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Post by mike on Sept 19, 2020 15:38:12 GMT -6
Question for those with more experience (or good suggestions) than I at buying vintage mic's ,
If you can't hear the mic in person before making an offer, how do you sort or guesstimate whether the capsule on a vintage mic more than technically works, but that it sounds good before you make an offer to buy on Reverb/ebay ? What protocols do you use to either make an offer or pass on a listing?
Whenever I've had multiple mic's of the same kind, they all sounded a little different from each other though they all worked,... some sounded great, while others sounded dull and lifeless (as the ones we'd all like to avoid,) but you could still sell on Reverb/ebay saying it worked. I know if one buy's a km84/85 for example you can always buy a new capsule if it disappoints on arrival, but of course that raises your overall investment cost while other vintage mic's don't have the option of being able to get replacement parts.
Thanks, Mike
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Post by EmRR on Sept 19, 2020 15:43:15 GMT -6
Ribbons are easy....plan on having them re-ribboned.
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Post by hadaja on Sept 19, 2020 16:21:54 GMT -6
Getting a new km84 capsule was a very surprising, revealing and rewarding process. I hear you about not being able to test the mic first. I think there are actually a lot of people out there in the same boat. You sort of have to be prepared for the worst case scenario in that the capsule might have to be sent off for looking at. I have had to do that with one of my more expensive mics. Aust to USA back to Aust is not ideal. The results were well worth it and the manufacturer helped out woth some costs but you wont get that sort of service with a vintage piece unless it was from a reputable shop. Yes all my vintage ribbon mics get the full service before i use them. It just makes sense for the small outlay.
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Post by Guitar on Sept 19, 2020 16:31:56 GMT -6
I don't trust many of them, but that's just me. It's a game of high dollars, mixed bags, and possible risk and/or maintenance. Kudos to the people that can keep them working and in use. If you have time and money go for it.
An old ribbon mic sounds like a great idea, since they are so simple. Relatively simple. The old dynamic mics are nice too until the capsules die or start sounding off. Also simple.
I guess I would want to be pretty damn sure that you could send it for a refund after opening and testing. I wouldn't want to pay up front without that option, I've gotten some bad ones.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 14,817
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Post by ericn on Sept 19, 2020 17:14:16 GMT -6
This is where a bargain is seldom a bargain, unless you really know the seller. You pay for the privilege of trying before you buy and being able to return an item. This is where the VK’s of the world can justify there prices. If you find that steal on a vintage mic budget in sending the mic to a top tech and see if it’s still that bargain.
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Post by drbill on Sept 19, 2020 20:40:55 GMT -6
I usually only buy from people I know and trust. Be it a private party or a dealer.
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Post by bluegrassdan on Sept 19, 2020 22:11:30 GMT -6
eBay and Reverb are not the best places to buy vintage mics. Way too expensive and I know of actual situations where people sold mics with all sorts of claims. One instace was a known microphone where the seller posted on eBay "ribbon mic stored upright for years," and I KNEW THE MIC'S PREVIOUS OWNER...it was a blatent lie. If you absolutely cannot hear it before you buy, then you should mark down the price according to what a proper service tech will charge. KM84? Plan on spending $350 for new tantalum caps, FET, and full service. Then make an offer accordingly. If they won't budge, politely decline. I was ready to wire a ton of money one morning for a long body U47 pending hi res photos. Photos arrived and revealed too many non-original components for the price, including a repro chrome grill. You gotta be willing to walk away. My opinion, in summary: - Vintage mics are an investment. If you want to sell them for as much or more than you paid, the degrees of condition and original parts matter.
- Buying $10,000+? You need to consider help locating and authentication from someone reputable like Klaus Heyne.
- Be patient. Buy once. Be happy.
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Post by Ward on Sept 20, 2020 5:37:15 GMT -6
When buying any old Neumann fet SDC or TLM, count on switches being broken too! And grill smacks that didn't seem that bad in the photos. It's just par for the course.
