How to choose – and buy – an instrument: local, mail-order, or eBay? (Part 1 of 5)

This is part one in a five-part series on choosing and buying an instrument. In this installment, we’ll look at the first question: where do we go to buy? (Article below)

Guitars On The Wall

The question frequently arises: where do you buy your instruments? I have bought a number of instruments of varying kinds over the years, and I will tell you that while I’ll look anywhere for a good instrument, in my mind, the place I eventually purchase depends upon a few key factors.

What kind of instrument is it?

If it’s a beginner instrument in a low price range, I may be more willing to take a chance on something unseen. If it’s a known brand name (when applicable) with a reputation for quality, I may also be more flexible.

What is the seller’s reputation?

This is as applicable for a local purchase as it is for online/mail-order or online auction sites. If someone is known for honesty and fairness, I’m in. If there are doubts, I’ll likely look elsewhere.

What is the seller’s return policy?

Granted, this matters more on an instrument priced at several thousand dollars than it does on an ebay “find” going for under $50, but I always check it. I believe strongly that a good return policy says a great deal about the quality of the merchandise.

What will you do with it?

I’ve hand-picked a classical guitar locally, and I’ve bought an acoustic bass via mail-order. But the classical guitar was something for which I had specific criteria in terms of feel and sound, while the bass was a “play for fun, not for pure sound” type of buy. Unless it had been truly wretched, it would have been fine…and it wasn’t.

When do you want/need it?

Believe it or not, this works both for and against the local music store. If they have just the instrument you want in stock, you can walk out with it that day. That’s a great thing if you just backed over your axe in the driveway! But if they don’t have it in stock and your favorite mail-order place does, you may be days – or weeks – ahead by going mail-order. You could have it in a day or two by mail-order; it might take weeks for your local shop to get a comparable instrument from their wholesaler or the factory.

What’s your price range?

Be honest with yourself here. If you really can’t spend more than $300, just admit it and scope your purchase. You can’t get blood from a turnip. But sometimes you’re better served by saving another month or two than by jumping at something that fits your budget today. Only you know your finances and your patience level, but kidding yourself only leads to frustration.

New or used?

If you’re willing to go the pre-owned route, your options are wide open. I’ve bought new, I’ve bought used, I’ve bought “scratch and dent” specials…and I’ve been extremely happy with nearly all of my purchases. If you define your requirements and your desires for your new instrument before you buy anything, you will likely be happy with your purchase, too.

Please note that these criteria are not in any order. They all must be answered to decide where/what to buy.

Next time, I’ll dive into the pros and cons of buying from a local music store, along with my personal thoughts about doing so. Please check back for updates, or better yet, subscribe to our newsfeed! In the meantime, keep playing!

Mark

How to choose – and buy – an instrument: local, mail-order, or eBay? (Part 2 of 5)

How to choose – and buy – an instrument: local, mail-order, or eBay? (Part 3 of 5)

How to choose – and buy – an instrument: local, mail-order, or eBay? (Part 4 of 5)

How to choose – and buy – an instrument: local, mail-order, or eBay? (Summary)