What is the difference between selling, trading, and consigning?
Selling is getting paid on the spot for your used instrument or gear (best when you need cash fast). Trading is where you offer your used instrument or gear as full or partial payment for a new or used item in the store. Consignment is a contractual agreement in which we sell an item for you. With consignment, you will get paid when the item sells (there’s typically no charge if it doesn’t sell).
What sorts of things do you buy?
Rocktown Music buys all sorts of used musical instruments, gear, accessories, media, and parts. We buy items in all conditions, from all brands, and of all levels of quality, regardless of where it was originally purchased. If it is musical, we will buy it. Just to jog your memory of things you may have lying around your home — we buy all instruments including band and orchestra instruments, ethnic and folk instruments, and of course guitars, basses and drums. We also buy amplifiers, PA, pedals, rack gear, music books, cases, cables, microphones, stands, straps, and much more.
Do I need an appointment?
Appointments are not usually required. However, if you are traveling from a far distance or your item is particularly rare, obscure, or valuable (say, worth over $1000), an appointment might be a good idea since only certain people on staff are authorized to buy these items. In the event that the right person is not on staff when you do stop in, you are welcome to leave your item to be appraised and returned later to negotiate a sale or trade. Your instrument will be secure and insured, and you will get a claim ticket while it is left at the store.
To make an appointment, please call (320) 257-7676 during regular hours or email us at rocktownmusic@gmail.com.
How old do I have to be to sell, trade, or consign?
You must be at least 18 years of age with a valid state ID. Please have ID ready. We will make a photocopy of your ID, and require your signature at the time of sale. If you are not 18, please bring a parent/guardian to present ID, sign, and get paid.
RARE AND VINTAGE
Do you buy rare or vintage gear?
Absolutely!
Can you help me identify my instrument?
Yes! In addition to a lifetime of experience in dealing with musical instruments, we have many resources available to aid us in properly identifying even the most obscure items. We pride ourselves on our expertise in musical instruments and enjoy seeing and learning about things not usually seen.
GEAR VALUE AND GETTING PAID
How much is my instrument or gear worth?
We welcome you to bring your instrument in, and we will be happy to inspect and research it while you wait. It is helpful if you know exactly which model you have, but if you don’t know, we can find that out too. Ninety-eight percent of the time, we will be able to give you an estimate of its value on the spot.
If you would like to do your own research, there are many resources available for appraising musical instruments including popular television shows, books, and the internet. eBay is a good place to start based on sold listings, not what it is listed for.
How much will you pay?
We will be very happy to negotiate a buying or trading price with you once we have your instrument to inspect in person.
Do I have to bring the item in to get a rough estimate?
Yes! If you are serious about selling your item, you want to sell it to someone who is serious about buying it. We do our part by carefully inspecting, testing, and researching your item. You do yours by delivering the item for our inspection. Even if it’s “perfect”, even if you promise not to hold us to a number, even if you live a long distance away, we still need to see it. No matter what someone’s intentions or how much we like each other, it’s better for our mutual relationship to prevent misunderstandings by negotiating face to face. We hope you can understand.
Do you pay cash?
If the payout is less than $100, we pay cash. For larger payouts, we issue a check. The check can be cashed at no cost to you, even without an account, at any Liberty Savings Bank location. Please follow the link for information about locations and hours.
Will you appraise my instrument for insurance, estate, curiosity, or other purposes?
We offer free appraisals on anything that you are interested in selling to us for the purpose of negotiating the value appropriately. If you require a written appraisal of an instrument you intend to keep, we offer that service for a charge of $20. You will get a signed and dated letter from one of our experienced musical instrument dealers that will explain the details of the instrument and its retail value.
Can I trade for store credit?
Yes. As with a trade for merchandise, if you prefer to trade for store credit, we will be able to offer you a bit more than a cash offer. Your store credit will never expire, and you can use it on anything in the store including services like lessons or repairs.
CONSIGNMENT
How long is a consignment?
Consignments are for a minimum of 90 days.
What if my consigned instrument doesn’t sell?
After the 90 days have passed, you can pick your item up at any time. Please have ID ready. Only the contracted consignor can pick up the item. You are more than welcome to continue to leave your item for sale beyond the 90 days until it sells.
Can I pick up my consignment early?
Unfortunately, we can not allow early pickups. In order to have some level of consistency and for it to be worthwhile for us to attempt to sell an item, we need to know that we will have at least 90 days to sell it.