By Samuel Pfeiffer, founder of SafeOrStolen.
How to check if a guitar is stolen before you buy it
To check if a used guitar is stolen, read the serial from the headstock or neck plate and enter it at safeorstolen.com/serial-number-checker. The check searches SafeOrStolen theft reports and public web results and lists every source. Meet in a public place, pay only after the check, and walk away if the serial does not match the guitar. The first 2 checks are free.
Where is the serial number on a guitar?
On most electric guitars the serial is on the back of the headstock or on the neck plate. On acoustics it is often inside the sound hole or on the neck block. Write every character. A listing that will not show the serial is a reason to pass.
What should you do at a Craigslist meetup?
Meet in a busy public place. Check the serial before you hand over cash. Compare the serial, brand, and model on the guitar with the result. If the result shows a theft report, do not buy and do not confront the seller. Leave and give the listing to local police on the non-emergency line.
What does a clean result mean?
No record found means that serial was not in the sources searched. It is not proof the guitar was never stolen. Use the check with the serial, the seller's ID, and your own look at the instrument.