6 Vetted Marketplaces to Sell Guitars (+Tips for Selling)

Got a guitar gathering dust? Turn it into cash!

Selling guitars online has never been easier, now that there is a growing demand for buying and selling musical instruments online. Whether you’re short on cash, trying to free up some space, or simply have a surplus of guitars, there are a few great online retailers that make selling your guitar a breeze. 

In this article, we'll outline some of the best places to sell guitars online, as well as some top tips for getting the best price. Read on to find the top 6 marketplaces you can use to get a quick sale. 

Let's go!

Criteria for Vetting Marketplaces

There are some key criteria that we have used to select the top marketplaces that are available to sell your guitar on. 

These include:

• Reach/Audience: The best online marketplaces are those with the biggest reach. The more people that use the platform, the better the chances are that you’ll sell your guitar, and get a good price. 
• Fees/Commissions: Some online platforms will charge you a percentage sale fee from your sale. Whilst most are low, some are much higher. 
• Ease of Use: The easier the platform is to use, the better. This makes keeping an eye on your sale easier, and helps you make the most of the website. 
• Seller Protection: Online marketplaces that offer seller protection avoid you getting scammed, and giving your guitar away for free. Whilst some platforms without buyer protection are usually okay, there is still a significant risk associated with selling on certain online platforms. 
• Payment Options: Giving people multiple payment options helps maximize your chances of selling a guitar. 
• Customer Support: Both for you, and potential buyers

The Top 6 Marketplaces

Reverb

At a glance

• Best For: Casual to professional musicians 
• Fees: There is a 5% selling fee for every item sold on Reverb. However, there are no fees for creating a new listing or removing a listing if it has not sold.
• Pros: Their customer support is fantastic which I have benefitted from during many confusing transactions, and you can contact them any time. There are also multiple ways to sell your guitar, including auctioning features like on eBay, fixed-price listings like on Amazon, and all sorts of other tools. 
• Cons: Slightly higher fees when compared to other platforms 
• Selling Options: Both auctions and fix-price settings 
• Payment Methods: Accepted payment options include PayPal, Credit Card, Bank Transfers, and Reverb Payments
• Shipping: Shipping is usually handled by the seller, although Reverb does offer some advice and suggested shipping costs. They also offer discounted shipping labels as well as shipping boxes. 

Reverb is a popular online music platform where artists can sell almost any instrument through their website. Since their launching in 2013 they have become well known in the music industry, and have become a platform used by novices, professionals and collectors alike. 

Reverb offers multiple payment options, offers free guitar listening, as well as buyer protection. This means that it is a low-risk selling option that will still reach a wide audience. 

For us, it's probably the top pick for best places to sell your guitar online. 

eBay

• Best For: Beginners to professionals
• Fees: Vary, but usually about 10-15%. However, every month, you get up to 250 zero-insertion fee listings. 
• Pros: eBay has the largest reach, so the likelihood of sales is extremely high. There are also seller protections in place to minimize risk. 
• Cons: Higher selling fees, and the market can become saturated with many sales. 
• Selling Option: Sellers can choose between auction listings (popular for collectible guitars) as well as fixed-price listings. 
• Payment Methods: PayPal, credit cards, debit/credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. 
• Shipping: Shipping is usually arranged by the seller, however there are also options for arranged shipping through the eBay platform 

eBay is a great, safe option when it comes to selling your guitar. The huge platform makes it great for getting in a quick sale, especially if you are happy taking a slight price cut. 

The only downside is that there is competition on the platform. This means that prices will often get pushed down, and you may not get as much for your guitar as you were initially hoping for. 

However, the pros of a quick sale, buyer protection and large payment options make it a safe and reliable option. 

Facebook Marketplace

• Best For: Local sellers, beginners and intermediate guitarists 
• Fees: No fees 
• Pros: No fees, makes local selling easier, and is a simple platform that most people have access to 
• Cons: No buyer or seller protection, relies on reviews and trust 
• Selling Options: Fixed price and offers 
• Payment Methods: Bank transfer, cash on pick up, PayPal 
• Shipping: Arranged by entirely by seller 

Facebook Marketplace is an easy way to sell a guitar, and is best for people looking to sell to someone local. It's a great user-friendly platform that does not take any selling fees. 

