Would you buy a used mic if new is out of your budget?

Dionna Blue

Dionna Blue

Accentuate the positive.
Thanks, I have checked that out but it seem there are more musicians here than singers, which is reflected in the gear listings. I guess I'm just wondering how much does a mic "age." Can a properly cared for used condenser mic perform good as new or do they naturally degrade like a Windows PC? (giggity)

arcadeko said:
People buy and sell mics all the time. Lots of people buy used mics - look here https://homerecording.com/bbs/special-forums/free-ads-music-recording-equipment/
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I can't really afford a new mic of any quality so I buuy 2nd hand or new cheap stuff & cross my fingers a lot.
Mics are importnat but not as important as the singing & mic technique.
 
I would buy used but to put it simply I'll only buy from someone who has (1) Pictures of the item (2) Positive Feedback (3) Is UK or USA based AND can verify the authenticity of the item (4) An eBay seller who offers a return policy (5) An item listed like 'new' or 'very good' condition
 
When I was young and snobby ;) new was a status symbol. Now when I'm old and broke from supporting a family :o, used is almost the only way I can afford to indulge in this hobby. Plus, as has been said, some mics aren't available new these days. I grabbed a used MD421, and not the Mk II version, for less than a new Mk II version. So I can still feel like a snob, but have some money left for p*rn..... er more mics! Yeah, that's it. Life works out sometimes. ;)
 
Pretty much all my gear was bought used on ebay with no problems to speak of.
No status or snobbyness here. I've still got cash in my pocket ;)

I wont buy a microphone that has a dent or any marks caused by impact though, especially not a condenser.



Might be worth keeping an eye on the adds here though for a while. It's nice to be able to buy from someone who has reputation on the boards.
 
Nix on the C1. The AT is much better but not the one you show = too much damage = my mics are still in the same condition as new as I care for them. I just bought a $700 Sputnik for $350 used on eBay. Works fine. It was listed as in "mint" shape. Patience as another AT will show up on eBay...
 
There are a lot of secondhand mics that have hardly been used, it's like the guitar players that buy a strat so they can play like Hendrix only to find that it's the ability and not the guitar, singers buy mics so they can sound like they can sing, only to find they don't sound any better, so they keep buying mics and selling old ones coz it must be the mics fault? or the pre amp, or the mixer, or the interface, or the software or the ............ Talented performers or sound engineers will get a great / best result from whatever they have available.

Snap up this gear.

Alan.
 
Don't know why but I love purchasing used microphones.
Guess it's kinda like collecting butterflys, except I just don't have them on display to look at, they all get their turn as an active transducer.
 
I have bought and sold a lot of used gear with no problems at all. it's also a great way to try gear because a lot of this stuff holds onto it's value if you treat it well

for example I bought an SM7b on craigslist, worked with it for several months, decided it didn't give me what I wanted and sold it again on ebay. My total cost of ownership for the 6-8 months I had it was under $20. I couldn't rent gear that cheaply!

My biggest concern is that it comes from a smoke free studio. I took apart a Beta 58 that I got from a smoker and holy cow there was tar and nasty stuff all over the inside, on the diapragm etc. I'm sure it adversely effected the performance. It also stank like an old ashtray.
Lesson learned but I still get a lot of gear used
 
Bristol Posse said:
My biggest concern is that it comes from a smoke free studio. I took apart a Beta 58 that I got from a smoker and holy cow there was tar and nasty stuff all over the inside, on the diapragm etc. I'm sure it adversely effected the performance. It also stank like an old ashtray.
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Eugh, I hate that.

I do smoke, but i keep smoking and recording separate.
I'm not really a singer, but any time i do use a mic for my voice, I use a massive foam windshield (same as the sm7b one) just to be safe.

I'd rather bin one of those than an expensive mic.

Makes you think though, It'd definitely be worth while seeing a closeup photo of the diaphragm on a used mic if possible.
 
I like used because if you don't like it you can always sell it and get your money back.

Also, if you live in a large metropolitan area, there are always deals to be found on craigslist. I like that better than ebay because you can actually see the mic and test it out before spending the cash. Here in the LA area there are tons of listings. If you're in the middle of North Dakota, this probably isn't as much of an option. But, if you're in the middle of North Dakota, stay there, don't come to LA, it pretty much sucks here.
 
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