WHO BUYS VINTAGE? WE DO!
If you're looking to sell your vintage guitar, bass, or amplifier, we're glad you found us! Since 1995, we've been buying vintage guitars, basses, and tube amps from Fender, Gibson, Martin, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Marshall, Vox, Washburn, Guild, and Ampeg, and others.
Whether you're selling a single guitar or an entire collection, we can help turn your vintage gear into cash quickly. We offer quick evaluations, make competitive, fair cash offers, and we deal nationwide.
If you're new to buying, or if it's been awhile, we're also here to help! We get lots of questions, and while each seller and deal is unique, below you'll find a Seller's FAQ and other selling information that we hope helps you weigh your options.
Please always feel free to reach out to us at any time! You can email using the contact form below, or call us us directly: (530) 570-1525.
We love talking guitars and look forward to hearing from you!
SELLERS: FAQ
Sellers often have questions related to the selling process, or when weighing the pros and cons of selling privately versus selling to a vintage guitar dealer.
Here are some of the most common questions:
- Can I get more for my guitar selling on sites like Reverb?
- Do I have to pay tax on a sale?
- How much will a repair or modification affect the value of my guitar or amp?
- What do buyers expect and what do I need to provide as a seller?
- How do you safely ship vintage guitars and gear?
We wish there were simple answers, but every seller, instrument, and deal is unique.
So, below we've shared some of what we've learned buying and selling lots and lots of instruments. We hope it might answer the questions you have—and perhaps a few you haven’t considered yet! If not, please feel free to give us a call or email us and we'll do our best to help!
INSPECTION/APPRAISAL
Inspection is the first—and most crucial—step when selling a vintage piece. It sets the stage for accurately determining value, and of course the asking price.
Cutting to the chase: Vintage instruments that are fully functional, playable, and include every original part—down to the last rusted screw—are the rarest, and command the highest prices. However, that doesn't mean that less-than-perfect or 100% original instruments aren't desirable!
On the contrary—a properly refinished instrument can be more financially accessible to a larger audience, while expected maintenance, like replaced frets can attract buyers prioritizing playability over provenance. Note that potential buyers commonly seek further details, however, such as whether or not replaced frets are consistent with the originals. This is why experienced, hands-on evaluations are so crucial - they provide buyers with necessary assurance. In-hand evaluations are also perfect opportunities to photograph and document the details interested buyers will almost certainly ask for.
IMPORTANT: Inspecting high voltage tube amplifiers should only be done by a qualified amp tech or electrician. You risk not only damaging your vintage amp poking around it, but also serious injury and death working around lethal tube amp voltages - voltages that can remain lethal long after the amp is powered off.
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SETTING A PRICE
Understanding what you have is the most important part of setting a price, but there are other important considerations when pricing as well, such as how active the market is - both generally, and for the item in question - as well as how motivated a seller or shop is to sell an item.
Weighing these variables isn't always easy and there are certainly consequences. Price too low, and you'll leave money on the table, but aim too high, and your instrument may sit unsold. Buyers can be wary of instruments that linger.
If you’ve shopped vintage guitars, you’ve probably noticed that seemingly identical models from the same year can command very different prices. Some sellers may place a premium on a specific finish, weight, or wood appearance, while some collectors may not be motivated to sell for less than top dollar and are content to keep their instruments.
In most cases it's far less mysterious. Prices typically differ based on varying degrees of originality (original parts and finish), previous repairs or modifications that may or may not be obvious, and other tangibles, such as a recently performed neck reset.
Some examples:
- A recent poly refinish will almost certainly impact price more than a factory nitro finish done long ago
- Expected maintenance, such as a quality re-fret or neck reset may actually provide incentive to player - provided the work was done well and is consistent with original examples.
- Destructive modifications, such as custom pickup routes, drilled holes for replacement tuners, or a Floyd Rose will most certainly affect value.
The real challenge is estimating how these details affect value, i.e., assessing the quality of work and materials—and that’s where expert insight makes a difference.
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SELLING AND SERVICE
Once you've set a price, you’re ready to sell! Armed with detailed photos and a thorough written description—including the good, the bad, and the ugly—you ensure a complete and accurate listing. Transparency is crucial in the vintage market, where inaccurate representation can lead to stressful conversations and returns.
Once an item is posted, what's next? Suffice to say that selling is rarely a "set it and forget it" process.
There are likely to be requests for specific neck measurements, current setup specs, extra photos from different angles, and in some cases, video and sound samples. Responsive and knowledgeable responses are important to successful selling.
Early offers may start rolling in quickly—some may seem unreasonably low, while it may feel too early to entertain more tempting ones. Opportunistic buyers may test your knowledge, looking for any opportunity to negotiate the price down.
Ultimately, for some, selling is a blast. For others, it can be rollercoaster of stress and annoyance. Will low ball offers vex and rattle you? Are you afraid you might take a low offer? Will you be comfortable negotiating with multiple prospective buyers at once?