Guide / SELECTED VINTAGE GUITARS
How to Buy a Used Guitar on OLX: An Inspection Guide with Examples from Our Shop
An electric, acoustic or bass guitar from a classified ad? We explain how to assess the instrument's condition, check the scope of the work done on it and compare the asking price with the real cost of getting it ready to play.
A good deal starts with a specific instrument
You can find a great guitar on OLX, but the ad title and a few nice photos aren't enough to judge a purchase. Before you compare prices, establish the exact model, the technical condition and what you get along with the instrument. A guitar that needs a refret is a different proposition from a similar example in which that work has already been done.
At Guitar Lab we like to choose Japanese instruments from the 1970s and 1980s. Their quality and potential after a good overhaul can surprise you very pleasantly. In our view, a properly set-up example is often a better buy than a new mid-range guitar. The condition is simple: you are buying a checked instrument and you know the scope of the work that has been done.
Before you meet, ask for photos that actually show something
You need the whole guitar from the front and back, the headstock from both sides, the neck-to-body joint, the bridge and close-ups of the frets. For an acoustic guitar, photos of the area around the bridge and of the label inside the body are also useful. Ask for any damage to be shown under light falling from the side; reflections on the finish often reveal more than a straight-on photo.
Ask what has been replaced, whether any cracks have been repaired, when the last setup was done and what strings are currently fitted. The word “vintage” doesn't describe condition, and “serviced” can mean anything from a string change to a full refret. It's worth knowing which situation you're talking about.
| What to check | How to check it during the inspection |
|---|---|
| Neck and frets | Play every note on each string in turn. Pay attention to spots where the note dies out or buzzes noticeably. |
| Playability | Play chords in the first positions and a passage higher up the neck. Judge how much pressure it takes to fret the strings. |
| Electronics | Check every switch position, the knobs and the output jack using a known-good cable and amplifier. |
| Hardware | Check that the bridge and tuners are secure and that the guitar stays in tune after normal playing. |
| Repair history | Compare the declared scope of servicing with the instrument's condition, the photos and the description of replaced parts. |
Electric and bass: listen to every fret
Tune the guitar first. On the amp's clean channel, calmly play every note, then a few harder-hit chords and bends. A single problem fret or uneven sustain needs to be explained. Very low action on its own doesn't prove a good setup: the instrument should also work with your normal picking strength.
On a bass, also check the lowest string and how comfortable your fretting hand is in the first positions. Test guitars with active electronics with a working battery. Distinguish the characteristic hum of single-coil pickups from crackling, signal dropouts or a faulty jack. If you can't assess the neck adjustment, arrange an inspection at a repair shop; don't check the truss rod by forcing it to turn.
Acoustic: high action doesn't always mean a minor adjustment
Look over the top, the area around the bridge and the neck-to-body joint. A slight bulge in the top behind the bridge does not by itself settle whether there is a fault. What matters is the geometry of the whole instrument, the condition of the joints and whether the bridge is lifting off the top.
If the strings are high and the saddle has already been lowered a great deal, don't assume that sanding it down further will solve the problem. The cause may lie in the neck angle relative to the body or in a deformation of the structure. The truss rod is for correcting neck relief, not for fixing every string action problem.
Three examples: the scope of work matters
The K.Country D-350 shows a situation in which a well-preserved acoustic needed basic preparation: new strings and a setup. On the Aria WJ-40 we carried out much more extensive work, including fingerboard leveling and a refret. These are two different stories, even though both instruments belong to the world of Japanese vintage guitars.
On the electric Greco EG800 we fitted new frets and a new nut. That scope of work is worth taking into account when comparing it with a cheaper example that needs an overhaul. The cards below link to photos and descriptions of specific instruments in our shop; we don't assume that each of them is also listed on OLX at the same time.
K.Country D-350 New Old Stock – Natural, Lawsuit Era, '70sPhotos, service record and current offer details →
Aria WJ-40 – Natural, Lawsuit era, 1981Photos, service record and current offer details →
Greco EG800 - Sunburst, Lawsuit era, 1979Photos, service record and current offer details →
The ad price versus the cost of a guitar ready to play
Compare the purchase price together with the necessary repairs, a case and shipping. If the instrument needs fretwork, ask for a quote after an inspection. A fret level makes sense only when the condition and height of the frets allow a proper result. It is not an automatic substitute for a refret.
Not every scratch needs refinishing. For a musician, a well-functioning neck and stable hardware are usually more important than a perfectly smooth finish. We ourselves prefer honestly described signs of use to a promise of perfect looks that isn't backed by playing comfort.
Contact and purchase terms on OLX
Keep the conversation about the ad in the OLX chat. Don't enter card or online banking details in a form from a link sent in a message. The option of personal pickup lets you combine checking the instrument with settling the details of the purchase. If the offer uses OLX payment or delivery services, check their current terms directly on the site.
Our OLX ads are an additional way to get to know what Selected Vintage Guitars has on offer. On the shop's website you can view an instrument and then choose how to get in touch, or go to the listing on Reverb or Allegro. Check shipping and return terms for the specific transaction on the platform you choose. You can also visit us at ul. Dąbrowskiego 307 in Poznań and compare guitars in person.
See Selected Vintage Guitars' ads on OLX ↗
What to choose for 3000–4000 zł? ↗
Further reading
If you want to go deeper, OLX's help pages set out the rules for safe contact and payment. StewMac's material shows how an inspection affects the scope and pricing of repairs. Treat it as an example of a workshop approach, not as a current price list for a Polish repair shop.