Pawn Shop Picking Guitar Safari - Vol. 1 - 13 Shops in 2 Days

I had to make a road trip, so I thought I would see what I could find in Pawn Shops along the way. I also found a couple amps on FB Marketplace I arranged meet ups with. I actually visited 3 shops, but the 1st one I didn’t record anything, but it was a good find, and what inspired me to hit more shops and record the process along the way.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Volume 2 link below. Pawn Shop Picking Guitar Safari - Vol. 2 - 16 Shops kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGHFqHeYp7CdZ8U

[@TheWarriorSongProject]

thats the most frustrating camera work i ever saw. it ws jerking around like crazy and never showed the guitars well.

[@eric_in_florida]

I worked in the business for a long time. Location has a ton to do with what kind of musical gear you get. In college towns you will see a lot of nice musical equipment. Also obviously in music cities like Nashville, Austin, Memphis, etc. If you go to a shop in the hood you're lucky to find a couple cheap basses and torn up amps. You will see a lot of TV's and Xbox's though! :)

[@briansuniqueguitars]

That is probably accurate. The hood shops also have a lot of laptops as they don’t value those.

[@Tonetwisters]

Spring/early summer of 1963, my older brother found a 1954 Stratocaster (WELL WORN!) in a Jacksonville pawn shop for $75, which was a lot of dough for my family back then. Put it in lay-a-way and my soon-to-be divorced dad had it for me under the Christmas tree that year.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

That’s a great story. What happened to it after that?

[@oneeyeddog6127]

That peavey bass is a gem. I love any of the t series guitars and basses.

[@bigmuffmelvin7388]

I have been thinking about doing some inside the pawn shop videos, awesome video and idea man. I’m subbing to ya for sure

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Glad you liked it. I need a gopro. Some of the shots are not high enough to see the headstocks of the guitars, as I was trying to be incognito with my cell phone.

[@nickgardner1507]

I did a similar tour of Pawn Shops, a couple of years ago in Phoenix AZ. All they seem to have is firearms these days, very little in the Music department.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Maybe that because of everyone moving there from California. They value guitars more than guns.

[@wolfgangwylde5889]

US Money Shops, Value Pawns and the like are sterile corporate chain stores that have goobers usually pricing their good to kinda good inventory beyond it's current record selling price and have mostly boring budget gear. They seem to have taken over the pawn industry in America. Sadly the old school mom and pop shops with cool dusty vintage stuff are history Although I do stumble across a great find sometimes. During the first covid outbreak picking was almost non existent.Its about the same senerio at tax return time Love these type of videos🤘 Thanks for posting 👍

[@eric_in_florida]

Somewhat true, but the chains also push them to get rid of their stuff after 3 months so they will do markdowns. The mom and pops will hold onto stuff forever until they get the price they want. Everyone prices high these days thanks to the internet, you just have to wheel and deal.

[@roncarter2188]

The Peavey Studio Pro 40 was the first amplifier I ever bought brand new I had just started playing guitar and I really didn't know how good of an amp that amp really was until years later when I saw one in a pawn shop again and decided to play through it since it had been so many years and it probably helped that I was a much better guitar player than when I just started of course but it seems here in the last few years there was so many pawn shops I would visit in the past and get so many great guitars and vintage amplifiers cheap - now it just seems like it's run-of-the-mill low-end stuff.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

You can still find a lot of the Studio Pros, Backstages, and Specials. To me the Specials are very stout and versatile amps that can get very loud, but still light enough to pick them up with one arm. Thanks for watching!

[@joshuataft5541]

I totally agree..as a kid I had so many cool guitars and amps and pedals.we would trade around before internet..I wish I had alot of those again...sad...I had a Gibson black beauty but it never had pickups or strings so I traded it off when was bored at 11...man I regret that

[@briansuniqueguitars]

My first new guitar was an Epiphone black custom from Korea around 1998.

[@gamjammer]

That Crate Amp could be killer, couldn’t tell what model it was.

[@johninama585]

Shop 1 had a red Washburn Maverick BT-2 (or maybe BT-3) hanging on the wall. Those are great little guitars that no one really knows about.

[@_Ramen-Vac_]

Similar taste and wisdom when it comes to style and shape of guitars and brute strength and versatility of Roland and Peavey. Fender and Marshall, just buying a name, for 600$ +

[@richardmckinney4963]

You missed the Autoharp there if you're looking for something different.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

I had one of those before that I bought off of OfferUp back when that first came out. I played on it a little and then sold it. It was cool, but I don’t see myself ever playing on one regularly.

[@robertvance1873]

I have a Roland Cube Amp cool Amp, and I also have an Amp only 20 watts but it sounds like more it's a Caline Lorcan Amp Lorcan means little but Mighty if you get a chance check One out. Good Finds.

[@thecatladytm7172]

My mom got my guitar in 1991 at a pawn shop, 100 bucks with the case. It's a Yamaha FG-400, idk what people think about it, but I love it, scratches, dents, weird yellow stain on the headstock and all. (Seriously it almost looks like mold under the lacquer or something i have no idea what it is or how it got there)

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Nothing like good mojo!

[@leehanson1416]

That black Crate V series might have been all tube. Great amps.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

I used to love the crate amps back in the 90’s, but don’t pay much attention to them anymore. The Blue Voodoo’s were pretty sweet but I haven’t heard one of those in a long time.

[@saltpeter7429]

Boss Katana showing up in the pawnshop. I sold mine last summer, and I do miss it so. Great amp. For short money, it is the best on its range that I have played. Tried a line 6 ( lower end) spider and could not dial a sound I could live with.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

I’ve never owned one or heard one. I will have to look into them. Generally, everything Boss or Roland is good. Thanks for watching!

