Thank you for checking out our web site. We hope that you enjoy browsing our site and appreciate that while there may be other complex dazzling sites that might impress the eye, they can be difficult to navigate and distract from the content. We want people to enjoy looking at the adverts on our site- not get a headache, get lost or wait an age, give up and move on. We also feel that the bright & flashy styles of some web sites would detract from the kind of 'small & individual' adverts that this site is all about. We do have the technical expertise and know-how to have made our site look like a fairground after dark - but we chose not to!

We have been on-line since 2000 and have built up a remarkable hit rate and admittedly inspired other sites! But we don't worry about them, as we get many emails thanking us for the site...which is nice!

We have also had some successes with finding lost or stolen gear. It is certainly worth listing your gear! You never know you may get it back, like this...

Hi there I just wanted to let you know that my stolen Lowden L25 has been returned to me by an instrument repair man who saw the notice I posted on your site.
Many thanks for the service
Graham B

We have now updated the site, but retained the quick, simple looks which people like. Faster advert posting and editing. Hopefully now more accessible and just as fast. It also has the advantage of hiding vendors email addresses until you are confident in the seriousness of the potential buyer.

THE PLAN

Guitarsmart is compiled and run only by people with an interest in music and the Internet. Playing guitar in bands since the year dot we know only too well the frustrations of trying to 'trade up' to a better guitar while having to sell the old one first!

Once upon a time shops would give you a reasonable deal on your old gear but, since the advent of VAT, things have changed somewhat and the taxman wants a share of your 'old' axe too. Most shops may tell you, if they are honest, that you will get a better price for your old axe by selling it privately. The shop owner has to consider a number of things, like - what he will get for your guitar if and when he sells it; adding VAT and his profit margin to the price he gives you for it and the problem of shelf space in the meantime - could a new more saleable guitar with a higher profit margin take up that same space? Plus a host of other reasons. Also the shop owner will not want his super hi tech emporium filled with second hand guitars - which is what will happen if he takes one in part exchange for every new one he sells! That's why most consign their 2nd hand stock to a dark corner of the shop.

So, there has been a shift away from the 'part- exchange' scenario over the years and the reality now is that most guitarists have probably still got their 'old' guitars because either they could not sell them (or advertise them legally) or just didn't want to trade them in.

Another factor that has crept in over the years is that of 'copyright law' which prohibits the use of terms like 'strat copy' etc in adverts. Most big companies have copyrighted their brand names and model names like 'Stratocaster' and 'Strat' for instance. There are tens of thousands of perfectly adequate 'copies' of these generic models in the country (millions worldwide) that are just impossible to advertise in the press for this reason. So, if you have a 'copy' to sell you can advertise it on our web site along with a photo of the guitar! Not everyone would know, for instance, what a Fernandes TE-3 might be, but one 'click' on the photo button next to the advert and it would immediately become apparent what it is a copy of! We think this will be boon for the thousands of owners of such 'copies' around the world who are looking to sell - and for all those potential purchasers too.

Advertising 'with a photo' need not be just for those who are selling 'copies', but for anyone who has a beautiful, unique or vintage guitar to sell. Perhaps including a photo with your ad will give you just the edge you need over everyone else selling a similar make or model. (See our Advice page).

THE NET

So, Guitarsmart.net was born as much out of frustration at not being able to sell and advertise an old guitar as out of a desire to put our experience and know-how to good use.

There are other Companies operating on The Net who will advertise your instrument for you but our research shows that these sites - who appear to sell everything else under the sun as well- may not attract enough potential guitar buyers to their sites to make it worthwhile as a quick and realistic way of selling your gear. Magazines and newspapers will advertise your gear but cannot print a photo of your guitar for you and there is also the expense of a phone call to a premium rate line in order to insert your 'free' ad.

THE BENEFITS

Our promise is that Guitarsmart.net will be a dedicated site for selling guitars, group gear and other instruments. If you advertise with us you can be certain that the people who come to browse this site (potentially thousands per day) will be musicians looking at your adverts and at photos of your gear.

Shops and trade will also want to advertise their 2nd hand gear on our site. This is fine by us and we are certain that it will be okay with the public - who will be able to browse through a huge number of 2nd hand instruments that they wouldn't normally get to see or hear about - and all without leaving the comfort of their own homes!

Happy selling, buying or browsing and good luck!

GUITARSMART.NET