7 Tips For Selling Your Used Gear You Might Not Want To Hear

[@hogie1259]

Great video Robert. I never understood how people on forums list something for sale, then list the price+shipping+ PAYPAL fees. I agree with you 100% ! That is a sellers responsibility. The other thing too, are people who list something for sale, then don't want to do any leg work to make the money. For example, guitar gets listed on CL, then the seller will not meet you half way for the exchange. They'll meet you at the liquor store a block from their house, but won't drive a few miles. The rule of thumb for people who try to sell their used gear to places like Guitar Center, Sam Ash etc. You know what the street value is of a particular used item, now subtract 50-60% and that is going to be your offer from them. If you take an EVH 5150 III 6L6 50 watt in to sell, street is between $600-$650 . They are going to offer you 250-300 cash. Your best bet is to find something you like in the store first, then bring up a trade in. Most of the time, they will give you a little more in trade value.

[@honeyfrost3355]

I love how people get mad at music stores because they don't offer the price the seller wants, like you said Robert, they have to make money.

[@RobertWJackson]

Right?

[@LOGICNREALITY]

are you saying I wont get 1500 for my walmart first act guitar? you hurt my feelings lol

[@RobertWJackson]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jvanb231]

Re: #3: Always thank the person making he offer, even if you don’t reach a deal. I’ve accepted and declined offers, but make sure the people who will buy gear aren’t dreading your arrival the next time around. Re: #4: When I see mods, I think damaged. Especially amps, if you say its modded I’m thinking hack job. Even if I see swapped tubes, I just assume the amp is improperly biased now or they swapped them trying to fix a still unresolved issue. Another great video Mr Robert.

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks!

[@leefosyer9390]

Very good point..always thank the person..even if the deal doesn't go through..

[@matthewking8944]

agreed walk out cool thank them. deal with some one new. & maybe same dude has changed his mind. for being cool.

[@terrylstarks]

Thanks Robert, I bought a very high end acoustic guitar last year on Reverb from a small mom & pop as “Brand New” and it was better than great except it had orange peel blemishes all over it and according to the warranty it was manufactured in 2015. So it was sitting on a wall at his shop being played by a lot of people, with a finish problem and shipped to me as new, at the 2017 new price. Needless to say I shipped it back after a few weeks of discussion with a whole lot of people to see how we could resolve the problem. The answer was to ship as new only guitars as new that are in the box and never played except for the set up by a qualified tech. Terry.

[@I.am_Groot]

I have seen so many great comments to this great video!! Wanted to add my 2 cents... The best way to minimize the pain in your pocketbook (and in the hassle of a prolonged selling process) is to consider the re-sale BEFORE you purchase the gear. Take 5 minutes while considering that cool pedal, guitar, amp.. Check your local Craigslist, Reverb, Facebook Marketplace. If a pedal sells new for $159 and it is on sale for $129 but there are 50 of them on Reverb for $75 ask yourself will you be OK with losing $50 in a few months when it is no longer the most awesome pedal ever?? Check condition. A 25 year old delay pedal that sounds great but looks like it went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson may hold good value, but for other gear a seemingly minor issue can be big $$$ off the value. Don't be afraid even at a retail shop to point out issues that effect value and ask for a better sale price. Learn some basic repair skills. By being able to do a basic guitar setup or how to replace speakers on an amp can save you $$$ as well as preserve (sometimes increase) the re-sale value of your gear. If you don't like to haggle pawn-stars style then try a straight forward approach. I prefer to just ask 'Hey what is your best price on this?' and let them tell me where they are coming from. Worst that will happen is they tell you they want full asking price.. Getting the stuff that you want for a fair price lets you take much of the pain and suffering out of the selling process.

[@stuartmacdonald5361]

I love it when the seller says, "In mint condition, except for the one or two small ding and scratches on the back".

[@RobertWJackson]

Or they say it’s in “mint condition” and it looks like it got dragged behind a truck down the highway on the way to meet you? LOL Yeah, seems like those people are everywhere, too. LOL

[@mikesaw81]

@@RobertWJackson The best one is In mint condition except the recently broken headstock. But apart form that like new.

[@vexguine]

"In mint condition, but the headstock was repaired, I dropped from my bike and my drummer threw up on it" lol

[@matthewking8944]

@@mikesaw81 i agree every one thinks crap is gold. crap is crap.

[@matthewking8944]

@@mikesaw81 thay think its gold but its crap

[@Dremeli]

Back in the days I was buying a used guitar online. I don't remember the guitar brand, but its cost was way too high considering what it is. I asked that is there a chance to make a better deal. The answer was "No, because it was used in the same studio where(one local quite popular band) recorded an album years and years ago. The seller was seriously insulted of my question.. that was weird. For my luck, I got practically identical guitar for reasonable price elsewhere. EDIT: I could have understood the price, if the very guitar was used _by_ the guitarist from that band. First I thought it was a joke, but when the messages got a mean tone to them I realised the guy was serious.

[@neonbreon]

Thank you! Your 7 items confirm the most important things to think about when selling or buying. Now that I am starting to get back into playing, this was super useful. One thing that helped, I didn't think about the PayPal fees as insurance. My brother buys and sells hard to find books and he's told me about when he first got started the people who claim it never arrived. I'll have to ask him what else he's done to protect himself as I am sure other things such as it got rained on or it wasn't what you said it was...

[@davidcurtis7547]

I have a large number of guitars from the 70's to the 80's that landed in my lap . Am looking for the best way to sell it off . Thanks for the info .

[@RobertWJackson]

If you want to sell them quick, I’d take them all to a vintage guitar shop (or really ANY guitar shop) and see what they offer you for it. That the easiest way with the least amount of headaches, but you also won’t be getting full market value. If you want top dollar for them, take detailed photos of each one and list each one individually on multiple platforms like eBay, Reverb, and Facebook Marketplace. You’ll get more money for them this way, but it’s going to take WAAAAAY longer, and you’re also going to be responsible for packing and shipping all of those guitars when they sell.

