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Would you pay more than 25% of MSRP for a used cartridge?

Seems most seller want to price their "low-hour" used cartridges at 50-80% of MSRP. This seems ridiculous to me because there is no sure way to verify these "low-hour" claims. You need to have specialized microscopes and even then it's a just a guestimate if worn or not. 

 

Another point is even a cartridge with 1000+ hours can still sound very good. A worn stylus will mistrack only on certain passages of certain demanding records. So it is nothing obvious.

 

So why do all these folks price their used cartridges so high? Are folks actually paying these prices?

 

My max. would be 25% of MSRP for any "low-hour" claim. 

12inch45rpm
testpilot
924 posts
 

It’s an individual choice.  If paying over 25% for a used cartridge is over your comfort level, that’s okay.  Ultimately, the market dictates used prices, not a individual post.  

ebm
9,311 posts
 

Would never get a used cartridge as the 100 hours routine is getting very old.

brunomarcs's avatar
brunomarcs
290 posts
 

I bought a DL 304. Used it 4 times, the fifth time I set it down the cantilever snapped, and Im very careful. I would budget a rebuild on any used cart purchase again, haven't made one since. 

big_greg
6,623 posts
 

Yes. I recently purchased a $5500 van den Hul Crimson XGW Stradivarius for $2100. The seller had 100 percent feedback with lots of sales and works at a local hi-fi store. The cartridge if fantastic and if it wasn’t, I’m sure the seller would have made it right, or worst case I could have sent it to Van Den Hul for a very affordable rebuild.

Another time I bought a different Van Den Hul (MC Two Special) and when I received it there was no diamond on the cantilever. The seller (a trusted dealer I have purchased from many times) gave me a full refund and I sent the cart Van Den Hul and had it rebuilt.

I also got a great deal on near perfect Soundsmith Aida II, which again could have been sent to Soundsmith for an affordable rebuild in the worst case.

There's also Andy Kim.  I bought a turntable that had a Zu Denon DL 103 on it, which sounded horrible.  I sent it to Andy and he confirmed that it had a number of issues on it.  After he worked his magic, it is now my 2nd most favorite cartridge at a fraction of the price of a number of other carts I own.

Even in the worst case, with many carts you can have a like new cart for half or less the price of a new one if you're willing to have it retipped.

I did something similar with a Shure V15 that I bought with a broken stylus.  I bought a JICO SAS and voila', a great MM for little money.

12inch45rpm OP
18 posts
 

I would only consider upto 50% MSRP for used if:

  1. The cartridge is a current model and no more than 1 year old. I don't want some old thing sitting around for years.
  2. The seller was a retipper or had extensive feedback from selling similar kind of cartridges.

Otherwise I will just assume it needs a retip and not worth more than 25% MSRP.

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