There are many things to consider when buying an Electric Guitar, and even more things to consider when you purchase a guitar on Ebay.  While I could quite possibly write an entire book on the subject of Electric Guitars (there are many such books available regarding this), the purpose of this guide will be things you should keep in mind when purchasing on Ebay.  I have bought and sold many guitars on Ebay, and have not had a negative experience to date.

The first thing to consider, once you find a guitar that may interest you, is to read the entire description, and not rely solely on pictures.  The reason I say this, is that there is a large amount of guitars being sold from overseas.  If you come across one of these deals, you will notice a few things about the majority of these ads.  The first thing to look for, is an extremely low buy-it-now price (such as $5.00), and a HUGE shipping price (such as $400.00).  When considering one of these deals, be sure to read the description. While some consider these deals to be fraudulent, they really aren't.  For example, I recently inquired about a guitar in China, and the title of the auction was "Exquisite Popular Instrument", and it pictured what appeared to be a Gibson Les Paul.  However, the description of this guitar DID NOT state ANYWHERE that this was a Gibson, and in fact, the guitar was a copy.  There was no "deception" here, as the ad simply stated that it was an exquisite guitar.  I did not bid on this, of course, because the description did not state that it was a real Gibson, but i think that it was a decent listing, because there was no fraudulent or mis-leading verbiage that I could see.  If someone bids on ANYTHING on Ebay assuming anything, than it is that persons own fault if they are disappointed.

The second thing to consider, are the people some sellers refer to as the "Ebay Barney Fife Police".  There seems to be a group of people out there, who have taken it upon themselves, to scour the guitar listings, and email people who have bid on guitars.  While their intentions may be good, MOST of these people are uneducated, and mis-informed, and because of this, they tend to "scare" bidders into thinking that they are bidding on fake or copied guitars.  Most of the time these people are just plain WRONG.  When purchasing a guitar, rely on the feedback rating, as has always been the most important thing to consider, and not on these ignorant, so called "experts", who are really pests, that have nothing better to do than give people incorrect information just to make themselves feel important.  Do your own homework on the brand name and model of the guitar you are interested in before bidding.  Whenever I come across a prospective deal, I open another window, and search from my homepage with the brand name and model number, and find all the information I can about it, to answer most of my questions.  There are literally hundreds of sites devoted to guitarists submitting reviews about various makes/models of all guitars.  Find some of these sites, and see if it is the right product for you, and you can also see what others have paid.  If still interested, I might ask the seller a question or two, to find out more about the guitar.  I can also ask about his return policy, and his thoughts about the product, and I find out more about the condition.  I also get "a feel" for what kind of seller this person is.

The final issue when purchasing on Ebay, is to realize that you cannot actually "hold" the guitar, or actually "see" the condition, so you MUST ask as many questions first, before bidding.  Most sellers, if they have a decent feedback percentage, will answer your questions honestly, and correctly, as they do not want a buyer to be unhappy, resulting in a negative feedback situation.  Also, keep in mind that one persons idea of "mint condition" may be different than anothers.  So, I guess the main theme here is communication, before bidding, and really knowing what it is you want from a guitar, and from a seller.  Doing these things will ensure a positive experience.