Frequently Asked Questions About Elderly Instruments

You can find our hours and availability at this link.

Our main contacts can be found on our Contact Us Page 

Call us any time at (517) 372-7880 - once you’ve called, you can follow the instructions or press 1 to speak with sales, press 2 for repair, and press 3 for appraisals.  

You can also email our sales staff at web@elderly.com or click the message box in the bottom right-hand corner, to live chat.

Setup is the process of ensuring that an instrument functions, plays and sounds its best.

All of our instruments are fully inspected and set up by the experts in our repair shop, except those marked AS-IS. You can learn more about the particulars of our setup process in the second section here.

Walk-in customers are welcome! No appointments are necessary but we recommend calling ahead if you plan on dropping off an instrument for repair or appraisal.

You can find more information and hours on our Sell, Trade, Consign and Appraisal Page.

Yes, give us a call and we’d be happy to help arrange your order.

Yes, of course. This has been the Elderly way since 1972. We believe that instruments are meant to be played. Items in our Vault are available to be played upon request.

Used instruments are instruments that have been previously owned. Vintage instruments are those made further in the past. Generally this could mean at least 20 years old, and often as old as 200 years or more. People may have differing opinions on whether an instrument is used or vintage.

At Elderly Instruments we do not differentiate between used and vintage instruments when presenting them on the website.

New instruments are covered by the manufacturer's warranty as well as a limited warranty from Elderly Instruments.  

Used instruments are covered by a limited warranty from Elderly Instruments.

Find out more on our warranty information page.

These instruments have not gone through our repair shop for set up, and are not eligible for our usual warranty program. Any instrument listed “AS-IS” means it is for sale in the specific condition described. We try to include any obvious repair or other work that the instrument may need, but it is not always possible to know what additional work may be required once a repair is in progress.

Elderly Instruments offers free shipping on most new in-stock merchandise for orders over $45 within the contiguous US - you can read the full policy and exceptions here.

You can fill out our "Want File" the used instrument request form and we will do our best to contact you as soon as one comes in.

Your instrument is more than just an object, it's an extension of your creativity and passion. That's why we've been servicing and repairing instruments since 1972. We were among the first stores to establish the policy of inspecting every instrument that we sell, a policy that's become even more important in the age of internet shopping where instruments can change hands without ever being checked.

Our skilled repair shop personnel inspect and set up virtually every fretted instrument we sell. From acoustic and electric guitars to resonators, banjos, mandolins, and ukuleles, we ensure that each instrument is set up for the best possible playability. When you purchase an instrument from Elderly Instruments, you can trust that it has been carefully inspected and set up to meet our high standards of quality.

Elderly Instruments has been named America's Top Small Business for 2023 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This prestigious award was granted to us from a vast pool of over 15,000 applicants across the nation.

"As we celebrate Elderly Instruments − a beacon of excellence in the music retail world and beloved in Old Town Lansing − we celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses across America," Suzanne Clark, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber, said in the news release. "Their growth and continued success are built on a commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and investing in their employees.

Learn more.

We accept cash, checks, and of course, most major credit cards. We also offer the following Express Checkout options:

Shop Pay
Paypal
Apple Pay
Google Pay

We also offer financing through Affirm and Shop Pay Installments.

You can view our return policy here:
https://www.elderly.com/pages/returns

Contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

You can see shipping quotes and options by putting the item into your cart and proceeding to checkout. Once you've input your shipping address, you will be able to see quotes and options for shipping. You don't have to complete the order or enter any payment information to see a shipping quote.

We make it easy for you to sell instruments, trade them, or consign them with us. We’re always looking for good quality vintage and used instruments.

We can also provide written appraisals of valuable fretted instruments. Whether your instrument is a 100 year old family heirloom or a recently made "guitar of your dreams", there are many good reasons to have it appraised. A reputable appraisal helps you establish the current value for estate purposes, for theft or loss, or if you wish to sell.

Learn More

For a repair estimate or quote, you'll need you to get in touch with our Repair Shop directly.

You can find their contact info and availability here.

Yes, contact us and we’d be happy to put an item on hold for you for two days free of charge. If you need to place a hold for a longer period of time, contact us and we’ll look into it.

Our last catalog was published and mailed in 2014. Of course, all the items we sell are listed on our website where, unless it says otherwise you can assume that an item is in stock. If you miss our old catalogs you can take a tour of them at our Catalog Archive.

We do not require customers to wear a mask at this time. We continue to have masks available for those who need them.

In the summer of 2020, we updated all 11 of our HVAC systems to include UV air filtration. While not in regular use at this time, we created a UV booth to sanitize the surfaces of our instruments, which is still available by request. Hand-sanitizer is readily available throughout the entire Elderly building.

