How To Sell Used Components To The Sound Well

We're always interested in buying your used stereo components — sometimes even if they are old or not working.

Here's How You Do It

Call or email us for a quote on the specific makes and models of gear you are selling (phone: 510-549-2126). Please let us know if you are local or not. We don't do a lot of long-distance buying, but sometimes it works out. Within a few days we can tell you which pieces we will buy and how much we will pay (presuming good to mint condition). These price quotes are good for two months. We will sometimes still buy gear if it's broken — but at a reduced value, to be determined after our checkout.

If our offer is acceptable, we need to have the gear about a week or two for a technical checkout. We take gear in to purchase by appointment when we're closed. We can meet you during the week from 10:00 a.m. until about 6:00 p.m. — remember, we're not normally in the shop on weekdays unless we're expecting you, so make sure to do it by appointment! Please don't show up with items to sell when we're open for walk-in retail on Saturday. Appointments on Saturday around 11:30 a.m., or right at closing at 3:00 p.m., often work well for us.

Whole Systems and Estate Sales

For entire systems and estate sales, we are willing to drive to your home for evaluation and purchase on the spot. We also offer, at our discretion, to sell higher-end pieces on consignment for clients. This typically nets you (the seller) more, but the payoff is delayed until we've actually sold the item. Consignment is generally limited to higher-end pieces with a resale value of at least $500 per component.

Payment and Paperwork

We will give you a detailed receipt listing the makes and model numbers of your items. One to two weeks after you've dropped the items off, we'll mail you a company check — presuming the gear checks out for the maximum original offer. We will call or email you back if for some reason the offer is lowered.

Providing owner's manuals and receipts will not usually enhance the value of the gear, but we certainly appreciate it if you have any. Having original factory remote controls, or factory cartons with custom styrofoam or cardboard inserts, will generally raise the value a little, and we will try to reflect that in our preliminary offer. Please give us as much detail as you can up front so we can make as accurate an estimate as possible!

Gear that gets lowered to zero value can be abandoned with us. We will either fix it for resale or take it to an electronics recycler. Note that the offer to recycle items is limited to component-grade pieces of audio gear — we are unable to recycle large console-style stereo sets from the 50s, unless we want to buy what's inside them, which is rare but not unheard of!

What We Need From You

We insist that all gear have serial numbers, and that you present a current permanent (picture) driver's license or passport for personal identification. We will not purchase any gear with serial numbers removed or obliterated. The paperwork takes about 10 minutes.

Large Items and Pickups

If you have large items or several pieces that you're unable to transport, we can sometimes pick up gear. Our willingness to pick gear up at your house quite honestly is determined by how desirable it is! Normally our initial offers are based on being able to take and test the equipment on instruments. If we are paying you on the spot, we generally offer less and at least need to do some basic tests in your home. We can also pick gear up if it involves an estate sale with lots of items.

All incoming pieces to buy are taken in by appointment only! Call 510-549-2126 or email sales@thesoundwell.com.