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How to Recycle Guitars
Special handlingRepairable guitars are worth more as instruments than as scrap; strings and hardware scrap value is lowLast reviewed July 28, 2026
Quick answer
Do not recycle a whole guitar as e-waste. Repair, sell, or donate playable instruments first. Best Buy rejects guitars, basses, and cases. Recycle strings of any brand through D'Addario Playback (TerraCycle). Route pickups, pedals, and amps to e-waste separately. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Special handling
- Typical value
- Repairable guitars are worth more as instruments than as scrap; strings and hardware scrap value is low
- Donate / take-back
- Available
Acoustic, electric, and bass guitars are mixed wood, metal, finish, and sometimes electronics. They are a reuse and donation product first. Only separated electronics, strings, and scrap metal follow recycling paths.
Where to Recycle
- School music programs and community arts nonprofits
- Local music stores and repair shops
- D'Addario Playback / TerraCycle string drop-off points
- Certified e-waste recyclers for pickups, pedals, amps, and cables
- Scrap metal dealers for clean hardware and strings if Playback is unavailable
How to Prepare
- 1Check whether the guitar is playable or worth a setup before parting it out
- 2Ask music stores, schools, or nonprofits about donation
- 3Remove batteries from active pickups, preamps, and tuners
- 4Coil old strings and use D'Addario Playback (all brands accepted)
- 5If beyond repair, remove pickups, pedals, cables, and electronics for e-waste
- 6Take clean tuners, bridges, and screws to scrap metal where accepted
Special Instructions
Best Buy explicitly does not accept guitars, basses, or cases. Do not put a whole guitar in curbside recycling. D'Addario Playback powered by TerraCycle accepts all brands of instrument strings, not only D'Addario. Soft cases go to thrift or trash, not retail e-waste.
Environmental Impact
Keeping a playable guitar in use beats material recovery. String recycling recovers metal from a waste stream that tangles curbside equipment. Separated electronics follow standard e-waste handling for boards and solder.
Sustainable Alternatives
- Repair or re-string before discarding
- Donate to schools, youth programs, or music nonprofits
- Sell parts instruments to luthiers or hobbyists
- Recycle only separated strings, electronics, and scrap metal
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
What’s Accepted
Accepted
- Playable or repairable guitars for donation or resale
- All-brand instrument strings and clippings via D'Addario Playback
- Pickups, preamps, pedals, cables, and amps as e-waste
- Clean metal hardware at scrap yards that accept it
Not Accepted
- Whole guitars at Best Buy recycling
- Whole guitars in curbside carts
- Guitar cases at Best Buy e-waste
- Loose lithium batteries mixed into a donation bag
- Moldy or pest-infested instruments at many donation sites
Donation & Take‑Back Options
Estimated value: Repairable guitars are worth more as instruments than as scrap; strings and hardware scrap value is low
Donation
- Local school music programs
- Community arts centers and youth music nonprofits
- Hungry for Music
- Save The Music donation resource list
Hazardous Components
- Batteries in active electronics and wireless systems
- Lead solder on pickup and preamp boards
- Sharp string ends
FAQs
Can I take a guitar to Best Buy recycling?
No. Best Buy rejects guitars, basses, and cases. Donate or repair the instrument. Recycle strings and electronics through other channels.
Are guitar strings recyclable?
Yes through D'Addario Playback powered by TerraCycle. All brands of instrument strings are accepted. Do not put loose strings in curbside bins.
What about a dead electric guitar?
Ask a shop whether pickups, tuners, or the neck still have reuse value. Otherwise remove batteries and take electronics to e-waste. The wood body is not curbside recycling.
Can acoustic guitars be recycled like electronics?
No as a whole instrument. Donate or repair first. Acoustics have little e-waste unless they have a pickup system.
Where do pedal and amp electronics go?
Treat pedals, powered amps, and cables as e-waste at Best Buy (confirm amps/effects), Staples where listed, or a certified recycler. Not with the guitar body.
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Recycle guitars
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