Is Reverb Legit for Guitars?

Wondering if Reverb is legit for guitars? HasTrust gives it a 75/100 (Trusted) rating: Reverb is a legitimate, widely used marketplace for musical instruments, owned by Etsy, and safe to use when you pay on-platform and check seller ratings. Buyers do report inconsistent customer support and strict buyer-protection timelines, so research individual sellers and return policies before completing a purchase.

reverb.com
83
Trusted🏪 MarketplaceBuy
🔗https://reverb.com
Why this score?
Base reputation75
Among the most-visited sites (rank #8077)+8
Trust score83

Reverb is a legitimate and widely used marketplace specifically for musical instruments, owned by Etsy. While it is a safe platform to use when following standard precautions—such as paying on-platform and checking seller ratings—users frequently report frustrations with inconsistent customer support, strict buyer protection timelines, and variable seller experiences. It is recommended to thoroughly research sellers and understand individual return policies before completing any purchase.

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Video reviews

Pros

  • Largest dedicated online marketplace for musical instruments and gear.
  • Includes Reverb Buyer Protection for eligible orders to cover lost, damaged, or significantly not-as-described items.
  • Useful features like a price guide and extensive selection of new, used, and vintage gear.

Cons

  • Customer support is often criticized for being difficult to reach, relying heavily on automated systems or chatbots.
  • Return policies and shipping costs are set by individual sellers, leading to inconsistency.
  • Some users report dissatisfaction with high fees and lack of transparency regarding total costs.
  • There is a strict 7-day window for reporting issues to qualify for Reverb Buyer Protection, which some users find too restrictive.

⚠ Red flags

  • Multiple reports of unresponsive customer support or difficulty reaching a human agent.
  • Risk of purchasing from dishonest or unreliable individual sellers on the platform.
  • Concerns regarding the strictness of the 7-day buyer protection reporting window.

Safety signals

Established business
Stated return policy
Secure payment options
Presence on scam-report/review sites (BBB)

Third-party ratings

Atop Legal75/100 (B)
Better Business Bureau1.01/5
Trustpilot4.0/5 (approximate)

Facts

Domain registered 2002-11 · 23 years old
Connection Valid HTTPS certificate
Certificate valid until 2026-09-08 (77 days) · Let's Encrypt
Founded year: 2013
Headquarters: Chicago, United States
Parent company: Etsy
Buyer protection reporting window: 7 days from delivery

Better options

💡 Smarter pick
eBay

Why switch: A broader marketplace that also features musical instruments, often with competitive pricing and established buyer protection policies.

LM
Local music shops or classifieds (e.g., Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace)

Allows for hands-on inspection of instruments before purchase, eliminating concerns about shipping damage or condition misrepresentation.

HasTrust summarizes public web sources and can be wrong or out of date. Not a guarantee of safety or quality — always verify before you buy or pay.

🛡️ Site safety check

Domain registered 23+ years ago
Valid HTTPS encryption (certificate by Let's Encrypt)
On the public web since 1997 (Internet Archive)
Among the ~1M most-visited sites on the web (Majestic Million #8077)

What you should do

  • Still pay with a method that has buyer protection (credit card or PayPal), never a bank transfer.
  • Check the returns policy and delivery time before ordering.
  • We keep tracking this site — check back here if anything feels off later.
Compare Reverb with 2 alternatives →
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Checked 48 days ago. · How we score →

Frequently asked

Is Reverb legit?

Trusted. HasTrust trust score: 83/100. Reverb is a legitimate and widely used marketplace specifically for musical instruments, owned by Etsy. While it is a safe platform to use when following standard precautions—such as paying on-platform and checking seller ratings—users frequently report frustrations with inconsistent customer support, strict buyer protection timelines, and variable seller experiences. It is recommended to thoroughly research sellers and understand individual return policies before completing any purchase.

Is Reverb a scam?

Possible concerns from our check: Multiple reports of unresponsive customer support or difficulty reaching a human agent.; Risk of purchasing from dishonest or unreliable individual sellers on the platform.; Concerns regarding the strictness of the 7-day buyer protection reporting window.

What is the Reverb trust score?

HasTrust rates Reverb 83/100 (Trusted). Buy

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