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Mahar's Vintage Guitars
5 ★★★★★ 101 Google reviews · Guitar & music store in Chico, California
Plan your visit
- Repairs & setups a repair bench comes up in reviews and the store's own info — call ahead for turnaround, since good techs run a queue
- Buys & trades used gear they buy, trade, or consign used instruments — bring the case and any original parts, and expect trade credit to beat the cash offer
- Phone (530) 570-1525
- Website maharsvintageguitars.com
What's on the wall
“After searching for several months, I finally stumbled upon Chuck's online store and discovered the exact Strat I had been seeking—a 1980 Sunburst model.”
“Amp showed up exactly as described, packaged like it was ready for WWIII, and all at price and shipping charge that were very reasonable!”
“Dealing with vintage guitar sellers can often be dry and unhelpful, but Chuck's approach on the phone gave me the peace of mind I needed to make the purchase.”
“I’d been on the lookout for a used Bad Cat Era…and to my delight i found it a Mahars Guitars in Chico, CA.”
Brands they deal
“Late '70s Fender Strats can sometimes have factory-related issues, but Chuck assured me that the one he had was in pristine condition.”
“I purchased a Gibson Les Paul Custom 68 from 2022 „Black Beauty“.”
What players say again and again
“Bought a 1970s Japanese classical- was in excellent shape, quickly shipped and expertly packaged.”
“Chuck came up with the goods and absolutely accurate description, great price and super fast shipping.”
From the reviews
Never thought I'd be able to acquire a genuine vintage Fender, but through diligent and responsive communication Chuck helped me along the way and we worked out a more than reasonable deal on a '64 Mustang. He also followed my shipping requests down to the T and made the entire experience feel professional.
After searching for several months, I finally stumbled upon Chuck's online store and discovered the exact Strat I had been seeking—a 1980 Sunburst model. Intrigued, I decided to give him a call to inquire about the guitar.
Purchased a vintage Fender Strat from Mahar’s Vintage Guitars and the level of service was exceptional. This was my first vintage purchase at this level, and the experience could not have been more positive. I worked directly with Chuck Mahar, who kept in close contact throughout the process.
From an "in hand"description of the guitar I was interested in to delaying shipping until I moved to my new house, to the follow up on shipping and tracking updates Chuck was a pleasure to work with. The packaging was top notch and the guitar arrived in perfect condition and faster can expected. Now about the guitar.
Selling or trading gear at Mahar's Vintage Guitars
Mahar's Vintage Guitars comes up for buying and trading used gear — confirmed on their own site. Two things make the trip go better. First, bring the whole package: the case or gig bag, the original tremolo arm or bridge parts, the paperwork if you have it — a complete rig is worth real money more than a bare instrument, and it saves the back-and-forth of "can you bring the case in?" Second, know that trade credit almost always beats the cash offer, usually by a healthy margin — if you're upgrading anyway, price your old gear as a trade against the new one before you take cash. Either way, expect the offer to be below what the gear sells for on the wall; the gap is the store's margin for setup, warranty, and sitting on it until the right buyer walks in.
