Buying without playing, your experiences...

[SpruceTop]

All the new guitars I've bought without playing have been wonderful. I like being able to choose from several specimens of the model I'm interested in and this is enabled by many online vendors. I look over all the photos of each guitar and choose the one that most appeals to me as far as the cosmetic features of the top, back, and sides wood--especially the top! I also look at photos of the other features of the guitars and try to get an overall feel from each guitar as to what I want to see. The nice thing is that if the guitar arrives and it doesn't live up to my expectations, I can send it back for a refund or another guitar.

[pukematrix]

Amended signature below with origin:

2014 Lakewood M-32 - Online
2014 Gibson J-35 - Online
2013 Lakewood M-14 - Online
2013 Martin 000-15M - Online
2012 Lowden F25 - Online
2012 Huss & Dalton Singletree Banjo - Online
2010 Brunner Outdoor Guitar - Online
2009 Composite Acoustics Cargo - In Store
2008 Taylor GS Cocobolo Limited - Online
2008 Cole Clark UL-1 Uke - Online
2004 Godin Exit-22 - In Store
19?? Martin Backpacker - In Store
1993 Oscar Schmidt OG2 - Gift

Only issue with the current batch is that the Lakewood M-14 arrived and had one blem that wasn't revealed by the buyer. The guitar had several others that were disclosed and it sounds and plays great, so I let it slide. Some have needed set-up work to get them where I wanted, others haven't.

The only real issue with some of my now gone guitars was a 1991 Gibson AJ that I bought from a MusicGoRound franchise out of state. It arrived and had a well-done but not undetectable headstock repair. Probably would have spotted that had I bought it in store. The owner of the franchise took good care of me and I ended up getting the guitar set-up and it was a killer AJ. Only parted with it because the previous owner was a smoker and I could never get over the aroma of that particular guitar. Passed a great deal on to a friend of my luthier's.

All told, i've been pretty fortunate in most of my buy before I try experiences.

Austin

[LadysSolo]

Of the 8 guitars I own, I only played 3 before purchase, the others were either eBay (4 of them) or Reverb (one of them) distance purchases. None were unacceptable, and all were as described. One I am not thrilled with, but it's still okay. I Just like the others better.

[Daniel Grenier]

Bought one sight unseen. A new Taylor 414ce. It was a lemon by all lemony standards. Bridge lifted off, neck had an 1\8” gap at the body, the electronics acted up. Sold it for dirt. Never again (or since).

[Silly Moustache]

Most of the guitars I own were bought online. and mostly via ebay.

My Collings Ds2h, and DS1, and my Harmony 12 string were brought from private sellers in the UK.

My Harmony and my Eastman archtops were bought via ebay, and delivered to me by the sellers.

My Martin 12 string, and my Santa Cruz RS were bought from private sales, all the way from the USA.

My Gibson archtop was bought online from an American specialist dealer - problematic, misrepresented and wrongly shipped.

The rest were bought from local dealers, and one special one was passed. by on evbay then bought from the buyer, a sometime contributor here.

The secret (if there is one) is to do your research, know exactly what you want, ask questions, build a rapport with the seller, know you financial limits, but go for the prize rather than the deal), and do your part in assuring the seller - by paying properly and quickly.

Many who I have bought from and who I have sold to have become friends.

[jschmitz54]

I’ve purchased four acoustic guitars without playing them. I currently own one of the four.
Alvarez AG610CESHB was a wonderful starter guitar And sounded great for the price but I sold it in the quest for better tone. Owned it for one year.
Alvarez AP30SB returned immediately after purchasing because of a defective saddle installation
Alvarez AP66SHB I wanted a small parlor sized guitar but the entry level sound just didn’t do it for me. I sold it within a month.
Martin GP35E purchased New but unplayed in October 2018. I still love the sound, playability and size of this guitar and continue to play it almost everyday.

