We Can Help Sell Your Used Gear

We’re always on the lookout for unique items that would appeal to our customers. If you have an instrument or accessory that you think would be a good fit, please bring it into the store for an expert evaluation; we’ll let you know if it qualifies for our program and we’ll agree upon pricing and terms.

Thanks in advance for trusting us to sell your used gear, we’ll try our best to re-home it for you as quickly as possible!

1. Get Started

Bring your item in for a professional evaluation. Our qualified sales associates and shop technicians will evaluate it, taking into consideration its market value and general condition to determine the proper asking price. Timing on evaluation varies. Sometimes we are able to evaluate the instrument on the spot, however sometimes, depending on the instrument (e.g. horns or violins) we may need more time for a technician evaluation.

If you’re not sure your item will be a good fit, please feel free to give us a call before you bring it into the store.

For large, heavy items such as keyboards and amplifiers, it is best to email us in advance before bringing the item in for evaluation. We ask that you send photo(s) to [email protected], with a brief description of the item (brand, model, condition) so that we can let you know if we’re interested (before you go to the trouble of loading it and bringing it into the store.)

2. Instrument Prep

All instruments must be in perfect working condition to be accepted into our program:

• Guitars and basses must be properly set up with fresh strings and working electronics

• Drums must have functioning heads and hardware, and must have all required parts for use

• Electronic items must be fully functioning with required power supplies and/or cables included

• Brass and woodwind instruments accepted must then be checked into our shop for a professional cleaning and any regulation or repairs needed to make the instrument playable

• Orchestral instruments must have fresh, clean strings and be free of existing issues such as unrepaired cracks or open seams

Repairs, setups, restrings or tune ups that are necessary for compliance must be done in The Magic Flute Repair Shop and paid for in advance of the instrument being put out for sale.

3. Agreement and Sales Process

All instruments must be in perfect working condition to be accepted into our program:

• Safe & Secure Your item will be displayed safely in our store, at our discretion, and is fully insured should it be damaged, destroyed, lost, or stolen.

• Sales Cycle We need time to build awareness and interest, so you must leave it with us for a minimum of 60 days before you reclaim it. If you decide to reclaim it before the end of the 60-day period, a 5% handling fee will be collected (5% of the advertised sales price). If the item has not sold in 6 months, we may advise you to accept a lower price to encourage a sale or we may ask you to pick up your item. If a lower price is recommended but not acceptable, you may claim your item without fee.

• Marketing Our Used Gear category is important to us, and we market these items as aggressively as possible. However, we believe your instrument’s presence on our sales floor is the best thing it has going for it, and we may choose not to market it through other channels. Social media and online selling platforms can be a powerful tool to move gear, but since they all impose their own costs, we do not guarantee we will use them to sell yours.

• Payment Timing The sale of your item will include our standard 2-week return policy (purchaser has 14 days to change their mind), as well as our standard 1-year service policy, which is a huge benefit to purchasing Used Gear from The Magic Flute!

• Program Participation Agreement Participation requires completion and acceptance of our Consignment Agreement.

Q: What type of instruments do you accept? What type of instruments is The Magic Flute looking for to sell on consignment?

A: As Used Gear adds interest and variety, we look for unique, rare and/or vintage model instruments to add to our collection of electric and acoustic guitars, basses, and ukuleles, band instruments such as brass and woodwinds, and orchestral strings. We are also open to considering unique percussion pieces and drum sets, keyboards, and others such as accordions or banjos. Typically, we do not accept student or entry grade instruments, although there are exceptions so we welcome you to inquire about whatever you have.

Q: What type of accessories do you accept?

A: Guitar pedals mostly, but we are also always on the lookout for unique, hard-to-find special stands and hardware.

Q: How quickly will my item be evaluated? Do I leave it with you or do you evaluate it “on the spot”?

A: Most of the time we have someone available to assess your item while you are in the store, however, there may be times when an item needs to be left for a specific technician to review. If your item needs to be left, we typically are able to get it reviewed and ready for pick up or acceptance within the week it was taken in.

Q: When my item sells, when do I get paid?

A: 15 days from the date of the sale, based on your chosen payout method.

Q: Why do I have to wait 15 days to be paid?

A: Customers who purchase a consignment have 14 days to return it for a full refund.

Q: If I take store credit, how do I use it? Does it ever expire?

A: We keep track of your credit on your account and when you make a purchase in-store you can apply the credit. Store credit does not expire.