There are three ways that we acquire vintage pieces: trade, consignment, and direct purchase. Trades are always welcome in exchange for something that we have in stock or might special order for you. We are interested in all good quality brand name instruments such as Gibson, Martin, Guild, Taylor, Froggy Bottom, Fender and many more– and of course any vintage banjo such as Vega, Paramount, Ludwig, Fairbanks and again many more.
Got Trades?
We love to take trade-ins. It both increases our stock and allows us to offer vintage or unusual products. If you are within driving distance, be sure to bring any potential trade-ins to the shop. If you are considering a purchase at Maple Leaf Music, even if you are not sure you want to trade, your instrument is most welcome here. Then you can compare instruments. There a few different ways to work trades from a long way away. You can either send your instrument before we ship your new guitar, or you can receive your guitar from Maple Leaf and if you love it, then send your trades to us. This is one of the details best worked out over the phone on an individual basis. Either way, you are responsible for shipping charges on all the instruments.
Consignments
We welcome consignment instruments. Here are our parameters.
- We prefer to take instruments that are from well known luthiers, including the makers that we carry here new. Martin, Gibson, Guild, Fender, Froggy Bottom, Collings, Huss and Dalton, Bourgeois, Santa Cruz, Vega, Fairbanks, and many more, all are welcome here.
- The instrument must be in perfect structural condition before we hang it on our wall. We have excellent repairmen at hand, so restoration and renovation of older instruments is a viable option.
- The repair charges need to paid before it goes up for sale as we pay the repairman the minute he walks in the door!
- We will take beautiful photographs, write descriptions, and put your guitar or banjo on our web site. Because of the labor and time involved in this process, we request that you leave the instrument here for at least 6 months. If you take it away before that time we will ask for a $150 payment for the advertising work.
- Our consignment fee is 25% of the selling price. We will also need permission to send your instrument out on approval to a potential customer who sees it on our web site. It would of course be fully insured.
- Selling prices will be agreed on by Maple Leaf and the consigner.
- Direct purchases Maple Leaf Music is always looking for fine instruments to buy and sell.
- If you have something you’re interested in selling please contact us.
- Don’t worry if your instrument needs work; our expert repair staff is available to make repairs, so reconditioning a used instrument is always something we can help you with. Our deals are always honest and competitive and we may even have someone looking for your very guitar or banjo or mandolin!
- We purchase instruments that folks would like to sell.
- We may even have someone who is looking Direct purchases are made after discussions with the seller and inspection of the instrument.
If you have instruments to trade, consign, or sell, please call us at 802-254-5559 or e-mail us at guitars@mapleleafmusic.com. We would love to hear from you!