Flipping on Craigslist: Marketing Secrets

I sold a guitar for nearly double what I paid for it. I was thrilled and so was the new owner of a Martin 00-15.

I used the money to buy another guitar, an even better guitar! 

While Shawna is out, I am sharing my experience of buying, flipping, and profiting from guitars on Craigslist and FB Marketplace. My passion is guitars! But you can do this for any products sold on Craigslist. (such as bicycles, outdoor gear, furniture, tools, cameras, etc…)

If you missed the last email, I emphasized getting a great deal upfront. Here are the most important things to do in order to get a high value deal.

You have to:

Search often and see what’s out there. You can do this manually or save searches. I usually look manually. The more you look, the more you know about what’s out there.

Know what the going prices are for your niche. You want to be an expert about what guitars cost. (Again, it can be anything, but I like guitars.) I look at completed sales on Reverb or eBay — that way you know what guitars sold for, not the listing price.

Focus on just a few makes and models. There’s so much out there, so narrow it down in the beginning. You can learn about more products over time. For me, I looked for Gibsons, Martins, and all brands of Les Pauls. 

Today, I’ll tell you about my new guitar and detail the marketing techniques that I used in the listing, and I’ll show you the listing exactly.

I’ve been looking at Les Paul Junior type guitars. They’re simple guitars with just one pick up, originally created as a student-level guitar in the 1950s. But it turns out, Les Paul Juniors are rock-n-roll machines!

I found an Eastman SB55/V (similar to the Les Paul Junior) on consignment in a local guitar shop. I checked to see if I could negotiate on their price of $1,200 and they said the could do some dealing. 

And I’m a haggler and happy to negotiate. Here is the Eastman:

I knew that I should be able to get about $1,200 for my Martin 00-15 and I should be able to get a better deal on the Eastman. And, I also knew my wife would want me to sell a guitar if I buy a new one. More important: It would be great to make money on the deal.

Here is the full listing from Craiglist (and FB Marketplace) in a Google Doc. 

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_qpNr5R_FwCtyW8dEUd9pUuTFS_sBwBgi7ggZrEReG4/]

Here’s a portion of the listing, but please do have a look at the full listing. I’ll break it down and describe the high points.

Martin 00-15 - All Solid Woods, Naturally Aged, Great Tone [2015] - $1275

I’m selling my Martin 00-15 acoustic guitar from 2015, a beautifully aged small-body acoustic with warm, rich mahogony tone. All solid woods. If you want a well-played, naturally opened-up guitar that sounds great for fingerpicking, slide, and open chords, this might be the one for you.

🔹 Why I’m Selling:
I play my Gibson LG-2 more often. My wife says I’ve hit my guitar limit, and I want to get a new electric. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be letting it go. (I like the LG-2 with the shorter scale and spruce…)

Demo video below

Condition & Playability

* Bought from the original owner (a retired player) during the pandemic.

* Naturally aged matte finish with subtle arm-wear shine.

* Neck: Comfortable with a slight, natural aged sheen.

* Fretwear: Very light wear in the first position (open chords).

* Action: Medium (good for slide), but the saddle has plenty of room to be lowered if desired. Never set up under my ownership.

* Strung with fresh D’Addario Light 12-53 XS Phosphor Bronze. Coated Strings for maximum life. (Changed on Dec 23, 2024 and only played 5 minutes.)

* Intonation is perfect (demo below)

* Guitar has been stored properly in a humidified case.

….See full listing

Clear and Descriptive Title

I kept it straightforward with "Martin 00-15 - All Solid Woods, Naturally Aged, Great Tone [2015] - $1275," so buyers immediately know what I'm selling and the best features of this guitar.

Evocative Language

I used phrases like "beautifully aged," "warm, rich mahogany tone," "naturally opened-up," and "character and warmth" to tap into a buyer’s emotions and their desire for a vintage-sounding instrument.

Specific Details - Good and Bad

I made sure to include plenty of details about the guitar’s condition (fretwear, finish, action), modifications (slotted bridge, ToneRite treatment), and even the included accessories (case, humidifiers). I didn’t try to hide the wear and tear of playing the guitar.

Transparency and Honesty

I didn’t shy away from mentioning why I’m selling the guitar, and its minor flaws (like the broken end-pin), and I even provided alternative string recommendations. Being upfront builds trust with potential buyers.

Social Proof and Value Justification

To justify my asking price, I pointed out comparable Reverb listings and the retail price of a new model. I provided a link to the sold listing, pre-filtered, and then said that we’re both using the same information about the market value. That builds trust. I also included a demo video so buyers could hear the guitar for themselves.

Target Audience Focus

I crafted the description to attract players who appreciate "a slightly aged, small-body acoustic with character and warmth." This helps me connect with the right kind of buyer. If someone values having a brand new guitar, they won’t waste their time or my time.

Call to Action

I kept it clear and simple: "Cash only. Email for now."

Organization and Readability

By using bullet points, headings, and concise paragraphs, I made sure the listing was easy to read and digest.

Why This Listing Works

This listing is effective because it gives people everything they need to make an informed decision while also creating an emotional connection to the instrument. 

My transparency, detailed description, and value justification make it compelling and trustworthy.

Most other listings lack details about the specs, condition, and marketing prices. Some are a few fragments with incomplete ideas. Basically, you would just have a pile of questions about the listing.

I posted the listing, and then waited. I expected to hear from people on the first day. But it took a few days for a real person, a non-scammer, to contact me. 

I heard from an interested party and started the dance of negotiation… It was pretty simple since I provided so much info and had a demo video of me playing the guitar. 

He just wanted to play the guitar in person, to touch and feel and inspect the guitar.

But we still needed to agree on the price. In the next email, I’ll tell you about how I approached the negotiation with both the buyer of the Martin and the seller of the Eastman.

Coming up…

Part three from Doug tomorrow!

Stay awesome,

Shawna

P.S. If you’re looking for high level discussions or tips on things like local SEO and Rank & Rent, I highly recommend Jacky Chou’s Advise community. I’ve been in it for several months and there’s tons of value in it, including a SOP for local SEO.

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