​​​​Is Reverb Legit?

Buying guitars online can be an intimidating process, especially with high value items, so knowing that the website you’re planning to buy from or sell on isn’t a bait and switch or an all out scam is absolutely vital.

If you’ve ever searched for used guitars online, there’s a good chance you’ve come across a website called Reverb, and you might even have wondered whether or not they are a legit business who you can trust with your money. Keep on reading to find out more about Reverb.

Is Reverb legit/safe to buy from?

Reverb is legit, safe to buy from, and absolutely not a scam. While Reverb is ultimately a marketplace and as such you will need to do your own due diligence as far as researching individual sellers, the platform itself is safe and they will back you up if you need it.

Reverb History & Reviews

Of all of the major guitar retail websites Reverb is one of the newest, having only been founded in 2013. The company was founded by David Kalt, who had recently acquired the Chicago Music Exhange, and so he started Reverb with a good amount of experience in the musical instrument retail business.

The Reverb.com website has an “average” rating on Trustpilot, where they’ve earned 3.5/5 stars from 1440 reviews. This is quite a large sample of reviews, and can be considered indicative of reality.

Over on Scam Adviser, Reverb.com gets the maximum 100/100 Trustscore, although there are no individual user reviews listed at the time of writing.

Company Info

As briefly mentioned above, Reverb.com was launched in 2013 by David Kalt. The site was born out of frustration as he realized there were no specialist sites for buying and selling guitars at the time.

It has since become the go to site for used guitars sold by individuals, although many small retailers and independent guitar stores use the site as a way to expand their reach beyond  those who live local to them, and many major brands also have a presence on the site, too.

Reverb.com was later bought out in 2019 by Etsy, but they remain headquartered in Chicago, IL.

What Are Some of the Reasons to Buy from Reverb?

Artist Shops

One of the coolest things about shopping at Reverb is the access to Artist Shops, where the general public gets access to buy real gear used by celebrity musicians. The likes of Green Day, J Mascis, Steve Vai, and Billy Corgan amongst others, have listed and sold gear on Reverb.com.

Free Listings

If you’re planning to sell your guitar, and not buy anything, you can list it for free on Reverb, and you’ll have access to literally millions of potential buyers (Reverb.com has around 10 million monthly visitors!). Rather than charging up front fees, Reverb takes a commission of 5% of the total sale price after the sale is complete, so, if you don’t end up selling, it costs you nothing to try.

Huge Access to Inventory

At any one time, there are around half a million active listings on Reverb from around the world. Even the big box retailers like Sweetwater and Guitar Center can’t compete with that kind of inventory. If it’s guitar related, you’ve got a great chance of finding it on Reverb if it’s not in stock elsewhere.

Buyer Protection

Buyers are well protected at Reverb. As long as you pay directly through the website using the Reverb Payments option, you will be covered in the event that the item you receive is fake, broken, or otherwise not as originally advertised.

Easy Access to Used Guitars

Because Reverb allows anybody to sell their own gear, there are a huge number of used and pre owned guitars listed on the site, from bargain beginner instruments, to borderline priceless vintage and antique guitars.

0% Financing

When checking out, buyers can select Affirm and spread their purchases over multiple payments. They offer interest rates from 0% to 30% depending on credit, and repayment terms from 3 to 36 months.

New Old Stock

With so many small and independent music stores listing products on Reverb, there’s also a good amount of new old stock, that is, old, or vintage items that were never bought by anybody, and are no longer in production. Whether you need spares, or you’re looking for a unique guitar, Reverb.com is a great place to find what you need.

Common Reverb Questions

How long does it take for Reverb to deliver?

Because Reverb.com is an intermediary between sellers and buyers, there are no set delivery times. How long items take to arrive at the delivery location is set by the seller, so it’s very important to pay attention to the shipping details on any listing that you’re interested in.

Not only is the delivery time frame set by the seller, but the shipping price is, too. The cost is likely to vary depending on the seller’s location relative to you, and the size and value of the items you’re buying.

What Percentage Does Reverb Take From Sales?

If you’re trying to sell on Reverb, you should know that Reverb will take a cut of the final sale price of your item (if it sells). Rather than changing a fee to list an item for sale, Reverb takes a 5% commission. The 5% is charged against the whole amount, including shipping, so be aware of this before listing items if you aren’t happy to pay a fee.

If I Sell an Item on Their Marketplace, How Fast Does Reverb Pay?

Once you’ve sold your item through their secure shopping platform, you might be wondering how long it will take to get your money from Reverb. Sadly, it isn’t instant, but it won’t take too long, either! In the majority of cases, sellers get their payout in 1 to 3 business days.

Who Pays For Shipping on Reverb?

Reverb does not subsidize the sellers for shipping, so in the majority of cases, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the buyer pays for shipping. In the event of the return of a faulty item in which you have reported the issue within 7 days to the retailer, Reverb enforces that the seller covers the return shipping cost.

Does Reverb Collect Sales Tax?

Reverb.com collects sales tax automatically from buyers residing in what they refer to as Marketplace Facilitator States. Buyers from non participating states like Florida will not have sales tax collected at check out.

Final Thoughts on Is Reverb Legit?

Reverb is a great alternative to the big box retailers that has become a trusted source in the guitar community for buying and selling both used and new gear. Individual experiences will vary depending on the sellers, but the vast majority seem to have good experiences.