How to Sell Guitar Gear Online

Why sell your gear?

Look, we get it. You saw a pedalboard build on YouTube at 2am, decided you absolutely needed a chorus pedal, a looper, and somehow a mini synthesizer -- and now they're in a drawer under your bed. No judgment here. That's kind of the whole reason this site exists.

The good news is that guitar gear holds its value surprisingly well, and there's always someone out there who is exactly where you were six months ago, excitedly searching for the thing you're ready to pass on. Selling your gear means it gets used instead of collecting dust, you get money back toward whatever the next thing is, and someone else gets a great deal. Everybody wins.

Tips for mailing

Getting the shipping right is the difference between a smooth sale and a nightmare dispute. Here's what you need to know for each type of gear.

Guitar pedals

Pedals are pretty forgiving to ship, but you still want to do it right.

• Use the original box if you have it. If not, a snug box with at least 2 inches of padding on all sides works great.
• Wrap the pedal in bubble wrap -- two or three layers -- and secure it so it can't shift around inside the box.
• Remove or tape down any knobs that stick out if you're worried about them catching.
• Fragile tape is cheap and does actually help with how carriers handle packages.

A flat-rate USPS Priority box is often the sweet spot for pedals -- good tracking, reasonable price, and the boxes are free.

Guitars

Guitars need the most care, and headstocks are the #1 casualty of lazy packing. A broken headstock can happen even in what looks like light handling, because the neck acts as a lever and concentrates all the force right at that joint.

The golden rule: double box your guitar.

Here is how to do it:

1. Start with a hard case or a well-padded guitar box (the kind guitars ship in from manufacturers). Loosen the strings slightly to release tension on the neck. Fill any empty space inside the case with bubble wrap or packing paper so the guitar can't move at all.
2. Put that box inside a second, larger box with at least 2-3 inches of packing material (peanuts, crumpled paper, air pillows) on every side.
3. Seal everything with good packing tape -- don't be shy with it.
4. Mark the box "Fragile" and "This Side Up" even though we all know that's not a guarantee. It helps a little.

If you don't have a guitar box, local music stores will often give you one for free -- they get shipments all the time and break them down. Just ask.

For insurance: always buy it. Guitars are expensive and carriers do occasionally wreck things. The small cost is absolutely worth the peace of mind.

Accessories

Straps, picks, cables, capos, tuners -- the miscellaneous stuff. These are easy to ship and often worth bundling together to make a more attractive listing.

• Small accessories (picks, capos, cables) can go in a padded envelope or a small Priority Mail box.
• Amps are the other tricky one -- same principle as guitars, double box if possible, and never ship an amp without packing the inside of the cabinet so the speaker can't move. If it's a tube amp, box the tubes separately with some bubblewrap. They can break in transit if just left in the amplifier.
• Pedal power supplies and cables should have connectors wrapped or taped so they don't scratch anything else in the box.

How to write a listing that actually sells

A good listing does half the work for you. Here are a few things that make a real difference:

• Photos in natural light. Take them near a window. Show the front, back, any wear or scratches, and the serial number if it has one. Honesty upfront prevents disputes later.
• Be specific about condition. "Good condition" means nothing. "Light buckle rash on the back, all electronics work perfectly, original tuners" tells someone exactly what they're getting.
• Mention what you're including. Original box? Case? Power supply? Extra strings? List it all -- bundles feel like better deals even when the price reflects it.
• Set a fair price. Check what the same item sold for recently (not just what people are asking). Price to sell, not to hold.

Best places to sell

• Abandoned Hobby -- our community gets it. No one's going to make you feel weird for selling your fourth guitar that you barely played.
• Reverb -- the biggest dedicated music gear marketplace, great for reaching serious buyers.
• Facebook Marketplace -- good for local sales where you can skip the shipping altogether.
• Sweetwater Gear Exchange -- solid option, especially if you want to trade toward something new.

Whatever you use, the gear deserves to be played. Go find it a good home.