Say you could save a couple thousand by paying $1800 instead of $3200? (As in the case of a U87)?
Lot of risk there. Not as easy to fix as a guitar amp. A condenser mic is inherently more delicate than a DA converter or an expensive rack-mount compressor. Thoughts?
I would. If anything is messed up, it’s going to be the diaphragm. If that’s the case, it’s pretty easy to buy a replacement for a few hundred. Just 2 solder joints.
I totally agree. I don’t see too many downsides to this. Especially if you can find a reputable seller!
I have and had no problems so far.
I’ve bought LOTS of used gear and very rarely have I had a problem with anything, BUT before buying I always test the equipment out thoroughly. I’ve never bought a used mic that was worth thousands of dollars though. The most expensive used mic I’ve purchased is an AT4040, but I would be open to buying something more expensive if I thought it was truly worth it. Just make sure to thoroughly test it… There’s always some risk, but you can reduce that risk by being a careful and vigilant buyer.
I’ve bought used microphones. I mostly buy used things, unless I can get a killer deal on something new. I feel like with a lot of studio equipment, it’s built to last a long time. And if you buy on eBay or Reverb or somewhere with a return policy, you can send it back if it doesn’t work.
Same here, but mics seem a little riskier than most.
With a normal mic it’s not a problem. I was contemplating picking up a pair of Neumann U87’s. It can be really difficult to get $4-5000 back from a guy unless you have paypal freeze the funds within the first 48 hrs of receiving the item. Sometimes I’ve bought stuff and haven’t found out there was a serious problem because the symptoms didn’t surface until a week or so after. Its all good. I’ve bought most of my mics new, and got screwed pretty bad on the last Blue Bottle I got off eBay.
I do appreciate the thoughts ya’ll. lol.
Same here. You gotta make sure it’s working at purchase. Most used equipment is “as is”, unless there’s a transferable warranty (with time left), so you trade risk for savings. If a mic is working at purchase, and looks in good condition and like it has been well taken care of (including smoke-free environment), chances are it will last for a long time. The exception is tube mics, I would be wary of that unless you plan on making repairs should it need them.
Ha, me too! Another parallel. 
Stan, this just keeps getting weirder and weirder! hahaha 
:beerbang:
I’ve contemplated buying a used mic but how do you test it thoroughly? You can ask the seller to show you it works, and you can use your ears to listen for abnormalities. And of course you can to some extent see how its been treated (smoke free is a good tip). What else? How do you know it still has that magic frequency response that studio people crave? How do you know it’s not been thrown around, had several repairs etc. Why do people get rid of a mic?
I have a behringer B1 for sale if you’re interested? 
Great questions! Much of this you can’t know, necessarily, without depending on the openness and honesty of the seller. You can ask them all these questions, and see if they seem to be answering honestly and transparently. If you get a bad feeling in your gut (intuition) you can always walk away and just say it doesn’t feel like it’s going to work for you.
What I do is either have them demonstrate it for me (prearranged) or take a laptop, audio interface, XLR cable, and headphones and check it for myself. It’s a quick check, maybe record a minute or two of audio (vocals) and play it back. You’re just looking for anything odd or not right. If a mic has been reasonably taken care of the frequencies should be close to factory original IMO. Usually they either work or don’t work. The only intermittent mic I have had (bought new) was a tube mic. They have more things that can go wrong/flaky, so are harder to inspect fully.
I always looked for about half the street price of something to buy it on ebay or CL.
Higher than that and you’re better off buying new.
I bought different mics and preamps trying to find something where I could stand the sound of my own voice.
You can’t just tell that from reading the ads or reviews. I have to own it and use it for some time.
If it wasn’t for me I sold it on ebay.
Most things have DOA warranty.
I guess there is know fool proof method to be sure that the used mic you’re buying is in flawless condition but the same can be said about brand new mics also. Stores often have buyers who return items that they repackage and sell again. Nobody ever REALLY knows what they’re getting with 100% absolute certainty.
The best thing a buyer can do is test the mic. Maybe use another mic to compare it with. Do a close visual inspection to make sure it looks clean and undamaged. If the mic has polarity switches or pad and frequency cut switches make sure to flick the switches and see if they work…, although you won’t likely hear the frequency switch doing anything unless you have great ears and great monitoring…, and you’re using it on a source that you can audibly notice the difference.