Paranoid...

  • Thread starter Thread starter crunkthanamug
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crunkthanamug

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call me paranoid, but im scared to buy used gear...I mean -- if its so good why are you selling it and not using it??? I guess im this way cuz i have to scrape up every last cent i can find to buy my gear, i would be pissed if i got a "lemon." What is your experience overall with used gear (mics in particular) Can a mic gradually go bad? How would you know if it had gone bad if you dont know how a new one sounds??? Also, what can you do if you DO get a bad product??? Thanks
 
I generally buy used stuff from people who I think aren't going to screw me.... like the good fellows of the "Good Guys List". ;)

Sometimes tastes change or we outgrow gear. Its not always bad. Sometimes the wallet gets tightened and, face it, if you're not making money from it; your gear is a luxary.

H2H
 
people are often selling thier "budget" gear to fund their u87's or other top shelf items...people who are just getting into recording or who are content with this budget gear make out like thieves in many cases... :P We have our own way of keeping people honest..just like on Ebay...we have the Good Guys List. When people on here make a purchase from a fellow member...we record our experiances on the Good Guys List. This is not 100% just as the rating system on Ebay is not....we get our occasional SCAMMER as well...but its not often..and if a member has been around for a while...its a pretty save bet that you are ok to purchase or trade with him. I have had several trades with forum members and I feel just as safe here as I do on Ebay.
 
thajeremy said:
people are often selling their "budget" gear to fund their u87's or other top shelf items...people who are just getting into recording or who are content with this budget gear make out like thieves in many cases... :P We have our own way of keeping people honest..just like on Ebay...we have the Good Guys List.
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OK - that makes sense... Thanks for the info (bcuz i really like the used gear prices!)
 
I prefer used Gear. Much better than new prices, has been broken in :D and proven. I have had over 40 or so purchases/sales of gear, all used, in the past year.
And yep, I sell my budget stuff to upgrade. Used is the only way to go. :)
Mics and cables are like wine and cheese. Better with time. Analog components work better after a burn in period anyway. Most mics are really durable and dont age badly. Ribbons and the Old Tube mics are more fragile, but mics are things that last forever.


thajeremy said:
people are often selling thier "budget" gear to fund their u87's or other top shelf items...people who are just getting into recording or who are content with this budget gear make out like thieves in many cases... :P We have our own way of keeping people honest..just like on Ebay...we have the Good Guys List. When people on here make a purchase from a fellow member...we record our experiances on the Good Guys List. This is not 100% just as the rating system on Ebay is not....we get our occasional SCAMMER as well...but its not often..and if a member has been around for a while...its a pretty save bet that you are ok to purchase or trade with him. I have had several trades with forum members and I feel just as safe here as I do on Ebay.
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often people don't know how to really use the gear they are selling.
 
and remember, just cuz you're paranoid doesn't mean they are NOT out to get you!
 
THats true as well. There are a lot of jerks out in the world, thats for sure. Luckily most sites like this one have checks and balances to keep things honest. I have my own set of requirements when buying gear. I wont buy anything unless I can 1.) see pictures of the stuff 2.) can TALK to the person via phone. Ive been screwed before, so I had to tighten up my requirements a little. Like they said though...usually if a person is a regular here they will be squared away. Paranoia isnt always bad, but too much can cause you to not live very happily.

I take it on a case by case basis. I trust pretty much everyone till they give me a reason not to.
 
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i've bought and sold a number of things here and have yet to have a problem. i just don't buy from folks who are new, have low posting counts, or appear to be members *just* so they can sell something. i buy from folks i know and trust. i suppose you can take that, to a lesser extent, to ebay.

i like the allure of "new" gear--it's nice to be the first (and only) person to have sung into a mic......but with a preamp, compressor, etc., does it really matter if no one else has used it? i suppose there's the argument for "i know it hasn't been abused", but aside from that?

and more importantly, there's a lot of gear (especially that forgotten about, hidden gem type gear) that just isn't made anymore and is ONLY available on the used market. and a lot of that gear is far superior to the new cheap gear being made today.


cheers,
wade
 
I've had a lot of good experiences buying used gear. I've had some bad ones too, but generally you can tell if someone is selling crap by what they will and will not tell you. If you ask them about the condition, and they don't respond to that question in their reply (which happens a lot) that's a good indication to maybe not buy from that person. If someone is open with info, and tells you about the dings or scratches on the unit, or a noisy pot, that's probably a very good person to buy from.

As to why you'd buy used? It's cheaper! I have a much better home studio setup because I buy used. If I bought new, my recordings would suffer. It's really that simple for me. I've had a couple bad experiences buying used, but considering I bought my WHOLE studio that way, that's not too bad. maybe 1-2% are not what I was expecting, or were in bad condition. And again, those were all when I wasn't asking enough questions, or when I wasn't getting the answers.
 
Don't forget that when people get on hard times, gear is simply easy to liquidate. Give someone a deal and make some money. I have had to sell things a few times to pay the bills. Also there have just been a few times where I tried things and they didn't work for ME.

There are a lot of people with different tastes. I like COLOR. So when I tried and RNC I wanted something meatier.So off for sale it went. If I can sell it and only lose 10% - 20% I look at it as a rental of sorts. Maybe thats frivalous, but I can't see keeping something I won't use very often.

Beez
 
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