The downside to Facebook Marketplace is that it relies largely on trust. Because there is no guarantee that a seller will pay for your guitar, it is best to meet up in person, to ensure that the payment goes through. 

Sweetwater Gear Exchange

• Best For: Musicians, collectors and Musicians, collectors, and people looking to buy and sell top quality guitars 
• Fees: Fees-free to list items, however 7.5% fee on each sale once complete 
• Pros: Trusted platform that is solely designed for buying and selling top quality musical gear. The platform also offers buyer, and seller, protection. 
• Cons: Slightly higher fees than other platforms and limited to inside the US 
• Selling Options: Fixed price option only 
• Payment Methods: PayPal, Venmo, bank transfer or gift card 
• Shipping: Shipping is arranged by the seller 

Sweetwater Gear Exchange is an online platform that specializes solely in the buying and selling of musical gear. The platform, in general, is used to sell high quality musical instruments and gear. It's a great place to sell a guitar that is worth a decent dime, as it has the highest chance to reach your target audience. 

Whilst the 7.5% fee is higher than other platforms, it offers great buyer and seller security, which is especially important when dealing with valuable guitars. There are also no listing fees, making it a great platform to try your luck with selling a precious guitar. 

The Music Zoo

• Best For: Professional guitarists, collectors and people looking to sell valuable and vintage guitars 
• Fees: 10% commission fee once sold 
• Pros: Attracts a large audience of serious buyers who are ready to invest in high quality guitars and takes the stress out of selling it yourself. 
• Cons: This platform has the highest fees of all the platforms, and makes up a hefty price tag when expensive guitars are sold through the website. May not be suitable for people selling run-of-the-mill beginner guitars 
• Selling Options: Consignment- The Music Zoo will sell your guitar on your behalf 
• Payment Methods: Direct credit or bank transfer 
• Shipping: Once the guitar is given to The Music Zoo’s facility they are responsible for both packaging and delivery to the buyer. 

The Music Zoo works a little differently to other online platforms. It works through a consignment model. This means that you send the platform your guitar, they will then list it, and sell it on your behalf. 

There are a few benefits to this model. Firstly, it takes the stress out of selling your guitar yourself. It's a popular option for buyers and sellers looking to invest in fine guitars that are worth a little bit more than your average Facebook Marketplace find. 

However, because The Music Zoo organizes most of the sale, they do take a larger cut. 

Guitar Center

• Best For: Professionals, collectors and people looking to invest in vintage models 
• Fees: Works via consignment, taking 10% off each sale 
• Pros: Reputable sellers that are able to evaluate the value of your guitar, making it great for people who may have a special guitar on their hands. 
• Cons: Higher selling fees and less control over the potential buyer and price 
• Selling Options: By consignment either in store or online 
• Payment Methods: Bank transfer, direct credit or store credit 
• Shipping: Shipping is usually arranged by Guitar Center, but may need to be dropped off in store by the seller 

The Guitar Center works on a consignment model. This works best for expensive guitars, or vintage collectable items. Once you bring the guitar into the store they sell it on your behalf at the best price. 

The workers there will help you to evaluate the price of the guitar, thereby getting you the best sale possible. 

With this comes a price tag, however. The omission is 10%, which is hefty when compared to other platforms. 

Other Options

• Craigslist: Craigslist is another popular online platform that is similar to Facebook Marketplace. It's free, and local, however you need to be careful of scams. 
• OfferUp/Letgo: OfferUp is a mobile-friendly, regional online marketplace where guitars can be sold. 
• Cream City Music: Offer in-person appraisals, as well as high-value payouts.

Essential Tips for Selling Guitars (Maximize Your Sale)

Whichever platform you decide on, there are some simple things you can do to maximize your chance of sale, and to maximize your potential earnings. 

