First, Don't Do Anything To It
Leave the surface, strings and parts alone until the guitar has been identified. I need to see what's there before someone changes it. Wear can help explain an instrument's condition, while an improvement made with good intentions can remove original material that a buyer would have wanted preserved.
Leave The Cleaning For Later. Dust and fingerprints don't prevent an initial identification. Household cleaners, water and scrubbing can affect an unfamiliar finish or a paper label, so don't try to make the guitar presentable before photographing it.
Skip The Polish. A dull finish isn't a request for a brighter one. Abrasive products can remove finish or metal plating, and a polished surface may conceal the wear I need to assess. Making something shine doesn't necessarily increase its value.
Don't Add Oil. The fretboard is the strip of wood beneath the strings along the neck. Its appearance alone doesn't tell you that it needs oil, and different materials and finishes need different treatment. Don't apply furniture oil, cooking oil or a guitar care product while its construction is unknown.
Keep The Existing Strings. You don't need fresh strings for identification, and the wrong type or tension can damage some instruments. Old strings usually aren't what gives a guitar collector value; avoiding unnecessary handling and changes is the reason to leave them for now.
Leave The Tuners In Place. Tuners are the small mechanisms with keys that tighten or loosen the strings. A stiff or worn tuner may still be original, and fitting a replacement can require new holes. Don't turn one repeatedly to see whether it frees up.
Keep Labels And Stickers Attached. A factory label may identify the maker or model, while another sticker may record a repair, shop or former owner. Peeling either can remove information and lift the finish beneath it. Photograph the wording instead of trying to expose what's underneath.
Wait Before Booking A Setup. A setup means adjustments intended to make a guitar easier to play. Some are reversible, but the work might also involve filing, replacement parts or other changes. Ask for identification and an assessment before authorizing a general instruction to get it playing again.
Don't Agree To A Refinish. Refinishing means removing or covering the existing protective finish and applying another one. It can reduce collector value even when the result looks neat, because the original surface can't simply be put back. A well meaning local shop may be thinking about appearance or playability rather than preserving a vintage instrument.
Necessary repairs can still be appropriate after an assessment. The pause is there to establish what the guitar is and which work it needs, with its original parts and surfaces taken into account. If someone has already worked on it, keep the invoice and any removed parts; that information helps me assess it.
Check These Things Before You Move It
Look first, without testing how firmly anything is attached. You aren't expected to diagnose a repair from the kitchen table. If something appears loose, broken or damp, photograph it where it rests and ask for handling advice before lifting the instrument.
The Neck. The neck is the long section between the body and the end where the strings attach. Look along it from a comfortable angle for an obvious twist, bend or separation at the body. A small curve can be normal, so don't try to straighten it or turn an adjustment screw.
Cracks And Loose Pieces. Check the front, back and sides, plus the area behind the top of the neck. A fine line may be in the finish or in the wood; a photograph doesn't always settle which. Don't flex a crack, press its edges together or use glue to stop it moving.
The Acoustic Bridge. On an acoustic guitar, which produces sound through a hollow body, the bridge is the piece supporting the strings on the front. Look for a visible gap between that piece and the guitar's top. Don't push anything into the gap, press the bridge down or tighten the strings to test it.
The Case. Look for damp lining, water marks, loose padding or a musty smell. Don't close a visibly damp case around the guitar and assume it's protected. Keep it away from other instruments and ask about safe handling, without spraying it, heating it or trying to remove mildew yourself.
If the guitar and case appear stable, support the body and neck together when lifting it. Don't carry the guitar by its strings or trust an old case handle without checking it. Support the case from underneath, and don't force the lid shut if the guitar doesn't sit comfortably inside.
Where It's Been Stored Matters
An attic or garage can expose a guitar to heat, cold and changes in moisture over time. Wood expands and contracts with humidity, and heat can weaken glue joints. A closed case offers physical protection, but it doesn't make those surroundings stable.
Write down where you found it and anything you know about how long it was there. Include a roof leak, a damp basement or repeated moves if they're part of the history. Those details help explain what I see in the photographs, though storage history alone doesn't establish the condition.
Choose a stable indoor place away from direct sun, heaters and air vents once you know it can be moved safely. Don't try to correct years of storage with a heater, hair dryer, wet sponge or sudden dose of moisture. If it has come from very hot or cold surroundings, ask about gradual acclimation before opening or handling it further.
Here in Arizona, I take extra care with humidification because our dry air can draw moisture out of a wooden guitar. We pay close attention to humidity when storing instruments at the shop. If you've found one in desert storage, ask about its condition before trying to add moisture yourself.
Take These Photos
Start with daylight from a window and a plain background, without taking the guitar outside into direct sun. Keep it supported and move your phone around it. If an angle would require risky handling, leave that view out and explain why.
- The Whole Instrument. Take a full front view and, if it's safe to turn it over, a full back view. Include the complete neck and body rather than cropping to the parts you recognize.
- Both Sides Of The Headstock. The headstock is the widened end of the neck where the tuners sit. Show its outline, lettering and the backs of the tuning mechanisms.