[@davidcurtis7547]

sold them all at one sale . Good for me and the buyer . It would have taken a long time and lots of effort to make a few more bucks

[@RobertWJackson]

Nice!

[@S-T-E-V-E]

My biggest frustration with ebay is people listing Squire guitars as Fender or Epiphone or Orville as Gibson, you have to scroll through dozens of high priced Squires or Epi's mixed in with lower priced Fender or Gibson Bargains. Annoying!!!!!

[@matthewking8944]

look up seller ratings.a lot of junk out there. thanks china.........

[@JohnvanCapel]

I have personal experience with modified gear just refusing to sell. Had a Peavey Valveking with a speaker swap and some circuitry mods (professionally done), sounded great, but I literally ended up having to give it away in order to finally be rid of it when it came time to downsize my gear collection.

[@codybell371]

Excellent and informative, Robert. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on mods that IMPROVE a guitar's basic functionality and (subjectively) enhance their aesthetics. I have an LTD EC-401QM that came with non-locking Grover tuners that I've since replaced with Tone Ninja locking ones that match the original black/smoked chrome hardware and have the tulip/keystone buttons like the ones you find on the higher end EC-1000's or modern Les Pauls. It may not ADD value, but could it be a point of interest for a potential buyer?

[@RobertWJackson]

There’s exceptions to every rule, but generally no. That guitar has been customized for ONE person, and it happens to the guy who’s selling it. That means that guitar, in its current condition, has a market of ZERO. Sellers expecting prospective buyers to love the seller’s personal modifications and value their investment and labor the same way that the seller does is one of the most arrogant things that guitar players are guilty of. LOL

[@codybell371]

Oh for sure! It’s like you said in the video; people believe their sh*t is gold just because it’s theirs. I once saw a listing for a used Kiesel Vader where the mf took a hack saw to the upper horn and wanted $7K for it!!🤣🤣🤣

[@RobertWJackson]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤦🏻‍♂️

[@Bionicycle]

Whenever I sell used equipment to someplace like G.C., or another retailer I always try to find out what the "retail re-sale" price is for that equipment (or as close to it) and then I divide that retail re-sale price in half (100% mark up capability for the retailer) and add 25 to 75 dollars for haggle room. That way the retailer knows I'm not out to make all my money all back, and then we can get to a serious agreement on what they are willing to give me for the equipment. All that of course varies with condition and rarity. Mostly both of us come away happy with that. But, that's if I trade or sell to a "retailer re-seller". William C.

[@RobertWJackson]

👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼 This guy gets it!!!

[@MarbsMusic]

GC wants 40% profit in my experience. If I "trade" there I find a good price from what has been sold then go in and just state - average used retail is x, I know you guys want around 40% so I'll would like at least y. As I refurbish equipment I trade a lot at GC and thus far it's always been pleasant. They know I'm not bringing them crap so sometimes they will even offer more than what I ask as they know they can turn it. Great Video Robert! I think the main point of all this is be realistic. I see a lot of unrealistic people on the FB marketplace, moreso than anywhere else... maybe because it's new. I have found people seem to be willing to pay a few dollars more because they can find out more details about the selling and buyer but that's 5% at most, not retail like some are asking. I'm sure you have seen the ads like Epi LP and Line 6 Amp, paid $800, asking $600!

[@andym2612]

Local pawn shop in Canberra will purchase a Mint Condition or Like New for 16% of the RRP and put it back on the shelf for 80% RRP.

[@EarlofBaltimore]

These are all good points. I would even take it a step further and say if you can't abide by these standards you have no business selling gear in the first place. I've always taken pride in the way I do business and it is reflected in 100% satisfaction from my buyers whether it be eBay or Reverb. I don't really do so much on eBay anymore, but my Reverb store has continued to be successful. As a buyer and seller of used gear, what gets me is the way people package items. I have been fortunate that in most cases the items have gotten to me in decent shape. There have been several time that the seller has been lucky as well, because I have seen some truly piss poor packing jobs. If you aren't going to take time and care and show some respect to buyers hard earned money by packaging goods properly for shipping just sell locally to people who can physically pick it up, or not at all.

[@ianchisholm9260]

Generally a pawnshop will offer you 30% of the price that they expect to get for it when they sell it.. and selling on consignment means they will take up to 20 % commission off of the sale price ..

[@xATown23xGaming]

I was very weary about buying high end items on Kijiji as of late (I usually just stuck to games and clothing). But man I was not disappointed I got my dream Marshall Half Stack off there and I am a huge proponent of buying used gear! Especially when you do your research and are wise about buying used like you've mentioned here! Fantastic job btw

[@nekot9274]

My rule of thumb is 70% of new price for big names stuff (gibs, fender...) and more around 60% for other brands...because otherwise you will never sell a thing. Especially here in Switzerland because people will rarelly buy second hand if there is not a substential gap from the new price, otherwise they just buy new. I remember for a squier bullet, it was like 100 new, I get no offer until I smash the price for 20 (starting at 50). Great video by the way, too many people think they can ask way too much and goes down in anger if you dare make them a reasonable offer.

[@STEAMBOLTANNIE]

YOU WILL NEVER GET 70 %...LOL

[@RobertWJackson]

WHY ARE YOU YELLING???

[@robertclarkguitar]

I think I did well. I bought The FSR or Limited Edition Run MIM Strat black like gilmours look, The ones that fluctuate 599. 499.00. I bought it middle 2018 or March 2018. It was serial read that determined by fender upon my request made in december 23rd 2017 so when the guy said like brand new he meant it ..He had it professionally set up. Had extra springs added and blocked from pulling back. Then replaced but included the pickgaurd. To white. OEM..he wanted it more like Clapton look. But loved the black too. So he included the pickgaurd it came with. Plus had the tags hanging on the tuner. On top of that he bought fender pro hard case. Added that. I paid 445.00 usd free shipping. I think I did pretty damn good. Since that very well could be one of the last runs of MIM standard before the new players.

