 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2003-06-18 01:24
In the next few months I am buying a new pair of clarinets, and to help with the student loan I am taking, I will of course be selling my current R13 Bb.
I paid about US$1800 for it, it is now 4 years old, still in excellent condition, has cork and leather pads.
I've seen on ebay people selling R13s for US$1300, and these looked to be older than mine, and they had plenty of bids (the reserve had been met I think). But then again, I don't know how Ebay works so I could be wrong.
I'd like to know what the resale value is on my instrument, because I honestly don't have that much of an idea. I suspect a secondhand R13 isn't worth too much at all!
Thanks guys.
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Author: msroboto
Date: 2003-06-18 01:42
Morrigan -
You can watch the auctions and see how much they are going for. If the item has a price but no bids it means that the seller has put a minimum price on it. The seller may or may not get anybody interested in paying the minimum price.
Also, there are new R-13's on EBay. Today it looks like a new in the box instrument on EBay can be had for $1600.00 or so.
Yours may actually be better because of the work you have had done on the pads but you should expect between $1000.00 and maybe $1300.00 US or so.
You should make sure that you emphasize the better pads and any other upgrades you have done.
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Author: Phat Cat
Date: 2003-06-18 11:29
I have monitored nearly every ebay auction for professional Bb/A clarinets since Jan 1, 2003. (Yes, this means I’ve tracked hundreds of auctions.) I’ve bought two instruments in this period: a Festival Bb and a Signature A. Following is what my research shows professional soprano clarinets actually sell for on ebay, as opposed to what sellers ask or buyers bid. All prices are in US dollars and do not include shipping + insurance.
The current best price for a new, in-the-box R13 is $1450 (plus shipping from “Down Under”). An “as new” R13 less than 1 year old will go for $1200-$1400. A 1-2 yr old model that is in nearly new condition will go for $1000-1200. A 3-5 year old instrument in excellent condition will go for $900-$1100. Instruments 6-15 years old in excellent condition will for $800-1000. Instruments 15-30 years in very good condition go for $700-$850. Early R13s (1955-1970) in good condition go for $500-750. Pre R13s from 1940-1955 go for $250-500.
Late model Festivals and Prestiges in excellent condition go for $1300-1500. There are very few Opus or Signature instruments that have sold, because few are listed and sellers generally ask too much. Those that have sold are comparable to Festival/Prestige in price.
In general there are far fewer A clarinets on ebay. For Buffet, they usually command a premium of $150-250 over the Bb.
The preceding is for instruments that are presented accurately and effectively. Some ebay sellers have terrible listings with bad descriptions and unreadable or no photos. These instruments fare poorly.
Of course, these price ranges are guidelines. Since ebay is an open market, there are bargains to be had by astute buyers (e.g., uninformed or desperate sellers). The situation is asymmetrical since only rarely do two (or more) buyers get into a bidding war and drive the price to an unrealistic level.
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Author: Matt Locker
Date: 2003-06-18 14:34
Morrigan:
Do not sell your current clarinet for at least a year after you receive your new clarinets - unless of course you really don't like your current instrument. Once it's gone it's gone for good! If you're finances are that tight then you probably should reconsider your purchase anyway.
MOO,
Matt
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-06-18 14:42
Morrigan -
Remember that eBay charges a 5% fee on the sales price, and if you use PayPal or another payment service (essential on a transaction this large), they will also charge a fee. You also have to figure in shipping and insurance, plus, if you sell it to someone in the U.S., where most buyers are, you'll have to pay a customs broker. I think you'd do as well spreading the word locally through your teacher and friends.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-06-18 14:48
I'm of the opinion that msroboto is "on the money" with the figure of $1000 min. but think the high end might extend a bit to $1400 "or so". A lot depends on your write-up. If you are the original owner, say so. Give the serial number. Omit the mouthpiece and for goodness sake don't include reeds and corkgrease. Oh, by the way, if it were me I wouldn't even sell it now.
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Author: Phat Cat
Date: 2003-06-18 22:54
Very few used soprano clarinets sell for over $1200 on ebay; fewer still are R13s. Bidding for late model Festivals and Prestiges tops out between $1300-1400. Realistically, don't expect your R13 to fetch more than $1000-1100 and be happy if it does. The secondary market has been quite consistent this year, with prices lowest January, probably due to post-holiday credit pile-up.
As to the ancillary costs of selling on ebay, shipping and handling are almost always paid by the buyer. Taking a personal or cashier’s check is quite reasonable--I did it for both my purchases, each for $1400. The seller simply holds the items until the check clears.
Make sure you create a factual and complete listing with the serial #, date of manufacture and several clear photos. State that you are a professional musician, that you have taken good care of the horns, and detail the upgrades you’ve had done. Save for email replies the fact that you are switching to Opus.
Set an opening bid of ~$500 and the reserve at whatever the minimum is you will accept, no higher than $1000. A price rises in an auction only if at least two buyers continue to bid, so you want to encourage bidders to participate. Ironically, the final price often ends up higher for items that have no reserve and an opening bid of $1. Buyers will not bid if your opening bid is too high and they will stop bidding if they sense your reserve is unreasonable.
In a timed auction such as ebay, the optimum bidding strategy for a buyer is to place a single bid at the last possible moment. So don’t panic and lower your price if you don’t see any action immediately. Expect most of the serious price movement to occur in the last day, much of it in the last hour or even minutes and seconds. I once placed a bid 3 seconds before an auction ended.
Answer bidders' questions promptly and factually. And don’t mention your conviction (oft stated on this board) that clarinets are subject to blow-out, or any other subjective statements that might turn away a potential buyer.
Finally, since ebay is international it is probably a very good way to reach buyers in Oz. In fact, the most aggressive ebay prices on new Buffets and Opuses come from two retailers down under. They have stories about using a customs broker ... or not.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2003-06-18 23:34
If you are expecting US$1300 ie. around AUD$2400 you had better stick to the US market. The discount price in Australia brand new is around AUD$3000 or even less. So to expect over 2/3 of the new price is optimistic bot stranger things have happened. RC's fetch a little more but they are harder to lay your hands on.
"I suspect a secondhand R13 isn't worth too much at all! " Never a truer word was said! I gather you are buying the pair of your teacher?
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2003-06-19 03:00
Mark - yes, a pair of Brannenized Concertos, 3 years old, used as secondary pair, AU$7,500. EXCELLENT price you must agree!
I won't be needing my old clarinet as soon as I get my new ones, because it's not like they're new and I have to blow them in.
I'd just like to sell my R13 and get as much for it as I can, to take off the loan I'm taking. But I still don't know how much I could get for it, or WHERE I'm going to try and sell it. Ebay seems dodgy to me... I might try and sell it locally.
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Author: Clarence
Date: 2003-06-19 03:08
I agree with Phat Cat. If you get 1000 - 1100, count your blessings. I have seen new ones (from down under) go for 1400-1500.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-06-19 03:26
OK. Enough info now.
I know that Morrigan wasn't trying to use the BBoard for advertising, but the thread is coming close to that anyway. Time to close it off.
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