HELP! - need some advice - Guitar sale dilemma

[Simon D]

Right, I’ll try to make this as clear as I can, but it’s probably not going to be.

I have an ESP LTD M302 and a Yamaha RGX420 Drop 6 which I want to get rid of, basically because they don’t suit my style of playing anymore. They are full-on metal guitars, and my style is more hard bluesy rock (think Slash, Sambora, Jerry Cantrell)

I want to replace them with a PRS SE Custom (prime recipient for some Rebel Yells is the plan) and a PRS SE Singlecut (Crawlers?).

The ESP is a superstrat type, with a good quality Floyd Rose style trem, thru-neck, flame maple veneer finished in see-thru black cherry and loaded with Warpigs. All told, over £900 spent, and it sounds like a beast but plays like a beauty.

The Yamaha is more basic, long scale length, tuned to B, Yamaha Floyd bridge, stock pickups, matt black finish.  

Both have only had pretty light home use, really good condition no dings or chips, barely any fretwear.

I want to replace them with a PRS SE Custom (prime recipient for some Rebel Yells is the plan) and a PRS SE Singlecut (Crawlers?).


My question is basically this. Should I try to sell both guitars, or trade them both in, or a combination?

If I sell how much do you reckon I should be asking. I know what I’d like to get for the ESP (around £670-700), but I’m not sure how realistic that is.

Any advice, comments (or offers to buy the either guitar!) would be gratefully received.

Thanks for wading through all that.
 :)

[Kilby]

Usually it's better to sell privately if you want cash.

If you are considering going down the part exchange route things stores vary so much it's ridiculous, but you still usually get better value from a private sale as you can haggle or buy from the internet if you actually have the money available.

I have picked up some good deals in guitar stores by watching the store offer a really stupid price (or trade in value) and then approaching the seller just as he leaves the shop.

Rob...

[PhilKing]

Having worked in a music shop I can tell you that you will be better off selling them privately.  The reason is that a shop will not give you more than they can buy a new one for (between 40-75% or the selling price, depending on make, number of guitars they buy from the distributor and how much they discount they sell them at).  They will also not give you any money for changed pickups and other extras that are not stock.  They also look at what else they have in and whether your guitar will sell easily.  As a rule of thumb, don't expect more than 30-40% of what you paid as a trade in unless you have a vintage or collectable guitar (less if they are discounting the guitar you are buying).

I would also remove the warpigs and sell them separately.  Put the stock pickups back into the ESP (or some cheap pickups if you don't have the originals).  You will make more that way.

[Philly Q]

I agree with the comments made already, definitely sell privately and as Phil says, take the Warpigs out and put all the original parts back into both guitars.  Most buyers would rather have the stock parts, even if they're planning their own modifications their ideas will probably be very different from yours!

As for how much you should ask, in my experience you'll be very lucky to get more than about two-thirds of what you paid for a (non-vintage) guitar, unless you originally got it for a real bargain price.  But maybe you're a better salesman than me!

If you're selling by auction on eBay, set a reserve price of the minimum you'd be prepared to accept.  If there's an amount you'd be really happy with, you could have that as a "Buy It Now" price.  And include lots of pics, including shots of any scratches or dings - people like an honest seller.

One more thought - if you have trouble finding a buyer, some shops will sell on commission (usually about 20%).  That way you miss out on the full selling price, but if it's a busy shop there'll be lots of potential buyers, and you'll still get a lot more than you would for P/X.

[Ratrod]

Selling is better than trading. When I bought my Gretsch I had to loose my Reverend to finance it. If I had traded it in I would have gotten 400 Euro for it and no discount on the Gretsch. I sold it on the internet for 900 Euro and I got a 25% discount on the Gretsch. :D

[mikeluke]

Private sale no question

A shop will need to add a profit margin and VAT! - So that means that if they are sticking a guitar up at say £1000, they would offer you no more than about £600-650 for it - even if they are in a good mood that day. Could be worse.

Mike

[Kilby]

Couple of things

I didn't think you where allowed to charge VAT on a used item.

Additionally I vaguely remember something about not being able to charge VAT on a item if VAT was not incurred when bringing it into stock (I think the resturants' & takeaways are exempt though)

Rob...

[Simon D]

Cheers for the help all.
Private sale it shall be then, no question about it!
Thankfully I kept the EMGs from the ESP, so they're going back in tonight. Might put the Warpigs in the new Singlecut and see how they sound without a Floyd robbing sustain from them.