Like a beach community stocked with used surfboards, or a resort town loaded with second-buyer skis, Nashville's Craigslist.org, the free posting service for goods and services, is stuffed with used musical equipment. From guitar strings to baby grand pianos, the online classifieds list is broad and deep, and local musicians cruise the listings the way lonely singles browse dating sites. But navigating its expanse can be intimidating, and it's easy to get burned. This holiday season, here's how to shop smart on Nashville's biggest online music marketplace.
First things first: Before you start clicking, the best thing you can do is educate yourself. Read reviews. Watch tutorials. Listen to records that feature the equipment. Finally, look up the item's MSRP — the manufacturer's suggested retail price — and average used price. A prepared buyer is difficult to fool.
"I always make sure I know what it sounds like and that it meets my expectations," says Ashton Tate, a 19-year-old guitar player from Franklin. Tate has bought a number of pedals through the site, as well as his amp.
Once you know the ins and outs of what you're looking for, now's the time to browse listings. Stick to the ads with photos. Why? It helps weed out products that are beat to hell. Sure, just because the pictures look good that doesn't mean it works, and yes, maybe that amazing, picture-less deal you've found is merely due to an elderly musician inept with "the Internets." But probably not. Keep looking.
When you've found a promising listing, contact your seller. Whether via phone or email, you're going ask two key questions: "Why are you getting rid of this?" and "Would you be up for a trade?"
With the former, the ideal answer is that they either didn't know the product when they bought it or it was an impulse buy. Both of these scenarios are great because they yield gear gently used. The latter question is purely to save you some bucks. Trading is common among Nashville musicians on Craigslist, and if you've got equipment lying around (and what musician doesn't?) it's worth asking. Trading lets you keep your cash.
If everything sounds good, the next step is the haggle. Don't be afraid to haggle.
"It's part of the culture, and I expect it," says Kyle Kellums, a 33-year-old pedal-builder for XAct Tone Solutions in Nashville. Kellums has bought and sold plenty of pedals on the site, along with a few amps. You're not buying from a guitar shop, he says. If you were, you'd get a guarantee and a return policy. With Craigslist, there's inherent risk, and that's worth a discount.
How much of a discount you can negotiate, however, depends on what you're buying and its price. On average, expect to pay around 15 percent less than asking. The savings can be greater, however, if you're spending more than a few hundred dollars or if the equipment is specialized. Don't feel guilty offering a number lower than the asking price — this is just business. But do your haggling by phone or email. That way you're not wasting too much of the seller's time with an impractical offer.
Most common is that the Craigslist seller will come to you, or you both meet in a neutral location. This is for safety. Also, you've got the money, so you get to call the shots. If the seller is coming to you, have your current rig set up ahead of time to test out the gear. When the seller arrives, plug in and play. If you've done your homework, it should be obvious whether it's what you're looking for. Pay the seller — cash, unless you've previously agreed on another method — shake hands, and enjoy.
Of course, if it's a bigger purchase like vintage equipment, you should consider bringing it to an objective party for a once-over. In this case, your local music store is invaluable.
"Evaluation is typically free. That's just a service we like to do as a good-faith thing," says Billy Jackson, the marketing and promotions director at Corner Music, which was voted Best Place to Buy New Musical Instruments by Scene readers in 2013 and 2014. Jackson, who's worked at the store for the past 10 years, says he's usually the guy who verifies the authenticity of guitars. He'll run serial numbers, analyze electrical components, and even trace it back to the original owners.
"We don't just look at it and chew gum," Jackson says.
Craigslist in Nashville is chock-full of good buys. If you as the consumer educate yourself and ask the right questions, it's unlikely you'll get ripped off. There's a risk with anything you buy from private sellers, but saving money on used music equipment is just one of the perks of living in Music City, USA.
Email music@nashvillescene.com
