Sweetwater opens online used gear marketplace, The Sweetwater Gear Exchange

Online music equipment retailer Sweetwater has established its very own used gear marketplace, The Sweetwater Gear Exchange.

The all-new virtual marketplace promises to provide musicians with a safe, secure and regulated platform to sell their used electric guitars, acoustic guitars, guitar amps and other musical equipment in a “cost effective way”.

Those who establish a Gear Exchange shop will be able to create and customize their very own storefront, and will be allowed to set a store address, outline individual returns policies and write a store owner bio so prospective customers can find out more about them.

Through these stores, musicians will be able to create listings that include photographs for their used gear that they no longer need or want.

In a bid to provide a secure online second-hand gear shopping experience, Sweetwater will be implementing “tight fraud prevention measures”, which include a team of dedicated administrators who will monitor the marketplace for any potential security risks.

Sweetwater will also require exact photos of the item listed, and will provide badges for storefronts to show how long the Gear Exchange sellers have been verified Sweetwater customers.

Elsewhere, Sweetwater looks to pair security with financial convenience – and perhaps entice loyalists of other online platforms – by letting sellers purchase shipping labels directly through the Gear Exchange and thus letting them make the most of its rates.

And, as an added bonus, Sweetwater will be celebrating the grand opening of the Gear Exchange by waiving all selling fees until October 31 when Sweetwater Gift Cards are selected as the form of payment.

Sweetwater Chief Marketing Officer David Stewart commented, “Being avid music makers ourselves, we know how real the connection can be between the musician and their gear. It goes beyond just being an instrument and becomes an extension of the artist. 

“Whether it’s someone’s first guitar or an old recording interface, every piece of gear has a story,” he continued. “The Gear Exchange provides music makers and gearheads the opportunity to find a common place to buy and sell items, sharing the remarkable stories behind each unique piece. 

“We are excited to provide a new forum for artists to find the perfect equipment to make the music they love.”

With the opening of the Gear Exchange, Sweetwater is moving into territory already occupied by the likes of Guitar Center – which has its own platform for selling second-hand equipment, albeit not a direct player-to-player service – and Reverb, today’s preeminent dedicated used gear site.

It’s also a move that makes sense for Sweetwater, and one that many may have thought would have come earlier, owing to the seller’s status in the online gear world.

The Gear Exchange has already been live for a few days, so at the time of writing, the virtual shelves are already nicely stocked with 2,338 items from sellers who have been able to get their listings up early.

Right now, there are listings for guitars, basses, keyboards, drums, studio and recording equipment, band and orchestra equipment and more, some of which have been highlighted in a dedicated Staff Picks section.

To find out more, head over to the Sweetwater Gear Exchange.