[@howardcunniffe8738]

Now on towards the end of this video. Yes I believe that once you buy a new guitar and after playing it once to re sale it is now used. What I like about going to a music store is, I'll play the guitar first before buying.If the guitar does not have the sound that I'm looking for or the weight is too heavy,I can say no before buying. That's the best way for me to judge if the guitar is good for me or not. There are too many risks in buying off the internet.

[@joshuapollack2921]

The issue I have with reverberated is I'll find a decent piece of gear for pretty cheap, which is great, but I'll see that they put a $25 shipping and handling on a pedal so I generally look local and not want to use reverb

[@joshuapollack2921]

Reverb not reverberated lol

[@Zettel9016]

That's a joke. fyi

[@ZkapTv]

What's the best place to sale my Gibson antique guitar 🎸?

[@RobertWJackson]

Define “antique”.

[@alanscharrer5255]

Honest to the point and absolutely the guide to reselling really anything so pay attention all of you who think you are selling straight platinum and gold when it is really tin.....

[@beersandbacon]

What should I expect from a shop or Guitar Center for a Schecter Damien Platinum 7 string w/ Road Runner hard case and leather strap in like new condition? Just curious, I don't have much experience selling gear. It's only 4 months old.

[@RobertWJackson]

My guess would be probably about $250 or so. I imagine they’ll want to resell it for about $400. If it’s REALLY clean and truly in “like new condition” - as in fresh strings, no fingerprints, not pick scratches, no dings, dents, nicks, chips, etc. - you MIGHT get $300 for it. My advice, though, is to keep the case and use it for another guitar because they’re not really going to give you anything extra for it. (To be fair, they don’t really make any extra money on it either.)

[@mattjones8523]

Great video as always. It makes me feel better about some of the deals I've done over the years.

[@vexguine]

That tip about Mods its absolutelly true. I picked up 2 Gibson SGs for a cheap trade once, one special and one standard. Amazing instruments but both modified. The special was repainted ... from a smooth translucid faded brown to opaque military green (ugh.. I know, ugly). Oh boy... that thing was hard to sell. I was lucky to break even on that guitar. The standard was in very mint condition heritage cherry BUT had Skatterbrane pick ups in. AMAZING pick ups. BUT the guy dropping the money on the table DEMANDS the real thing. Every time a buyer appeared I had to explain who made the pick ups, the quality of them, the character blablabla. Deal breaker. It would be much more easy if it had just a pair os Gibs there. And those are expensive where I live. Ended well and I sold it (still a Gibson). No losses, no gains too. Lesson learned.

[@pcbullets8726]

I look at it by how much use I get out of the gear. If I make money playing out with the gear, it's payed for in my book. I know not everyone plays out every weekend. Try telling a car dealer that you want what you paid for the car, they will laugh at you. Also certain gear gains value if the piece of equipment is a collectors item. Most gear does depreciate till it becomes older in some cases. Great video as always and great rant!

[@estring69]

I listened your points about Strats again which were spot on. I shopped for Strats at Guitar center and did notice the $100 bump to $600. Everybody mentions the Mexico Strat being very good, but just a starting point; I believe they are correct. The guitars in the store scream basic and starting point; they speak against their own new asking price. So don't try to sell your basic Mexico strat for near new price. I just bought a mint $350 Mex Road House strat with the internet information in mind that I will need to upgrade a few items. It has set up well and sounds great. I don't think I will ever sell the guitar, but I think it will always be worth what I paid for it used unless it gets beat to hell; not likely for a person my age.

[@richardturk7162]

I agree 100%. I have been buying,selling music gear for 25 years and still have to tell people these hard fast rules. The one that shocks people when they bring it in to sell just because its old doesn't make it worth a lot of money.

[@RobertWJackson]

Unfortunately the number of people that have brought in an old piece and left heartbroken to find out it wasn’t valuable has FAR outnumbered the people who brought in an old piece not expecting much for it but leaving with a large sum of money. If it seems too good to be true...

[@Ovibos5]

All good, common sense points that people need to hear. I generally find Reverb items (new/used) that are in my price zone and make offers at 80%, with the intention to haggle a bit. Do it nicely and walk away if it doesn't seem to be working.

[@craigparse1439]

You crack me up...! I heartily agree with your 'observations'. On being realistic, it's always best to be up-front with the condition of the item. It's a good idea to include pictures that show the REAL condition. If there's a scratch in the finish, take a picture with a coin or ruler next to it so the potential buyer is aware and informed. That way, they can't say "it arrived scratched" since you've already documented it.

[@craigbrowning9448]

That Lowery Organ that cost $10,000 new in 1980 is a "Giveaway" item, even if it is in Perfect Working Order.

[@palletjackinfo]

Lots of Organ Donors out there

[@Dan.Solo.Chicago]

Save the parts and restore it to stock before you sell it. Then you can probably sell the upgrade parts separately.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Love the Punisher shirt! Now I have been using computer software modelers like Bias FX instead of buying expensive amps- saves me a ton of money , time, and space.

[@alanscharrer5255]

Thank you so much for laying it all outstraight

[@RobertWJackson]

My pleasure.

[@fredrodnick2881]

I had sold a guitar, amp and pedal to the guitar center a few years ago and I felt that they gave me a pretty decent deal, but a year or so later I sold my fender champ in mint condition and they only gave me $30 for it. That amp was going for $110 new. Couldn't they at least given me $50 for it. I also sold a keyboard before that and they gave me a decent deal. As a matter of fact, the salesmen were surprised at how good condition I keep my equipment and they said because of that they were able to give me a good deal.

[@RobertWJackson]

They didn’t give you $50 for your amp because that’s probably how much they sold it for. $30 was pretty fair for that amp. New prices mean pretty much nothing when it comes to the used market.

[@74dartman13]

Thanks for the tips. Everything you've said makes sense, wether people want to hear it or not.☺

[@chrstopherthomas6952]

The music go round here in Louisville Kentucky is pretty reasonable with their prices. I bought a gothic Gibson les paul in decent shape for 600.

