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Re: [Worship] Mikes N Keyboards
Jonathan Hosack writes:
>3) Is it worth shopping for used equipment at pawn shops, or is that
>being too risky?
Pawn shops can be a worthwhile resource, *IF* you have done your homework
and already have a pretty good idea of what you want. You can find some
really good deals if you know what to look for and are willing to wade
through mountains of absolute junk to find it. But don't buy something
unless you already know what it is, and make sure you can return it if it
doesn't work.
Items I have found at pawn shops include: my main worship leading guitar
(Yamaha cutaway electric-acoustic w/ active electronics) - $150;
most of our church's stage monitor system (4 Peavey speakers, Carvin 200w
power amp w/eq) - around $280 total; a Sony 3-head cassette mastering
deck for $30 (which needed some repairs, but was still more than worth
it); and many Christian music CD's.
On the other hand, a lot of shops have a pretty good handle on the market
value of the items they take in, and don't offer much of a savings. If
you are only going to save a small amount at the pawn shop, I would
probably pay the extra money and get a new, warrantied item instead.
Bottom line for me is: pawn shops are mostly valuable for the occasional
spectacular deal, not as a means of saving a few dollars over a new
purchase.
Hope this helps.
Tim Barber
tsbarber@juno.com
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