Complete Checklist: What to Inspect on a Used Electric Guitar Before Buying

Buying a used electric guitar can save you hundreds—even thousands—of dollars compared to purchasing new. But without a systematic inspection, that "great deal" can quickly turn into an expensive lesson in hidden repair costs. Whether you're browsing a local shop, meeting a Craigslist seller, or evaluating photos on Resyn, knowing exactly what to check can mean the difference between landing a gem and getting stuck with a lemon.

This complete checklist walks you through every critical inspection point, helping you spot red flags, assess repair costs, and negotiate with confidence. Even if you're a beginner, these practical checks require no special expertise—just a careful eye and a few minutes of focused attention.

Before You Begin: Essential Tools to Bring

Don't show up empty-handed. A small inspection kit makes a huge difference in what you can detect. Pack these items:

Must-haves: A small flashlight or phone light (for inspecting the neck pocket and electronics cavity), a guitar tuner (to check tuning stability), and a capo (to test playability up the neck).

Nice to have: A feeler gauge set (for measuring string action and neck relief), a clean cloth (to wipe down the guitar and check for finish issues), and your phone camera (to document condition if buying remotely).

If you're inspecting in person at a shop or seller's home, ask to plug into an amplifier. Testing electronics unplugged will miss critical issues like crackling pots, faulty pickups, and grounding problems.

The Neck: Your First Critical Check

The neck is the most expensive component to repair or replace. Start here, and if you spot serious problems, you can walk away before wasting time on the rest.

• Sight down the neck from the headstock toward the body. You're checking for straightness and twist. A slight forward bow (called "relief") is normal and adjustable via the truss rod, but if the neck curves sideways, twists like a propeller, or has a dramatic back-bow, that's a structural issue that may be unfixable.
• Check the truss rod. Locate the adjustment point (usually at the headstock or inside the body end of the neck). If you have permission, give it a very gentle turn with the appropriate tool. It should offer resistance but turn smoothly. If it's maxed out in either direction or feels stripped, the neck may be beyond adjustment. Always ask the seller before touching the truss rod—you don't want to break something during an inspection.
• Inspect the neck pocket and heel. If the guitar has a bolt-on neck, check where the neck meets the body. Look for gaps, cracks in the wood around the screws, or signs the neck has been removed and poorly reinstalled. Any movement or play here affects tone and sustain. On set-neck or neck-through guitars, check for cracks at the heel joint—a major red flag requiring professional repair.

Red flags: Severe twisting, a completely maxed-out truss rod, cracks at the neck heel, or a neck that visibly shifts when you apply light pressure where it meets the body.

Frets and Fingerboard: Playability Killers

Fret issues are among the most common problems on used guitars, and refret jobs typically cost $300 to $600.

• Run your hand along the fret ends on both sides of the neck. They should feel smooth. If they're sharp or poking out (called "fret sprout"), it means the fingerboard has shrunk due to dryness. This is fixable but annoying and may indicate the guitar wasn't stored properly.
• Look for fret wear. Shine your light across the frets at an angle. New frets have a rounded crown; worn frets look flat on top, especially under the first four strings where you play most often. Light wear is normal and can be leveled and crowned by a tech ($100–$200), but if you see deep divots or frets worn down to the fingerboard, you're looking at a full refret.
• Check for dead spots. Play every note on every fret. Listen for buzzing, muted tones, or notes that don't sustain. A couple of dead spots might be fixable with a setup, but widespread issues suggest deeper neck or fret problems.
• Inspect the fingerboard. Look for cracks, chips, or dried-out wood (especially on rosewood and ebony). A bit of dryness can be remedied with lemon oil, but cracks may require professional repair.

Red flags: Deep fret wear across multiple frets, sharp fret ends on both sides of the neck, visible cracks in the fingerboard, or more than two or three unplayable dead spots.

Body, Finish, and Structure: Beyond Cosmetics

It's tempting to overlook finish damage as "cosmetic," but some issues point to bigger problems.

• Check for cracks. Examine the body closely under good light, especially around the neck pocket, bridge posts (on tremolo guitars), output jack, and anywhere hardware is mounted. Small finish cracks (called checking) are normal on vintage guitars, but cracks in the wood itself—especially if they're expanding—indicate structural problems.
• Look for finish damage and refinishes. Dings, scratches, and buckle rash affect value but not playability. However, poorly done refinishes can hurt resale value significantly. Check for overspray, uneven color, or thick finish buildup in tight areas. Compare the finish on the front, back, and sides for color-matching—mismatches suggest a partial refinish.
• Inspect the neck pocket and control cavity. Remove the backplates if possible. Look for cracks, stripped screw holes, and signs of previous repairs. A well-maintained guitar will be clean inside; a neglected one will be dusty, with loose wires and poor solder joints.
• Smell the case or gig bag. Seriously. A musty smell can indicate moisture damage or mold, which affects electronics and wood stability.

