Pawning or selling a musical instrument in Sydney: what you need to know

Instruments are one of the more common items we see at Aussie Loan Office, especially from musicians between gigs, parents clearing out an unused bedroom, and people moving house who would rather turn a Stradivarius-shaped object into cash than pay to ship it. Here is what we lend against and what we pay for instruments in the Inner West.

What we buy and lend against

Guitars and basses. Fender, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, PRS, Gretsch, Epiphone, Ibanez, Warwick, Music Man, Sadowsky, Reverend. Acoustic, electric, and bass. We see the most American Standard, American Professional, Custom Shop, and 50s/60s reissue pieces. We also see a lot of entry-level Squiers and Epiphones — happy to look at them, but the loan values are small.

Violins, violas, and cellos. From student outfits through to professional workshop instruments. Brands we value: Yamaha, Stentor, Suzuki (student). Hofner, Gliga, Primavera, Scott Cao, Gepetto (intermediate). Chinese, European, and Japanese workshop violins (professional).

Brass. Trumpets, trombones, French horns, tubas, euphoniums, cornets. Bach, Yamaha, Conn, King, Getzen, Besson, Jupiter, Schilke, B&S.

Woodwind. Saxophones (alto, tenor, soprano, baritone), clarinets, flutes, oboes, bassoons. Selmer, Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Jupiter, Buffet, Pearl, Trevor James.

Amplifiers and effects. Fender, Marshall, Vox, Mesa Boogie, Orange, Ampeg, Two Rock, Bogner, Soldano, Divided by 13, Dr. Z, Victoria. Pedals and multi-effects units also have trade-in value if they are mid- to high-tier.

What adds value

Original hard case, original gig bag, original packaging, certificates of authenticity, receipts, service records. For boutique pedals and amps, the original box and any documentation can add 10-25% to the trade value.

Condition matters: frets with life left, no cracks in the body, no stripped screws, all tuners and hardware intact. A well-maintained entry-level instrument is worth more than a battered vintage piece.

What we do not lend against

Starter instruments under $200 in resale value. Drum kits (too bulky to store safely). Mouthpieces, reeds, and other consumables. Sheet music, stands, and accessories without an instrument included.

How the process works

Bring the instrument, the case, and any accessories. We will assess the brand, model, year (where identifiable), condition, and accessories. We will quote a loan or purchase value on the spot. Pawn loans are usually 3-6 months, no credit check, and the instrument is held in our safe until the loan is repaid.

If you are not sure if your instrument has value, call us on 02 9715 7200 and describe what you have. We will tell you honestly whether it is worth bringing in.