Getting rid of old music gear, broken instruments, or piles of cables doesn’t need to be a hassle. Many places accept old or unwanted musical items and make sure they’re reused or recycled the right way.
This amazing rose was made from music sheets, found in a local charity shop.
Finding the best place helps the environment and keeps your space clear. Check out these easy options to recycle or donate everything from guitars to headphones.
Local Music Stores
Many local music shops collect unwanted equipment as part of special recycling events or year-round collection programs. They often know where instruments and gear can get a second life or be safely dismantled.
Some shops fix up and resell donated items, while others work with recycling centres. Call ahead to ask what they accept—some stores even take keyboards and PA systems.
Community Recycling Centres
Most cities have recycling locations that take old electronics, wires, and metal parts. These centres usually accept amps, speakers, audio gear, cables, and batteries.
Before dropping off your stuff, check their list of approved items and make sure everything’s clean and free of personal data or markings. These centres make sure the materials get processed safely and often work with certified recyclers.
School and Youth Programs
Many school bands, music teachers, and community children’s programs gladly take working or repairable instruments, sheet music, and gear. Donating to a local school music program gives your instrument a new purpose while helping local students.
Most programs look for guitars, woodwinds, brass, percussion, keyboards, and even string parts or cases. Reach out to music departments or after-school programs to find out what they need most.
Non-profit Organizations
Several non-profits focus on giving unwanted instruments to those who can’t afford them. They repair and distribute donations to children, schools, and community groups.
The Nucleo Project accepts unwanted musical instruments in playing order, then distributes them to community orchestras. They accept all sizes of strings, wind, brass and percussion instruments. So far over 2500 have gone into the hands of budding new musicians.
Sheet music of historic significance can be donated to the Royal College of Music.
Donate old iPods (to help dementia patients)
If you have old iPods sitting in drawers doing nothing, send them to Music and Memory. This company restores them to factory settings, then gives to them care homes specialising in dementia.
Often music is the last memory that people with dementia have, and this lets them have their favourite music on hand, to help them feel better.
Manufacturer Take-Back and Trade-In Programs
Some music brands and big-box retailers offer recycling or trade-in services for old products. Brands sometimes accept broken instruments or tired gear for safe recycling or refurbishing. And some give you credit, in return.
E-Waste Recycling Events
Local e-waste collection days are perfect for getting rid of old electronic music gear. These events focus on proper disposal of items with batteries, wires, or circuit boards like synthesizers, mixers, drum machines, and studio monitors.
Many cities or counties hold these events monthly or a few times each year. Look for announcements from your local government or waste authority.
Online Exchange and Freecycle Groups
Online community groups and swap sites help match up people who want to give away or recycle music stuff with those looking for gear. Join Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist’s free section, or Freecycle to post your unwanted items.
Many musicians search these sites for parts or practice pieces. This option keeps your clutter out of landfills and helps someone else save money.
Repair Cafés and Maker Spaces
Some cities have repair cafés or community maker spaces where volunteers fix broken items. They often welcome musical equipment for parts or practice repairs.
These spaces sometimes run donation drives or take individual drop-offs. If your instrument is fixable, this could give it one more shot at being played.
Instrument-Specific Recycling Programs
Several cities run unique programs for recycling band instruments or music tech. These include brass recycling for trumpets or trombones, string recycling for guitars and violins, and even local partnerships to refurbish pianos.
Every program is different so call or check city websites. Some music festivals run special collection drives for used gear a few times each year.
Thrift Stores and Second-Hand Shops
Donation centres and thrift stores often accept musical clutter that’s still usable. They can sell working gear, and put funds into community projects.
Clean up items and check that all parts are safe before donating. This option gives someone else a chance to enjoy your old gear.
Support local charity shops that help animal and homeless shelters. Don’t support charity shops that test on animals (the big medical ones). Instead, donate your instruments somewhere else, and fund humane medical research instead.
Recycle Everything with TerraCycle
Communities, schools and offices can collectively order a one-off TerraCycle Media Box (this costs around £100 or your council may even pay). Then just add anything you no longer want to the box, and it gets sent off to be recycled into material for industrial use. The box accepts:
- CDs & DVDs
- 8-track tapes
- Blu-ray discs
- Cassette tapes
- Floppy disk