At Elderly Instruments the main types of guitars we see are:

Acoustic Guitars

Flattop Acoustics and Acoustic-Electrics

Classical and other nylon-strung guitars

Resonator Guitars

Archtop Acoustics

Solid Body Electrics

Hollow Body Electrics

Bass Guitars

Lap & Pedal Steels

Many other variations exist that we see occasionally, including Banjo Guitars, Tenor and Plectrum Guitars (4-string), and other hybrids.

Most standard guitars have 6 strings. Various hybrid and other guitars can have 4, 7, 8, 10 or more strings.

It’s always best to learn on a good instrument. First, that means one that is set up properly for ease of playing, sound and function. This is why at Elderly Instruments we place a lot of emphasis on the fact that all of our instruments are fully inspected and set up by the experts in our repair shop, except those marked AS-IS. You can learn more about the particulars of our setup process in the second section here.

For more information and some recommendations, take a look at our Acoustic Guitar Buying Guide

Honestly, as much as you are comfortable spending. Once a guitar is properly set up, what you get in a more expensive instrument is better sound, which is due to premium materials, design, and workmanship. Primarily, as a beginner, you are more likely to receive more positive feedback as you practice and play on a better sounding instrument.

Our sales staff can advise you on “best instruments for the price” if you give them a general price range you would like to be in.

For more information and some recommendations, take a look at our Acoustic Guitar Buying Guide

The Elderly Lessons Network is a great choice if you wish to take lessons from an experienced player/teacher. There are also many other choices available on the internet.

You can also study on your own. We have a large number of instructional books and videos available.

Check out our video on the topic:
https://youtu.be/pnuMVpigLqo

A banjo is a musical instrument that at first looks like a drum with a neck attached. The drum has a plastic or skin covering and the neck usually has frets on it, like a guitar. The neck usually has either 4 or 5 strings on it.  

Take a look at our banjo offerings

Most common are 5-string and 4 string banjos. 5-string banjos have 4 equal length strings and one short string. These are most typically used in playing traditional styles of music such as folk, string band or bluegrass. Banjos like this were first used in “minstrel” bands that were popular from the 1840s until the end of the 19th century. All banjos with a short string like this were derived from various African instruments which were either brought here on slave ships or constructed here (most likely) by black people of African descent.

4-string banjos appeared in the 1880s and got popular in the early 20th century. They were and are used to play early Jazz, Dixieland and other music. Incorporated in early recorded Irish music, the shorter-necked tenor banjo has found a home in the Celtic music revival that first appeared in the 1960s and ‘70s.

Check out our entire banjo selection

5-string banjos are most commonly tuned gDGBD.

Tenor banjos are most commonly tuned CGDA.

Plectrum banjos are most commonly tuned CGBD.

Other tuning may be used for different purposes.

Browse our selection of banjos

The Elderly Lessons Network is a great choice if you wish to take lessons from an experienced player/teacher. There are also many other choices available on the internet.

You can also study on your own. We have a large number of instructional books and videos available.

The two main categories of mandolins are bowlback and flatback mandolins.

Bowlback (often called Neapolitan or roundback) mandolins achieved their height of popularity in the 1880s and were primarily used for classical music, often in an orchestral setting with mandolas, mandocellos, and other instruments. Mandolin orchestras are still in existence today in Europe and throughout the world.

“Flatback” mandolins are used for many kinds of popular and folk music and are the most common mandolins today. “Flatback” is a bit of a misnomer, since the most common mandolins are arched top mandolins, often with carved top and back construction which is inspired by violin family instruments. These mandolins come in two basic styles: the Florentine or F-style, which typically has a decorative scroll near the neck, two points on the body and usually a scroll carved into the headstock. The A-style, which is pear-shaped, has no body points and usually has a simpler headstock.

Much variation exists between different makers, and other variants have become increasingly common. Generally, F-style mandolins and mandolins influenced by that design are strongly associated with bluegrass music, while the A-style is associated with other types of music.

Typically a mandolin has 8 strings consisting of four courses of doubled metal strings that are tuned in unison. Five (10 strings) and six (12 string) course versions also exist. The courses are typically tuned in an interval of fifths, with the same tuning as a violin (GDAE).

Like the violin, the mandolin is the soprano member of a family that includes the mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello and mandobass. Browse our mandolin family of instruments.

Like the violin, the mandolin is the soprano member of a family that includes the mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello and mandobass. Browse our mandolin family of instruments.

The ukulele is a Hawaiian 4-stringed instrument that has gone through several periods of worldwide popularity since 1879 when 3 immigrant Portuguese cabinetmakers disembarked in Hawaii. They quickly spread the joys of small Portuguese guitar-like instruments, began making and selling them, and the ukulele (in Hawaii pronounced OO-koo-LEH-leh) was born.

Ukuleles come in a variety of different types, including but not limited to, soprano, tenor, concert and baritone. Feel free to browse our ukulele selection for even more options!

Most have 4 strings. Some have 6 or 8.  

The Elderly Lessons Network is a great choice if you wish to take lessons from an experienced player/teacher. There are also many other choices available on the internet.

You can also study on your own. We have a large number of instructional books and videos available.