Can you sell a classical guitar that does not work?
Yes. Repairers, people replacing one component and buyers who want a project all shop deliberately at this end. None of them will accept a fault they discover after paying.
What actually goes wrong with classical guitars
These are the faults that move a classical guitar down the grades, and the first things a buyer will ask about:
- Laminate tops, which sell for far less
- Lifting bridges, a serious structural issue
- Cracks in the top or sides
- Warped necks with high action
Grading it honestly
Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £18 to £81. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £10 to £45. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.
Working out what you actually have
Establish the fault properly rather than guessing at it:
- Look into the soundhole at the edge to see if the top is solid
- Check the bridge sits flat with no gap
- Measure the string height at the twelfth fret
Photographing the fault
Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:
- The full guitar front on, plain background
- The soundhole edge, showing whether the top is solid or laminate
- The bridge and soundboard, showing any lifting or crack
- The neck sighted down its length, plus the headstock
What to state in the listing
Alongside the fault itself, buyers of broken classical guitars want these confirmed:
- Size: full, three-quarter or half
- Whether the top is solid wood or laminate, and which wood
- Action height at the twelfth fret and neck relief
- Any cracks, bridge lifting, and whether a case is included
Size, top and brand: “Yamaha C40 Full Size Classical Guitar, Solid Spruce Top”. Size matters — full, three-quarter and half are separate searches for students of different ages. Solid top versus laminate is the main price driver.
What buyers will ask
Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:
Look at the grain at the soundhole edge: solid tops show continuous grain through the thickness, laminates show layers. It is the main price factor.
Measure the string height at the twelfth fret. High action on a student guitar makes it unplayable and is the commonest complaint.
Say full, three-quarter or half. Parents buying for a child filter on this before anything else.
Is it worth repairing first?
Usually not, unless it is cheap and you can evidence it. What lifts the price is condition and completeness, which a repair rarely restores:
- Solid cedar or spruce tops
- Recognised luthiers and better factory models
- Straight necks with comfortable action
- Original hard case
If the work would cost more than the gap between £45 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is broken and let the buyer decide.
When to list it
Lifts in September as lessons start and before Christmas. Student sizes sell fastest in those windows.
Getting it to the buyer
Post only in a hard case with the strings slackened and the headstock padded. Collection lets the buyer play it, which sells a guitar better than any photograph.
WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.
Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full classical guitar selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.
Frequently asked questions
Is a broken classical guitar worth anything?
Yes — typically £10 to £45 at For Parts against £40 to £180 working. Repairers and people harvesting one component buy deliberately at this end. Laminate tops, which sell for far less
Should I repair it before selling?
Usually not, unless the repair is cheap and you can evidence it. The things that genuinely lift the price are solid cedar or spruce tops and a repair rarely restores those.
What do buyers ask about a faulty classical guitar?
The fault itself, in detail. Look at the grain at the soundhole edge: solid tops show continuous grain through the thickness, laminates show layers. It is the main price factor. The listing that answers it before being asked is the one that sells.
See also: what classical guitar is worth by condition · how to sell classical guitar · condition grades explained · all broken & damaged guides · all selling guides.