I went to the local Music Mart to see what was new last night. They had a MIA Strat, I'm not sure what model, but it was a humbucker in the bridge position, and the regular single coil pickups in the middle and neck spots. Looked great and played and sounded like a Fender. They wanted $899. I brought in my Les Paul Studio to trade in and it didn't go so well. My Paul is a 1991 model, wine red with gold hardware, with it's share of dings, but still a nice guitar that screams. They would give me $250 cash or $275 trade in. They said it wasn't a popular color, and the tuners had been changed out (true). They list for $1700, and Guitar Center sells them for $1299, so I was thinking about maybe $500, but I was wrong. It makes me wonder what the poor guy who traded in the Strat got for his Strat. Was I expecting too much?

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Life is like a sh*t sandwich. The more bread you have, the less sh*t you have to eat.

Trading a musical instrument isn't like trading in a car. On a trade-in, a store will offer you just about 1/2 of what they can get for your guitar. They obviously figured they could get about $500 for your guitar.

You are always better off selling it yourself.

They always rape you on trade ins. I gave them an $800. mint condition Tele and they (GC) gave me $300. store credit. Even though they had a banged up and dented guitar, same make and model as mine they were selling for $750. brand new, while my "used" one was mint without a single scratch.

So why didn't you sell it for $800? I mean, I sure wouldn't like getting raped!

They thought your guitar would sell for $600. So they offered you $300. That's how it works.

I was in a hurry to raise some cash because some of my pedals took a sh*t on me and I needed new pedals for a gig that evening.

Kind of a "between a rock and a hard place." situation.

It works like this:
If you buy a guitar for $2,000.00 the minute you walk out the door the guitar is worth $1,000.00 so trade in would be $500.00, even less if the guitar has any wear and tear on it.

Sad isn't it?

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Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
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F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Well, I don't think a guitar loses half its value going out the door, Chet... especially not a $2,000 guitar. You could probably sell it for just a couple hundred less than new for a few months, if it remained in mint condition.

Hello Masterhacker,

Guitar trading can bet lots of fun.
but it's not the place for sentimentality or
the feint of heart. Everybody wants a deal, and the
best ones are when both partys get a fair one. Value on
the open market is knowlege you gotta have to be successful.
18 yr old studio lester with it's share of dings coulped with fretwear.
At $275 trade in value sounds about right, I'm just saying the venor has
to pay the rent too.

Best of luck on your quest.

Cheers.

Trading in musical equipment rarely benefits the guy trading it in, but if you only care about getting a few bucks off the new gear I guess thats all that matters.

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"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." Blazing Saddles...