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Selling McCormack Upgraded Gear

No, I'm not selling mine - huh-uh, no way, never. Well, not unless I go to monoblocks.

Anyway, I notice most people agree McCormack's revisions make his gear comparable to stuff at much higher prices, yet I've noticed sellers on a'gon have relative difficulty selling the modded stuff at even reasonable prices (the Rev. A DNA-0.5 seems to be an exception for some reason.)

As an example, someone had monoblock rev. A DNA-1's on here, couldn't sell them at $3600 through classifieds, and I think he then auctioned them. I didn't get to see the final price, but I think the bid was about $2750 with half an hour left. There's a rev. A RLD-1 for $2600 that has been listed for over 2 months now.

Anyone have insight on why it's so difficult to sell these pieces? As a follow-up, are you losing money when you sell modded equipment across the board, or do some mods "hold their value" in resale, so to speak?
aggielaw
blkadr
739 posts
 
I think the words 'mods' and 'upgraded' may be a red flag for some. Unless you know a little about the product and 'upgrades' it may be perceived that the original product was flawed if it needed modification. Factory upgrades and mods performed by known reputable companies wouldnt scare me off if I did my homework.
Also, the question arises, if the seller went to the trouble to have a unit upgraded and then sells it, did the upgrade fail to improve the product to a standard hoped for? This is especially true when the ad says something like "fresh back from manufacturer for upgrade". It does seem to me that if you invest in upgrades you shouldnt expect to get much of that money back.
eagle
154 posts
 
Before you send a stock unit to be modded, make sure it is going to fit the needs of your system well into the future and expect to get the value from using it. You probably won't recover the cost if you decide to resell, but the real reward is from listening.

One other point about SMc mods that may have not been mentioned.
There is a three year warranty on newly modded amps that a buyer is not getting with a used unit. That may influence some to get their own gear modded rather than buy used.

The same can be said of other hobbies. Try selling a customized 1911 pistol and recovering what it cost. You can buy a stock pistol, new or used, and easily double or triple your investment with refinements and custom tuning. You end up with an awesome handgun that is like a work of art. It would be rare to find a buyer who pays anything near what you have into it.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Note to self....don't say anything to upset Eagle.......
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
LOL, Jmc... actually Eagle is quite a gentleman.
eagle
154 posts
 
LOL, no worries. Now I never actually paid out the big dollars for a custom pistol, but I do appreciate the quality workmanship that goes into them. A good quality item just keeps on giving and is difficult to take for granted. I have found this to be true of products used in all the areas of life. The amp is one great example.

"William A. Foster: Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives."

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten."
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