Musical Instruments Across Scotland — For Sale, Repair, Rent, Loan & Trade
Description
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Music runs through Scotland — from the piper on the Royal Mile to the fiddler in a village hall, from the beginner's first recorder to the collector's antique mandolin, from the garage luthier hand-building guitars to the main-street retailer stocking every band instrument under the sun. This is the page for every kind of musical instrument across all 32 council areas — for sale, fixing, rent, loan, or trade.
Who should post here
- Main-street music shops selling new and second-hand instruments, sheet music, and accessories
- Independent luthiers and makers building, restoring, and repairing stringed instruments
- Antique dealers selling vintage and historic instruments
- Nonprofits, trusts, and lending libraries that let musicians borrow or play rare instruments
- Repairers and technicians — violin restorers, accordion tuners, bagpipe reedmakers, brass and woodwind techs
- Teachers and tutors selling student instruments or hiring out kit
- Individuals selling, swapping, or passing on instruments they no longer play
- Parents looking for affordable starter instruments for small children
- Collectors seeking rare, antique, or unusual instruments
- Anyone sharing tips, advice, and referrals to YouTube channels, articles, and online resources on playing, buying, and caring for instruments
What belongs here
- Bagpipes, chanters, practice sets, reeds, and pipe accessories
- Fiddles, violins, violas, cellos, and double basses
- Guitars — acoustic, electric, classical, bass — and amplifiers
- Mandolins, banjos, bouzoukis, and other fretted instruments
- Accordions, melodeons, and concertinas
- Clàrsachs, harps, and other traditional Scottish instruments
- Woodwinds — flutes, whistles, recorders, clarinets, saxophones
- Brass — trumpets, trombones, horns, and band instruments
- Drums, bodhráns, and percussion
- Keyboards, pianos, and synthesisers
- Sheet music, tutors, and method books
- Cases, bows, rosin, strings, reeds, straps, and all accoutrements
- PAs, microphones, and gigging gear
- Instrument repair and restoration services
- Instrument rental, hire, and lending schemes
- Wanted ads for specific instruments
- Tips, advice, and how-to guides
- Referrals to YouTube channels, articles, and online resources
How to list well
Be honest, be specific, and help the buyer hear what they're getting.
- For traditional instruments — state the maker, age, wood, and any known history. For bagpipes, note the make, drone length, and whether it's a full set, half set, or practice set. For fiddles, mention the maker if known, the wood, and any repairs.
- For guitars and fretted instruments — state the make, model, year, scale length, pickups (if electric), and condition. Mention any refrets, repairs, or modifications.
- For band and orchestral instruments — state the key, bore, make, and condition. For student instruments, say whether it suits a small child or an older beginner.
- For antiques — describe the provenance, age, and any restorations. Photos of marks and labels matter.
- For repairers and luthiers — state what you work on, your location, your turnaround, and whether you take postal work. A photo of your workshop builds trust.
- For rentals and lending — state the terms, the deposit, who's eligible, and what's available.
- For tips and referrals — say what the resource covers, who it suits, and why it's worth someone's time. Link to the channel or article.
- Photos — show the instrument clearly from more than one angle, including any marks, labels, and wear. A sound clip or video link helps instruments sell.
A note on passing it on
Scotland has a long tradition of instruments finding their next player — the fiddle passed down through a family, the pipes lent to a keen learner, the guitar sold on to the next teenager starting a band. If you have an instrument you no longer play, consider listing it here, lending it through a local group, or donating it to a nonprofit that gets instruments to people who can't afford them. A silent instrument is a sad thing.
From the big-city music shop to the garage luthier, from the antique dealer to the lending library, from a child's first recorder to a collector's antique mandolin, from bagpipes to fiddles and all the accoutrements — every kind of instrument listing has a home here. Post yours, share what you know, and pass on the good stuff.
Instruments: your listings live here.