[@robertdeen8741]

I'd explain it like this; Most stores want to make a 50% mark on. That means 50% of the price is cost, 50% profit, talking full list. So if it listed at say $200, they probably paid $50. So if it's used unless in like new condition it's not new, it's used ergo they'd ask half if new ie $100. They will not give you $100. They'd offer you half of that, $50. That's just the way if the retail world. Many store sell for less than full retail, usually a cash deal. If you buy on payments you'll pretty much pay full list. It may not appear that way. They sell it for less but by the time it's paid for, with the interest, full list. That's why one is always better off selling privately. One must also consider, even used gear will have some kind of warrantee or guarantee. Point is, if you pay $X amount on something whether a guitar a car or a TV, you'll be lucky to sell it for half what you paid on a private deal. There are exceptions but that's the way of the world. I tend to purchase everything used, excepting groceries and clothes.

[@maverickm15]

Quick question I recently bought an Alvarez rd-10 acoustic for 125 because it was pre-setup do you guys think I can get 175 for it or is that ridiculous to ask. thanks!

[@RobertWJackson]

Nope. $125 is about what that guitar is worth. Setting it up properly doesn’t increase the value as you’re SUPPOSED to maintain your instruments. NOT maintaining them can certainly DECREASE the value, but taking proper care of them does not increase the value.

[@PicksPaints]

Great tips!!! and thank you Robert! We definitely see eye to eye. Your list is a good rule of thumb to go by for sellers and buyers. It also drives me crazy to see somebody list something as BRAND NEW when it's obviously NOT. I have an idea for a good video I'll email you.

[@gregmackey7517]

Do you get a better value, at a guitar store, if you trade it in, with the intention of buying something from them?

[@RobertWJackson]

Depends on the store and their policies, I suppose. You may get a better value on the overall transaction due to getting a discount on the gear that you’re buying, but it doesn’t just suddenly make your used gear worth more money.

[@Kylora2112]

They'll give you more for trade than cash, but that's it.

[@themadpoliticalscientist9245]

In some states, you only pay sales tax on the actual cash paid, not the total value of what you bought.

[@fieraci8500]

Well that’s not bad if you are planning to buy gear there. It could be the added value that seals the deal. They don’t have to offer it to you. It’s good business and they want loyal customers. That’s one way to do it.

[@bmint]

Trade your gear instead.. you can actually do better if you know what you want and be fair about it

[@jamesdavison2741]

Has anyone else noticed the used market drying up? Craigslist in NY a year ago seemed vibrant. Now, you might get one or two responses to a piece of gear. I've tried the letgo app as well, but not a lot of fish there either. Where are people buying used gear in NYC? Is everything reverb now?

[@RobertWJackson]

I know Reverb has taken over a lot of the market online just due to eBay’s continued rise in selling fees. But there also seems to be this mentality on Reverb that EVERYBODY is selling their gear for top dollar. I don’t find very many good deals on used gear on Reverb without making an offer.

[@jamesdavison2741]

I've had good luck with offers on reverb as well. It just seems like reverb has really swallowed up the used market which is a little frustrating when you don't want to bother with the hassle of shipping guitars all over the country.

[@EarlofBaltimore]

It depends as far as Reverb goes. If you find the right person at the right time there are still deals to be found. It really depends on if the seller is truly motivated. If it's a larger Reverb seller with an inventory to deal with you will probably pay top dollar. Most likely that seller can hold out for the best money. However, there are always the guys out there who need to turn a fast buck on an instrument to keep the lights on or keep the family fed or the car on the road. Those will likely be your best bet, and they are definitely there if you keep an eye out. I'm not saying you should look to profit from other's misfortune, but that's life.

[@RobertWJackson]

I agree. All of the shops in my area that deal in used gear all want exorbitant prices for 95% of it, and the other 5% is stuff I’m not even remotely interested in. Every now and then I find something that I’m interested in on GC’s website that’s a good price, but by the time you tack on tax and shipping, the good deal goes away pretty quick. Corporate greed and a bad economy have made that part of our industry much harder, unfortunately.

[@jeepmanxj]

Its picking up really good in my area. The last 2 years its been a fucking pile of bullshit.

[@Mr.Goldbar]

I actually bought a guitar just because I thought it was moded. the guy who sold it to me told me it's a 1997 Mexican Strat that has been autographed by Richie Sambora ans has been upgraded with an original Floyd Rose and a Dimarzio Dmax pickup (a pickup that doesn't even exist), but when I took it to my tech he told me that it's actually a 1995 Richie Sambora Strat that eas repainted twice (from turquise to white to satin black) and had a lioncrown been cut for it. I bought it for 340$, but my tech told me its actually worth more than 800, so that means the seller shot himself in the foot because of a lack of research. I personally find it weird and stupid pay less for a modded guitar than a stock one (I would even happily pay more than for a stock one if i find the mods suiting for my personal taste), because if it's a really cheap guitar the seller made it better regardless for my personal taste. For example, I dislike EMG pickups but they're objectively better than the noname pickups or Duncan Designed you might find in cheap guitars. And in some other stuff, I've never seen anyone prefering regular tuners or plastic nuts compared to locking tuners or Graphtech. And in my opinion it's even more important to mod expensive guitars than cheap ones because I'll never buy a guitar for over 1000$ that's not perfect to my taste, but maybe it's just me

[@RobertWJackson]

Yeah, I think I you’re the exception in this case, rather than the rule. I’ll never forgot one time we had a Gibson ‘58 Reissue Flying V in the store that we’d bought in used. It was about a 2005 model or so, and this is 2008 that we took it in. Somebody along the way had decided to replace the pickups with a pair of EMG’s. A ‘58 Reissue Flying V at the time was worth around $1200 or so, if memory serves. We had it hanging on the wall for $999 and it ROTTED there for months. Nobody wanted it because of the EMG’s. Finally we ended up selling it at cost or even a little below after about 6 months.

[@Mr.Goldbar]

Robert's Guitar Dungeon and what do you think about my second mini-rant, do you also think expensive guitars should be modded more than cheap ones?

