For your guitar purchases - prefer new, used, or no preference?
 

Hi all,

Let's discover where we stand on purchasing preference:

#3. For your guitar purchases - prefer new or used, or no preference?

This is not a public poll, so no one can see your votes, but feel free to chime in with replies.

Only 1 answer please.

-a.h.

Once I've made up my mind, I usually try to find used. But I bought two new guitars in the last 12 months. And a couple used as well.

When I buy, it's always new guitars and always after actually playing them. However, through the years most of my instruments are either trades or gifts, and those are all used.

Used. Well made guitars get better with age and use.

No preference. It depends on my mood and my wallet at the critical moment.

I’m pretty much in the “have no preference, used, or new - it’s all about the sound” camp. However, most of the used guitar I have sampled do not live up to my expectations. So, all but one of my guitars I purchased new. The used purchases was via the forum, for an MJ Franks OM. Killer guitar. I chalk it up to being in the right place at the right time for the right price.

Used all the way. Have found some great values on the used market.

Old guitars but lightly used. My three best sounding guitars, all solid woods, are from 35 to 50 years old. Two of them appeared to have hardly been played at all, like new old stock. One from a thrift shop on line, one from Reverb.com and one locally from Craig's list. Two were Japanese made and one from Korea; both countries have extremely high craftsmanship as a vital part of their national cultures. I got them all absurdly cheaply. I search hard. No name type brands, imported by marketing companies, except one bears both Epiphone and Gibson names. Very fine old guitars. - Stevo

Old guitars but lightly used. My three best sounding guitars, all solid woods, are from 35 to 50 years old. Two of them appeared to have hardly been played at all, like new old stock. One from a thrift shop on line, one from Reverb and one locally from Craig's list. Two were Japanese made and one from Korea; both countries have extremely high craftsmanship as a vital part of their national cultures. I got them all absurdly cheaply. I search hard. Very fine old guitars. - Stevo

Last 6 -- 3 new and 3 used.

To me USED are the best of all worlds ... guitar is already broken in, tremendous value, and meet new people (I've had wonderful purchase & trade experiences with AGF members and others). IMHO, older guitars often (not always) have better sound and don't feel as "tight" as a new guitar (but that might be just me). Lastly, I would not have some high quality guitars I have if I had to buy them new (cost factor).

Thanks for starting this thread & poll !

Cheers!

Dont like new things in general, and i like that mojo from used guitars :)

I prefer to buy used but at some stage my next guitar purchase is going to be an Atkin and unless I luck out and find one used when I have the money I'll most likely go for a new one.

mmm, interesting.

Looking at my current acquisitions :

5 pieces bought used via Ebay (including two bought via ebay from abroad (USA)

Incidentally, my record of good, trustworthy, fair and honest ebay sellers is pretty much 100%.

3 bought from friends/associates etc. (including one Collings and one banjo! - ah the banjo was bought for me by my wife!)

5 bought used from dealers, (not such a great track record - two needed considerable remedial work not shared before purchase, one in US and one in UK - Caveat emptor!)

4 bought new. (My first 0028, commissioned and paid for by my wife in 1998).
My Waterloo and my two latest Eastmans. (Eastmen?)

I collect vintage parlor guitars which means used. However I bought my Froggy and Probett new.