Buying Guides

Practical advice for evaluating a used instrument before you buy.

Guitars & Basses

From a beginner acoustic to a vintage bass: pickups, tonewoods, and what to check before buying used.

String Instruments

Violin, viola, cello, and double bass: tonewood, bow choice, strings, and how to judge a used instrument's condition.

Plucked Strings

Banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and harp: body styles, string types, and tips for a first purchase or your next one.

Keyboard Instruments

Grand piano, upright, digital piano, synthesizer, and accordion: action, sound generation, and what matters when buying used.

Wind & Percussion

Saxophone, trumpet, trombone, flute, clarinet, and drums: materials, maintenance, and tips for buying used.

All Guide Topics

Not sure where to start? Browse every buying guide across all instrument families.

Discover

A few articles from across every category you might not have stumbled on otherwise.

Clarinet

Spotting Cracks in the Wood Body

Why wood clarinets are especially prone to cracking, and how to check for it before buying.

Synthesizer

Hardware Synth vs. Software/VST: What's Actually Different?

A real synthesizer engine can run identically as physical hardware or as computer software - here's what changes between the two.

Concert Flute

Piccolo as a Second Instrument: What Actually Changes

What flute players need to adjust for when picking up piccolo, and what carries over directly.

Electric Guitar

Common Mistakes When Buying Your First Electric Guitar

The most common first electric guitar mistakes and how to avoid them: budget for guitar, amp and extras, fit, setup, left-handed and kids options, testing and myths.