How to Find the Best Guitar Deals

Considering all the information available about guitars on the Internet, it’s surprising how hard it is to find a useful tutorial on finding affordable musical equipment. This article aims to fill that void by offering tips on how to find deals on gear.

Cheap is not a dirty word

Remember the number one principle upon which this site is based: cheap does not mean junk. There are numerous options out there in guitars and amps that offer a far better cost/quality ratio than most name-brand gear. Certainly, sometimes, cheap gear is of poor quality — the old “you get what you pay for adage” rings true in those cases. However, there are also companies making cost-effective instruments that offer lasting value to the buyer.

Where to look

The key to finding good deals and cheap gear is knowing where to look. If you’re not sure, here are some good places to start.

Craigslist is a great place to find good deals. There are lots of reasons why — people don’t know what they have, people are just looking to get rid of their gear, etc. — and you can benefit from that. It’s important that you do your homework when you’re looking for gear deals online, because for every good deal on Craigslist, there are several bad ones. Craigslist’s other good points: a buyer can haggle with the seller on price, buyers can meet sellers in person to try out the gear, and buying locally eliminates shipping charges.

Ebay is similarly good for finding some cheap equipment, but there are some differences when compared to Craigslist. The deals are still there, and Ebay listings are from all over the country (even international sellers are sometimes listed). However, on Ebay, you’ll generally have to bid on instruments rather than being able to buy them outright. Also, you’ll likely need to pay shipping charges on top of the sale price. Shipping also comes with the added possibility of shipping damage.

Big guitar store chains (i.e. Guitar Center) often have clearance sales and other opportunities to pick up good deals, ranging from discounted Guitar Strings all the way to scratch-and-dent name brand amplifiers and guitars. Also check local music stores for similar sales.

Music websites sometimes offer great deals, often on a daily basis. Musician’s Friend has a “Stupid Deal of the Day” that often features some surprisingly good deals. Sometimes, manufacturers discontinue a guitar model and online dealers discount their remaining stock. These usually mean big savings for the savvy buyer.

Pawn shops, garage sales and other random places are often opportunities to find diamonds in the rough.

Do the research

Now that you know where to find the deals, you’ll need to know how to recognize them. That brings us to the subject of research. How can you decide what gear is right for you? When is something a deal and when is it a rip-off? Reviews such as this Squier Stratocaster review will give you a comprehensive overview of the guitar you’re interested in.

Try the gear: This may be the single most important factor when deciding what to buy. It’s all about what sounds good and feels good to you. If you pick up a cheap pawn shop guitar and it feels like a dream to play, that should mean more than the name on the headstock.

YouTube demos: Pro Guitar Shop and other online retailers have professional guitarists who demo products in YouTube videos. Online video often distorts the sound, so listening online isn’t always the best way to gauge tone, but YouTube still gives buyers the opportunity to discover equipment that might normally have slipped through the cracks.

Know your music: Some gear is far better suited for certain styles of music than others. Pay attention to the kind of equipment professionals use in the genre you’re intending to play, then work to emulate that while saving money. If you’re playing the blues, don’t buy a distortion pedal known for its heavy metal tone.

Hopefully, with this information, you’ll be able to make an informed decision and find some affordable gear to jumpstart your music. 

About the Author

Cheap Guitarists.com provides up to date news, articles, and deal sales for the budget guitarist. For the newbie guitarist, we offer information such as the Best Beginner Guitar.

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