Whether you’re selling a single guitar or an entire collection of equipment, you can get some decent cash or store credit with a trade-in. The downside is it can take much longer than selling privately or through classified ads.
Vintage equipment with high market value is not a good choice for trading unless you’re willing to take a significant loss. Then, it’s better to sell it privately.For guitar trade in, check this out!
Know What You’re Selling
It is important to do some research before heading into your local GC. First, you should know what your EXACT gear is worth. Then, go online and see what your guitar (or amp) sells for use. Pay attention to the total cost, including shipping. Once you have a number in mind, see if they have that particular piece of equipment for sale on their GC-used website. Then you can come in with confidence that you are not over or underselling your gear.
The main thing to remember is that Guitar Center will not pay you cash for your gear. They require to sell it to someone else and make money. This is how they stay in business. They can’t just `buy everything that walks in their door and can’t afford to spend a fortune on instruments that nobody will ever buy.
This is why they typically only offer you 50 – 60% of fair market value. The only exception is for very rare or vintage equipment that is truly unique or if it is just highly collectable.
Other elements that will influence the value of your gear are whether it’s working or not and the condition. They don’t want to buy broken equipment, huge items like full-size pianos and upright orchestral basses. They also probably won’t be interested in digital keyboard workstations that are not brand new.
They usually give you more if your gear is clean and working well. You can make a massive difference in the overall value of your equipment simply by getting it clean and putting a fresh set of strings on it. This will make a big difference in how your guitar looks and affect how it sounds.
It’s much the same as if you would take your car to the dealer for an inspection. However, maintaining your instrument before you bring it in for an evaluation makes more sense.
Don’t Be Afraid, to Be Honest
Regardless of whether you are selling your gear outright to the store, or trading it in for something new, be honest. The music store needs to know what they are getting into to assess your equipment’s value accurately. For guitar trade in, check this out!
Pointing out a minor flaw in your guitar or other gear can be tempting, but don’t overdo it. The music store does not care about your sentimental attachment to the instrument – they are only concerned with how much they can sell it after taking it off your hands.
If you are honest, the store will take into account any past damage that has been done to the gear and will give you a fair price for it. Then, you can walk away with the item you want or the cash you need to buy something else.
Unlike when trying to sell your gear on the open market, when you trade in your equipment at Guitar Center, you don’t have to deal with strangers or play games of haggling over prices. However, that also means you aren’t getting top dollar for your equipment either.
Many people think they can bring their used equipment to a Guitar Center and have it shipped off for a much higher sum than they would have received on the open market. Unfortunately, this is not possible. When you take your gear in to be traded in or sold, the store associate will have it inspected to evaluate its condition and make an offer.
They will also consider any extras you might bring in with the equipment, such as a case or pedals. However, you must visit the store in person to do this.
It’s important to realise that the music store is a business and is trying to profit from the used equipment they buy. Therefore, they will not always pay your items’ total used market value, as they must also consider their operating and processing costs. In addition, they need to allow for any repairs or adjustments required before reselling your equipment. For guitar trade in, check this out!