Posted in Gear on October 16th, 2008 by Northwest Astro
I’ve bought my two new scopes, and very quickly learned that used gear is quite often the better deal. If I am looking for something specific, I’ll hit up the used market first before buying new. If I don’t need the part in the near future, I’ll wait until one shows up on the used market.
I see 3 major benefits:
- Used gear holds its value longer.
Astronomy gear is interesting in that it is actually a bit like a car. The moment you drive it off the lot, it loses at least 15-20% of its value. After that initial drop, the value doesn’t really change very much until that model is made obsolete. And for eyepieces, some designs don’t become obsolete for decades. Scope models remain relevant for up to a decade, and sometimes longer. While you aren’t going to be making money, buying used saves you that initial drop in value, and limits your losses if you do need to get out of the hobby. - Used gear is (usually) field-proven.
A brand new piece of equipment, especially a scope, has not been under the stars. The first thing you wind up having to do is check collimation and star test it to see if you can discover any optical imperfections. Scopes that pass these star tests with flying colors tend to demand higher pricing, especially if the seller can prove it. Dr Clay is known for his Supercharge service, and scopes that have gone through the service tend to demand more money. The flip side of this is that you know how it will perform. If the seller has no proof of the performance of the equipment, then it is no different than buying the same scope new. Buying a new scope is a bit like the lottery, because you might get a good specimen, and you might not. You won’t know until it lands. - Used gear can be inspected before the sale.
While again, this doesn’t work if the seller is untrustworthy, this has been a huge benefit to me. You don’t have to buy used gear blind like you normally do with new gear. You can kick the tires to some extent, even if the seller is across the country. You can ask for pictures, inquire as to how it was treated and used. For scopes you can ask for images of defocused stars to do a ‘remote star test’ of a kind. You can get a feel for the true condition of the product before laying out the money for it.
Now, this might not be all the benefits, and there is always the trust pit-fall when it comes to buying equipment from an individual rather than a reputable dealer. But, I have found that buying used results in a cheaper set of gear at pretty much the same level of quality. Sure, it might have a couple blemishes or wear, but it is only cosmetic, and you can target only the sellers that sell pristine gear if it does bother you. As the optics have to be in good shape to deliver the promised performance, an amateur astronomer will usually do their best to keep lenses and other sensitive parts in good shape.
Now, I have not had bad luck with new gear. The ETX I had was in top shape and offered excellent optics. The 10″ Meade I have now looks like it might be one of the better specimens of the entire LX200R/LX200-ACF line with no inherent optical problems. Some of my cheaper gear I’ve had worse luck on, such as a 90-degree mirror diagonal that actually messes up the alignment of the scope’s optics.
Overall, I’d still recommend buying used, especially in the current economic climate. Some people selling are doing so in order to weather the storm, and I’d rather have my money going there. In addition, it is where you will start seeing more and more deals until the economy stabilizes and more people can afford this hobby again.