And everything everyone else said as well.
There will be repairs!
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Post by Martin John Butler on Sept 20, 2020 8:50:34 GMT -6
Over $1,500, I'd have to either hear the mic or have someone I know vouch for the mic and the seller. I could never think of spending big bucks on a rare mic blind.
My buddy has a pair of Neumann KM84's. One sounds better, the other's a little thinner. If he sold the thinner one, you wouldn't be ripped off, but you wouldn't necessarily know it's not the best example of the 84 sound.
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Post by mike on Sept 20, 2020 11:03:07 GMT -6
Thanks for the feedback guys,... much as I expected with a few extra pointers, but still good to hear and keep in mind when something tempting comes along.
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Post by johneppstein on Sept 20, 2020 12:54:01 GMT -6
I prefer to buy mics from people on the smaller and more professional forums, where people make their identities known, or from/through people I know. That's not to say I always do, but it's my preference. I also do not pay "market value" on stuff I don't know.
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Post by rowmat on Sept 20, 2020 13:19:03 GMT -6
Over $1,500, I'd have to either hear the mic or have someone I know vouch for the mic and the seller. I could never think of spending big bucks on a rare mic blind. My buddy has a pair of Neumann KM84's. One sounds better, the other's a little thinner. If he sold the thinner one, you wouldn't be ripped off, but you wouldn't necessarily know it's not the best example of the 84 sound. Hence the practicality of buying good used KM85's for around 50-60% the cost of KM84's and fitting new KK84 capsules.
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Post by johneppstein on Sept 20, 2020 13:54:40 GMT -6
Over $1,500, I'd have to either hear the mic or have someone I know vouch for the mic and the seller. I could never think of spending big bucks on a rare mic blind. My buddy has a pair of Neumann KM84's. One sounds better, the other's a little thinner. If he sold the thinner one, you wouldn't be ripped off, but you wouldn't necessarily know it's not the best example of the 84 sound. Hence the practicality of buying good used KM85's for around 50-60% the cost of KM84's and fitting new KK84 capsules. Well, I don't pay more than $1200 for an 84, anyway. It it's dodgy maybe $600-$700. There was a guy on Reverb recently who was selling a beat 84 for around $1200-$1300 than had the serial ground off. Just for giggles I offered $700 and he went ballistic. I almost reported him for selling hot mechandise and probably should have. Among other thing he said was "I AM A PROFESSIONAL MIC DEALER". My answer was that a professional dealer would not touch a mic with a ground off serial with a 10 foot pole.
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Post by johneppstein on Sept 20, 2020 14:22:03 GMT -6
I just checked Reverb - it seems that during the pandemic prices on KM84s have gone through the roof! I wonder if, after the pendemic, prices will come back down.... Glad I got #2 when I did - a lot of the asking prices now are $2,000!!! Wonder how many of those sell?
Funny. I had assumed that studio closing sales would drive the price DOWN....
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Post by mike on Sept 20, 2020 14:39:18 GMT -6
I just checked Reverb - it seems that during the pandemic prices on KM84s have gone through the roof! I wonder if, after the pendemic, prices will come back down.... Glad I got #2 when I did - a lot of the asking prices now are $2,000!!! Wonder how many of those sell?
Funny. I had assumed that studio closing sales would drive the price DOWN....
Not just 84/85's but other gear also I've noticed has risen in price the past several months depending on what it is. Especially if some products that ship from over seas have a distribution flow problem due to the pandemic., customs etc. Then add in more musicians can't do live work during the pandemic in more than a generation so many are now recording at home during it and you have more demand than supply for some gear it seems right now.
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Post by EmRR on Sept 20, 2020 15:43:16 GMT -6
There was a KM84 on a forum for $1150, sat there months. Clean as shit. Actually, dropped there from $1250. Sold the day I finally thought I could swing it. Probably flipped on Reverb for $2K already.
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