Experiences buying used cartridges

I've bought 2. It seems to me it's OK  only if the price is low enough to pay for the cantilever replacement if bad.

I have purchased several used cartridges over the years.  I'ld say about 80% of the cartridges were fine.   Shure V15-III HE / Empire 2000Z / Empire EDR 9 / AT 33 ML OCC  /  Ortofon CG25DI MKII  /  Denon DL103D.  

I purchased the Denon knowing it was bad, and I eventually sent it to SS for a ruby level rebuild.  Excellent cartridge at a total cost of less than a new comparable cartridge.

Just my experience.

WOW, had an Empire EDR 9 once, won it in a Audio salesman contest run by Empire. 
I would give a thousand bucks cash right now for a genuine NOS one in a box.

It’s the same way I instructed a friend to look at buying used CRT projectors.

Take well analyzed and well considered chances. do your research and buy MANY (over time).

trying it just once with no real research and too much trust extended, is a recipe for disaster.

No one learns to box on the first punch.

Buy many and the average is that there will be a few dogs and the rest will be jems. If well done, which you will learn to do, over time....they will come in at a low average price. (with the dog purchases being the speed bumps)

And all your bandits will be making out spectacularly.

This gentleman followed this rule with CRT projectors, which are 200+ pound ridiculously complex beasts..and ended up finding that one of approx 7-8 were not good deals, but the other 7 were spectacular bargains.

And he made out very very well, overall. It’s a numbers game and you have to play it well and play it often -- in order to beat the odds. Ie, you gamble it all the time and make it a house odds game, with you as the house.

simple, when you look at it correctly.

Oh yes: buy yourself a 100x power stereo biological scope, for stylus, cantilever and cartridge inspection. That’s about $300 these days, max. Or get the set-up that Fremer recommends, which can do dual duty.

Reading two posts back...I’ve got a nuded AT-33ML here, with a blown suspension but perfect stylus. Getting the dampers for the AT’s can bring many of the old ones back to life.

Agree with teo_audio. Think things through, do it often, and you can explore a wonderful range of high-end cartridges that you wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford.

My two biggest used cartridge purchases were a Koetsu Onyx Platinum and Jade Platinum right here on audiogon (different sellers). Both were awesome buys; the cartridges were in great condition and sounded amazing. The Onyx provided years of top-quality enjoyment until an ex-gf broke it. The Jade is still kept mostly in reserve with very occasional use.

I’m working class, so even with deep used discounts, a Koetsu is a big purchase. The risk was worth it, though. You can enjoy champagne on a beer budget (kinda).

I’ve also bought a couple Benz woods, and a few Ortofons. Only problem was once I bought a 10/10 rated Cadenza Bronze that the seller described as new in box. Since it was intended as a backup, I didn’t inspect it until many months later -- and while it was truthful that this cart has never been mounted, the cantilever is not on quite straight. Not pictures in the ad, of course. Though it’s my fault for not checking things immediately -- I would’ve definitely disclosed this upfront as a seller. With careful alignment it’s probably not going to be an issue, but it definitely affects the value of the cart (I paid a premium for it being unused).