#1
|
|||
|
|||
Pricing and selling a used CF guitar
For those of you have sold a CF guitar online, how did you decide your selling price or what you considered a fair value? Thanks.
__________________
Custom Breedlove 12 string guitar Breedlove Deschutes 6 string guitar Deering 12 string banjo Custom Emerald X20-12 guitar Last edited by Kerbie; 07-27-2020 at 06:30 AM. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
I dont really have a great answer to your question except...it depends. You should research comparable guitars on AGF and other forums like Mandolin Cafe, Reverb, etc. Think about what you have in the guitar and how much you feel you need to get out of it in a sale...and then realize you probably will not get as much as you want. In my opinion, selling on AGF is a safe venue and you should offer a better price here than you might on a more commercial site like Reverb.
__________________
2017 McIlroy AS-15 (Cedar over Mahogany) guitar 2018 Emerald X7 Pao Ferro veneer guitar 2017 Emerald Amicus 1916 Gibson A-1 Mandolin 2023 Joe Foley bouzouki Seamus O'Kane bodhran |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I always spot CF guitars here on AGF for a much better deal. So I guess it also depends on where you want to sell it. Last edited by Acousticado; 07-28-2020 at 09:08 AM. Reason: Edited edited quote |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
The problem here is "custom"
Just because you paid a lot of money to change some standard feature does not mean anyone else necessarily wants that feature or is willing to pay extra for it. So it really depends what "custom" means. One of the more desirable woody tops is probably going to retain some of the upcharge, a nonstandard neck width, carve, or scale length is probably a determent and won't recover any of the several hundred it cost to have a custom neck. Otherwise, CF guitars seem to hold their value much better than other instruments. I have paid over 80% of new cost for a used CF in the past.
__________________
Larrivee OM-03RE; O-01 Martin D-35; Guild F-212; Tacoma Roadking Breedlove American Series C20/SR Rainsong SFTA-FLE; WS3000; CH-PA Taylor GA3-12, Guild F-212 https://markhorning.bandcamp.com/music |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Just to get an idea of pricing for a similar guitar go to Reverb and Ebay and filter your search to only show sold items...It will then show the prices they sell at ..Many guitar stores do this when you are looking to trade gear in towards new ...then they make you a lowball offer and you end up keeping the old guitar anyway
__________________
2020 Mcpherson Sable 2018 Emerald synergy x20 Harp 2018 Republic resolian 2005 Gibson Es 335 2012 Gibson Les Paul standard 2017 Fender elite stratocaster 2001 62 AVRI Fender stratocaster Last edited by ed62; 07-26-2020 at 06:32 AM. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
My impression is that the traditional guitar trade in allows about 50% of new value and then sells the item at about 75% of value. There is a lot of variance to this equation.
Carbon fiber guitars, I believe, are different than run-of-the-mill wooden instruments in that their relative rarity can drive value--just as it does with the more exotic Martins and Taylors. I've always worked from the premise of buying high and selling low. It not be the smartest premise, but my guitars don't hang around on the market place for very long. |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Usually when I’m selling gear, it’s because I have something else lined up to buy, so I have a number in mind that I’ll be happy with. As long as I get somewhere close to that goal, I don’t worry too much about whether I could get another 10-20% elsewhere. My observation is that CF guitars seem to hold their value pretty well. I’m sure the durability helps - you’re most unlikely, as buyer, to encounter structural issues due to age (need for a neck reset, for example). Customizations can be a challenge, though, as others have pointed out.
__________________
Martin 0-16NY Emerald Amicus Emerald X20 Cordoba Stage Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
What is (are) the custom feature(s)?
|
#9
|
|||
|
|||
It's not only the relative rarity of CF that I think adds to their resale value. It's also the fact that, barring real clumsiness, they're essentially indestructible, the tone isn't going to change, and the neck will never need resetting. If it's an Emerald and has stainless frets, change strings occasionally, and that's all the maintenance it will ever require.
|
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Last time I considered a trade at Guitar Center, the looked at e-bay to get an idea of what my trade was currently selling for; they offered me 40% of that. "Well, we have to make something when we resell it."
I sold it in a day and a half on a local FB group. For a fair price. When I sold my RainSong Shorty, I did so on the classifieds here. RainSong had just announced their underpriced CH series... I sold my FLG-SE Shorty for about half what I paid. The buyer got a good deal. I got a fast sale. Making room for the custom scale X10 that I ordered.
__________________
Some CF, some wood. |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
I think CF guitars can be sold relatively quickly. I found you need eBay to get a large enough audience. You can get ~<70% of retail for a guitar in excellent to mint condition.
However, you need to calculate your sales price with tax and shipping, and reference the retail price point with a likely 15% discount off of MAP and free shipping. Small dealers are still shipping guitars out of state with no sales tax, or like MF give you 8% off in future credit to offset sales tax. Make sure you set up the listing to accept offers. Often a small compromise will accelerate a sale remarkably.
__________________
jf45ir Free DIY Acoustic Guitar IR Generator .wav file, 30 seconds, pickup left, mic right, open position strumming best...send to direct email below I'll send you 100/0, 75/25, 50/50 & 0/100 IR/Bypass IRs IR Demo, read the description too: https://youtu.be/SELEE4yugjE My duo's website and my email... [email protected] Jon Fields |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Jim is underselling it. I almost drove across town chasing him with a wad of bills when he decided to sell his Shorty.
__________________
Larrivee OM-03RE; O-01 Martin D-35; Guild F-212; Tacoma Roadking Breedlove American Series C20/SR Rainsong SFTA-FLE; WS3000; CH-PA Taylor GA3-12, Guild F-212 https://markhorning.bandcamp.com/music |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
I sold my Shorty at a pretty decent loss too- about $650 less than I paid. I look at it this way though, I had it 4 years= $162 a year rental fee. Not bad.
And yes, the introduction of the CH-OM pretty much killed Shorty's vibe. |
#14
|
||||
|
||||
Totally depends on the guitar. I usually buy used so I sell for what I paid. But even my full-on customs I've done well with only losing a few hundred dollars which is good. You need to do your homework, see what others are selling for and just get a feel for it.
|
#15
|
|||
|
|||
FWIW, I start at ~70% of the purchase price as the ask, and we negotiate from there. Wood guitars are more like 50% of street price. Carbon fiber is somewhat rare on the market -- the new video mentioned with great pride Emerald #6000 after 20 years in business. Either Martin or Taylor build more guitars every single day than the entire CF industry produces in a year. CF guitars are not usually in stock anywhere, so finding one is not easy. But there is also a smaller potential buyer pool, since some folks will not even consider CF over wood.
Any item is only worth what someone is actually willing to pay for it at that time. It is all theoretical until cash changes hands. |