The quarterly question - How do we feel about the used market?

[LucSulla]

So what is the current mood about used guitar prices? Going up, down, or staying the same?

Reverb's trend analysis is a little too opaque for me to lean too much on.

[RobB]

I'm selling stuff on consignment. Just sold an amp and guitar. Made money on one, lost a few hundy on another. Didn't have ship/pack, etc., so that's a win in my book. A few more guitars and two amps to come...

Market seems a little soft lately. Prices aren't tanking, but muhfuggas are still posting higher prices for premium gear. I don't know if they're getting asking. This is why I like early-80s, Japan replicas. Very high quality for low/mid-level pricing.

Edited February 19 by RobB

[Dave Scepter]

Sadly enough, I feel there will be a surge in used musical instruments sales soon 😢

Edited February 19 by Dave Scepter

[LucSulla]

4 hours ago, RobB said:

I'm selling stuff on consignment. Just sold an amp and guitar. Made money on one, lost a few hundy on another. Didn't have ship/pack, etc., so that's a win in my book. A few more guitars and two amps to come...

Market seems a little soft lately. Prices aren't tanking, but muhfuggas are still posting higher prices for premium gear. I don't know if they're getting asking. This is why I like early-80s, Japan replicas. Very high quality for low/mid-level pricing.

About all I have is Facebook around here. 

I think things are getting a bit soft as well, and it could get worse. I'm of a mind to take a little bit of a loss now over rolling the dice on not being able to get liquid at all in the future. 

[The Shark]

I'll be selling about fifteen guitars after May 1st, but I'm not confident that I'll be able to sell for fair value (what I think they're worth).  Not sure it matters, but everything I see that catches my eye on Reverb or other forums has been for sale for a long time.  

[ARM OF HAMER]

                                    High asking prices on many guitars, not sure how many are actually selling for asking prices. Hamer prices have certainly gone up and that is a good thing as they have been very underpriced for years. The guitars of Japan, MIJ have really gone up as players looking for lower price alternatives seek out these high-quality instruments. 

[Jimbilly]

Prices seem pretty decent to me at the moment.  Reverb is the place to sell if you're willing to ship, Ebay auction is for if you just want to get rid of it, and don't mind 'giving it away'. - I'm told by my friend who buys/sells all sorts of stuff for a living (including guitars and amps).

 FB marketplace for local sales (if you live in a populated area), Craigslist is searched much less than FB, but still worth posting there too for those buyers who aren't on FB. 

I've been flipping a fair amount of stuff recently: sometimes it takes several weeks of 'market exposure', acoustic guitars and basses are slow movers. Expect some irritatingly lowball offers on FB, decline those and within a week or two you'll probably have a reasonable buyer.  I recently added "local (my city) meetup only please" to my listings, that has reduced my drive times for sale meetups. I always ask for "cash only please" too, makes for a clean done-deal.   

[crunchee]

Speaking as a consumer, I don't see much of anything that makes me want to spend the money that sellers are asking...and nothing that I can't do without or don't already have.  I don't think it's a good time to sell either, the market seems to be kinda meh at this time.  Uncertainty seems to be everybody's favorite word of 2025, and it's kinda hard to make plans when you don't know what's gonna happen next week, or next month, or next year.

[django49]

I see things I like. Not too many with prices I like. (As if I NEEDED more stuff). Many things here that I intend to sell. In slow motion since I fell outta love with shipping. But now and then someone gets anxious to drive 300 miles or so to hand me $4-6k for a nice guitar. Happens more often than you might think......(Sometimes 1000 miles round trip. HIS story is that it gives him a  chance to play some nice ones he cannot find elsewhere. Good for me as he can start saving for the next trip).

Ebbs and flows....No action for many weeks......Someone bought an amp this morning. Someone coming down from Seattle tomorrow to buy one of my shop built custom cabs (and test drive a few other things). Another guy sez he has the bucks now to buy my pair of halfback cabinets. IF all comes to pass, it will free up a little space here by the end of the weekend.
 

