Cartridge new or used ?

What is it with all the wet necks and used cartridges!
Use your head and common sense when shopping and you will be fine. Remember that one, common sense, that's right the least common of all senses nowadays it seems!
I have bought and sold many used cartridges here and on eBay.
There still are a LOT of very honest people in this hobby.
How else is one to try and acquire and use some of the better vintage mm carts apart from taking the plunge and buying used?

If you do not want to take a chance personally that's fine but do NOT denigrate the process as a whole!

Sleepwalker
You definitely have some deep rooted trust issues. And your comments about doctored feedback is highly amusing.
But to each their own, I have no problem with anybody who prefers to go the route you advocate but please do not harbour malice to those who DO decide to buy used and save a fortune potentially.
One of my friends just bought a Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum for approx 17% of new retail.......

daveyf
who knows why some people sell stuff so cheap, problems financial or health or even drugs, who knows.
Over the years I have bought many audio items, usually from ebay, that were so stupidly cheap I just had to buy them even though I may not have even needed them.
Did I get burnt on any transaction?
Not one if memory serves me correctly!
And fyi the Koetsu plays perfectly well as delivered
Again if used cartridges makes you nervous I completely understand and commend you for staying out of that market BUT do not belittle the market or sellers/buyers of said used cartridges as a whole.
Thank you

Sleepwalker.
I have absolutely zero idea how you took my reply and construed what you did out of it. Additionally I am having a hard time even understanding your follow up points?
If I offended you in some way I did not intend to and apologise for your distress.

To cut to the chase all I was saying if you do not trust sellers of used carts that is fine and no problem to me at all. I only assume from your distrust that you have unfortunately been burned by some unscrupulous seller for which I sympathise .
However again do not place ALL sellers in the same category and if others are having good luck with used carts then it is what it is and you should not denounce the practice of buying/selling used carts in general.
Leaves more for the rest of us anyways!

And that should be enough said on the subject.

Remember that part about common sense? People who are prone to impulse buys and NOT doing thorough research should probably NOT buy used carts.
Just IMHO.

Steve
I also bought a xsv3000 with completely worn out "E" stylus cw the very rare mounting pads.
Bought a replacement stylus and guess I was lucky as it sounded really good to my ears.
My ADC XLM mk2 and Sonus Bronze sound better but it was still a fair buy.

@analogluvr .

I agree that the purists will throw a googly eye fit and wail long and loud about retipping one of the expensive MC carts claiming it is now not original at all.
But if YOU like the sound still then surely it is better than just junking what was an expensive purchase by someone.
I would have no hesitation in following the same path if needed.
After all 5 to 10k for a cart is way out of my league but 2 to 2.5k? For same item?
I will take a chance AFTER doing full research on the cart AND seller of course.

You can minimize the uncertainty of the "takes ya chances" part with a dose of healthy common sense and  research.

As I have said it is NOT for impulse buyers or the faint of heart...lol.

Works for me and keeps my pocket a little fuller each time I buy a used cart.

Good luck to all.