A How-To On Buying a Used Guitar

I love used guitars, I love buying used guitars. Why, because not only are used guitars like finely aged wine, in the sense that they get better with time, used guitars also represent the best value-for-money.

I’ve come across some truly fantastic deals over the years when it comes to guitars in the used aisle. I’ve come across vintage, signature, custom and limited-edition models for less than half or one-third their original price! These models would usually set you back by at least a couple grand if bought new, but can be easily picked up on the cheap when bought second-hand.

In short buying used can prove to be a fruitful venture for many different reasons – (a) it allows you to potentially score some fantastic bargains, (b) as the wood ages, the guitar’s sound becomes better, more mature, (c) used guitars are perfect for someone on a budget, (d) used guitars get better with age, (e) some old, vintage guitars might even feature wood types that no longer exist anymore – for instance older guitars with Brazilian Rosewood bodies (which is now extinct), and (f) some older guitars might even be handmade and hence better than machine-manufactured guitars.

Apart from some of the tips that should always be kept in mind when buying a guitar, here is a list of things which should be kept in consideration specifically when going for a used guitar:

1. Overall Condition: Checking the overall condition of the guitar involves an overall inspection, which includes checking the guitar for cracks in the wood, or the edges becoming unglued. Any cracks could severely compromise the guitar’s sound quality and may even require repairs. How does the guitar look? Does it look well taken care of? Is it still in good shape? How is the paintjob and how what shape is the guitar in cosmetically? A bit of wear-and-tear is okay though.

2. Neck: Visual inspection of the neck is important. A slightly-bent neck is actually okay, as the neck of the guitar is exposed to a large amount of spring tension; however it should never be a lot. Bring the guitar up to your face and line it up as if you are looking down the barrel of the gun. There should be a slight twist at around the 4^th to the 6^th frets. But overall, the neck should look straight. Also examine how the neck attaches to the body; the neck socket should be attached to the body like a rock. Speaking of the neck, check if it has a truss rod; a truss rod enables the neck to maintain its shape and straightness.

3. Frets (and the Fretboard): Check if the frets are in place, or sticking out of the fingerboard by running your fingers along the side of the neck. If even a single fret sticks out either one of the sides, it would be advisable to move on, as it would indicate that the neck may be bent. The same applies to frets that might be sticking out of their slots too much. This though is fixable – all that would be needed is a hammer.

4. Headstock: Move your attention to the headstock. Make sure the tuning keys turn freely. If the guitar uses those plastic rollers, make sure they’re in good shape, otherwise the guitar will almost certainly become out of tune easily and frequently. Not an expensive fix, as they are easily replaceable. Also check the nut for any damage or cracks.

5. Rust: Look for rust on the strings, as well as on the body and particularly the pick-ups. Even the smallest bit of rust anywhere on the guitar would make the guitar worthless. But bear in mind that it is pretty easy (if not very cheap) to replace the pickups on some electric guitars.

6. Action: Check the distance between the strings and the fretboard/neck (aka the ‘action’). The less the action (which means the closer the strings are to the neck), the better – because this makes them easier to press down and improves the playability of the guitar considerably. A guitar that has strings close to the neck all the way along, it means that it has a ‘good action’. Guitars with poor action can be fixed, if you’re willing to spend a few of your greens.

7. Play the Guitar: At the end, you would want to play the guitar to see how it sounds, or if you’re a novice player, I recommend bringing someone with along with you who can play the guitar to see how it sounds, and if it sound how it should. Bring a tuner along with you so you can tune the guitar on the spot; a guitar which struggles to get into tune easily would not be a good choice. If it’s an old guitar, there should be no buzzing sounds, and it should actually sound better, warmer than a new guitar. Play every note on every fret of each string, and pay attention to how each fret sounds individually. If it’s an electric guitar, hook it up with an amp to see how it sounds through it. A general rule: if you are in any way unhappy with how the guitar sounds, walk away.

8. Ask the Seller: Ask the seller straight-up if there’s anything that you should know about the guitar, in terms of how (and where) it was used, and about the overall condition of the guitar. An honest seller will tell you about any damage that might have gone unnoticed or one that may even be almost impossible to detect. Also ask how long the guitar’s been used, and if the guitar has underwent any repair and/or maintenance during this period. Use common sense here; if the seller seems like he’s not being honest or not giving you all the information, walk away. 

When buying your next guitar, or looking for a replacement/upgrade, I suggest looking in the used guitars aisle at your local guitar store, or look for good deals online. GuitarCenter for instance has a ton of used guitars in its inventory, as does MusiciansFriend, worth checking out for sure!