Do you actually know what you're buying?

[NancyJohnson]

I've got some nice gear, but have always had this nagging thing about getting something really decent on the guitar front, maybe an old DC Les Paul Junior (or a Hamer Special), an Explorer (four-digit Hamer Standard or a Gibson), a Yamaha SG**** or maybe even one of Frank Diemel's Firestars (although these have pretty much doubled in price over the last couple of years).

I trawl eBay, Gumtree and Reverb regularly and it seems pretty clear to me that there's always been guitars and basses on sale that are either have dubious provenance or are clearly not what they pertain to be.  I just look at stuff and think, 'Oooooh, that just doesn't look right at all.'  Unless you're an authority on a particular instrument or are able to do your diligence, there doesn't seem to be any go to source for verification of what an instrument actually is and the constant rejigging of designs (all the maker

So what would you do?  Buy new from an authorised dealer?  Take a risk?  Buy through a vintage dealer and accept the price hike for something genuine?

[Beedster]

Buy through forums and not eBay or shops (shops can be dodgy also). It’s so much easier to establish the trustworthiness of a seller somewhere like BC than elsewhere

[Marc S]

If what you're looking at, appears dodgy from on-line photos, then it probably is "dodgy"
When buying privately, I prefer to actually go & see the item (if it's an expensive item like a guitar) or arrange to meet somewhere mutually convenient, if that's possible

I've bought several basses from people on here, and it's pretty much the most reliable place for 2nd hand gear. Again though, I usually like to try before I buy....
Other than that, I'd use a reputable dealer, or a guitar shop with a known reputation

Definitely look before you leap, and get as much background info about the guitar beforehand

EDIT: As Beedster says above  "shops can be dodgy too" - hence my comment about using a shop you know to have a good reputation (these shops won't usually want to risk their reputation)

Edited October 11, 2018 by Marc S

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 1, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[mikel]

I wont buy pretty much anything without seeing and touching it. Call me an old luddite but it prevents disappointment, and I enjoy shopping for stuff.

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Before considering the question of 'do you know what you are buying?' I think it is worth answering the question 'why am I buying this?'

If you consider an instrument as a musical tool to be played, gigged and recorded then it doesn't really matter about the provenance as long as it inspires you with how it sounds and responds to your input - if you bought a cleverly faked pre-CBS strat that was in reality an MIJ Tokai, that sounded amazing and inspired your playing and writing to new heights would it matter? (assuming you never need to sell it for financial reasons)

If you are viewing instruments as collectors items and financial investments then originality probably matters more than whether the instrument is even playable.

@Beedster makes a good point about being picky about where you choose to look, but you do have to bear in mind that sometimes honest people get hoodwinked (google Music Ground trial and do a little research into the owners and their ownership of multiple businesses on Denmark street) and can end up passing on fake/stolen instruments without malice or knowledge of what they are doing, so a ten page feedback thread with only glowing positives isn't necessarily a guaruntee that what they think they are selling is indeed what they say it is, or were told told by the previous owner.

Personally I would be more inclined to look at luthier built replicas and modern production models that are not affected by vintage/collectible fever.