Sell a guitar if you had 1st dibs to buy it back?

Octavio · September 2023

It would have to be a gentleman's agreement, and I guess you could buy it back when listed again for the market rate.

I'd be curious to know how many guitars would be listed as a result. I've had some purchases that if I was asked I'd willingly sell back, despite being a great guitar.

slacker · September 2023

I take ages to sell a guitar. It's got to be untouched for a couple of years. And when it's gone its gone.

imalrightjack · September 2023

@chris78, @Nightswan and @ ;
done that before!

Octavio · September 2023

Well I mean a guitar that a seller really doesn't want to sell, which are usually the good ones.

For example I bought a guitar off a chap who had originally bought it when he got his first record deal advance in 2008. He's still a working solo artist but couldn't justify not using it so sold it to me. I half wanted to convince him not to sell it.

Loads of examples though, financial hard times, divorce etc. General shit times.

axisus · September 2023

If I sell a guitar it's because I ultimately don't want it, so I'm not that bothered.

If I bought a guitar and someone asked for first dibs I'd certainly offer it to them first, I don't think you can tie down to 'market rate' though. I'm not saying that I wouldn't do that, but if I owned the guitar it's 100% up to me to see what I can get for it.

wizbit81 · September 2023

Yeah I've done that both ways for sure. When I do it it's an agreement for the same price, so if I buy it off someone I'll offer it back same price, I don't want to make money off them. Likewise though I'd hope that someone would (and has) do that for me too. For me it would be a somewhat smack in the mouth if you sold to someone for a decent price and they than offered it back at 50% more.

GuyR · September 2023

I have recently sold a couple of basses I bought at a reasonable price and in both cases I contacted the original seller and offered them the option to buy back at the same price. No discussion had taken place at the point at which I had originally bought them, I hadn’t owned either for long, I would have felt a little awkward not to have done so.
However, if I had owned an instrument for a longer period, say 2 years, I certainly wouldn’t feel any compulsion to give the previous owner any option to purchase, particularly at a discount. I have a 62 Jazz Bass bought for £3400 20 years ago, should I sell it to the very nice previous owner for the same price?
Whenever I have sold a guitar or bass, it has never been on the basis that I expect to retain an option to repurchase. Once I have sold, it belongs to someone else and any sense of entitlement seems inappropriate.

Sassafras · October 2023

First dibs is something people say and then forget all about when they see the next shiny thing that takes their fancy.

guitars4you · October 2023

Alright saying that but what happens if they then say ‘times are tough’ etc can’t justify it now etc

so just a point of conversation without any meaning

plus why sell it if you want to buy it back

chris78 · October 2023

As @imalrightjack said, definitely done it.
My problem is space. There is an endless in and out due to a lack of space that the missus will let me have. That means I sell great guitars and often regret letting them go. I’ve got a decent list of guitars, many have gone to forum members, of truly superb guitars I’d love to see again.

nero1701 · October 2023

I've bought a couple of things from the same seller recently, I needed the cab more than the speakers, offered him the speakers first. Same with the guitar.

ChrisCox1994 · October 2023

I've done this a few times between friends, buying back a few years later for the same price I sold it. Also long term loan and exchanging gear.

It's nice, and feels good for both sides.

*Edit

One was a Tom Anderson bought from here 10 years ago that I sold to a friend who moved to another country, I realised he didn't take it with him and offered him the money back a couple years later, went to his mums house and picked it up, same strings it had when I sold I to him - so glad to have it back!

Another was an amp that I sold to a friend I play in bands with but he lives a couple of hours away and I am going to pick up this week and give his money back.

Why did I sell in the first place?

Rent needs to be paid, car needs repairs, the usual.

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Sell a guitar if you had 1st dibs to buy it back?

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