Musical Instruments Valuations

Get a musical instrument appraised online within 48 hours. Perhaps you have a piano that's been in your family for many years? Or maybe an accordion that caught your eye at a boot sale or a violin that you found at an auction? Wherever the item came from, our expert can give you a musical instrument appraisal, telling you how much it's worth, as well as details about its age and origin. Simply upload a photograph to get started. If you're thinking about buying a musical instrument, you can also use our musical instrument appraisal service to get a third-party expert opinion before deciding on whether to buy - helping to ensure that the price you pay is the right one.

Our Musical Instruments Expert

With a Stradivarius violin selling for over $3.5 million and a 1957 Fender guitar selling for $50.000, the market for musical instruments is one where genuine surprises and astonishing results can be achieved. Our expert worked for Sotheby’s auctioneers in London before setting up his own independent consultancy business. His understanding of this complex but intriguing market is a tremendous asset to our website.

The market for Musical Instruments

Television programmes such as Antiques Roadshow often show amazing musical instrument appraisals that suddenly surprise owners. One episode of Antiques Roadshow, filmed in America, featured a man who owned a 1957 Fender guitar that he bought in 1960 for $300 (he explained it "was a big decision" to pay that much). When he found out the guitar was worth about $50,000 today, the owner was momentarily breathless before he exclaimed, "I love rock and roll!"

The collecting of musical instruments is quite a niche market. While most merely have a 'second-hand' value, some items - especially violins, violoncellos and guitars - can be truly collectable and very valuable.

Even in a tough economy, musical instruments can fetch strong prices at auction. In 2009, Christie's auctioned a 1930 OM-45 Deluxe guitar manufactured by CF Martin and Company for a massive $554,500, breaking the record price for a guitar of this type. Christie's also holds the record for the highest price paid for any musical instrument at auction, having sold The Hammer, a Stradivarius violin, for $3.5 million in 2006. 

Determining the Value of Musical Instruments

The condition, age and manufacturer are all important considerations when getting a musical instrument appraised and it's important to remember that older doesn't necessarily mean more valuable. In fact, the most valuable of guitars were made during the early part of the 20th century - not so old they have lost sound quality but made before mass-production became common.

When you get a musical instrument appraisal from Value My Stuff Now, you will receive an independent opinion before buying or selling an instrument at auction, to a dealer or privately. The musical instrument appraisal may also be used for insurance purposes (subject to your insurer accepting such certificates) or simply to satisfy your own curiosity!

Get your Musical Instrument Valued Today

The best way to find out how much your musical instrument is worth is to get a musical instrument appraisal from Value My Stuff Now. Simply upload a photograph of the item and tell us anything else you may know about it. Within 48 hours, our expert will send you a musical instrument appraisal. As well as providing any observations about the item, we'll send you a printable certificate and a web version that can be used on eBay listings or other internet selling platforms.

Useful links & further information

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