• Prepare Your Guitar: Carefully cleaning and restring your guitar is a great way to get the most of your sale. On the other hand if your guitar has issues, it's also the best time to either fix it, or disclose issues by taking photographs for the listing. 
• Research Pricing: By comparing listings on the platform it can help you get an idea for how much to list yours for, and set realistic expectations. However, if you’re looking to sell a valuable guitar, it is best to consider an appraisal. 
• Optimize Listings: High-quality photos (making sure to include multiple angles and a serial number) and detailed descriptions are easy ways to maximize your chance of selling your guitar. 
• Secure Transactions: Use platform protections, or meet in public for local sales on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace.
• Shipping Best Practices: When shipping a guitar it is best to use guitar-specific boxes, and send the guitar with loosen strings in order to protect nitro finishes.
• Consider Fees vs. Convenience: Consider Reverb/Sweetwater for balance, or Guitar Center/pawnshops for urgent sales, depending on what your aims are 

Choosing the Right Marketplace 

Platform	Best For	Fees	Pros	Cons	Selling Options	Payment Methods	Shipping
Reverb	Casual to professional musicians	5% selling fee, no fees for listing or removing items	- Fantastic customer support- Multiple selling methods (auction, fixed-price)- Free listings	- Higher fees compared to some other platforms	Auctions and fixed-price listings	PayPal, Credit Card, Bank Transfer, Reverb Payments	Handled by seller, but Reverb offers discounted shipping labels and boxes, along with shipping advice.
eBay	Beginners to professional	10-15% fee, up to 250 free listings per month	- Largest reach- Seller protections- Popular for collectables	- Higher fees- Market saturation leading to price competition	Auction or fixed-price listings	PayPal, Credit/Debit Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay	Shipping arranged by seller, with options for eBay-arranged shipping.
Facebook Marketplace	Local sellers, beginners, and intermediate guitarists	No fees	- No fees- Local selling made easy- Simple and widely accessible	- No buyer/seller protection- Trust-based system, often requires meeting in person	Fixed-price and offers	Bank transfer, cash on pickup, PayPal	Arranged by seller, generally for local transactions.
Sweetwater Gear Exchange	Musicians, collectors, and people looking to sell top-quality guitars	7.5% fee on sales, no listing fees	- Trusted platform for musical gear- Buyer and seller protections- Focus on high-quality gear	- Slightly higher fees than other platforms- Limited to U.S. market	Fixed-price only	PayPal, Venmo, Bank Transfer, Gift Card	Handled by seller
The Music Zoo	Professional guitarists, collectors, and vintage guitar sellers	10% commission fee once sold	- Large audience of serious buyers- Stress-free consignment model- Specializes in high-value guitars	- High fees- Not ideal for low-cost or beginner guitars	Consignment (sold on behalf of seller)	Direct bank transfer or credit	The Music Zoo handles shipping once guitar is received at their facility.
Guitar Center	Professionals, collectors, and people with vintage models	10% consignment fee	- Reputable brand- In-store evaluations- Good for vintage or high-end guitars	- High fees- Less control over buyer and pricing	Consignment (in-store or online)	Bank transfer, direct credit, or store credit	Shipping arranged by Guitar Center after the item is sold, or can be dropped off in store by the seller.

Conclusion 

Overall, if you’re worried about running out of options for selling your guitar online, trust me – you’re not going to have to worry about that. There are tons of options out there and out of every guitar I have listed for sale online, I have sold all of them – no matter the platform.

However, it’s undeniable that some are better than others, and for me, I have resorted to using Reverb for almost every sale simply because it is so active, it’s specialized in music, and the customer service and security are exceptional. It’s a shame that options such as Facebook marketplace aren’t more secure and safe to use though, as I used to enjoy selling on them.

Whichever platform you do decide on, it is important to set realistic expectations. If you are looking to sell fast, set the price a bit lower than the market value. However, if you're selling to make some profit, you may have to be a bit more patient.