- Numbers And Labels. Photograph each number closely, then include a wider view showing its location. On an acoustic, look through the soundhole, the opening beneath the strings, for a label or stamp.
- The Parts And Any Damage. Show the bridge, knobs, switches and the joint between the neck and body. Add close views of cracks, gaps, worn areas or repairs without touching or opening anything.
- The Case And What Came With It. Photograph the case inside and outside, then any paperwork, loose parts or accessories. Keep those items together rather than discarding unfamiliar pieces during the clear out.
Check that letters are readable before sending the photographs, and keep the original image files. My guide to work out what you've actually got includes the full photo checklist if you need more detail. Separate photographs let me inspect each area more closely than a single collage.
Then Find Out What It Is
Work through the brand, model, age and value in that order. The brand is the name it was sold under; the model is the particular design within that brand. A familiar name or an old case isn't enough to establish the rest.
Start by trying to identify the brand, using the lettering and the instrument's construction. Then find out how old it is by comparing its identifying numbers with its physical details. A number can suggest a date without proving that every part belongs to that period.
My guide to what decides whether it's valuable explains how condition, original parts, repairs and demand affect an assessment. A cracked guitar may still be worth assessing, and a tidy one may be a common instrument. You don't need to assign it a price before getting the identification right.
You can see who I am before deciding to share photographs. I buy and assess vintage guitars, but finding out what you have doesn't commit you to a sale.
If It Came From An Estate
Keep a simple record for each guitar: photographs, visible names and numbers, its case, and any known history. If there are several instruments, give each photo set a separate folder or written reference. Don't attach a new label directly to a guitar's finish.
With several heirs, keep identification separate from decisions about ownership or sale. One person taking photographs doesn't settle who can authorize repairs, divide the instruments or accept an offer. Check with the executor or person administering the estate before making those decisions.
Tell whoever is assessing the guitars what the valuation is for. Dividing property among family members, recording an estate's assets and considering a sale are different requests. An offer to buy is a proposed transaction; it isn't automatically the valuation document an estate needs.
If probate is involved, ask the person handling it what kind of report is required, which valuation date applies and what the deadline is. Don't assume an informal photo estimate will meet that request. I can start with identification from photographs, but you should establish the documentation requirements before commissioning a formal appraisal.
For a free photo appraisal, send me photos and I'll tell you what you have, explaining anything I can't confirm from the pictures. Tell me if you're gathering information for an estate so I understand the purpose.
For several instruments, my guide to selling a whole collection or an estate explains the collection side of the process. That doesn't mean you need to sell them together, or sell them at all. A family may need a clearer inventory before it can decide what to keep.
If You Decide To Sell It
You can consider a direct buyer, a shop, consignment, an auction or a private listing. They involve different amounts of work, fees, waiting and responsibility for describing the guitar. Without an identification, it's difficult to compare the offers or understand what a buyer is pricing.
A cash offer on the spot may be fair, but the offer itself doesn't establish the guitar's identity or market value. Ask what the buyer believes it is and how its condition affects their offer. You can take time to check that explanation before deciding.
Review the mistakes sellers make and what to think about before selling once you have an identification. Keep your photographs and descriptions with you as you compare options. Don't clean or restring the guitar to prepare it for an appraisal or an offer; let me see it as it is.
FAQ
Is An Old Guitar In An Attic Usually Worth Anything?
The storage location and age don't establish its value. Some old guitars have collector demand, while others are common instruments with limited resale value. I need to identify the model and assess its condition before offering a useful opinion.
Should I Clean It Before Showing Anyone?
No, take the photographs before cleaning or polishing it. I can assess a dusty instrument, and an unfamiliar product could damage its surface or labels. Leave the existing strings and parts in place too.
It's Cracked. Is It Worthless Now?
No, a crack doesn't automatically make a guitar worthless. Its location, severity and repair history affect the assessment, alongside the model and original condition. Photograph it without pressing or flexing the damaged area.
My Father Left Three Guitars. Do I Need An Appraisal For Probate?
Ask the person handling the estate what documentation is required and which valuation date applies. Requirements depend on the estate and jurisdiction. A free photo estimate shouldn't be assumed to replace a formal report requested for probate.
A Local Shop Offered Me Cash On The Spot. Should I Take It?
You don't have to decide before you know what the guitar is. Ask the shop for its identification and the reasons behind the offer, then compare that information with an independent assessment. A quick offer isn't proof that it's unfair or that it's the right price.
Should I Throw Away The Old Case?
Keep it until the guitar and case have been assessed. An original case, its markings or paperwork inside may help with identification and affect the complete package's value. If it's damp or musty, photograph it and ask about storage instead of closing it around the guitar.
Do I Have To Sell It After Getting It Identified?
No, identification can help you decide to keep it, pass it to a family member or consider a sale. Those decisions can come later. You don't need to choose a buyer to start documenting what you have.
If you'd like help with that first step, request a free photo appraisal: send me photos and I'll tell you what you have. I'll explain what I can establish and which details still need a closer look.