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Best method to price used horns?



 
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kjohns2112
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:18 am    Post subject: Best method to price used horns? Reply with quote

Greetings Trumpet Hive Mind,
I'm looking for some advice on how to gauge the price of a few horns I would like to sell. So much knowledge on this forum I'd love some ideas besides looking on eBay.
Happy playing! >-iii-0
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LittleRusty
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:30 am    Post subject: Re: Best method to price used horns? Reply with quote

kjohns2112 wrote:
Greetings Trumpet Hive Mind,
I'm looking for some advice on how to gauge the price of a few horns I would like to sell. So much knowledge on this forum I'd love some ideas besides looking on eBay.
Happy playing! >-iii-0
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Nathan.Sobieralski
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ebay sold listings are your best bet for the current market price on any given horn. Forget eBay asking prices, only sold listings have merit for calculating value.
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Chadwick
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nathan.Sobieralski wrote:
Forget eBay asking prices, only sold listings have merit for calculating value.


So very true! A good example of this disparity is the ridiculous asking prices for Calicchio leadpipes and horns on eBay.
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jeirvine
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can also do a search for Reverb listings that have sold:

https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=martin%20trumpet&make=martin&product_type=band-and-orchestra&show_only_sold=true
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ldwoods
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aside from ebay and reverb completed sales, if you post what exact horn(s) you are considering to sell, some of the fine TH folks will probably give you some input. I would consider posting your question in the Horns forum for more eyes on it and a better chance of replies.
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kjohns2112
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 7:25 pm    Post subject: Schilke B5 Reply with quote

ldwoods wrote:
Aside from ebay and reverb completed sales, if you post what exact horn(s) you are considering to sell, some of the fine TH folks will probably give you some input. I would consider posting your question in the Horns forum for more eyes on it and a better chance of replies.


I have a Schilke B5 serial 317XX that I am looking to sell for a friend that has aged out. I'm looking for some guidance on pricing. Will post in the horns forum. Thanks!
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 8:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nathan.Sobieralski wrote:
Ebay sold listings are your best bet

How do you do that, Nathan?
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Ronnman
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 4:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A note about using sold listings on Reverb as a guide. I purchased a trumpet from Reverb and just looked up the old sold listing. It shows the oringinal listed price and not the actual sold price. I negotiated a couple hundred off the listed price. Not sure that this is a definitive resource.

On eBay there are auctions where the best offer was accepted and the actual price is not shown, just a crossed-out price.
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Riojazz
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 7:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I decided not to mess with this.

I sent my horns to Steve Dillard at HornTrader who is an expert at selling trumpets. For a commission, he playtests the horns, puts the right value on them, and takes care of the marketing to what I consider a discriminating and knowledgeable audience for horns. I have bought a horn from him also.
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tptptp
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kehaulani wrote:
Nathan.Sobieralski wrote:
Ebay sold listings are your best bet

How do you do that, Nathan?


I'm not Nathan, but I know.
Search for whatever. On the left is a long list of things. Scroll 'way down to the bottom and it says "Show only". Click on "Sold items."
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you. tptptp.
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Nathan.Sobieralski
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kehaulani wrote:
Thank you. tptptp.


Sorry that I missed your question, but yes tptptp covered it. You will see a bunch of offers accepted within the sold listings, you could either remove those from your factoring or figure a 10-20% discount to the buyer, more or less.

One other thing to consider is the fees the seller pays eBay out of the sold item price. It's a significant percentage such that it is cheaper for me to sell my mutes through my Shopify store (including web hosting, email, subscription etc) than it would be to sell them on ebay.
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etc-etc
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 2:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Best method to price used horns? Reply with quote

kjohns2112 wrote:
Greetings Trumpet Hive Mind,
I'm looking for some advice on how to gauge the price of a few horns I would like to sell. So much knowledge on this forum I'd love some ideas besides looking on eBay.
Happy playing! >-iii-0


You might adapt methods used for trading other items.

This fast method works best if you want to get the highest possible price for your horns and sell them as soon as possible. Similarly to HFT (high-frequency trading), it dynamically discovers the optimal selling price for tradeable items (whether these are securities, trumpets or anything else).

You place an offer to sell just a smidgen above the current highest bid. If there are buyers at this price, within a microsecond, you pull the offer off the market. Your next offer will be higher, and similarly, you will take it off if anyone is willing to buy. You continue until there are no buyers, at which point you have reached a turn. Next, you can either wait, continue the price discovery downwards, or trade at the last best offer you had received. You can watch the dynamics of the turning points, and decide at which price to trade (or not).

There is also the slow method where you place a vastly overpriced offer and wait until there are buyers. If this does work, you get a much better price from an uninformed buyer (using P.T.Barnum's quote about those who are "born every minute").
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dtluther
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2024 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Reverb, Music stores in your area that sell used instruments (a local store told me they use Reverb as their source though).
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Rhondo
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2024 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ebay now takes too much of a cut from a sale. Ideally I'd prefer to give money to horntrader or Centex Brass to sell a horn than to give it to ebay.

On ebay, I go to 'advanced' and then 'completed items'. That way you can see what sold for what amount but also what was listed and *didn't sell.
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Man Of Constant Sorrow
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2024 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

re: eBay, Reverb

The commissions and fees (including taxes?) usually add-up to about =/- 13%, do they not ??
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Chickynuggie
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 5:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Man Of Constant Sorrow wrote:
re: eBay, Reverb

The commissions and fees (including taxes?) usually add-up to about =/- 13%, do they not ??


I think you’re about right on the figures… it’s a decent cut. At least Reverb gives you a heads up what you’ll actually bring in after a sale before you list the instrument.
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ljnev
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Best of luck with your sale. I've bought and sold horns through Steve and it was always a great transaction.

Once I establish a price (via sold listings on eBay and Reverb) I've listed horns on the TH Marketplace and had some luck - the buyer avoids taxes, I avoid platform selling fees, and PayPal G&S protects us both.
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Man Of Constant Sorrow
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

... and, commercial sellers/re-sellers/consignors generally collect 20% - 25% commission fees, is that about right ? (and what about taxes?)
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