An old guitar can be an joy to own and play on. When you are shopping around for a vintage guitar, you should know a few things first. Here are some tips to remember.
1. Old guitars are not always more valuable
Just because a guitar is older, does not make it an antique guitar. In fact there are many brands that have been overproduced or where just never worth anything at all. Do not pay extra money just because a guitar is older.
2. Check all elements of the guitar
As instruments get older, parts break and stop working. Before you commit to a purchase, you should check every element of an old guitar. If you are looking at an old electric, that means that you need to actually plug it in and play on it. Use the pickup switch to check that every pickup is working. Then you should make sure that the volume and tone knobs are in working order.
If you are looking at an old acoustic guitar, then you should be sure that it still has a pickguard attached. Either acoustic or electric, you should check to make sure that the tuning pegs are working properly.
3. Look for bending in the neck
If you were to set the guitar on it’s back and look at it from the side, the fretboard all the way to the bridge should be completely flat. If the neck has bent upwards at all that is a sign that the instrument has not been taken care of. A neck that bends up will result in high action on the upper frets and cause the guitar to go out of tune very easily. This can be repaired but it might be expensive.
4. Make sure that it will hold strings
This seems obvious but many old guitars are sold with less than six strings. A lot of people purchase the instrument knowing that they will put new strings on anyway, only to find that the strings were missing because of broken components. You should check to make sure that the bridge is intact and that the nut is not broken (that’s the band at the base of the head stock that keeps the strings in place).
Before you buy any old guitar, you should always get a second opinion as to what the value might be. Vintage guitar dealers often know a lot more about the true value of an old guitar than you might. Don’t be taken advantage of – do your homework before you buy.
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