Electric Guitars

[Jkater]

When, for some senseless reasons, I had convinced myself that I wanted a Heritage, I contacted the only real dealer in Germany He had a nice looking H575 in natural finish with Seth Lovers. I phoned him a few times with questions and when I was ready to order it, he said that he didn't want me to order it to try which was very unusual and when I later phoned to order it in spite of that risk, he said it was sold. I was quite pissed. Then I found a Heritage H575 in another store and ordered it with a return policy but I stupidly tried to like the guitar until it was too late to send it back and wasted 2,000 euros in the bargain. Worst money and most money i ever spent on a guitar.

[americansinner]

I've spent $900 sight unseen, but highly don't recommend it. I was looking at something that is pretty rare and had no choice and it was new from the company so subject to replacement with few questions asked.

[Presc]

Two of my electrics were special orders, so by nature the individual guitars were sight unseen. Worked out quite well both times. In both cases I was working with K-Line, a small boutique builder, and G&L, which in my experience makes very consistent guitars, so the concern of getting a lemon wasn't there as it might be with certain other brands.

[Wyoming T/A]

$4100.00 on my PRS--worth every penny

[JR13]

$1100 is the most I've done. But that was from GC which allows returns. It was worth it

[xrleroyx]

I think I dropped $800 once with no policy. $1,100 on my AVRI JM with a return policy.

[epi56ebony]

$2,500 - Les Paul 1956 VOS Goldtop from Music 123 (when they still had no sales tax in CA) bought it in 2006 for my 50th birthday. And while I'm not going to list the serial number, it just turned out to be very significant - numberwise. Just lucked into a very cool number. The number incorporates my birth date and age.

[bluesnapper]

I bought my SRV Strat for £675 from the small ads in the back of a local newspaper... trouble was it was from a newspaper local to a city over 150 miles away. My drummer was on holiday in the area at the time and he picked it up for me. The seller plugged it in and showed him it worked etc but my friend knows almost nothing about guitars so I was taking a risk. SRV Strats went for £800+ on eBay back then so I could always sell it on but still felt a little nervous. Turned out to be an excellent deal and I've never been happier with a guitar. I did speak to the guy on the phone for a good 15 minutes or so before making the deal - asked him lots of questions and he was very open and I decided that he sounded like a decent and trustworthy bloke. The conversation was key to me making the decision! In an ideal world I'd want to play a guitar first, but I'd take the risk again in a similar situation - perhaps even for more money.

[TheIgnoramus]

but I'm a little nervous. The thing is beautiful (to me) but who knows if it needs any work done. (set up, pickup swap)

(Assuming this is a Gibson) In context to your OP -- my recommendation is do not buy ANY Gibson explorer without laying hands on it and playing it. I have two, and love them both, but they were the end result of going to many shops and playing many explorers. QC is all over the place, and they are hardly a reliable brand/model to buy sight unseen.

[StevenJM]

The total price for the guitar + hard case + shipping from Japan is $520. I previously bought an '84 "the SG" maybe 5 years ago for $450 as-is/no returns off of eBay and it plays amazing, just needed a new bridge pickup. So I've gotten lucky once, but like someone stated, I knew I could break even if I sold it. I don't know if I'd break even selling this other guitar. I might pass on it, I'm sending another email asking if there is any kind of policy they can offer.

[bluesnapper]

I've bought a new Gibson online without having seen even a photograph of the actual guitar. From an excellent dealer with a great reputation. When it arrived there was a detailed dealer inspection checklist certificate in the case. I couldn't have been happier.

[nuke_diver]

$249 shipped for my HH Fender Tele It needed a setup when I got it but otherwise is a good guitar and a good price. It now sports 2 Pure 90's instead of the original SD buckers...which are still in a drawer someplace

[Funkwire]

$700 for my (used) 2008 LP from an e-Bay seller. No return policy, just saw a few pics and traded e-mails. Turned out great, it's my favorite guitar.

I've bought six other guitars online for lesser amounts. No issues with any of them. I'd go above $1,000 to a reputable dealer with a return policy.

[Flatspotter]

So far, $2400 for a PRS 25th Anniversary Swamp Ash Special Narrowfield. I returned the first one, and kept the second one. The retailer paid all shipping charges.

[3volved]

$2,700 on my PRS Tremonti. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[WilmerTheWhite]

I bought a used Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion for $ 1200 on-line. Recently I also purchased an older Godin Artisan ST-1 on-line for $ 700. It all went fine, but it´s definitely necessary to do some research before you buy.

[Flying_Milkman]

450, but it was from MusiciansFriend, I don't think I'd buy a guitar off ebay.

[Deanriffs]

$0.00 without a return policy. That seems like a senseless risk.

If I trusted the retailer and there was a good return policy, I could probably spend thousands if I knew I could return it.

[Arr0wHead]

I have no issues buying online. As a lefty, "trying it first" is not usually an option for me, whether ordering off Ebay or needing to special order a lefty at the local guitar shop. It's become such custom to me I often find myself buying guitars I COULD play first without actually playing them. For example, my last Ibanez purchase was a guitar I researched and thought about buying for weeks. When I saw a local dealer had a lefty in stock they were selling on ebay, I offered to go buy it the next day. I went in, paid, and started walking out with the box. I opened it only long enough to see if there were any obvious defects or damage. Even the store employee was like "aren't you gonna try it out?". Point being, the more I know what I enjoy and desire in a guitar, the less need I have to "try before I buy".

[jtr654]

$1250 for a unsold Jackson Schon + case one of the last 3 that were still at the distributer.