Unlikely places to find guitars

Graffiti62

Hero Member
Messages
654
Hi everybody--

I've been hit by the restoration bug as well as the building bug. A few weeks ago, I snagged into a cheap Squier at the local pawn shop. I'm in the middle of doing upgrades on it, and using it as a learning process before I start digging and tinkering on a really nice build.

I'm curious though--what are the places where you've found used guitars before?  The pawn shop is the obvious one, as well as the antique store (found a GREAT old Epiphone flat-top for a steal of a price).

If anyone else has any advice or stories, please share.

Thanks!
 
It's summer, which means garage sales.
Not to take advantage of people, but there are lots of older folks who's kids have moved away or passed away and left a 20+ year old guitar up in the attic that is just taking up space and they are more then happy to let go for very cheap.
Three of my friends have some very nice old fenders and a gibson they picked up for a few hundred, once the man was surprised that he was offered that much.
 
Craigslist is also an easy and practical source to watch for items of all sorts, plus it's local to most cities/areas (try before you buy). That said - if you've purchased a starter guitar, and wish to continue, buying quality parts/builds (like Warmoth) is money well invested...
 
Forget pawn shops; eBay and the internet put an end to finding anything at sub-par value there forever. Look for estate sales/garage sales in neighborhoods with high senior citizen demographics; occasionally you may find something that's been in a case in a closet/attic/under the bed for 20+ years.
 
I found a sweet old banjo in a barn. Bought it from the guy for $10. I know everybody here hates banjos, but hey, I was pleased.  :toothy10:
 
this is somewhat unrelated, but its a great story:

well, one time my mom found an acoustic guitar at a garage sale for $5...
i turned around and sold it for $90!

so after i gave her her 5 bucks back, i had just made $85 profit.

 
Ebay. I met up with some people who used to go to my church last night. We somehow started talking about their jobs, which was a ShipOnSite thing for Ebay. They just sold a guitar that sounds like it was a blonde 335 for $60. And the guy told me that he gave his brother a '55 bassman, and they just sold what sounds like a blackface fender for not too much.
 
Back
Top