Red flags: Cracks radiating from hardware mounting points, a poorly executed refinish that affects resale, stripped screw holes in the body or neck pocket, or signs of moisture damage.

Hardware: The Details That Add Up

Hardware problems are usually affordable to fix, but they're also negotiation leverage.

• Test the tuners. Turn each tuning peg slowly. They should move smoothly without grinding, slipping, or excessive play. Tune the guitar up and play it for a few minutes, then check if it's still in tune. If tuners are sloppy or slipping, replacement runs $40–$150 depending on quality.
• Inspect the bridge and saddles. Check for rust, corrosion, or stripped adjustment screws. On tremolo systems, test the arm action—it should move smoothly and return to pitch. Look for cracks around the bridge posts and ensure the saddles aren't excessively worn or sharp.
• Check the nut. Look at the string slots. They should be smooth and properly sized—not too deep (which causes buzzing) or too shallow (which causes high action). A poorly cut nut affects playability across the entire neck. Nut replacement costs $50–$100.
• Examine all screws and mounting hardware. Stripped screws, missing springs, or mismatched hardware suggest the guitar has been taken apart multiple times—possibly by someone inexperienced.

Red flags: Tremolo systems that don't return to pitch, heavily corroded hardware, stripped bridge saddle screws, or a nut with visibly damaged or incorrectly cut slots.

Electronics: The Invisible Problems

Electronics are where online buyers get burned most often. If you can't plug in the guitar, insist on a return policy.

• Plug in and test every pickup position. Switch between pickup selections while playing. Listen for crackling, dropouts, or dead positions. Wiggle the switch gently—it shouldn't cut in and out.
• Roll all the knobs through their full range. Volume and tone pots should turn smoothly without crackling or cutting out. Scratchy pots are usually fixable with contact cleaner ($10) or replacement ($20–$50 per pot), but it's a bargaining point.
• Test the output jack. Wiggle the cable while playing. If the sound cuts out, the jack is worn or has a bad solder connection. This is a cheap fix ($10–$30) but annoying if you're not handy with a soldering iron.
• Listen for hum and noise. Some hum is normal with single-coil pickups, but excessive noise, loud buzzing that doesn't go away when you touch the strings, or radio interference suggests a grounding problem or microphonic pickups.

Red flags: Completely dead pickups, pickup selector switches that cut out, pots that scratch loudly even after cleaning, or a guitar that buzzes loudly until you touch the strings (grounding issue).

Playability Tests: The Final Verdict

A guitar can pass every visual check and still feel terrible to play. These tests reveal the truth.

• Check the action. Fret the low E string at the first fret and the highest fret, then look at the gap between the string and the 8th fret. There should be a small gap (around the thickness of a credit card). Too much gap means high action; no gap means the neck is too straight or back-bowed. Action is adjustable, but if it's extremely high and the truss rod is maxed out, the guitar may need a neck reset ($300–$600).
• Play barre chords up and down the neck. They should feel consistent. If the guitar is easy to play at the first few frets but gets harder past the 12th, the neck angle or fret level may be off.
• Test intonation. Play the 12th fret harmonic on each string, then fret the note at the 12th fret and compare. They should match. If they're noticeably different, the intonation is off—usually an easy fix by adjusting saddle positions, but if the saddles are already at the end of their travel, it may indicate a deeper issue.
• Listen for buzzing. Play every string open and at every fret. A little buzz that doesn't come through the amp is normal, but loud, persistent buzzing suggests fret issues, a poorly cut nut, or neck problems.

Making the Decision

After working through this checklist, you should have a clear picture of the guitar's condition. Minor issues like scratchy pots, light fret wear, or a needed setup are normal and give you negotiation leverage. Major red flags—twisted necks, maxed-out truss rods, cracked neck heels, dead pickups, or structural body cracks—should make you walk away unless the price accounts for professional repairs.

Always factor repair costs into your offer. If a guitar needs $300 worth of work, that's $300 off the asking price in your negotiation. And remember: if a seller won't let you inspect the guitar thoroughly or rushes you, that's a red flag in itself.

With this checklist in hand, you're equipped to inspect any used electric guitar with confidence—and to walk away from the bad deals while snagging the genuine gems.