♻️ Buy second-hand worldwide — no buyer fees, no seller commission. How it works →
WishThrift

Good Musical Instruments and Gear — Second-Hand Buying Guide

Good is the grade most second-hand musical instruments and gear are actually sold at — roughly 65% of top price, or $13 to $701 across the category (about £10 to £520). Played and gigged, fully playable and structurally sound. A lifting bridge, a twisted neck or a dead pickup drops it to Fair.

Where the line falls

Instruments move with humidity and wear at the contact points: necks shift, frets groove under the strings, pads and bushings harden, and electronics go scratchy from disuse.

For comparison, one grade up is Like New Musical Instruments and Gear and one step down is Fair Musical Instruments and Gear.

What musical instruments and gear are worth here

GradeShare of top priceTypical range
Like Newabout 85%$17 to $916
Goodabout 65%$13 to $701
Fairabout 45%$9 to $485

Guide ranges, not quotes, at £1 ≈ $1.35 (August 2026). All five grades.

What to check before you buy

  • Acoustic Guitar — Look into the soundhole at the edge to see whether the top is solid or layered
  • Audio Interface — Confirm current drivers exist for the latest operating systems
  • Bass Guitar — Sight down the neck from the headstock for relief and twist
  • Cello — Look through the f-hole for a label and note it
  • Clarinet — Inspect every joint and the barrel for hairline cracks
  • Digital Piano — Play scales across the whole keyboard checking weight consistency
  • DJ Controller — Confirm the model is still supported by current software
  • DJ Mixer — Run every fader through its full travel
  • Drum Kit — Lay out every shell, stand, pedal and cymbal and photograph together

Listing at the Good grade

Say when it was last set up and give the action height. Playability is the question and neither photograph nor adjective answers it.

Shots that carry the most weight in musical instruments and gear:

On a typical $357 listing, a marketplace charging 20% takes $71, one charging 13.6% takes $49 and one charging 10% takes $36. WishThrift charges neither side, so you keep the whole $357. Listing is free.

Browse musical instruments and gear

See every listing at the Good grade, or the whole Music & Instruments category at every grade. The grade is the seller’s own; WishThrift does not inspect or verify items.

Other grades in musical instruments and gear: New with Tags, Like New, Fair, For Parts.

Common questions

When was it last set up?

Grooved frets, finish wear where the arm rests, some scratchiness in the pots, and hardware dulled from handling.

What is the difference between Good and Fair musical instruments and gear?

Anything falling short of Good is graded Fair Musical Instruments and Gear.