What to look for when buying a used guitarPlay it, inspect it, and never hand over cash without checking what's actually under the paint. Do your homework first Alan Ratcliffe, our Guitar Doctor, says the higher the price, the more homework and the closer the inspection — especially on models known to be faked (Gibsons are a common target) 6. Know the real thing: Learn the difference between genuine and lookalike parts — many sellers are honestly mistaken, e.g. "Squier by Fender" vs Fender, or Duncan Designed vs Seymour Duncan 6. Ask to open it up: If in doubt, pop a control cavity cover or pull a pickup. A legitimate seller won't mind — just ask first 6. Watch for swaps: One forum member bought what looked like a USA Strat, but closer inspection with a second opinion revealed a swapped body — only visible once you looked carefully 6. Buying safely (Gumtree etc.) Always play first: Ssharonzaz warns that a buyer willing to buy a guitar sight unseen is a classic scam red flag — any real muso wants to play before buying 5. Google the seller: Check the name and phone number, and trust your gut 5. Buy from forum members where possible: Long-time forumites have a reputation to protect, so there's a strong incentive to make things right if something's wrong 6. Price and sourcing tips It's a buyer's market: Common gear loses value fast — deals at 25–30% of retail happen, but rare/vintage holds price 1. Set up alerts: Subscribe to email/RSS feeds for the gear categories you want so good deals come to you 1. The threads don't cover detailed physical checks like neck relief or fret wear — worth asking the community for a used-guitar inspection checklist. From these forum threads10 things to remember when buying .or selling second hand or in fact new gear (2011): Secondhand pricing reality and how to catch deals earlyFake Chinese Gibsons - My Story! (2011): Cautionary tale about a fake Gibson Les Paul bought onlineTips on how to avoid gumtree scams (2013): Scam red flags for Gumtree guitar buyersHow much do you trust the seller?? (2014): How to verify a used guitar isn't faked or swapped