Fortunately, no need for a fire sale.

[HSB0531]

I don't know.  Maybe I'll keep everything, buy some, then rent out a full back-line.....Nah...

Seriously though, I think the prices will go up at a slower pace, with the nicer condition pieces selling quick.

Edited February 21 by HSB0531

[Cboss]

 

[Jimbilly]

I try to never buy any music gear that I can't make money on, or at least break even on, but I am getting closer to getting one of those cheap headless Eart guitars off amazon, I think it would allow me to play comfortably on the couch, my back might be happier and allow me to practice longer, that's my reasoning anyway, and not a big loss if I decided to resell again.  With that as an exception, I avoid collecting anything that's going to depreciate, I put a fair amount of money into bicycles over the past 15 years, those are a terrible investment, but that exercise has quite a bit of value.

   I laugh when I hear gold/coin store ads on the radio: "it's a great time to buy!, and if you have extra gold and jewlery, it's also a great time to sell!", I'm sure there is a guitar marketing equivalent.

[django49]

1 hour ago, Jimbilly said:

I try to never buy any music gear that I can't make money on, or at least break even on, but I am getting closer to getting one of those cheap headless Eart guitars off amazon, I think it would allow me to play comfortably on the couch, my back might be happier and allow me to practice longer, that's my reasoning anyway, and not a big loss if I decided to resell again.  With that as an exception, I avoid collecting anything that's going to depreciate, I put a fair amount of money into bicycles over the past 15 years, those are a terrible investment, but that exercise has quite a bit of value.

   I laugh when I hear gold/coin store ads on the radio: "it's a great time to buy!, and if you have extra gold and jewlery, it's also a great time to sell!", I'm sure there is a guitar marketing equivalent.

Sounds like the all too frequent calls I get from realtors...."I see you have some rental properties. I just listed a few and there has never been a better time to buy. Oh, you are not looking to buy? Well, if you want to sell what you have, there has never been a better time to sell!"

Yep.....Translated as, "There has never been a better time for me to get a commission".

There is a reason I let the calls go to voice mail.....

[velorush]

Don't think this has been posted. One guy's opinion (it popped up in the array right after the PhilX video in the other thread):

 

[Disturber]

I tried to sell some amps last year and it was hard. No bites at all. Now I recently sold three heads and one cab. But the cab was a hard sell. It was a 1974 Marshall 1960A and I had to drop the price on it. I am thinking, are players going more to digital and in ears? Are new players less interested in amps + cabs?

[HSB0531]

18 hours ago, django49 said:

Sounds like the all too frequent calls I get from realtors...."I see you have some rental properties. I just listed a few and there has never been a better time to buy. Oh, you are not looking to buy? Well, if you want to sell what you have, there has never been a better time to sell!"

Yep.....Translated as, "There has never been a better time for me to get a commission".

There is a reason I let the calls go to voice mail.....

Perfectly put!  Hit the nail right on the head.

[Steve Haynie]

20 hours ago, django49 said:

Sounds like the all too frequent calls I get from realtors...."I see you have some rental properties. I just listed a few and there has never been a better time to buy. Oh, you are not looking to buy? Well, if you want to sell what you have, there has never been a better time to sell!"

Yep.....Translated as, "There has never been a better time for me to get a commission".

There is a reason I let the calls go to voice mail.....

Real estate agents never get return phone calls, and they really do not like it if I answer the phone.  Why should I sell if my property makes money?  I would have to reinvest in another property or lose money to capital gains tax.  The only person to profit from the deal is the real estate agent.  It would be nice if there was an honest offer like, "I would like for you to shit on yourself and give me money."  My end of the conversation would be much more pleasant. 

