Buying Used?

oneeyedhobbit · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 4:38 pm Post subject:

Not so much a traditional question, but how do some of you have confidence buying used horns from places like e-bay? Buying from someone I know I can do, but man, I see so many of my peers (in college!) treat their horns like crap! Spinning valves around in casing, rarely oiling, the list goes on and on...

ARB · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 4:42 pm Post subject:

Find out which questions to ask the seller, and ask all of them. I have been very very lucky because I have asked all the right questions. Also, check the sellers feedback.
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supportlivejazz · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 3757

I have had almost all good luck...a few dogs, but usually because I saw them at the last minute and bid without information. I always ask about dents, dings, damage or repairs. I ask about the condition of the valve piston plating and the threads on the caps. Also, often I will only ask one or two questions through ebay. Once I can email directly, I let the seller know who I am and then ask him to perform some simple tests that will tell me a lot about condition. I also allow that some work often needs to be done after i get the horn. Good luck.
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boofredlay · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 10:32 am Post subject:

I got my Flugel and Picc on eBay. I asked tons of questions prior to bidding and I have not been burned yet.
Just try not to bid on impulse.
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Tim80 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 1415

I've had pretty good luck. Sometimes you end up with a dog but you can generally resell it for what you paid for it.

Tim
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oneeyedhobbit · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 3:34 pm Post subject:

I don't so much need advice buying used as I am asking how some of you can be confident in the quality of what you are buying--particularily worrysome (for me) would be the Bach Strad. Not at all for quality, but I see FAR too many high school/college age kids treat them like crap! I guess I'm just very anal about my horns, but I want them immaculate, and after seeing so many people spinning valves in casing, dropping them, RUNNING THEM OVER, etc...my confidence in used would be shaken.

Benge Loyalist · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 6:47 pm Post subject:

Of my 3 trumpets, one was purchased from a friend, one from HornTrader via eBay, and one was purchased new from the factory.

By far, the worst of the 3 is the one direct from the factory. I asked them to send me a C trumpet. And they did. I forgot to ask them to send me a C trumpet not already rejected by others.

It was my fault not to ask them to send 3 from which to select 1. But I was just a dumb kid at the time.
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trumpetmike · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 12:10 am Post subject:

Used purchases so far;
3 from Ebay
a few from various shops (purchased in person)
one from TH Marketplace.

The only complete dog was from the marketplace. According to the seller - "the horn is in great shape. It has a Bob Reeves alignment done about 3 months ago" - when it arrived the instrument was not in great shape (quite a bit of pitting and very little lacquer left on it) and the valves were definitely not what I would expect from an instrument that had been through Bob Reeves - the third had no compression and leaked.
It has just been put into the workshop of Will Spencer and he is doing a complete overhaul of the instrument, valves, replating and his own customised leadpipe/bell modifications.
Once all this is done I will probably be a lot happier about buying used instruments again. As you can imagine this experience has left a very sour taste in the mouth, but I am sure that will go when I buy my next instrument, whatever it will be.
The only good thing about the Marketplace purchase is that, even once I have had Will do his stuff with this trumpet, it will still work out cheaper than buying a new one over here.

murph66 · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 7:18 am Post subject:

I'm a comeback player that used to play a Getzen Eterna Severinsen. I sold my old horn when I quit playing in thed 80's and when I started playing again, I bought another off Ebay, since I was used to that model. So far I have been very happy with it. The horn had some repair work done on it previously, which the seller had as part of the description, and the second valve finger button has been replaced with another type, but the horn plays well, and any problems are on my side of the mouthpiece. I tried a Schilke II the other day, and the horn played well, but I had a little more range on my Getzen, and the Schilke valves were not anywhere near as smooth and light, at least on this particular horn. All in all, I have had a good experiance on Ebay, and have purchased a few mouthpieces since.
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MUSICandCHARACTER · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 10:21 am Post subject:

Check this page out on my website. It has some practical "hints" for buying on eBay. I put it together because I was feeling bad about people buying those cheap horns from China and India and buyings dogs with no recourse.

http://www.ibowtie.com/buyinghints.html

M&C
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Arainach · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 11:18 am Post subject:

My cornet was purchased used at a small music shop. My two trumpets were both purchased used from music shops (one local, and one from WW/BW.). However, my house is also filled with trombones (since there are two bone players here); We've purchased at least 4 from Ebay, and only had an issue once, when the horn wasn't as good as advertised. In general, as long as you buy with caution and stay away from people with no feedback, you'll do fine.

jophst · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 11:32 am Post subject:

I'll give my brief take on the buying used scenario. Some of my best horns ever have been purchased online through Ebay or other online classifieds. However, IMHO, you will probably get a lemon 3 times out of 4 unless you know what you are buying ahead of time. I like to read things like, I just purchased a Monette so I no longer play this one. Therefore, it is coming from a serious player. Or something like, I used this horn to win my audition a few months back, but have purchased a Mt. Vernon recently and no longer play this one. Statements like that indicate a serious player and therefore a serious horn.

I have lucked out in my online purchasing as I have gotten only one really bad egg to date. I got rid of it pronto. It's really tough purchasing a horn online and spending that much on something you have not seen or played. However, sometimes the good deal is worth the gamble. Careful though ... sometimes you really do "Get what you pay for!"
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