I'm looking to buy another guitar (I find extreme beauty in guitars, and though I absolutely adore the sound of my Yamaha I'm also wanting to have variation) without spending too much money, which leads me to assume a pawn shop would be a solid place to look. Any of the more experienced folk out there have any protips about buying an electric guitar from a pawn shop?

Since all pawn shops now check prices via the internet, pawn shops give you some of the worst deals on guitars for the most part... you randomly get lucky and get a good price but most of the time now you will nearly pay what the guitar was new.... hell I have been to pawn shops trying to sell used gear for more than it was new lol. Newspaper / craigslist / used section of guitarr center, are your best bets. Pawn shops are not what they used to be when it comes to instruments anymore.

buy off the internet first id say or a real guitar shop

I work in a pawn shop. I sell and view hundreds of guitars monthly. While what ExitEmergency said has merit, you must bare in mind that more often than not there is not a single trained person in a pawn shop, so they havn't a clue what guitars are worth.

Since being in this job, I have added a Fender Telecaster to my collection, and it's fucking sexy. I've also added a 67 Fender Mustang for next to no money when it's already worth £700++++ in it's current poor condition.

We almost bought in a battered ebony Gibson SG Standard for £100 which is just nuts!

If you are going to get a guitar from a pawn shop, get in contact with 5 or 6 in your area. Ring them every couple of days for stock changes, and do it for about a month. I guarantee you will find something that really interests you.

To the cynics - don't be so quick to judge pawn shops, I highly doubt you guys are aware of how badass a pawn shop can be

Thanks to you two. I check craigslist daily and guitar center every now and then. I'll keep it up.



Thanks. It won't hurt to give this a shot.

I got my ibanez rg 370dx in mint condition from a pawn shop for $600, which included a hard case.

if i'd bought that new it would have been $1300+. you can get some seriously good deals.

ive found great deals at pawn shops, sometimes they just get overstocked or just dont know the value. pricing an acoustic can be tough, found two cheap guitars with dings that sound great. for instance my ex gf's guitar i bought for $100 and still sounds great (hohner mahogany, laminate back and sides). my buddy caleb's folks bought him a yamaha for $150 from '77 or whenever, its worth about $500 now (built in japan with solid woods). electrics are a different story. you know what you are getting 90% before you play it (personal opinion). in other words they know what they go for and you dont have much chance getting a great deal, or even a fair price. ALSO: when you buy from pawn and the guitar needs work, you cant take it back for repair; the scariest part of pawn shopping for instruments.

This post was edited by juliusjuice on Sep 6 2010 02:53pm