PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Off-Topic Hesitant to post this but what are your thoughts about selling equipment?

I am not soliciting offers nor am I looking to profit off my friends here on the forum, but I do have a question.

I bought a Yamaha Montage and found that it can do so much that it can replace equipment in my setup. I find that I have several digital and analog synths and effects modules that I no longer use. I really hate to sell this stuff but I don't see that I am going to ever use it again.

The closest place around here to sell equipment is about an hour away at GC. What are your thoughts about GC, Facebook, Craigslist, Reverb or other places to sell equipment?

Jeff

Jeff, someone gave me an Alvarez banjo that I did not want. (It was built somewhere in the 1990s and not the desired Alvarez banjos made before then.) It needed a setup but that was minor.

Since, I had nothing in the banjo, I took it to Guitar Center and they gave me a really fair price for it. We agreed on a price that I thought was more than fair.

A friend of mine had a similar experience with a guitar he was trying to sell.

Would I be careful? Yes. But I would do it again. So would my friend.

...Deb

Well, supply and demand says that the places with the most traffic will also ask for the highest cut for consignment fees. I use Craigslist on those VERY rare occasions I sell anything. I have used Reverb in the past but demanded much from my buyers in the way of identification so I could get a good feeling that they were real. Craigslist buyers must be willing to meet me in the lobby of the police department. Same for Facebook buyers. As bad as this stuff has gotten anymore you simply can't trust anybody unless you have some kind of rapport with them.

I would suggest you do this as step one. Compile a list of what you have and what your prices are, and make to available here via PM only to those who request it. If someone asks for it you won't be accused of spamming the user base.

I for one always like to know what is floating around out there. Others may think that is a horrible idea but for me I'd like to know if there's anything I'd be interested in.

Anytime you are selling used equipment you are going to take a massive hit on the return vs what you paid for it. However, sometimes, that is an acceptable loss. We've all done it.

Yeah.... selling unused gear frees up room and puts a few dollars in your hand that you can use on other gear you might have been eyeing. The downside is that, depending on your age, and financial situation, you may come to regret selling it 20 years from now.... mostly out of nostalgia. I've regretted selling a number of things through the years. Not all, but a few things I wish I still had. That "The Paul" Gibson with the super distortion pickups comes to mind and an old amp. I don't recall the name of it but it was a funky old sweet sounding combo amp..... at the time, it simply didn't have the volume I was needing. Good riddance to the Ampeg combo I had... that was underpowered and overweight. I'm comtemplating selling a few things too but I don't need the cash so I set and it sits and collects dust. I reckon I should unplug it and at least box it back up.... yep, I tend to save the boxes for the gear. That's what attics are for. It's a POD2 and since I got it at a really good price and have the footpedal, I can probably double my money since it's almost an antique now.

Edit: you asked about reselling to a few places..

GC gives you about 30 cents on the dollar of current street value. It's almost not worth the trip. Better to find someone who could use it and donate it to them.

Craigslist is fraught with pitfalls. Scammers, criminals, and lowballers. Worst is the ones who say they want it and you never hear back. Selling there is ok if you conduct business in a safe location and be careful. (Police station parking lots)

Ebay.... probably the best place to try selling gear. Calculate your shipping costs. Post it and set a reasonable reserve at or above the price GC would have given you on a sale to them. 50 to 60 percent of the street value. You never know how it will turn out. At worst, you don't get any offers or it sells at the GC street value.... OR.... it could go like a few of mine.... list it at a reasonable price, and people start a bidding war. I listed a Hot Tubes pedal by Electroharmonix that was seriously noisy and told that in the listing.... I think I started it at $30 and it ended up selling for $180 plus shipping. Or the interface I got for free..... it didn't work. I inquired into repairs and the repair was over $500. It was a really nice 16 channel interface by RME IIRC. I started the bidding at $50 and it sold for well over $500. So you never know.

If you were talking stringed instruments then it it would definitely be worth your while to sell them on ebay. I've sold a couple of dozen guitars on ebay. Even shipped 1 to England and 1 to Japan.

With electronics you're probably better off to just give them to someone that you think will use them and appreciate them. The resale value is next to nothing in most cases.

I've personally sold thousands of dollars of equipment on local craigslist and Facebook marketplace. Never used eBay myself, never really thought it was worth the effort. Price things to sell, and they'll sell.

Stores are most likely going to give you at best 50% of the current retail price, and if it's something "vintage" or not sold anymore, all bets are off. The guitar shop I used to work at gave up to 50% at the most for trade-ins (but that 50% came off the tax too). Add-ons or modifications had zero trade-in value - so if you traded a Squier Strat that was upgraded with all Fender US hardware and custom wound Evans pickups or whatever, you'd get the trade-in value of a stock Squier. The upshot of trading in at a store is that it happens now, not 2 months from now when your GAS has faded and someone on craigslist finally offers you 60% of your asking price.

Most things I have sold have been on Facebook marketplace. Sometime people offered nothing other times exactly what I wanted. A couple times bidding wars erupted and I got more. Kind of a mystery. I usually met them somewhere but on occasion they came to my house. Sold two guitars and an amp last

eBay can be painful. Their policy is the buyer is always right. I had one person take parts off of an instrument then return it because it wasn't as advertised. Yes, the buyer won that one.

...Deb

I seldom sell gear, but when I do, I try Craigslist first. Why? It's local, no shipping and other costs. I meet the buyer in front of the police station where they have a spot with 24/7 cameras.

Depending on the value of the instrument, I'll choose either eBay or Reverb.

I don't do Facebook for ethical reasons but others seem to have good luck with them.

Insights and incites by Notes

Hi Jeff,

I would post what you have for sale here first. Maybe you have something that others here might want. I believe everyone here are honest people and just might appreciate a first chance look at what you have. Price and shipping could be worked out via PMs.
YMMV

I think one of the Forum Rules suggests that advertising of goods for sale here is not permitted.

I wondered about the semantics of actually advertising goods or saying "PM me for a list". Kind of a gray area but I think that since the guy is not a store looking for free advertising they may let it go. I am a gearhead and I'd like to know when anybody has anything for sale. Also an impulse buyer, which can be dangerous.

You're right. However rule #7 says if he gets permission he can sell his equipment here:

"Advertising is forbidden in any relation to your account except by explicit permission. This includes, but is not limited to, any goods for sale, advertising websites, and commercial-related or competing products."

Great! Well, if that's the case then there's no harm in asking

^^^^This! Both are options I have used. Good advice Herb.

Donate it to me! I'll take any piece of crap you have to see what I can make it do that it isn't supposed to do!! If it already has no value to YOU anymore....

Wonder if one has a specific piece of gear they think may be of interest to a specific member if a PM between the two is acceptable?

Try here to ;post equipment for sale. They have a specific thread for selling.
http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/forums/18/1/The_Keyboard_Corner

Thanks guys, appreciate all the advice and helpful tips.

Reverb is very interesting in that you can search for prices of items that have sold....at least that helps establish a fair price. Since this stuff has never been moved out of my office studio since the day it was new and its all in like new condition, that should help condition-wise.

Thanks again,

Jeff

I've sold a lot on Craigslist and never had a problem. I sold (2) vehicles a handicapped van and an older car. I sold an electonic keyboard. I sold (2) older amps with some issues on Facebook. I always get a cashier's check or cash. Never had a problem with the people, they were very nice and upstanding. Never ran into any criminals or low lifes, but I'm sure they can be anywhere.