How to score good guitar parts cheap on eBay

I've said before that buying any guitar "with upgrades" is a dumb idea. It usually is. But there is one instance where it is an advantage...

...and that's when buying a guitar for parts rather than for the guitar itself.

Above is parts guitar which the seller states is a Schecter. At the time I write this, the above guitar is selling for $279 with free shipping. Cheap. But this is what it has in it:

• Grover locking tuners
• DiMarzio Area T neck pickup
• DiMarzio Area T Hot bridge pickup
• Gotoh bridge with intonated brass saddles
• Bourns 500K potentiometers
• Oak Grigsby 3-way switch
• Switchcraft output jack
• Schecter hard case

Now when you put all those parts and accessories together were you to buy them separate, the value of all that is...

Get ready for this...

...about $415.

That's just the parts and case if all bought new, without the guitar.

Yes, it's true that you will have to desolder the pickups and deconstruct the guitar just to get all the parts out of it. But the point is that you're getting all that stuff for about $135 less than if you bought it all new outright - presuming you get the guitar for $279.

Why is the guitar selling low when the total value of the parts should make it higher?

Two reasons.

First, any guitar "upgraded" with parts that it didn't have when sold new means it's non-original. And non-original means devalued.

Second, the fact the parts are in use means every single thing in the guitar is technically used, even if it was installed yesterday. That's another devaluation.

Seeking out specific parts? You may get lucky with "upgraded" guitars on eBay

Try a search and see what you find. You might be able to score some real good parts and/or accessories far cheaper than if you bought new.

Published 2017 Dec 22

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