[@RobertWJackson]

Actually, no. I personally don’t see the logic in spending $1500/2000/3000 etc. on a guitar just to have to spend more money right after I buy it changing stuff out. Spending money on an expensive guitar means it better have all of the features that I’m looking for to begin with. I understand why people do it on cheaper guitars. Hell, I’ve modded plenty of inexpensive guitars myself. But modifications are not always improvements, and most of the time they’re actually viewed just the opposite from a potential buyer on the used market. In other words, if you replaced the original 490R/498T pickups in your Les Paul Custom in favor of a pair of Duncan ‘59s because “they sound better” and then you try to sell it to me a few years later for whatever reason, as much as I love Les Paul Customs and as much as I’ve always wanted one, I’m not interested, even if you’re right about it “sounding better”. Why? Because it now has a modification in it that I’ve NEVER wanted in that guitar (down the road even the solder points not being original are going to affect the value), and it’s just not the same guitar anymore. It’s modified to the personal tastes of one player, and unfortunately that’s the guy trying to sell it to me, and not only am I turned off by it, but I’m damn sure not going to pay MORE for it.

[@Mr.Goldbar]

Robert's Guitar Dungeon I see your point, but I still disagree

[@RobertWJackson]

I’m telling you to stop doing what you’re doing. Everybody’s different. As I just commented to somebody below, one thing that I’ve learned about the guitar business is that there is ALWAYS an exception.

[@wyldebill8122]

Great info! Much Thanks! Keep up the great advice! Rock-on!

[@drummer4hire12]

I recently purchased a guitar on Ebay that said was like new, floor model. I received a guitar that the guy practiced leveling frets.....along with a new art of carving the fretboard with a file.....totally messed up the neck. His reply was 'oh, the newbies practice fret work on those guitars'......I didnt even bother with logic like that. Also, back in early 2000, I stopped Ebay and Paypal as I was out of 6,800.00 from being screwed over and over. My bank even forced me to stop using Paypal from all the headaches......glad to see it is better now. Things were kinda scary back then......at least for me

[@RobertWJackson]

He sold you a “floor model” guitar that techs-in-training were practicing fret work on? What a douche...

[@drummer4hire12]

Yeah......I wondered why it was so cheap. I told him not to be selling as 'new,floor model'......He acted like it was no big deal.

[@2Plus2isChicken2013]

As far as warranties, as far as I am aware some manufacturers do give you a transferrable warranty so the next owner can use the remainder of your warranty. I'm not sure how all that works, though. Nice video, though, and I agree with everything you said. Thanks!

[@RobertWJackson]

Transferable warranties actually aren’t all that common. Mesa-Boogie are actually the only company that I know of off the top of my head who offer a transferable warranty, and even then it’s only for 5 years.

[@jphillips5700]

The one thing I've learned is don't be in a rush to sell something unless you're desperate or something. Last guitar I sold was an Explorer in literally dead mint condition. It had about 36 hours or so of playtime. Just didn't care for it. I put it up for $1300 on all the usual sites. Got all kinds of stupid offers $300 was the most ridiculous. I just sat on it and kept relisting it. Had a few lowballers that never inspected it in person telling me that I would never get what I was asking. Then one day someone emailed me and was interested. I met him and he payed $1300. He couldn't believe the condition once he saw it in person. He was skeptical of the ad even though I had good pictures up. Now if I sell something I use a local music store I trust and consign it. It's worth the 10% or less depending cut. There's and advantage to people being able to see and touch it versus looking at a photo. Even with the cut the store takes I've consistently been able to get enough for gear that it isn't a hit compared to dealing with stupid offers from CL and FB.

[@tonedriverss8629]

Whenever I see AN AD WITH `DEAD MINT`` ..... I just pass and not ever be interested at all . I will NEVER put nor accept the word ``DEAD`` in ANY ad description . Capeesh

[@mikecarreca7864]

Hello Robert, Absolutely great tips. Although I do not sell any of my collection, I am always looking for that next deal to come along. Thank you for your hard work and time making these videos.

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man, my pleasure!

[@PeterJRadomski]

Very practical information. Well put together.

[@jameywylie4361]

Thank you sir. I wish everyone understood these concepts. It irritates me how unrealistic people’s expectations can be when they are selling their stuff.

[@RobertWJackson]

That’s why I made this video. I can’t believe how many people expect to receive something for nothing.

[@camtheham13]

Do you think there are exceptions to the mod rule, things like locking tuners come to mind as potential mods that a buyer would not be turned off by or might be interested by, obviously not on a "collectible" model but on a mass market guitar do you think the same is true? Love your videos

[@RobertWJackson]

When it comes to the guitar business, there’s ALWAYS exceptions. Somebody mentioned earlier about buying an inexpensive guitar whose plastic nut has been replaced with a bone nut. Of course nobody is going to complain about that, especially if the plastic nut was broken and HAD to be replaced. So yes, there are exceptions. But even on a mass market guitar, if you replaced the Grover Tulip tuners with a pair of Klusons, I hate those things and it’s annoying that I’ve now got to go find the right parts and put them back in at my expense. Assuming I agreed to the deal in the first place.

[@camtheham13]

Robert's Guitar Dungeon a lesson in why it's always good to keep the original parts if you have modded a guitar

[@fieraci8500]

If somebody put Duncan’s or Lollar pickups in a squire or epi LesPaul ll, I tend to think the prospective buyers would not give a rats ass about the originals or deviation from stock. But for upper grade or collectible guitars, I agree, stock (or including the stock parts) is more appealing to most buyers.

[@bradmerilic6848]

If you do mods, dear lord don't do anything cosmetic. If you want to change out pickups/electronics whatever, keep the originals and put the thing back to original before you list the thing.

[@mielasaiarra]

I am looking to sell a Yamaha FS800 how I bought it about 1 month ago is is in perfect condition how much do you think it would be worth at a guitar center

[@RobertWJackson]

You just bought it a month ago and you want to sell it already? Did you buy it from Guitar Center?

[@mielasaiarra]

I bought it from amazon I am planning to buy a smaller guitar in exchange

[@RobertWJackson]

Why don’t you just return it to Amazon and get a full refund?

