How to sell musical instruments and guitar pedals for cash

The guitar that was going to be a lockdown project. The keyboard from childhood lessons. A pedalboard you've rebuilt three times. Instruments are made to be played, and if yours isn't, someone else would happily give it a second life.

Instruments and gear that sell well

• Guitars and basses — electric, acoustic and classical, from Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Squier, Yamaha, Ibanez, PRS and more.
• Guitar pedals — overdrive, fuzz, delay, reverb, loopers and multi-effects units from Boss, Electro-Harmonix, MXR, Strymon and others.
• Keyboards, digital pianos and synths — within postable size (most portable keyboards and synths are fine; full-size digital pianos often aren't).
• Amps — practice amps and smaller combos and heads, within 30kg.
• Brass and woodwind — trumpets, saxophones, clarinets, flutes in their cases.
• Recording gear — audio interfaces, microphones, studio monitors and MIDI controllers.
• Ukuleles, violins and smaller string instruments.

What affects the value

Brand and model come first, followed by condition and playability. For guitars: neck straightness, fret wear, electronics working without crackles, and no cracks in the body or headstock. For pedals: every switch and knob working cleanly, and whether you have the box. For wind instruments: pads sealing well and no dents affecting playing.

A hard case or gig bag adds value and makes the instrument much safer to post.

Getting an instrument ready

1. Clean it. Wipe down the body, polish the frets, clean the fretboard. For brass and woodwind, clean and dry thoroughly.
2. Check electronics. Plug in and test every pickup position, pot and jack. For pedals, test with a known-good power supply.
3. Fresh strings aren't essential, but a guitar that's in tune with decent strings presents better.
4. Find the extras. Case, strap, power supplies, manuals.

Selling options

Music shops sometimes buy or part-exchange, and dedicated online marketplaces exist for gear. Selling yourself means photos, specs, answering detailed questions, and very careful packing of fragile, expensive items.

With SendForCash, describe the instrument or pedals and get an instant cash offer. Accept and we email a free postage label. We pay the same day we inspect. If anything's different from the description, we explain and offer a revised price — or send it back free.

Packing instruments for posting

• Guitars: detune the strings slightly to reduce neck tension, put the guitar in its case, pad around the headstock, and box the case. Without a hard case, use a proper guitar box from a music shop — many will give them away.
• Pedals: wrap each one individually, protect knobs from pressing against each other.
• Keyboards and synths: original box if possible, otherwise thick padding on all sides and corners.
• Wind instruments: in their cases, inside a box with padding.

Remember the 1.5m length limit — most guitars in a case are within this, but check before you accept an offer.

FAQ

Do you buy guitars with scratches and dings?

Yes, as long as it plays properly. Cosmetic wear simply affects the offer.

Can I sell a whole pedalboard?

Yes. Tell us which pedals are on it, and whether the board and power supply are included.

Do you buy vintage instruments?

If it's postable and working, describe it and get an offer. Very high-value vintage instruments are worth having appraised by a specialist.

What about drum kits?

Full kits are usually too bulky to post. Individual items like snare drums, cymbals and pedals within the size limits are fine.