SELL & TRADE YOUR GEAR

Do you have musical instruments and related gear that you’re not using or would like to upgrade?

We have a dedicated team to make the selling and trading of your instruments quick and transparent. And it’s easy too!

Whether it’s one piece or a whole collection of vintage, mint condition, or well-loved gear, we’re prepared to make you a fair offer based on the current market value. We’ve been buying new, used, and vintage gear from all over the U.S. since the 1990s (that’s right, before the internet!), so we’ve got the process down.

WHAT'S NEXT? IT'S EASY!

Just fill out the form below to submit your gear and Daniel, Mike, or Dan will be in touch with you very soon!

And when it comes time to ship it, we can help make it easy, safe, and painless! Check out our guide on How to Ship A Guitar!

*For any trade or selling transactions at Chicago Music Exchange, due to the potentially sensitive nature of some of the finish materials used on instruments and the pending weather factor changes, we will typically wait up to 24 hours to open the gear sent to us. Then another 24-48 hours to process the instrument. We appreciate your patience!

Nathaniel 'Elvis' Murphy Takes You Through Selling & Trading at CME!

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SELL & TRADE REVIEWS

Kim V. - 2/2/23

"Such a great place! Daniel and Dan were so wonderful explaining the process of selling my guitar thoroughly. They handled an emotional sale with grace and compassion. I also observed the other interactions between staff and customers and was impressed with their friendliness and knowledge. I would recommend the store and the entire staff for all your music needs."

Tom W. - 2/22/20

"I have purchased lots of guitar gear from this store. They have an amazing selection, the staff is really knowledgeable, and their trade in policy is very fair compared to other companies I have dealt with. I just recently bought a Friedman Runt 50 and hope to make additional purchases when things open back up. I always suggest going during the week and early during the day. It gets really busy on the weekends and it is hard to find an empty room to try out equipment. They also are willing to offer deals with certain products. I can't recommend this store enough."

H. R. - 2/4/14

"I was heading up to Chicago for various reasons, and I was looking to sell/trade a few guitars I had. I emailed them ahead of time and had it somewhat worked out.I probably could have made more money by selling them on Craigslist or ebay, but I honestly tried for a long time, and I had no buyers. So after some thought, these guys were willing to step up and make the trade for an item I wanted, so I went for it.

So when I arrived they checked out the items I brought and all was well. It took awhile because it was on Saturday and they were busy. I got my paper work and they shipped me the item (It was out of stock everywhere). They also shipped me a gig bag for free. Zero money was exchanged.

I was very happy with the deal, I initially felt like I could be getting ripped off, but no one was making me do the deal. I could have said no, and again I tried to sell the items but they were just not selling. So I felt I got a good deal, because I wanted the item, and they made it happen. The next time you want something there, try doing a trade? They maybe able to help you.

Also, just a word on the store. WOW. I mean WOW. You do not see collections like this anywhere. It is really unbelievable and overwhelming. Everyone I dealt with or spoke to was nice and polite. I didn't like how you would have to go in a little room to plug in the electrics to play them, but I get it.

If you are a fan of music and guitars, go to this place, it is like a dream come true!

Eddie C. - 1/27/23

"I have bought 2 vintage guitars from them and have come in many times. I really like that they have booths where you can test out gear. It's also great you don't need to hear really awful guitar playing blasting in the background especially guitars that are woefully out of tune!

The store is boutique and high end. They not only have great guitars but really nice boutique amps and pedals as well. I love the fact that they actually let you try vintage instruments. Most of the guitars here would be behind a glass at big box stores.

The last guitar I bought was a 1955 Gibson LP Jr. It was amazing that they had 2 50s Juniors and I actually got to play both and pick the one that was right for me. Interestingly, they actually sounded quite different and definitely had a really different neck profile. There are maybe a handful of stores in the country with the amount of stock and inventory on vintage instruments and happy to have one in Chicago!"

Josh D. - 2/27/21

"Traded in for a Custom Shop Duotone strat 2012. I have never been this impressed with a guitar within a few hours of playing it. Guitar was packaged and shipped with extra care. Scott, Jason, Karl, and Jon were a huge help throughout the trade process. You definitely get the best trade in value for your used instruments here. Kind, caring, and helpful staff. Willing to go the extra mile for the customer if you need it. Highly recommend Chicago Music Exchange."

Nick “Nicko” J. - 2/17/22

"One of (if not) the best guitar stores I’ve ever been too. Great customer service. Great selection. Great prices. Great trade in values. And you can play any guitar here from the 100 dollar to 30000 dollar range. Simply do yourself a favor and stop on in!"

Aaron L. - 3/11/18

"Unreal selection of guitars new, used, and vintage, as well as a large inventory of effects pedals. And a separate space for percussion.

Staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. I brought in some used gear to sell and they were honest about what they could offer, and what they would sell it for. Even recommended I just list a few things myself on reverb.com to get a better price.

The acoustic room here is unlike any I've seen. HUGE inventory of vintage Gibson's and Martin's, plus pretty much everything else. If you are looking for a cheap starter guitar, CME is NOT the place for you. But if you are looking for an awesome vintage guitar and are willing to pay a bit for it, spend and hour here and find one that sings to you.

If you have additional questions regarding the sale or trade process, or if you would like to get the ball rolling, call, email, fill out our form, or stop by and visit us in the showroom anytime.

We look forward to meeting you!

-The team at the Chicago Music Exchange

Contact us to discuss your collection today (773)-525-7773 or email us!

CME GUIDE | HOW TO SHIP A GUITAR

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