Best place to sell an instrument?

[Aurora D]

My son played the trumpet for a few years but is not interested in continuing the lessons. It's a basic trumpet bought through a co. the school contracted. Where is the best place to try to sell it and any idea how much it's worth? We paid about $1000 for it on a payment plan(w/interest).

 

[richmond282]

I'd be happy to give you a guesstimate (without seeing it, I can't give you anything definitive). What's the name brand and model number? Does it have any blemishes of any sort? Is it brass or silver?

You could contact the local middle school band director to see if any beginning students are looking for instruments or you could list it on craigslist or ebay.

 

[mmouse1239]

I have the same question, same instrument. My daughter's is a "step-up" trumpet. They called it that when I bought it. It is a Yahama, about 3 or 4 years old, silver. I think I paid $1500 for it. Any idea what I should sell it for?

 

[Tampa Mousekeeter]

Craigslist......but I think you will be very disappointed in the price you get...I've been to at least 3 garage sales that people have paid over $1,000 and are selling them for $50 just to get rid of them.....

 

[sorul82?]

You could contact the local middle school band director to see if any beginning students are looking for instruments or you could list it on craigslist or ebay.

or even donate it to a school for a tax deduction.

 

[DisneyShannon]

I would try craigslist. Do a local ad through them. I like it because it is local and the may be buyer can come and look at it at your house. I once sold a Guitar for 25.00 just to be rid of it. I never did learn how to play. It was a basic new learnr one. But 13 years ago it was expensive.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

You can always try a Pawn Shop.

We have a mandolin that DD16 never plays anymore. I'll probably try it on Craigslist first and if I can't sell it that way then just take it to a local pawn shop.

 

[maggiew]

At my DD's school, they let the kids come and try out the instruments in the summer before they join the band to decide what instrument they might want to play. They had old instruments there for sale used. I was thinking about contacting the band director to see if we could sell my DD's like that. My older DD just graduated and probably won't play her French horn anymore. She also has a marching french horn (mellophone??) that I purchased for her because the school didn't have enough to go around and they wanted her to carry her regular french horn during the parades. I am going to try to sell that one too.

Maggie

 

[swilshire]

You can always try a Pawn Shop.

We have a mandolin that DD16 never plays anymore. I'll probably try it on Craigslist first and if I can't sell it that way then just take it to a local pawn shop.

What sort of mandolin do you have? Mine had sat behind the couch for years, but as soon as I sold it, DH decided he wanted a mandolin. Go figure.

Sheila

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

What sort of mandolin do you have? Mine had sat behind the couch for years, but as soon as I sold it, DH decided he wanted a mandolin. Go figure.

Sheila

Just a cheap one I got new in NYC a few years ago. Carlo Robelli sunburst "A" mandolin according to the box. Price tag on it is $199 but I'm sure I got some sort of musician's discount on it.

It plays great but DD is more into her violin, keyboard and electric guitar. The mandolin has only been taken out of the box and played a handful of times.

We just moved and I am purging as much of our excess clutter as I can.

 

[mom2dil]

I am in the market for a trumpet for my son. He played in the band last year and we rented his trumpet and I think I may want to buy one this year. Once you figure out what/how much you are thinking then let me know
Send me a PM.
Thanks!

 

[Sadie22]

So many of the rental instruments are not worth as much as what is paid for them, unfortunately. Ask at any music stores in your area whether you can sell the instrument to the store or whether they will sell it for you on consignment. Also ask the band director for advice and if nothing else donate the instrument to the school if they will take it. Around here there are several volunteers who restore instruments for student use.

We bought a student instrument through a small music store which was used for marching band and then a professional instrument used through a larger store. DS may want to sell them back some day but not yet.

We got a free piano off Craigslist. It's old but still in good condition. The owner said she had advertised it for sale but got no takers so she gave it away. We did pay to have it moved, and had to pay for tuning, of course.

 

[swilshire]

Just a cheap one I got new in NYC a few years ago. Carlo Robelli sunburst "A" mandolin according to the box. Price tag on it is $199 but I'm sure I got some sort of musician's discount on it.

It plays great but DD is more into her violin, keyboard and electric guitar. The mandolin has only been taken out of the box and played a handful of times.

We just moved and I am purging as much of our excess clutter as I can.

Thanks for the info. I wish I'd kept the Gibson A model I sold. At the time I needed the money more than I needed one more thing behind the couch.

You may want to hang onto it. We have all sorts of instruments that nobody plays much, but then I'll come home and find the 16yo playing something I haven't seen out of the case in a year.

Sheila

 

[richmond282]

I have the same question, same instrument. My daughter's is a "step-up" trumpet. They called it that when I bought it. It is a Yahama, about 3 or 4 years old, silver. I think I paid $1500 for it. Any idea what I should sell it for?

Depending on the condition, you can probably get $500-$600 for a step-up. If you have a local music store, they can probably give you a more definite price based on the condition.

My older DD just graduated and probably won't play her French horn anymore. She also has a marching french horn (mellophone??) that I purchased for her because the school didn't have enough to go around and they wanted her to carry her regular french horn during the parades. I am going to try to sell that one too.

Maggie

Wow! You bought a french horn???? That's BIG money. What kind is it? Does it have an attached bell? I have a student looking for a french horn. You can PM with info if you like.