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Vintage guitar appraisal

Getting an appraisal for your guitar (especially if it's a vintage guitar) is an important step in protecting your investment.  Where, how, and when to get that appraisal can be more tricky questions than why, however, so this article will give you a few simple tips on getting your vintage guitar appraisal.

First of all, to make sure that you maximize the value of your guitar, avoid these mistakes.  One – keep your guitar in tip-top shape.  Store it kindly, avoid dust and dirt, and keep it out of reach of children.  Two – even if you're tempted to, don't replace parts on the vintage guitar.  If you need to, get another guitar for playing.  It's likely more cost effective than decreasing the value of your vintage model.  Three – don't refinish your guitar, even it's really beat up.

Beyond maximizing the actual value you'll get with that vintage guitar appraisal, before getting an official appraisal you can get general information about the make of your guitar and its price on today's market using price guide's like the “Official Vintage Guitar Price Guide.”  A price guide like this will cost you less than $10 and will help you feel comfortable with your final value, and know when you might need a second opinion.

Online appraisals are available but aren't usually considered official or valid when it comes to insurance claims.  An actual in-person inspection is generally needed for these purposes, and you can find locations that do this by doing local searches or calling local music and antique shops.