GC Trade In/Sell Exchange Rate

[Jawbone]

Anyone ever use GC to trade-in / sell equipment - just curious what they give you (say the equipment is good to mint)? 30% / 40% / 50%

[countrybass007]

Depends on supply and demand, as they check the current used value of each item.

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by countrybass007

Depends on supply and demand, as they check the current used value of each item.

I have done some great trades but never a sale.
You get little on sales but they will work with trades as do most local owned guitar shops.
I also find being a customer and knowing the value and market of the bass etc you are trading helps quite allot.

[mildbill]

I just traded in some gear I hadn't used in a long time. The basic formula was they gave me half of what they would sell it for. For example, the last Line 6 Studio 110 they had sold for $120.00 so they gave me $60.00 for mine. Check out their used web page and get a rough idea of what similar items are running price-wise and then cut that number in half.
This was my experience, hope it helps with your question.

[agreatheight]

They, generally speaking, will give you about 50-60% of what they are going to sell it for.

[Kmonk]

Originally Posted by agreatheight

They, generally speaking, will give you about 50-60% of what they are going to sell it for.

This is correct. They also check online sources such as Ebay to see what has sold recently and then offer about half of that. Expect half of retail. They will sometimes give slightly more if you are trading toward another item.

They offered me $500 for a 76 Precision in very good condition. I turned it down and sold it on Craigslist the following day for $1,500.

[Got2SadowskyNYC]

When I worked there we usually gave 50% of what we were going to price it at.

There were some exceptions. USA Fenders, Gibsons, PRS, certain boutique pedals and amps. etc. Nicer or more desired brands or models. This was 60%.

The trick is to know what it's worth before you go in. The quick way to find out is go to eBay and search the item. On the left you can select "used" and "completed listings". If you're comparing apples to apples this will give you the general idea of what it's worth. This is exactly what we did to start.

Then we'd take into account our market. A 6 string bass wouldn't get as good a price as the same model in a 4 or 5 here.

Condition. MAKE SURE YOU CLEAN IT UP. Would you want to buy a car that's covered in mud? Then why would you try to sell a piece of gear that looks like it's been played with a greasy piece of chicken? We had to clean the stuff up so if I didn't have to do a bunch of work to get it ready I'd be more likely to give you a better deal.

It has to have all the strings on it, but not new strings. We were SUPPOSED to put new strings on regardless. Although, from what I've seen, most stores don't do this.

Unless it's vintage than being beat to hell isn't good for you as a seller.

All street buys have to go through management to be entered into the system so expect this. Expect a low ball price. You could usually push on me for a better deal, especially if you're trading.

If you're selling a vintage piece all these have to go through the vintage buyers in CA. It takes longer because they want lots of photos to confirm that it's not a fake.

Cases are "penny buys" unless it's a special case or a vintage piece with original case. They don't add value. This is why you can sometimes see a case for $0.02 on the used site. You shouldn't be able to, but sometimes they get entered under the wrong code.

If you know it's worth $100 don't expect more than $50. You are essentially a wholesaler and the store and sales people have to make money.