I used to have some comic book art that was desirable.  Every vulture out there told me I had to sell it to them, but for a low price because it just was not worth that much.  I saw what they advertised their art for.  The lesson learned was to be quiet about what I had.  Being proud to have something nice came with the price of harassment. 

I am guilty of dropping the "if you ever want to sell that guitar" line on a couple of HFC members.  I feel so ashamed now.  But if you ever want to sell...

[django49]

 That is exactly it.....I figure 35% of the net cash out would go to taxes. Now IF held until death (me or spouse) there is a full step up in tax basis to market value. The surviving spouse (Or heir) can sell the next day and have NO tax liability. OR start depreciating it all over again and enjoy  the cash flow with at least some of the income sheltered from taxes.

The only real justification for doing otherwise would be if there was an opportunity to trade up into something bigger. MAYBE if I was 30 years younger......But those days of leveraging up are long gone.

[bubs_42]

The buy/flip has definitely changed. My philosophy going forward is to buy with intent. You want it, it better be a good one. I have a few things to move yet, and a few projects to finish up. 
 

if something worth the purchase shows itself I’ll think twice. 

[The Shark]

2 hours ago, django49 said:

 That is exactly it.....I figure 35% of the net cash out would go to taxes. Now IF held until death (me or spouse) there is a full step up in tax basis to market value. The surviving spouse (Or heir) can sell the next day and have NO tax liability. OR start depreciating it all over again and enjoy  the cash flow with at least some of the income sheltered from taxes.

The only real justification for doing otherwise would be if there was an opportunity to trade up into something bigger. MAYBE if I was 30 years younger......But those days of leveraging up are long gone.

Only in "Community Property" states.  "Common Law" state residents don't enjoy that 100% step-up.  So, there are only nine states that are community property states.  Sadly, I don't live in one!  And a "Pre-Nup" blows all that up.  In substance, a pre-nup is designed to ensure property isn't "community".  

[velorush]

3 hours ago, django49 said:

 That is exactly it.....I figure 35% of the net cash out would go to taxes. Now IF held until death (me or spouse) there is a full step up in tax basis to market value. The surviving spouse (Or heir) can sell the next day and have NO tax liability. OR start depreciating it all over again and enjoy  the cash flow with at least some of the income sheltered from taxes.

The only real justification for doing otherwise would be if there was an opportunity to trade up into something bigger. MAYBE if I was 30 years younger......But those days of leveraging up are long gone.

Do Income Tax States recognize the 1031 Like Kind Exchange offered at the Federal level? 

[mathman]

I've never really bought anything that I worried one iota about what I could sell it for...  I guess it is because I just don't buy that much stuff.  I only buy if I really, really want it. or if it is Really , really cheap or at least a good price.  I like the familiarity of things I am comfortable with.

Of the 9 guitars I have bought I still have 6 of them.   I have bought a few pedals recently but all were on sale and almost all not expensive. 

I am just a hobbyist musician so this is not a money decision, it is a do I want it decision.

I will have to figure out if I want to sell  anything soon.  My kids don't play so I have to get rid of the few things I have.

Nothing I have is unique.  83 cruise,  84 Proto II,  84 Blitz bass and some imports.

Maybe the Ibanez Phaser Tone II from the early 80's?  Not really a sound of the modern Guitar player though.

[RobB]

25 minutes ago, mathman said:

Nothing I have is unique.  83 cruise,  84 Proto II,  84 Blitz bass and some imports.

I dunno. Those are all relatively scarce these days, and rarely seen for sale. 

[mathman]

8 minutes ago, RobB said:

I dunno. Those are all relatively scarce these days, and rarely seen for sale. 

Well that shows how well I am up to date on the Market....😄

[RobB]

2 minutes ago, mathman said:

Well that shows how well I am up to date on the Market....😄

I’m lucky to have scored my three 80s, vintage Hamers ((Porto, Proto lol and graphic Special) when I did. Double-cuts from that time period have such a vibe, unlike any of my other guitars.