Stupid Asking Prices- Why Don't Sellers Read Audiogon The Blue Book First?
I’m amazed at the prices most people ask for used equipment. I frequently see 15 year old tube gear with 2000 or so hours on the valves offered for sale at insane-nobody-is-that-stupid prices. Frequently the seller lists the original retail price of the item in the ad then asks 1/2 of that- imagining that it must surely be worth at least 1/2 of retail right?
I’m perplexed as to why a seller does not consider the reliable Audiogon Blue Book as a guide, and consider the condition of the gear as a factor in resale value.
I have also seen sellers refuse an at market offer and say "for that price I’ll just put it in my storage place" while it further depreciates.
Is it that most guys with high end gear are rich enough to ignore the value of moving money because their sense of value is offended?
Asking for a friend......😎
I actually don't care whether those amps sell. They are fantastic and I'm sure I will add them to the list of things I've regretted selling. Down the road I will set up a second system and wish I still had them. I have a guy that seems serious about them, we will see if he drives an hour and a half to meet me this week. They deserve a good home, but I am not giving them away |
Try not to worry, just leave them alone. But some items do sell for big money because they're collectable. eg SME 3012 arm, Audio Research SP10 and plenty of others. @oddiofyl I have a second system because I can't bear to sell my collectable stuff. It runs Simon Yorke Zarathustra, Zeta arm, Anna cart, SP10, Krell KSA50, Audiostatic ES200s. It is installed at the opposite end of my dedicated room. My chair is in the middle and can spin around. Around 1970 I bought an SME 3012 for £12 and put it on a turntable kit with my self built plinth. I bought a Linn about 6 years later. I kept the 3012 and then noticed they were selling for £60+. I sold it. They are now £600-800. |
No one is forcing us to buy an overpriced item ! Market demand drives prices up or down ! While 1/2 the original cost is a fair asking price for common audio equipment , some hand built and limited edition electronics are worth more because they are rare and offer something really special . Making reasonable offers for products listed with a reasonable explanation for the offer is always welcome by most sellers . Some sellers are listing high prices to check the market , some are just fishing for fools . Ultimately it is up to the buyer to do ones homework to determine what is a fair price . |
This has been a fun discussion! When money is involved some people really get into their feelings. I enjoy the reasoned responses and the nutty emotional ones as well :) FWIW I like the $100/yr AG Blue Book subscription and the eBay completed sales feature as my guide as I'm assembling another system on a budget. "Budget" is a relative term of course- everyone's got a different one. Anecdotal observation: I was given a ARC VT130 that was blowing screening resistors. It was a mystery gremlin as the 6550s were red plating, the screening resistor was repeatedly blowing with no shorted tube, no shorts in the circuit and no failed transformer. I called ARC to get a quote on shipping and repairing it. I was told they had an 8 month waiting list for service!! The fellow there told me that during COVID people were digging their old gear out of storage and reinstating it. Stored units deteriorate and electronic parts degrade, pots get corrosion, etc. Moral of the story: 1) buyer beware. 2) leave room in your calculations for repairs. 3) Figure out where to have the gear checked out and how long you will have to wait to have it functional. Thanks for all the fun input! |
