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Guitars are one of the best used buys: they do not wear out quickly, and most problems are cheap to fix with a setup. Check the neck, frets and electronics, play it for a few minutes, and be careful with big-brand guitars at low prices, since fake Gibsons and Fenders circulate.
Classical guitars (klassieke gitaar) have nylon strings and a wide neck, and are what Dutch music schools often use for children. Steel-string acoustic guitars (westerngitaar) are louder and suit singing along. Electric guitars need an amplifier but have thinner necks and lighter strings, which many beginners find easier.
Children need a smaller size: 1/2 for around 5-8 years old, 3/4 for around 8-11. Many used kids guitars come from music school pupils who moved up a size.
Look at the bridge: if its back edge lifts from the top (you can slide a piece of paper under it), it needs regluing. Check the top behind the bridge for bulging, and look for cracks in the top and sides, especially near the soundhole and the edges. A small repaired crack is fine; an open one that grows in dry winter air is not. Dutch homes with central heating dry guitars out, so ask whether it was kept in a case.
Bring a small amp or headphones amp, or ask the seller to have one ready. Play through every pickup position, turn all knobs and listen for crackle. Wiggle the cable in the jack; a cutting-out signal means a loose jack. Scratchy pots are cheap to clean or replace, but count it in your offer.
Counterfeit Gibson Les Pauls and Fender Stratocasters from China are sold for a few hundred euros and resold as genuine. Warning signs: a Gibson with a bolt-on neck, a truss rod cover with the wrong shape, poor inlays, a serial number that does not match the model year, and a very low price. Also watch for 'partscasters': guitars built from mixed parts with a Fender logo decal. They can be good instruments, but should be priced as what they are.
If the price is far below the usual range, ask for the serial number and check it with the brand's own decoder before travelling.
For beginners: Yamaha Pacifica and the Yamaha F310 or FG800 acoustic, Squier Classic Vibe and Affinity, Epiphone Les Paul and SG, Harley Benton (Thomann's brand, very common in the Netherlands) and Ibanez. Mid-range: Fender Player series (made in Mexico), PRS SE, Gretsch Electromatic. Yamaha classical guitars like the C40 and C70 are the standard student choice. On vindje.com you can ask for something like a Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster or Fender Player in sunburst with a gig bag within 30 km, and it will skip the many listings for straps, cases and amps.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| Yamaha C40 or similar classical student guitar | EUR 30-90 |
| Yamaha F310 or FG800 acoustic | EUR 60-140 |
| Yamaha Pacifica 112 | EUR 120-220 |
| Squier Classic Vibe Strat or Tele | EUR 250-400 |
| Fender Player Stratocaster (Mexico) | EUR 450-650 |
| Gibson Les Paul Standard | EUR 1500-2500 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
Squier Classic Vibe or Fender Player Telecaster, sunburst, no neck issues, with gig bag, under 450 euro, within 30 kmSearch Marktplaats like this
Neck straightness, fret wear, string height, tuners, cracks in the body and, on electrics, crackle in knobs and the jack.
Check the serial number against the model year, look for a glued-in neck (not bolt-on), the correct headstock shape and the quality of inlays.
Roughly 1/2 for ages 5-8, 3/4 for ages 8-11, and full size from about 11-12. Height matters more than age.
A basic setup at a Dutch guitar shop usually costs around EUR 40-80, plus strings. It fixes most high action and buzz issues.