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Buying a used cartridge...tell us your tale.

Personally, I have a VERY BIG reticence to buying a used cartridge. The amount of use or damage to the stylus and/or other working parts would seem to me to be a large unknown. Since just one play of a damaged stylus will result in damage to your records, I have always shun away from any used cartridge purchase.
OTOH, I'm sure many have been successful in buying a used cartridge and then again...there are those that have NOT:(.
I would be interested in hearing the tales...the good, the bad and the ugly
128x128daveyf
jperry
2,452 posts
 
I have purchased 3 used cartridges. A Dynavector 17d3, a Shelter 901. and another Shelter 901 that was sold as a rebuild (I had Soundsmith rebuild it).

In each case I had a discussion with the seller and carefully reviewed their feedback. In all cases the transaction went well.

you do have to be careful and even then there is risk in buying a used cartridge. I have been lucky and had all good transactions.
sfd
2 posts
 
bought two so far -

One Ortofon, from the importer, which was great.
The other was a Denon DL103, from a forum "friend" which was lightly used to death...

The thing is that I'm using a Black Widow arm, and if my experiment with the Grado reference will fail (I've read good recommendations online)- I'll have to go the classic high-complience way, and buy a use V15 or Stanton 881/681 or the likes...
dgarretson
2,599 posts
 
Just finished dialing in an Ortofon MC2000 eBayed by seller Ortofonman for $350. The stylus looks good under digital magnification and the performance is superb. I'll just have to make do with this one until somebody decides to build a new .05mV MC.
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