[@mielasaiarra]

Robert's Guitar Dungeon we can no longer return it

[@RobertWJackson]

I see. Without knowing what kind of guitar it is or what kind of condition it’s in, I couldn’t even begin to guess what it might be worth. Just take it in there and see what they offer you for it. You don’t have to take their offer if it turns out to be one that you don’t like.

[@mikemiller6628]

Very good honest advice.

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man!

[@RavenMadd9]

thank you Robert

[@fovxoe2011]

Your rant was actually very informative, thanks! :)

[@RobertWJackson]

My pleasure!

[@JWCFB]

where do you list gear when you sale it?

[@RobertWJackson]

These days, typically Reverb. It takes a little longer to sell it than it does on eBay, but the fees are much lower.

[@charliepayne9248]

Great advice Robert, thanks for sharing this! Superb channel, love it... ☝👦👍

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man, glad you’re enjoying it!

[@richardmerriam7044]

I've priced my like new '08 Jagmaster so far below average market that it should sell very quickly, and I'll make a tidy profit as well. Apparently, these guitars are a fairly big item right now. I just don't like humbuckers.

[@stephenbarton2625]

Totally agree with all points. However, if a MIM strat is 6 months old with a Fender Elite Case and has zero wear/zero finish flaws-then I would say $400 makes sense at that point. But there are waaaay too many MIM strats out there for $400 without a case and are all banged up and heavily used/modified. Ugh! What are sellers thinking!

[@RobertWJackson]

Exactly.

[@m.vonhollen6673]

I spent my entire life putting my studio together. Now I have to sell it all, as I’m just too old.

[@johngilley3518]

Great tip's Robert, I run into the "My stuff is gold" a lot. Especially people that don't play but found a guitar at an auction, post it as rare with the wrong info.

[@RobertWJackson]

Yeah, those guys drive me crazy. LOL

[@fieraci8500]

Dead giveaway is when they put something in the ad copy like “I know what I have! No low ballers!” They may as well just type “I’m a big clueless douchebag, and you will only know frustration if you try to buy my shit.” Then there the people who include “No scammers!”. Yeah, dumbass....That is all you need to do to scare scammers away, right? It’s some kind of fourth graders ‘bro-code’, isn’t it?

[@RobertWJackson]

My favorite is when they list a guitar for sale “looking for feelers”. In other words, “I’ll sell it to you if you’re actually dumb enough to pay me more than it’s worth and more than I have in it.” LOL

[@fieraci8500]

“Taking offers!” Yessir, that’s the mark of a seller I want to keep the hell away from all right.

[@RobertWJackson]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Powell_OBonez]

Robert's Guitar Dungeon Awesome Advice Man ! Im selling a few dean bolt on ML's and a dave mustaine V so this will help on deciding asking prices. Thanks Man !!!

[@RobertWJackson]

My pleasure, and good luck!

[@richszmal1653]

Great video. I deal in a lot of used gear and and think people should watch this.

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks! Feel free to pass it along.

[@osvaldogarcia9675]

When you buy to resale from a walking customer. What percentage of the actual going price do you go by?

[@RobertWJackson]

Around 60%. Depends on the piece.

[@raymondbarreras8153]

Great shirt! Love your content too

[@Tuliomurillo]

Good points; thanks

[@leefosyer9390]

Excellent Robert...happy Saturday

[@mikewhitfield2994]

Excellent video. I've bought quite a few guitars so occasionally I run into people who believe their guitar should be worth 90% what they paid for it because they've hardly used it, or that it should be worth half or even 2/3 as much as a Gibson Les Paul because it's a copy of a Gibson Les Paul. These are usually the people who spend too much time telling me how great is their guitar and threatening to just keep it if they can't get the price they want. News flash - offering it for sale lets everyone know you don't like it enough to keep it in your current circumstances and literally everyone already knows that a seller won't sell if the asking price is below what they deem acceptable. Everything is worth what a buyer will pay AND a seller will accept - why waste each other's time belaboring one's half of this equation? Nothing to do but politely decline to purchase and as jvanb231 says, thank them for their time. I will admit to purchasing a couple guitars I really didn't want because the seller seemed desperate. But these were in the $100 - $200 range, where there really isn't much room to drop anyway.

[@Wildman9]

Treat people as you ,you would be treated in a deal as this .Both parties have to agree on a price,if you intend to sell.Mutual agreements are what business is about.Great video Robert,I have an almost new guitar for sale haha haha I think we've all seen that ad.!!🎸🎸👍✌

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks Bob!

[@RobertWJackson]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@rikkufan009]

Very useful and helpful ☺️ thanks 🙂

[@juanvaldez5422]

Always buy used if you can. You have to up your game and know what you are doing, but you get SO much more for your money. Never pay retail unless its a really good deal

[@darkphotographer]

you are right, a used item should go for half price or lower , except if is something rare and yes resalers scrou you over a lot, i once try to sale a camera lent worth 1000 , the resaler was willing to give me 200 ,,, and i was selling a similar older lent in worst condition than my for 800,, so i don't sell it , and i still have this lent ,,

[@hanskung3278]

I'm surprised to hear mods. devalue the guitar. I put a conversion neck on my strat, I devalued it?

[@RobertWJackson]

Yep. By a lot, actually.

[@hanskung3278]

@@RobertWJackson Well that's a bummer

[@RobertWJackson]

Sorry man. Hope you still have the original neck on it when you go to resell it.

[@hanskung3278]

@@RobertWJackson I do but putting necks on turns out not to be a straight forward thing, I'm not messing with it.