[@saltpeter7429]

@@briansuniqueguitars very impressed with Boss. Good video's, thank you.

[@matthewotremba9230]

09:17 , the flat black les paul shape in front of th blonde hollow body That is an Epi GT , it has a Fender type trem And a kill switch push pot (Slim taper neck) A real funster if ya never had an LP shape with simple trem

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Thanks for the info. I did not know that.

[@joshuataft5541]

Alota cool stuff..its too bad somtimes because i knkw they want to make money but the whole point is there soposed to be cheaper...especially the low end stuff.. but alota cool stuff.that lille blackstar wich the skull caught my eye and a few guitars from what i coukd see

[@letseewhathappens101]

for 260 I would have jumped on that double neck acoustic

[@briansuniqueguitars]

I hear ya, but I can’t buy them all!!!

[@stevenshockley4237]

The only great pawn shop deal I've found so far, I got a Yamaha FG-325 for $100 once. It's now with my old buddy Zach, because I didn't like the huge neck. Alvarez fixes that haha have yet to play an Alvarez with a crappy neck feel

[@briansuniqueguitars]

I love Alvarez’s. Have you played any Alvarez Yairi’s? They are my favorite.

[@stevenshockley4237]

Gotta bring mention to the Christmas music :D

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Yeah, I was clearly on a safari in December. Might sound funny now, but watch again next Thanksgiving and it will get you in the mood!

[@Minions2487]

And depending on the brand, some of those LP copy "lawsuit" guitars are worth alot of money.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

I love the Japanese lawsuit guitars. My very first video is an old Ibanez concord. Just not enough space to buy them all.

[@johnpeccarelli2389]

I’d love to have checked the price tag on the silverburst… 🎸

[@joshuataft5541]

Poor pevey ...i had a pevey s type guitar and amp that got stole but it played great and the amp wasnt bad at all especially for old school tubkess distortion ❤

[@bigmuffmelvin7388]

What is that epiphone ft-79 looking guitar next to the bass and steel slide guitar at pawn shop 3? If that is a vintage Epiphone texan or a Caballero I would be all over it

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Good eye! I think it was a Ibanez. I like the older 70’s Ibanez acoustics, but this one looked like a 90’s or newer cheaper one, but yes the body does look like an old FG Epiphone.

[@robertardizzone4010]

I found a 82 slm yari dy79 for 640.00 snatched it up, from pawn shop.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Yairi’s are my favorite acoustics. Nice! I got a DY-77 a few years back from a pawn shop for 550 and sold it for 800. Probably should have kept it.

[@strongdadenergy7586]

Surprised ya didn't give that Vox AC15C1 a second glance, those are nice little tube amps with some great cleans, could've been a great deal if they didn't overprice it.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

You are probably right. I passed over a few little gems in this journey, but I have to tell myself that I can’t have it all. Thanks for watching.

[@nyacoustics8373]

Nice finds. This wouldn't work at my local pawn shops. There all thieves that try to sell used crap at 2x retail price new .

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Yeah, a lot of Pawn shops are looking on eBay and putting the highest price listed, and their stuff is normally in worse condition. They are often open to negotiating, but I think they would sell more if they would just start more reasonable.

[@Minions2487]

You skim over those guitars way too quick and show the headstock. Some of those Epiphone hummingbirds are made extremely well depending on the year.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

I hear ya. It’s hard to balance between showing a lot of shops and a lot of detail in each one. I’ll try to slow down on the next one. Thanks for watching!

[@Ottophil]

I don’t trust the shop that doesnt change its smoke detector batteries

[@wolfgangwylde5889]

Are you using a waste level mounted phone or a go pro,etc. I know most shops get really strange of people walk in recording anything, especially if they don't know you.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Just holding my phone at my waist. About the best I can do without drawing too much attention. I can do better at aiming it up, but I doubt I could ever roll in there with a Gopro on my chest without asking in advance, but that would take too much time and is too staged for my liking. When I do this it is typically on a road trip already when I need to be in and out quickly. I did just hit up another 10 or so shops on a different trip, so keep your eyes peeled for a Vol.2 coming soon! Just need to finish editing them all together. Thanks for watching and the support!

[@AWESOME295]

You know about Alip ba ta sir?Alip is a very talented finger style guitarist on KZbin)}••••°

[@Ottophil]

No

[@stuco]

I don't think you're legally allowed to operate a pawn shop that has music gear if you don't have some Peavey amps.

[@Steve.Cutler]

98% of gear in pawn shops is crap now. Used to be way better back in the day.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Yeah, that’s why I was surprised by the one at the end that was more of a used music store than a pawn shop. Thanks for watching!

[@clivesilk3501]

how come the T15 isnt worth $400??? ive always likes the T series i'd like a T60 one day

[@briansuniqueguitars]

At today’s values it is probably worth $400 with the case, but I would only be buying to resell so I would be interested around $300.

[@AllSpace]

wheres all the usa's strats?

[@briansuniqueguitars]

You know, like most pawn shops, they don’t have any, or one they have been sitting on for 2 years for $2000 with rusty hardware and worn frets.

[@kerryhudson53]

You show more wall than the actual guitars.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Sorry. If I walked around with my camera held high, they would probably tell me to stop.

[@Steve.Cutler]

Your camera work needs a lot of help.

[@briansuniqueguitars]

You are correct. Just holding my phone without being to obvious about it. Just got a GoPro so next time I can try attaching that to my chest.

[@646627jd]

Junk

[@briansuniqueguitars]

Yes. Lots of junk in some of the stores. A few had some gems.