No. I run a business and invest time and expertise into every piece I sell, so I have to acquire equipment for considerably less than the retail price, or it’s a pointless exercise.

I was recently asked:

My turntable is worth 10 grand with a proper service history and is in perfect running condition. It’s not been professionally inspected or valued, has no service history, and I live in another state, but would you pay 15 grand for it?

It’s hard to believe any right-minded individual would ask this, but then not everyone is right-minded. Every piece of equipment I acquire needs to meet our high standards for the pre-owned equipment we sell. Every piece must be scrutinised, cleaned, repaired, serviced, and every piece carries some risk, no matter how carefully it is chosen.

Preparation for sale and listing equipment usually involves several hours per piece. Margins for profit and warranty must be factored in, so we have to acquire items for significantly less than they sell for, with ever bigger margins where significant time, energy and risk are involved.

I can’t pay $500 for something that I can sell for $1000, unless it literally needs no work at all, and I’ve never experienced that. I’m absolutely not paying ANYTHING for equipment I haven’t carefully inspected.