Guitars and basses

Sight along the neck and look for obvious warping, twisting or irregularities. Then play through the entire fingerboard using normal dynamics.

Check:

• fret wear and flattening;
• notes that buzz or choke prematurely;
• unusually high or low action;
• tuning stability;
• any cracks around the headstock or neck area;
• available adjustment range where the seller can document it without invasive work.

A poorly set-up guitar may simply need adjustment, while heavily worn frets or structural issues can require more substantial work.

Do not judge only by the first impression. Try to separate setup, normal wear and actual defects.

Check that tuners, bridge, saddles, strap buttons and other mechanical parts are stable and complete.

Then connect the instrument to a clean amplifier and verify:

• every pickup;
• selectors and switches;
• volume and tone controls across their full travel;
• any push-pull controls or active circuits;
• output jack;
• unusual noise while operating the controls.

A slightly noisy pot may only need routine maintenance, while drop-outs, intermittent signal or dead components require a different assessment.

On active instruments, also check the battery compartment and circuit power.

Inspect the areas most likely to receive impact or stress: headstock, neck joint, bridge, body edges and mounting points.

Look for:

• cracks or unusual finish lines;
• traces of glue;
• added holes;
• modified routing;
• disclosed repairs;
• parts that appear misaligned.

Not every repair makes an instrument unreliable. A professional repair can be perfectly stable, but it should be known, described and reflected in the overall valuation.

If you cannot distinguish a simple finish crack from a structural issue, ask a qualified technician before buying.