re: Why are guitars such a popular pawn shop item?

You ever try to pawn your organ?

Almost errything shows up at a pawn shop. Not all of it can or will be pawned. Guns, tools, fishing equipment, musical instruments are the biggest items by volume. The owners of some shops are partial to and learned about certain types of items, that's why there are shops that specialize more so than others in jewelry or musical instruments or whatever. The internet has made a pawnbroker's life easier with immediate information and values at their fingertips.