[Slothead56]

I have 4 nice Martins and a Tele, only one Martin purchased new after playing. The others were pre-owned and purchased on Reverb, except for one I got from an AGF member. All are great, came exactly as described.

I did have a bad experience with a Guild 12 string 4 or 5 years ago. The guitar was as described except that it REEKED of cigarette smoke. The case, the guitar, the tuners...everything. I tried to air it out but it wasn’t working. Got into a huge row with the Seller, had to enter a case and ultimately got my money back. As I recall the guy had the audacity to tell me that, while he smoked, he did not think the case smelled. Duh!

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Been lucky, but I've done a lot of research beforehand and I like having guitars that "feel" different.

Yup! That's why I have four very different acoustics.

[Glennwillow]

I've had very good experience buying guitars that I have not played first.

However, these were expensive, well known guitars from reputable dealers and in general I always had the option to return the guitars if I didn't like them. I never did.

Also, I am not a nit picker, I am not a perfectionist, and I am a pretty adaptable player in terms of neck shape, nut width, and string width at the bridge. My guitars are all over the map in terms of those dimensions and I just deal with it -- from the thin, almost electric guitar neck on my Olson SJ to the fat, Mod-V neck with 1 13/16" nut width on my Martin 000-28VS. The nut widths on my guitars vary from 1 5/8" to 1 7/8".

The AGF and our sponsors have opened up some opportunities for me to experience some great guitars that I would have never had exposure to otherwise. I have also purchased a couple of used guitars from the AGF Classifieds, my Guild F512 and my Olson SJ. I am very pleased with both of these guitars.

I am always studying guitars, videos, reading here on the AGF, so when I decide to buy long distance, I have generally done my homework. I have not had any bad experiences so far.

- Glenn

[TRose]

I live relatively remotely and have only played a Taylor 114 and Martin DJr before buying them.
I’ve bought a Martin OM-28, Pono 00-40VS, Pono CS-10V, Kenny Hill Player 628, Journey OF660, Martin 00-28VS, Levin LG-13, Córdoba Torres Master Series, and an Emerald x7 nylon with out playing them first.
In hindsight I’ve had a good experience and a serious case of GAS.

[Pitar]

I wouldn't even bother "researching" something that must be experienced first-hand. The ultimate test is to buy and accept or reject the results. No amount of research is going to provide the sound and feel of a particular guitar.

I spec'd out a build and was not accepting of the results. Yes, I could have squeezed my brain into keeping it but would not have played it as a keeper on the grounds of some forced and/or imagined rationale.

I buy only if I can play first, no exceptions. If I can't find a guitar to my liking within a day's travel radius I'll schedule a trip for the purpose. I have a very specific ear for a guitar. Coming close is not good enough.

[catdaddy]

The only guitar I've ever purchased without playing first is my Martin J-15. I did, however, play a different J-15 at a local shop before I bought mine, so I had a pretty good idea about what I would be getting. BTW-The reason I didn't purchase the guitar from the local shop was that their J-15 was made with sapele (I didn't care for the look of that wood), and I wanted one made with Honduran mahogany.

[J Patrick]

...I have twenty acoustic guitars...I bought all but one of them sight unseen...the only one I’m looking to sell is the one I played before buying it...go figure???!!??...

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

I’ve bought three Martins - an OM-28 Marquis, an HD-28V, and a D-18 - from My Favorite Guitars, all three turned out to be stellar instruments.

I think the important thing is to research the dealer, and be fully aware of his/their reputation. In the case of MFG, I had plenty of recommendations from customers, and I had confidence in them as dealers. My confidence was justified in all three transactions.

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

I have bought many Martins from MFG. I just got a 000-18 last week.

[Mbroady]

For the first 20 years of playing all my guitars were play-and-buy. But we did not have the internet back then. Now Every guitar in my sig except the Rainsong (and Strat) was purchased without playing it first. But I only buy online if there is a return policy.

Probably sent back around 8 guitars after the initial return window was almost up.