The price estimate on tone-index shows in seconds what comparable instruments currently go for. You enter brand and model, optionally an instrument type and build year, and get a price range together with sample listings. No sign-up, no email address.
How to use the estimate
- Open the price estimate (in the menu under "Estimate My Instrument").
- Enter a brand and/or model, for example "Fender Stratocaster". The more precise the input, the better the matches.
- Optionally pick the instrument type to narrow results to one category.
- Optionally add a build year. Instruments from five years before to five years after are included, plus entries with no build year on record.
- Click the estimate button. You see the range, the number of matches, the average rarity and up to five of the newest comparable listings.
Where the numbers come from
Data basis
The estimate is not a fixed price book and not an editorial valuation. It is calculated automatically from the instruments published in our database. For each entry we store the price range found in the most recent listings on large online marketplaces. That makes them prices sellers are asking right now, not confirmed sale prices.
How the range is built
The search compares your input with brand and model. If you type several words, each word has to appear in the brand or the model. From all matches, the lowest single price becomes the lower bound and the highest single price the upper bound. The range is therefore not an average. It shows how far apart the prices of the matches are.
Rarity
We also show the average rarity of the matches on a scale from 1 (common) to 10 (very rare). It is calculated by a fixed formula from market activity, meaning the number of active and recently sold listings. The same input always returns the same value. High rarity means few examples change hands. Prices are then harder to compare and the range varies more.
Reading the results
- Many matches, narrow range: The market is broad and prices sit close together. The estimate is a good reference point.
- Wide range: This often happens when your input covers several variants, such as different specs, years or conditions. Narrow it down with a model suffix, instrument type or build year.
- Few matches: With only one or two comparable listings the range says little.
- No matches: The search found nothing suitable. Try a more general term, such as the brand alone or a shorter model name.
What the estimate cannot do
- It does not see your specific instrument. Condition, repairs, originality, accessories and provenance affect the price but are not part of the calculation.
- Asking prices are often higher than what is paid after negotiation. The range shows what is asked, not what finally changes hands.
- It is no substitute for an appraisal. For expensive, rare or historic instruments, a professional valuation makes sense.
Tips for buyers and sellers
As a seller, use the range as a guide for your asking price: describe the condition honestly, look at similar sample listings and start somewhere in the middle of the range. As a buyer, you can tell whether an offer is unusually cheap or expensive. A price far below the range is a reason to look more closely (see the used instrument checklist). For individual instrument groups, the used-buying guides have more, for example for electric guitars or upright pianos.
Privacy
The estimate works without an account and without an email address. No personal data is needed to calculate a range.
