Buying vintage guitars > Info > A Guide to Buying Vintage Guitars on eBay

A Guide to Buying Vintage Guitars on eBay

Buying any item on eBay is an appealing method of going about buying an instrument.  After all, not only can you get items that are harder to come buy (such as vintage guitars), but you can get them at a much lower price than you could otherwise find.  There are certain things to take note of prior to purchasing, however.

When buying vintage guitars on eBay, try to go through a basic checklist in order to make sure everything is covered.  First, you'll want to be sure that you've calculated everything into the price.  Beyond the cost (or the bid), have you taken shipping costs into account?  What about insurance?  These prices are small, but they can stack up over time.

Next, what exactly are you getting?  While you may know the brand of the instrument, do you know how well tuned it is?  When was the last time the strings were replaced?  Are there any scuffs, scratches, or other problems?  Don't hesitate to ask the seller a question prior to making your purchase.

In addition, you'll want to take an in depth look at your seller.  How long have they been on eBay?  What is their feedback score?  How many items like this one have they sold, and what did those buyers say about the item?  You can find all this in the feedback section without too much difficulty.

When you're ready to make your purchase, you should buy through PayPal, the simplest method of purchasing, and the one that protects you most.  If that item does happen to be damaged, or if you don't receive it at all, PayPal can get you your money back.