[@fieraci8500]

I’ve always seen on eBay (sure you have too) where a seller is obviously parting out a guitar....has separate auctions running consecutively...for the neck, body, pickups, tuners, bridge,etc from that one guitar. And they seem to make a considerably more money than people who sell identical guitars whole. I’ve sold several guitars on my own and thru eBay. I’ve sold them whole. And then sold a couple in parts in separate auctions. I made a lot more selling the parts. People would message me asking to sell the whole guitar...and of course wanted to pay less than the sum of parts. Too bad for them. It’s a shame but many many guitars sell better as parts and it’s a HELL of a lot easier to ship parted out. Plus if you have a nice guitar that really needs that part, kicking up a bid is easier to rationalize. I’ve heard people sell guitars on eBay completely parted out because either the guitar does not play well or maybe it does but to avoid any “buyer protection” problems or backlash if a buyer whines that it’s a bad guitar and won’t play right. If you sell as parts: it’s not a musical instrument and as long as you are not blatantly lying about it or it’s condition, you are good. I know this vid is about selling guitars/gear, and what I’m bringing up here is basically on topic but off to the left somewhere, but maybe you might use it as a vid topic. Curious to hear your views, and snarky humorous sarcastic jabs at any deserving schmucks in the process.

[@RobertWJackson]

It actually drives me nuts when people part out guitars on eBay, ESPECIALLY high-end guitars. You are correct, they do it to get more money out of it, though after all of the selling fees on each listing are factored in, I’m not sure how much more. I don’t like it because it typically leads to more Partsocasters on the used market and somebody else getting ripped off down the road. Ever wonder how many people own an American Strat that they bought used off of eBay and just took the seller’s word for it that it was all original but really have no idea that the neck and body serial numbers don’t match up inside the neck pocket? I’d bet there’s more than you think. This is why I prefer to special order any parts I might need directly from the manufacturer through an authorized dealer.

[@PickingandFlipping]

Offer up/let go. And craigslist. No fees no shipping no headaches.

[@jameswilson3554]

common since goes a long way..good video...

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man!

[@aleksanderdjuran8010]

As someone whos been going hard on the used market the past year, this really hits me close. I've scored some great deals, from a Squier Strat for 50€, to a Epi Prophecy LP for 80€, to a H&K Warp X for 300€, but I've also seen my fair share of rude and sentimental assholes who want to charge you the same as they bought it from a retailer. Hell, some of them even say "You're not paying full price, it's X amount of money, but I payed for the shipping so you're saving money!", and thats for a local pickup :^) That Crap really pisses me off

[@RobertWJackson]

Yeah, there really are a lot of douchebags out there who don’t seem to have any problem insulting other people’s intelligence. SMH...

[@oliver_davies08]

The amp I wanna sell actually is in absolute mint condition

[@gabrieltoneguitars9365]

Another great vid!

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man!

[@goldenlabradorskye]

Thankyou for the advice. Saltash UK

[@deanwolfechannel]

Curious about instruments with pro musicians signatures on them. Sometimes pro musician, but not widely known, but adding hundreds of dollars to price

[@visualthings]

Indeed, unknown bands, new sensation of the year, or my favourite: Artist's signature on an instrument that is totally in a different league (12 string acoustic signed by Angus Young, cheap strat copy signed by Kirk Hammet).

[@gregoryb2999]

Yeah i ain't paying for a brand and then a signature of someone not known.

[@gregoryb2999]

Here's a good one. They held a little concert after slight covid reopen nothing big or fancy small outside crowd. I never heard of any of the people playing and honestly wasn't by far decent. No disrespect just not for me. A guy in the crowd I guess knew someone playing or the band and had them sign and stripe(butcher) a Les Paul special. Idk if alcohol ect or whatever but as I said band wasn't for me and butchered beginners songs and the singing I think a strangled cat wld sound better. That guitar lost over 3/4 of it's value instantly. Also no I never try nor discourage and say bad things about bands or people playing because we suppose to support each other and all have different talent and abilities but they weren't stage ready by FAR.

[@jwillyb870]

It would be awesome if you could do a video on taxes and selling guitars as far as the business end of things are concerned. I feel like not a whole lot of us musicians out there selling used gear know much about that side of things or are even concerned with it, but truth is... you can get into a lot of trouble for ignoring all that especially when selling lots of merchandise and high dollar items and bringing in lots of revenue that's unaccounted for.

[@RobertWJackson]

I’ll see what I can do!

[@jwillyb870]

@@RobertWJackson Sweet! Do you deal with that much when selling guitars on your own? Filing taxes? Reason I ask is because I know nothing about it LOL

[@RobertWJackson]

J WillyB the way the tax laws are written, as I understand them anyway - and I am NOT a lawyer or a tax expert, so take this with a grain of salt - in the U.S., if you make less than $600 annually on a side venture like flipping guitars, you don’t need to report that income on your taxes at the end of the year. If you DO, however, break the $600 threshold, then you need to claim that income on a 1099 form. In other words, you are self-employed and represent both the employer AND the employee and must pay the taxes on both sides. That is how I have to report my income from my KZbin channel every year. While it certainly is not a ton of money, it is more than $600 annually and I have to report it as additional income from both sides. So I have to pay the income tax as the employee receiving it, and as the employer paying it out. In the state that I live in, this all adds up to about 35% that I have to set aside every month in order to pay those taxes at the end of the year. Now some of that does go away as I, as a professional musician/KZbin creator, get to write off my expenses and gear purchases that were made in order to continue running my business. I don’t get very many vendors sending me gear to demo, so most of the demos that you see on my channel are of gear that I have purchased out of my own pocket. Now, in the instance of flipping gear where there is a PHYSICAL product being bought and sold, you might want to do a little more digging on that because I don’t know if there would be a state inventory tax that you’d need to account for or not. Hope this helps!

[@emochinchilla]

Good points

[@johnquiroz8279]

If you modify your guitar it devalues it what about the frankenstrat how much is that worth

[@RobertWJackson]

So suddenly everybody who mods a guitar is Eddie Van Halen? That’s the thinnest argument ever. LOL

[@johnquiroz8279]

@@RobertWJackson no I think a used guitar is a used guitar it doesn't matter what year it was made or modified or who modified it

[@RobertWJackson]

Then by that logic, Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstein guitar that you mentioned earlier would be worth about $400 TOPS. LOL

[@johnquiroz8279]

@@RobertWJackson 20 bucks but I'll buy it 50.bucks because it's used right

[@216Numbskull]

​@@johnquiroz8279No, the problem is you're not thinking at all my friend. Any used guitar isn't just any used guitar. Plus, the year it's made & who makes it absolutely matters without any mods at all to it. Otherwise a "used" '59 Gibson Les Paul wouldn't be worth & cost you more than 10x the amount you could buy a brand new Les Paul for today, ya dig? There's a good reason why those guitar's are still in so much demand & expensive for guitarist's to buy now today! 🤔 Just saying... +Peace, Funk & Rock n' Roll 4 Your Soul My Friend+ 🤘😉🤘

[@estring69]

On they buying side, seems like you should call Guitar center if you are looking for something specific. Don’t seem to make it to the web site. Current fsr tele no blemish 500 save 200. Custom mex Daphne’s blue 500 not listed. 50s blue, no blemish not listed 500. Not steal prices, but more desirable colors features.

