twist in the neck. The string slots are cut well and the strings have a uniform clearance of .018 of an inch at the first fret. Because it is an Electromatic it is a plastic nut and not anything special like a Graphtech but it is actually installed and setup perfectly so I am wondering if this quirk was intentional. It is a 2017 Korean-made center block model and the build quality/fit and finish is great everywhere on the guitar.

[@judih.8754]

Another short and informative video. Thanks Darrell 😊

[@davesuchy5130]

Good tips, especially for beginners!

[@iNoelles]

Yoooo grats on 700k!! Closer to 1m :o

[@doniotte681]

I love the 2 tone Powder Blue colors on the Stratocaster

[@JoeJohnson472]

Whitstable guitars sell some crazy good second hand Japanese guitars and always well worth a look.

[@kirkscobey3031]

I’ve only came across a twisted neck once. It was a beautiful Michael Kelly T-style. I was able to adjust around it but still,...😭😭😭