I am a guitar addict. I love guitars. I especially love used guitars. I can’t help it. It’s part of my DNA. It’s one of those recessive genes that has its way with me every time I go into a guitar store or browse a flea market. Sure I gawk at every new guitar hanging on a rack and occasionally pick one up and play a little. They’re great. They look pretty and sound wonderful. Problem is they lack character. They haven’t quite matured quite yet. Where’s the history? Where’s the mojo? I’m not feeling it.
I get a little rush when I’m at a yard sale and see a guitar with a darkened patina. I give it the once over. Check to see if the bridge is coming up or if there’s any lifting on the body. I flip it over and check where the neck meets the body. Solid. Another once over and I play my first chord. Tune it up. Start to do my little fingerpicking thing to test it out. I love it. Tuners look good. Check the frets. I always like to check the frets. I look for grooves cut into them. Most guitars show wear on the first fret.
One of the worst things I hear from a seller is “Make me an offer.” I always avoid that question. I once made what I thought was a reasonable, if not generous, offer to a seller. You would have thought I called him a dirty word. Totally insulted by my offer which he apparently thought was too low for the guitar he was selling along with assorted tools and his kid’s old toys.
The problem with buying a used guitar is placing a value on it. There’s always the book value which is a nice guide and a place to start. But experience tells me a guitar is worth whatever the seller has the nerve to ask or what ever you are willing to pay.
At some point used becomes “vintage”. Sellers will often use that adjective to describe anything over 25 years old in an attempt to increase the value of that piece of junk they found in the trash.
Great for slide players usually refers to a guitar with poor action and a neck that has seen better days. They may also add the phrase “little fret wear”.
I know how much a set of strings cost. That’s a given. Replacing a new saddle is easy but I’ve spent the better part of an afternoon trying to find one that came close to matching the old one. I ended up fabricating it from some composite material.
Having said that I still like the look and feel of a good sounding used guitar.