[@themagneticfishermen8510]

I dont get mad at stores for low balling. they got to make money. You don't have to accept. And alot of times you have to calm down do the math. Sometimes you get that money plus 10%-20% off a new purchase. now add that on top if your selling to buy something. And its usually not a bad offer. Especially for not having the headache of selling yourself. What i cant stand is when big stores sell used gear open box blah blah for $0-$50 less then brand new. after shipping you pay more for used. I hope everyone does there research and math. If your saving $10-$20 by buying used just buy new.

[@MaxPower-js1sk]

Thanks Robert, that was really helpful. How much hate did you get? Cheers, S 👍

[@jansabarth9466]

You need to mention that the resellers discount is actually their work to sell it for you... so that 10 - 20 - 25 % less they pay to you is their fee to sell it for you!

[@RobertWJackson]

Very true.

[@sethmaven6924]

Take it to a store like Robert's on trade or consign and let him deal with the headache. I'll never sell on-line again; my time isn't worth the 10-15% extra, after fees, I'd make selling it myself.

[@RobertWJackson]

I agree, but I don’t have a store. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@victorramsey5575]

Either buying or selling a rule of thumb I go with is its worth roughly half of what I (or you) paid for it new. The only exception is rare vintage gear in MINT condition. And no.... upgrades or mods DO NOT up the value. A 2002 Honda Civic with a $2000 Alpine sound system is still juat a 2002 Honda Civic. The car came with a radio so a better radio doesnt matter. A guitar came with pickups so "better" pickups make no difference in value. A buyer isnt going to pay for your choice of upgrades.

[@knyshov]

Hmm I paid seller's asking price for upgraded guitars. It was slightly higher than a comparable stock guitar. Upgrades do add value to the right buyer. However, it will take longer to sell.

[@POOKIE5592]

When you said, "shitty people" it almost sounded like "shady people". Lol!

[@BIBSTERSrepairshop]

Wait so my epiphone jr isn’t worth 1 bamillion dollars

[@RobertWJackson]

LOL Nope, sorry dude.

[@joshuarutnik4351]

👏🏻

[@thomasehrhardt2765]

All bets are off when it comes to *Signature* models or very limited run instruments. In 2016 one of mine sold new for around 600$ (it sold out in about 30 minutes online) it now goes on the secondary market from 800$ in terrible condition to over $1100 unplayed mint. if you have a common production model be prepared to take half off. The market is flooded at Christmas time! You might sell fast but it'll be for cheap! 😂

[@semilivesixstringstrumist5595]

You never touched the fact of how long you are willing to put it up for sale for. You do get more if you are willing to take the time to sell it. It will sell for more value.

[@dangerousnooodle7079]

I have a like fucking nice ass uke I got for only $150 awhile ago and it's worth more but I honestly don't believe I'll sell it back for anything close to that

[@Goffix2009]

Consider the money you made using the instruments from the gigs through the years. It should ease the pain of thinking you are losing on your investment. It worked for me.

[@stuartmacdonald5361]

You make money playing gigs? Shit, it's a win if I break even.

[@Goffix2009]

@@stuartmacdonald5361 I was lucky enough to gig for over 45 years. On the Road. I'm from Brooklyn, NY. We gigged in Hawaii, Cruise ships, Atlanta, Charleston, Miami, Gary.Conn, NJ, Mass, etc. My Band (The YesterDaze), had the great opportunity to back up Jim Yester of The Association for a few years and open up for The Tokens, Jive 5, The Stylistics, Freddie Cannon, The Belmonts and Lou Christie just to name a few. Here I am, playing on the same stage with the very people I bought records from when I was a teenager! What Were the odds! I Love Showbiz! I realize it seems like I'm bragging, but I filled part of my "Bucket" in life! I'm 70 years old. I had to sell my '45-'46 WMP Slingerland Radio Kings. I'm unable to play any more due to arthritis. Thanks to the advice from Robert Guitar Dungeon, I'm now selling my "modified" '65 Slingerland (recovered with red glass glitter and new legs, etc.), I'm selling the 4 piece kit including throne, bass riser, Gibralter rack and hi-hat stand, bass drum pedal and Latin Percussion items along with other parts. I"m willing to sell the stuff with a low price tag. I don't feel that I'm losing any money on this deal. That was my point. I have great memories with all my kits!

[@stuartmacdonald5361]

@@Goffix2009 Yep, you did better than most of us did or will do. For most bands they really are lucky to break even. Like ACDC said, "It's a long way to the top if ya wanna rock and roll".

[@Goffix2009]

@@stuartmacdonald5361 The secret is having the right 'chemistry" between Band mates. I was lucky that the the stars aligned with us! And we were unemployed anyway...so we took the leap! We worked dives and joints that we should've avoided. Our first gig in Brooklyn was a M-b" joint. As we were playing, a rack of furs crossed the dance floor! LOL! True story! As a matter of fact, if you saw "A Bronx Tale", the bar was named the " Chez Bippy. Check out the ending from "The 7 Ups". Right next to the truck that the cops were in was the "Chez Bippy", in the Bronx. They changed it to The Ace In The Hole', but that was one of the Mob places we played in back in the '70s! Good thing they paid in cash! LOL! All in all, we were willing to gig anywhere! I forgot to mention we were also a Doo Wop band playing '50s Rock and Roll!