Who We Are
We're Audio Trader. We remove the chaos, the risk, and the hassle from buying and selling music equipment.
We're not a marketplace. We're not a pawn shop. We're the trusted intermediary that makes sure every piece of gear gets properly tested, fairly priced, and given the respect it deserves before it finds its next owner.
Why We Exist
The used music gear market is broken.
If you've ever tried to sell a piece of gear, you know the drill. List it on a marketplace, wait for the lowballers, dodge the time-wasters, hope the buyer actually shows up. Maybe you get ripped off. Maybe you rip someone else off without meaning to because you're not sure what it's actually worth anymore.
And if you're buying? Good luck. Is that "mint condition" guitar actually mint, or is that just what the seller thinks because they love it? Is it even real? Will it arrive damaged? Will the seller ghost you?
We got sick of it. So we built something better.
Our Story
Audio Trader was founded in 2023 by the team behind World of Books - the UK's largest second-hand book platform. They know how to build circular economies at scale. They've done it before.
But more importantly, they're musicians. Gear heads. The kind of people who can tell you the difference between a '57 and a '62 Strat, who've spent hours restoring amps, who understand that every piece of equipment carries a story.
They started Audio Trader because they believe two things:
Great gear deserves more than one life.
Musicians deserve better than marketplace roulette.
What We Believe
Every guitar, every synth, every interface has a history. Songs were written on it. Gigs were played with it. Someone saved up for it, learned on it, loved it. That doesn't stop mattering just because they're ready to move on.
When gear sits in a cupboard unused, or ends up in landfill, or gets passed through a chain of dodgy resellers who couldn't care less about it - that's not just wasteful. It's wrong.
Gear has a legacy. Our job is to honour it.
We believe that the guitarist upgrading to their dream rig should be able to sell their current setup without the headache. We believe that the bedroom producer just starting out should be able to afford quality equipment without gambling on a stranger's honesty. We believe that a 30-year-old effects pedal, properly restored, can sound better than the day it left the factory.
And we believe that buying used should feel better than buying new.
Why Choose Audio Trader?
For Sellers
We give you a fair quote in 24 hours
Collect your gear for free anywhere in the UK
Pay you quickly. No negotiations. No time-wasters. No stress.
Our team hand-checks every item and provides honest valuations - no emotional bias, no lowball offers. Just fair prices from people who actually know gear.
For Buyers
Every item hand-checked and tested
Professionally restored by our team
Quality-assured gear at honest prices
We're not connecting you with strangers and hoping for the best. We take responsibility for quality. Every single time.
Our Commitment
We test everything. Twice.
Once when it arrives. Once before it ships to you.
We restore properly.
Our team brings every piece of equipment back to factory standard or better. Often better.
We remove the guesswork.
No inflated "sentimental value." No haggling. No dodgy descriptions. Just honest assessments and fair prices.
We actually care about gear.
This isn't marketing speak. It's why we exist. Every piece of equipment that comes through our doors gets the attention and respect it deserves.
Because gear matters. The stories matter. The legacy matters.
What We're Building
If we do this right - if Audio Trader succeeds the way we believe it can - we change how musicians think about gear.
Used stops meaning "risky" or "second-best." It means quality-assured, fairly-priced, and properly cared for. It means access to gear that might otherwise be out of reach. It means your old equipment finding someone who'll love it as much as you did.
We're building the circular economy for musical instruments. A world where every guitar, every synth, every piece of equipment lives multiple lifetimes in the hands of people who appreciate it. Where beginners can afford quality gear to learn on. Where professionals can upgrade without waste. Where craftsmanship and sustainability aren't afterthoughts - they're the entire point.
We want to make used feel better than new.
Not just cheaper. Not just "good enough." Actually better - because it's been tested twice, restored by experts, and comes with the confidence that it'll do exactly what you need it to do.
Join Us
This isn't just about buying and selling equipment. It's about keeping great gear in circulation. It's about making quality instruments accessible. It's about respecting the legacy of every piece of kit that's ever helped someone make music.
If that sounds right to you, you're in the right place.
Welcome to Audio Trader.
Where gear gets the legacy it deserves.
Questions? Get in touch - our team is here to help.