Advice for selling a ybb-103?
Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 2:38 am
If all goes well, I hope to soon be selling my Yamaha ybb-103 BBb 3-valve lacquer horn, and I'm hoping for some advice:
1) Is it ok to post high and risk having it go unsold, or does that make it appear undesirable (like a house that sits too long on the market and makes folks wonder what's wrong with it)?
2) Is it a good idea to post a video clip (maybe link to youtube?) showing the slides popping (to demonstrate the tight valves), with a couple of arpeggios or somesuch to show it's playable, along with closeups to show the condition?
3) Is it best to post on eBay and post a link here, or would you recommend posting on the various forums and resell boards, first, then moving it to eBay?
4) Is it best to post first to local classifieds/newspapers to avoid shipping hassles and find folks that can actually swing by and test the horn?
In sum - what has worked for you?
I'm uncertain how much this horn might command. While dropping off my euphonium at Dick Ackright's shop in Oakland, I played a 103 in similar shape (and plays the same) as mine, that he's planning to ask $2100 for. Seems high, but if that's market, I'm all too glad to take someone's money.
Thing is, my horn isn't "factory new"; it's been re-furbished:
Valves have been restored - each valve pops when working its respective slide either in or out.
Brasswork has been cleaned up - there are NO dents or dings.
The horn has been re-lacquered, so it's clean and complete, but not as pristine as when it was factory-fresh.
The largest visual defects are that the lacquer is darkened on the 1st valve slide where I had a lyre boss installed, and the bell section right over the player's head is rough where I had the bell straightened after the edge was bent back during a shipping mishap.
1) Is it ok to post high and risk having it go unsold, or does that make it appear undesirable (like a house that sits too long on the market and makes folks wonder what's wrong with it)?
2) Is it a good idea to post a video clip (maybe link to youtube?) showing the slides popping (to demonstrate the tight valves), with a couple of arpeggios or somesuch to show it's playable, along with closeups to show the condition?
3) Is it best to post on eBay and post a link here, or would you recommend posting on the various forums and resell boards, first, then moving it to eBay?
4) Is it best to post first to local classifieds/newspapers to avoid shipping hassles and find folks that can actually swing by and test the horn?
In sum - what has worked for you?
I'm uncertain how much this horn might command. While dropping off my euphonium at Dick Ackright's shop in Oakland, I played a 103 in similar shape (and plays the same) as mine, that he's planning to ask $2100 for. Seems high, but if that's market, I'm all too glad to take someone's money.
Thing is, my horn isn't "factory new"; it's been re-furbished:
Valves have been restored - each valve pops when working its respective slide either in or out.
Brasswork has been cleaned up - there are NO dents or dings.
The horn has been re-lacquered, so it's clean and complete, but not as pristine as when it was factory-fresh.
The largest visual defects are that the lacquer is darkened on the 1st valve slide where I had a lyre boss installed, and the bell section right over the player's head is rough where I had the bell straightened after the edge was bent back during a shipping mishap.