Buying a Used LDC Tube Microphone. Stupid?

Matthew Murray · 25th February 2006

I have been pondering buying a Blue Bottle used rather than paying for one new. I'm curious to know if any of you have had any good/bad experiences buying similar microphones (ie. expensive ones).

How many things can go wrong? If I can save over a grand, it seems worth it to me... but it's not one of those things you want to screw around with, either.

Thanks for any and all help.

Rick Sutton · 26th February 2006

I've gambled some money on used mics, say up to $1500, and done pretty well. All the usual cautions apply. I have also bought several very expensive LDC's used but with that much money at stake it's either through a dealer (Wes Dooley u47fet) that I know or, if it is a private party, I'll travel to the seller and inspect/listen to the mic. I also base my decision on how I feel about the person I'm dealing with. Anything that doesn't feel right and I'm out of there. Got a C24 and C12 that way (Terry Sampson was the seller. I've seen him on forums occassionally since) and those two mics are as good as you'll ever find.....not cheap though.
Got two KM56's that have both been very useful also. The best one came from Peter Drehfal in Germany. That was a $1500 gamble that payed off.

theblue1 · 26th February 2006

So much can go wrong in a mic, I tend to think like Rick. It can be done. You can get a good mic for a fair price. But you have to be careful -- even wary.

25th February 2006	#1
Matthew Murray Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,661 Thread Starter	Buying a Used LDC Tube Microphone. Stupid? I have been pondering buying a Blue Bottle used rather than paying for one new. I'm curious to know if any of you have had any good/bad experiences buying similar microphones (ie. expensive ones). How many things can go wrong? If I can save over a grand, it seems worth it to me... but it's not one of those things you want to screw around with, either. Thanks for any and all help. __________________ -Matthew

26th February 2006	#3
theblue1 Gear Guru Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 15,097	So much can go wrong in a mic, I tend to think like Rick. It can be done. You can get a good mic for a fair price. But you have to be careful -- even wary. __________________ day job \| A Year of Songs \| music and social stuff \| mutant pop on facebook \| roots acoustic on facebook

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26th February 2006	#2
Rick Sutton Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2003 Location: Atascadero, CA Posts: 4,058	I've gambled some money on used mics, say up to $1500, and done pretty well. All the usual cautions apply. I have also bought several very expensive LDC's used but with that much money at stake it's either through a dealer (Wes Dooley u47fet) that I know or, if it is a private party, I'll travel to the seller and inspect/listen to the mic. I also base my decision on how I feel about the person I'm dealing with. Anything that doesn't feel right and I'm out of there. Got a C24 and C12 that way (Terry Sampson was the seller. I've seen him on forums occassionally since) and those two mics are as good as you'll ever find.....not cheap though. Got two KM56's that have both been very useful also. The best one came from Peter Drehfal in Germany. That was a $1500 gamble that payed off.