On one occasion, a guy came in with his new pride and joy in his hands – it was a second-hand Les Paul Custom and, from what he told me, he’d talked the shopkeeper into letting it go for a very good price indeed. He handed it over to me and I took a quick look at it. One thing was obvious from the start; at one time, it had been repaired around the headstock area. I looked for – and found – the tell-tale hairline cracks around the back of the neck which meant that the headstock had at one point snapped off. The repair was professional enough – although not so good that it was invisible – but it explained his ‘good deal’. I’ve got to add at this point that just because a guitar has been repaired doesn’t mean that it’s worthless, it just means that it’s worth less, if you see the distinction. Needless to say he was gutted and vowed never to buy ‘vintage’ again without someone by his side who could spot a ringer.

Fortunately, his case is comparatively rare, but I thought it might be a good idea to list a few pointers that could potentially help others avoid a similar situation. Firstly, check the overall condition of the instrument on every surface. If the general condition looks worn, with plenty of dings and scratches, then you’ll need to check that the playing surfaces are still OK. Guitars that have seen plenty of action tend to wear at predictable places and this would include the nut, frets and bridge. Noticeable wear here is not a fault, as such, just legitimate signs of ageing, but they’ll eventually need replacing or repairing and this is going to cost you money on top of whatever you manage to negotiate with the shop.

Oh, and bearing in mind the story of my student above, it’s a good idea to look for any signs of previous repairs, too! These can show up where areas of paint or lacquer doesn’t quite match the surroundings or if something just looks out of whack with the rest of the instrument.

Nuts: check the string slots in the nut are not too wide, too deep or damaged. Look at the height of the bass and treble strings above the first fret. If they’re practically touching, it could be that you’ll need a new one before too long. A worn nut can cause buzzing and ‘fretting out’ and sometimes even tuning anomalies, too.

Frets: it’s a fact that frets don’t last forever, no matter how good they are. There are different grades of fret metal, from fairly soft to super hard, the softer type being the more economical and used on the lower price range instruments. The first place you’ll notice wear is over the first few frets, down near the nut. These show up as pits or grooves and a little wear is to be expected – but if you find yourself looking at something resembling an Alpine valley, you’re going to need a refret soon and this can be expensive.

You’ll need to check to see if the frets are level, too, which can be done by sighting the neck from the nut end. If everything looks even, then fair enough – if it looks like Highgate Cemetery or a row of broken teeth, you’ve got problems.

Bridge: most bridge designs are very similar, with six string saddles over which the strings pass on their way towards the nut. Check to see if there are any signs of obvious wear here, too. Surprisingly, you might need to check for rust and corrosion as well, because a lot of players tend to rest their sweaty palms on the end of the strings and this can cause the adjustable parts on your bridge to seize up, in extreme cases. Limited or impaired adjustment means, potentially, bad intonation and so look hard.

If the guitar has a trem, does the handle seem loose? Does the bridge move easily? Again, check for rust or anything that might inhibit free movement. Another thing to watch out for is if the guitar is old it might mean that spare parts are hard to find. Some older guitars are like vintage cars in this respect and a simple malfunction can prove almost impossible to put right because spares are no longer available. If in doubt, ask.

The next thing to check is that the neck is straight. This is not a job for an amateur as only a repairman or someone with some experience or expertise with guitars can tell exactly what’s what in this department. A quick check you can do, however, is to hold the bass string down at the first and seventeenth frets and look at the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the seventh fret. If there’s just enough movement or clearance, then the chances are everything is OK; but if you could park the family car underneath, or alternatively it’s actually touching, then the neck is probably out of adjustment. Once again, this is not a job I’d recommend to anyone who is unsure about guitar mechanics as over-enthusiastic adjustment here can cost you a lot to put right. If you suspect the truss rod needs adjusting, ask the store to check it for you – if they refuse, walk away.

Now check the tuners. It’s probably true to say that these have to be in a terrible state of repair before they actually stop working, but you can still cast an eye over them to check for anything obvious. Do they turn freely, do they look old and worn? It might sound a little obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t bother to even give this area a look.

Once you’re through the cosmetic checks, plug the guitar into an amp and work methodically through the electronics. Do the volume and tone rotaries crackle? Likewise the pick-up selector switch – does it move freely and noiselessly through the selections? Try each pick-up in turn to make sure that it works and listen out for sudden drops in volume. Pick-ups rely on fine copper windings wrapped around magnets (like a transformer) and if one of these snaps it can cause the pick-up to work at an incorrect impedance and sound harsh.

Once you’ve made all these pit stop checks, put the guitar through its paces and see if you bond with it. The shop should be happy for you to take as long as you need for this stage – if not, shop elsewhere.

In general, I’d advise against buying second-hand instruments from auction websites – it means buying ‘unseen’ and not a good idea in the early stages of your instrument purchasing experience!