Buying Musical Instruments On Craigslist

Buying a musical instrument online can be an odd process.

Some possessions don’t feel like they’re best bought “used,” do they?

There are, however, plenty of musical instruments you can find online that won’t be run-down or sullied by someone else’s use, and if you’re adventurous enough, you might even consider checking out Craigslist for some bargain-basement-level prices.

The problem? Many people are a little skeptical of Craigslist.

That’s why this article will push you through that fear and help you discover the cheap-but-high-quality used instruments you’ve been after all this time.

Have No Fear: Craigslist is Here

If you’re new to the ways of the World Wide Web, then Craigslist might sound a little scary to you. After all, all of these people are simply posting up rudimentary-looking classified ads, with little-to-no regulation monitoring each transaction!

It does sound scary, but you’d be surprised what a large marketplace is capable of when everyone is looking out for their own interest. With many of the sellers on Craigslist, you’re just looking at someone who wants to ditch something they don’t use any more and maybe make a decent – and fair – price for it. Sure, there are the “sketchy” areas of Craigslist, but if you’re just looking for an old accordion, you probably don’t have too much to be afraid of.

Patience Is Key

If you’ve never bought online before, you might be tempted to look at what’s available on Craigslist and make an offer based on what you see. But if you really want to find the best deals, you’ll do better to practice a little patience. Here’s two ways to do it:

1. Contact the seller, but monitor the market. You can’t be too patient when it comes to making the seller an offer for their musical instrument, so you’ll want to at least get in contact with a seller to find out what the demand for their instrument has been like and what price they might be driven down to. In the meantime, it helps to continually monitor the ads on Craigslist to see if any better deals pop up. Don’t always buy the first deal you see.
2. Be willing to walk away. You may think that you’ll never find a deal like this again – and you may even be right – but it’s the power to walk away that gives you a lot of leverage in the negotiation process. You shouldn’t threaten to “walk away” outright, but you should be willing to. This will give you an edge and a reason not to go over your maximum price.

Search the Right Way

If you’ve been paying attention, then you know it’s important not to look at Craigslist listings and make an offer based on what you immediately see. You’ll want to contact sellers, scope out the best deals, and check Craigslist daily to see if any new, interesting potential leads pop up.

Make sure you search for musical instruments that are of good quality, as well: be very discerning. Try to find pictures of instruments, and if a model name is giving, enter a Google search for that model to get more information about it. It’s also a good idea to make sure that any musical instrument you is safe and sanitary. If you’re too wary about this to go on Craigslist for musical instruments, it might not be the option for you.

If you really want to diversify your search for the best deal, check out Musical Instruments On eBay while you’re conducting a Craigslist search. If you’re persistent, you can find some amazing deals on musical instruments.