The FU Guide To Buying Used and Bargain DJ Gear

Every once in a while, we love to give away some of our normally clandestine trade secrets - by sharing what we've learned through years of trial and error, we hope that we can assist aspiring DJs in making wise decisions when it comes to purchasing used gear.  Sure, you can go full pop for retail, but, when you can often get incredibly well maintained used DJ equipment for a fraction of the usual price and free up some of that earmarked cash for other endeavours, why would you?  If that doesn't sway you, consider for a moment the fact that we live in a society that produces way more than it actually needs - buying used gear is just another small step in counterbalancing this longstanding trend that is long overdue for an overhaul.

With that in mind, here are a handful of handy tips on how to get the ball rolling (or to augment what you already have) without breaking the bank...

Quality First:  This point can't be stressed enough.  Sure, you can go out and blow $500 for a DJ-in-a-box kit, but if you're serious about your game, you'll appreciate that industry standard equipment carries that title for a reason.  Everything from decks, to your mixer, needles, headphones and speakers should be of at least mid-range quality - attempting to work with low-torque motors, flimsy line-faders and tinny cans is just plain tiresome and will slow down your progress as you learn how to play.

Plan on investing in a setup that will both last and hold its value over time.  We've bought three used Technics SL-1200 MK2 turntables for the studio over the past couple of years and didn't pay more than $350 for any of them - and the great thing is that even a few years from now, we'd most likely be able to turn around and sell them for the exact same price.

Buy What You Need:  There's a fine line between underestimating your needs (often the result of not heeding Tip #1, above) and blithely going overboard.  We've often been in music stores when some eager chap has been in the process of doling out $3000 for equipment that will end up being listed on a buy & sell board  a month later for $2000, when he decides he's "not that interested in DJing after all".  In most cases, that should actually read "I bought complex, upper-end gear and now I haven't a clue what to do with it.  While DJ lessons at WestsideWax could alleviate that issue over the long run, the first line of defense would be to assess where you are, and where you're headed, before you go shopping.

Do you really need that six-channel, midi-compatible, 4-band e.q., $1800 mixer, or will a two or three-channel model suffice?  Adversely, even though you're only starting out with two turntables, do you think you might want to work with three down the line or eventually add your laptop to the mix?  While you can always sell individual pieces of your setup and procure new gear as you go, looking at what you're planning on purchasing and why you plan to do so can save a ton of time and energy, which you can put toward things like recording mixes and writing Used Gear Buying Guides...

Know Where To Look:  Our favourite online haunts are Craigslist, Kijiji, eBay and Discogs.

The first two are focused on local buys and are great for a range of gently used items, from DJ equipment to records to accessories.  Just enter what you're looking for in the search bar, using generalised terms - i.e.: "DJ" as a catch all, or "Xone", as opposed to "Allen&Heath Xone:42 DJ Mixer", as the seller may not always include all of the search terms in their listing.  Naturally, the best part about community-based buy & sell boards such as these is that you can always go check out and even try out items before purchase, ensuring you're getting exactly what you pay for.

Craigslist and Kijiji can also be a goldmine for used records.  Initially, when so many DJs made the jump to digital media, the listings were filled with vinyl sell-offs that averaged $5-$8 for records that normally retailed for $10-$15, plus taxes.  While there aren't as many ads for used vinyl these days, the pricing has dropped considerably - it's not uncommon to walk away from a private sale with 20 choice cuts that ended up costing $30 or less.  Check often and search by both genre ("Techno", "House") and media format ("records", "vinyl") - you'll be surprised at what's out there.

We've also had some great finds on eBay, of both gear and accessories - records tend to be a bit pricier, though often sellers will feature "lots" of 10-50 records that can be had for a song if you know what to look for.  With eBay it's particularly important to buy from reputable dealers with good feedback - be sure to read the fine print, and always take into consideration delivery charges, applicable taxes, as well as customs and brokerage fees that can be incurred when buying cross-border or overseas.  In the time that we've been buying DJ gear on eBay, we've only had to complain once, and our money was quickly refunded. 

Discogs is the mother of all vinyl buy & sells, with over 2.6 million records listed for sale.  Initially we were sworn to North American-only dealings, as exchange rates and ridiculous shipping charges made purchasing from the UK and Europe (incidentally, where most of the choice wax is hiding out) somewhat prohibitive.  But along with a more favourable rate on the Canuck dollar, we've also recently noticed overseas sellers who are dropping their prices to more realistic levels, with some even leaving room for buyers to make offers.

Granted, there are times when perusing retail sites can yield results...  When we were shopping for our Behringer subwoofer we found that there weren't many used ones available.  We noticed a handful of retailers who had dropped the price well  below the manufacturer's suggested list of about $430 and happened upon one in particular who we ended up buying it from.  Final price?  $236, all taxes and delivery included.

