How to sell musical instruments online: what holds value and where to list
A guitar, keyboard, or drum kit doesn’t sell like a typical used item — buyers know specific models, care whether it still works, and expect honesty about repairs. Here’s where to list by instrument type, what actually holds value, and how to price and describe it so it sells.
Last updated October 2026
Where should you actually sell a musical instrument — eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or a specialty site like Reverb?
It depends on the instrument’s size and how niche the buyer pool is. Reverb exists specifically for musical gear, so shoppers there already know what a Gibson vs. a Fender or a vintage pedal is worth — useful for guitars, amps, keyboards, and pedals. Reverb’s own billing policy charges a 5% selling fee (no listing fee), with a $0.50 minimum and $500 maximum per item, plus payment processing. eBay reaches a bigger, more general buyer pool and often moves common gear faster. For anything too bulky or fragile to ship easily — pianos, drum kits, large amp cabinets, organs — Facebook Marketplace’s local-pickup model usually beats shipping it at all. Our eBay vs. Facebook Marketplace guide covers the general shipped-vs-local tradeoff in more detail.
What actually holds its value, and what depreciates fast?
Brand and model matter more than almost anything else. A Guitar World comparison of popular new models found a Gibson Les Paul Standard ‘50s lost about 34% of its value used, a Fender American Professional II Telecaster about 38%, a PRS SE Silver Sky about 37%, and an ESP LTD Deluxe EC-1000 about 40% — real depreciation even among well-regarded brands, just at different rates. Mass-produced, entry-level instruments depreciate fastest because a buyer can get a brand-new equivalent for not much more. Established brands, well-regarded specific models, and genuinely vintage or discontinued pieces hold value far better, and some rare vintage instruments appreciate over time instead of losing value.
Does a serial number prove an instrument is authentic?
No — a serial number helps, but it isn’t proof by itself. Numbers can be misread, copied onto a counterfeit, or reused from a different instrument, and a modern reissue can legitimately carry a vintage-style number format that looks older than it is. What actually protects you and the buyer: photograph the serial number’s exact location, include any original paperwork or receipts you have, and describe the instrument’s condition and any repairs or replaced parts honestly. eBay’s own Item Description Policy requires the condition you list to match the item and stay consistent across the title, description, and photos — the same standard that applies to any used item, not just collectible instruments.
What should you clean, fix, or disclose before listing it?
Clean it the way you’d want to receive it: wipe down strings, keys, or a drum shell, and clear visible dust or grime. For a guitar, fresh strings are cheap and make both the photos and a quick sound-clip demo noticeably better — worth doing before you shoot it. Get it in playable, in-tune condition for that demo if you can; buyers shopping for anything above entry-level gear usually expect to hear it work, not just see it. Disclose electronics issues, replaced parts, repairs, and cosmetic damage up front — the same honesty standard as any other used item. For large pieces like a piano, drum kit, or amp cabinet, say plainly in the listing that it’s local-pickup-only and what moving it actually involves; that single detail determines who even considers buying it.
How should you price it?
Off of what the same instrument actually sold for, not what other sellers are asking — the same rule that applies to pricing any used item. Reverb shows comparable sold listings directly on many gear pages, which makes this easier for instruments than it is in most categories; eBay’s “Sold items” filter works the same way for anything listed there. Niche or vintage gear buyers tend to know model-specific values well, so an obviously inflated asking price gets ignored rather than negotiated down. If you’re deciding which platform to price for, compare what similar sold listings actually brought on each one before you commit to a number.
The short version
List shippable gear (guitars, pedals, keyboards, small amps) on Reverb or eBay where buyers already search for that exact model; keep bulky pieces (pianos, drum kits, large cabinets) local on Facebook Marketplace. Price from actual sold listings, not asking prices, disclose every repair and replaced part, and photograph the serial number and any paperwork you have — a specific, honest listing beats a vague one every time. For anything else you’re selling alongside it, Reclaim turns one photo into a priced, published listing on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. See our full library of selling guides for the rest.
Selling something else too? Snap a photo and let Reclaim do the rest.
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