It’s not exactly the kazoo. That’s what you told your wife when you finally put the old guitar in the back of the basement or in the garage, planning never to take it up again. After a while, some of your other belongings have piled up, but during day of spring cleaning, you’ve come across it again: it’s a guitar you never do anything with. Do ever you wonder how much it might be worth?

The accurate answer, of course, is that your guitar is worth as much as you’re able to sell it for. If you’ve been in this situation before and need a way to learn the best methods and strategies for selling your musical instruments online, you’ve come to the right place. You might not have any more need for that acoustic guitar, but you may know someone who does – or you may know a place where you can find the people who are looking for the musical instrument(s) you own.

Fix up your instrument first

If you really want your instrument to sell online, you’re going to have to make it look presentable. This means fixing up the instrument as best you can and taking flattering – but not dishonest – pictures of it. Don’t Photoshop your picture in order to manipulate the kinds of bis you’ll be receiving on it, but do make sure to take a flattering picture of the instrument. You want the pictures to look attractive but not so attractive that the real thing simply disappoints your buyer in person. Be sure to include anything else you can find with your instrument, such as a case or any extra pieces that could enhance the value of what you’re selling. For more on learning about putting your best foot forward, be sure to check out eBay’s Musical Instrument Selling Guide.

Sell it in the right place

Once you’ve got your musical instrument ready to go – and have some nice pictures of it you can post online – then you’re ready to find the right place to sell it. The place to start, of course, is eBay. You’ll want to make sure you set a high minimum bid that you’ll accept at eBay – this is the price that you need met before you’ll actually sell it. This is a great way to make sure that someone doesn’t come along and snatch your instrument for just a few dollars. You can also check out Craigslist and advertise your musical instrument for sale in your area.

When you post instruments listings online, it will help if you know approximately how much these types of instruments might cost in the condition yours is in. Check online and see the prices other people are asking for comparable instruments. Be sure to mark up a little bit in order to start the negotiations high. You can also add value to the interaction by throwing in those accessories mentioned earlier.

Know how to negotiate

If you’re not on eBay, then you’ll probably have to know how to negotiate fairly effectively. If you’re selling your instrument on Craigslist, then you’ll want to be able to negotiate via e-mail or phone. One very important negotiation tactic is to know your minimum price and stick with it, even if you have to walk away in order to stick with the minimum price you’ve already set in your mind.

If you treat your musical instrument well and take your time in creating an effective ad for it, you may find that your results surprise you! Just make sure that you can actually deliver on what you promise your prospective buyers.