Selling Pre-Owned Musical Instruments, Mesa’s Alma School Pawn Has You Covered

What We Carry

Our inventory rotates constantly, so there’s no fixed list — but here’s a general sense of what comes through regularly.

We buy a wide range of instruments and music gear. Here’s a general sense of what we see regularly — though if you have something not on this list, bring it in anyway and we’ll take a look.

Guitars — Acoustic, Electric, and Bass

Guitars are our most consistent category. We buy acoustics, electrics, and bass guitars across all skill levels. Brands like Fender, Gibson, Squier, Epiphone, Ibanez, and Taylor tend to do well. If you’re upgrading your rig or just ready to move something along, bring it in with the case if you have it — that factors into the offer.

Keyboards and Digital Pianos

We buy keyboards and digital pianos from brands like Yamaha, Roland, Casio, Korg, and Alesis. Whether it’s a simple practice board or a full-featured stage instrument, we’ll evaluate it on the spot. Bring the power adapter, sustain pedal, and stand if you have them — accessories included with the instrument always help the offer.

Brass and Woodwinds

Trumpets, flutes, clarinets, and saxophones are consistently in demand, especially around back-to-school season when band programs ramp up. We buy student and intermediate models as well as professional-grade instruments. Bring the case and any included mouthpieces or accessories.

Drums and Percussion

We buy drum gear including full shell packs, snares, cymbals, hardware, and electronic kits from brands like Roland, Pearl, Alesis, and PDP. Bring the full kit with all the hardware intact — a complete setup pulls a stronger offer than a partial one missing stands or the bass drum pedal.

Orchestral Strings

We buy violins, violas, and the occasional cello. Bring the bow and case if you have them. Student sizes are welcome — there’s consistent local demand for orchestra instruments at the elementary and middle school level.

Amps, Mics, Pedals, and Accessories

We also buy practice amps, PA speakers, guitar effects pedals, condenser mics, audio interfaces, stands, and cables. If you’re clearing out a whole setup, bring everything — we’ll evaluate it together.

What to Bring When You’re Selling

If you’re looking to sell your pre-owned musical instruments, Mesa’s Alma School Pawn will evaluate them on the spot and make you a cash offer — but a little preparation goes a long way toward getting the best number.

Bring everything that came with the instrument. A guitar with its original hard case is worth more than the same guitar with a cheap gig bag or nothing at all. A keyboard with its power adapter, sustain pedal, and stand included is a better package than just the board by itself. Drum kits with all the hardware, cymbal stands, and bass drum pedal intact are going to pull a higher offer than a partial set missing key pieces.

Condition matters, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. We evaluate instruments realistically — minor wear, small cosmetic dings, normal fret wear on guitars — none of that disqualifies something from getting a fair offer. What we’re really looking at is whether it’s functional, complete, and something with local resale demand. Brand matters too. A name-brand trumpet or a well-regarded guitar model is going to get a stronger offer than a no-name beginner instrument in the same condition.

You don’t need an appointment. Just bring it in during store hours and we’ll take a look while you wait. If you’d rather know what to expect before making the drive, give us a call — we’re happy to give you a general idea based on what you describe.

Selling or Pawning Your Instrument

If you’re looking to sell your pre-owned musical instruments, Mesa’s Alma School Pawn will take a look and make you a straightforward cash offer on the spot. No appointment needed — just bring it in during store hours and we’ll evaluate it while you wait.

We look at the brand, condition, what’s included (cases, cables, adapters), and what similar items are moving for locally. If the gear is in solid shape, you’ll get a fair offer. If you’d rather not sell outright, a pawn loan is also an option — you leave the instrument with us as collateral, get cash for the loan term, and pick it back up when you repay.

How pawn loans work here:
Loans run on a 90-day schedule with monthly payments. Each payment covers the interest due for that period, and you’re always welcome to put more toward the principal if you want to pay it down faster. Pay it off early

 and there’s no penalty — and paying early can reduce what you owe overall.

Interest is calculated in tiers depending on where you are in the loan term. Because every loan is a little different, the best way to understand exactly what applies to your situation is to give us a call or come in — we’re happy to walk through it with you.

Life happens. If a month comes where the full payment isn’t doable, just cover the interest and the loan stays in good standing. It carries over without issue and we move forward from there.

Trading Up — How Gear Swaps Work Here

If you’d rather put the value of your instrument toward something else in the shop instead of taking cash, that’s an option. We’ll give you a trade value for what you bring in and you can apply it toward anything on our floor — other instruments, electronics, tools, jewelry, whatever we have. If there’s a difference in value either way, we’ll work it out. No pressure either way.

A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Come In

Inventory changes daily. Something that was here Monday might be gone by Wednesday. If you’re looking for something specific, call ahead and we’ll let you know what’s on the floor.

You’re encouraged to test before you buy. Plug in the guitar. Try the keyboard. Ask us to show you how something works. That’s normal here.

Bring the accessories when you’re selling. A keyboard with its power adapter and original stand is worth more than a keyboard without them. Same goes for guitars with their cases, or drum kits with all the hardware. We’ll factor that in.

We don’t run credit checks for pawn loans. It’s a collateral-based transaction — the instrument secures the loan, not your credit history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you buy instruments that need minor repairs?
Usually yes, depending on the brand and what specifically needs work. A guitar with a broken string is an easy fix and not a dealbreaker. Something that needs significant structural repair or a full pad replacement is harder to work with. Bring it in and we’ll tell you where it stands.

Do I need to clean or prep the instrument before bringing it in?
Not required, but a basic wipe-down doesn’t hurt. We evaluate function more than surface appearance, but an instrument that looks cared for tends to make a better impression and reflects well on its overall condition.

How long does the evaluation take?
Usually just a few minutes for most instruments. Larger setups like full drum kits may take a bit longer, especially if we’re going through all the hardware and components. Walk-ins are handled as quickly as possible.

What if I have multiple instruments to sell?
Bring them all in. We evaluate each piece individually and can make offers on the lot or on individual items. Some people do better selling as a bundle, others do better separating pieces — we’ll be straight with you about which makes more sense.

What forms of payment do you offer when buying?
Cash, same day. No waiting on checks to clear or payment apps to process.

Do I need an appointment?
No — just walk in during store hours. If you’re coming in with a lot of gear or a full drum kit, a quick call ahead is appreciated so we can give you proper attention.

Visit Us

📍 752 S. Alma School Road, Mesa, AZ 85210
📞 (480) 644-7932
🌐 almaschoolpawn.com

Monday – Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

We’re bilingual — English and Spanish — and walk-ins are always welcome.