Other favourites:  DJ friends who are getting out of the game, local dance music message boards, used record stores

If You Don't See It, Ask For It:  Sometimes what you're looking for is already out there, but just hasn't been advertised, yet.  The Presonus Firebox (a high quality, external Firewire Soundcard) pictured at the top of this article, was procured by placing a "wanted" ad in the "For Sale" section of Craigslist, stating exactly what we were looking for (mint condition, power supply and cables included) and what we were willing to pay.  A couple of weeks later, someone contacted us, and within three days time, we had our soundcard, at less than two-thirds of the retail cost.

Know The Value Of What You're Buying:  A lot of people advertise used Technics turntables on buy & sells for $450 - $500, usually including the cartridge and a slipmat.  A lot of people also advertise the same turntable on buy & sells for $300 - $350, often including the cartridge and a slipmat.  At $500, a used turntable that retails for only a couple of hundred dollars more should include incentives like a high grade cartridge and a flight case.  DJs moving on to digital formats will often throw in record bags to sweeten a deal if you're purchasing quantities of vinyl from them, and quite often the bonuses come without asking, such as the high-grade carry bag our Presonus seller handed us along with the soundcard.

It's said that audiophiles collect records, whereas DJs play them.  If you are an audiophile, then shelling out $80 for that mint Orbital 12" single or something similar probably holds some appeal, but once you move beyond the fetishisation of records the only true value to be had is in actually using them.  Just because a single lists for $30 on Discogs, doesn't mean that's what it's actually worth.  The site has a feature where registered members can check the market price history of particular records - a copy of the classic 12"  you've always had your eye on that's currently listed for $25 and is in VG condition, might have previously sold for $6, and might also have been in Near Mint or Mint condition, and will probably come around again for about the same price.  Which brings us to our next point...

Be Patient:  Buying retail may deliver the satisfaction of having those decks and mixer on your doorstep today, but when your credit card comes screaming for payback, reality can hastily settle back in.  As is with most musical instruments, good quality DJ gear is expensive.  But if you're willing to hold out, usually for less than a month (consider a week or two of shopping around, then two weeks more for delivery), you can find what you need for a price that won't necessitate paying it off in "easy" installments over the next several years.

Familiarise Yourself:  Check out related message boards, use search engines, whatever it takes...just learn as much as you can about the equipment you'll be using, long before it's even in your abode.  This way, when it comes time to make a purchase, you'll know exactly what to look for.  Sure, a $300 used Technics 1200 might seem like a bargain, but not if it requires $150 worth of servicing and repair.  Ask plenty of questions during email correspondence - this can often save the aggravation of showing up at a seller's house only to find out what's on offer isn't quite what you were expecting.  How long have you had the unit for?  Why are you selling it?  Are you the original owner?  What sort of environment has it been used in (house, mobile or nightclub)?  Has it ever received an upgrade or required any servicing?

On turntables, check everything from the tonearm, platter and pitch control, to the popup light and rubber feet.  Do you need the dust cover?  If so, is it included?  Same goes for mixers - it may look near perfect on the outside, but does the power supply work?  Are the line and cross faders clean?  If you can try something out before buying, by all means do so, and if not, then at least try to obtain some sort of written guarantee from the seller that you can return the item if it doesn't work the way it should when you get it home.  Common sense dictates that it's much easier to deal with honest people who are friendly and up-front when answering questions about what they're selling - if it smells fishy, it's probably best to say, "no thanks".

A last word on this - as we're mostly on the vinyl front, we can't speak much on purchasing digital DJ equipment, but it's probably safe to assume that you'll need to be even more diligent when inspecting items, as something like the latest model CDJ player has considerably more parts and features than a direct drive turntable that was designed thirty years ago.

Don't Be Afraid To Haggle:  If you think that wicked mixer you just happened upon could be had for less than the seller's advertised price, don't hesitate to ask if they'd be willing to negotiate a bit.  Most sellers leave a little room for play, and even the ones who initially stated a firm asking price will begin to budge if their item is still sitting there two weeks later.  This also lessens the chance of impulse buying, if you're really committed to sticking to a specific price range - it's always o.k. to show up with your price in pocket and walk away if it isn't met, knowing that someone will eventually take your fair and reasonable offer (lowballers tend to find themselves on the receiving end of laughter and/or derision, so be realistic).

And last, but certainly not least in importance...

USE YOUR GEAR!

Kind of obvious, but what other point is there to putting all this time, energy and money into buying your dream setup?  If you're gonna pay, you'd better play!