Secondhand telescopes

[devdusty]

I notice that a lot of contributors to Stargazers Lounge seem to have secondhand telescopes. As my budget is limited for buying a new telescope,is it worth buying one secondhand.? Also where do you get them from and how can you be sure they are worth buying.?

I have contacted a number of telescope retailers and they only sell new products.

Any comments or advice will be gratefully received.

Thanks

Chris P

[paul mc c]

Every thing I own,inc 4 telescopes are all second hand,all bought on this forum and AB&S.

[Knighty2112]

Yep! AB&S is a good place to get 2nd hand Astro gear from. The scopes I’ve bought from there I normally go to inspect before I buy to make sure all is well, so if you can find something pretty local to you to do that then that’s probably the best bet.

http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?typechoice[]=Telescope-Refractor&titlechoice[]=For+Sale&statuschoice[]=Active&minprice=&maxprice=

[Sunshine]

11 of the 13 telescopes i have ever owned have been second and third hand scopes, this site is great for second hand scopes, and in this very forum there is a classified section also, you can save a bunch of money buying used and as long as you do your due diligence before buying (have a look at the scope, ask questions, try it out at night if possible) i have never had an issue.

http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/

[bobro]

OTA, Ha filter and camera lens via this forum. Mount, tripod and motors via Astrobuysell and DSLR via ebay. I was lucky in that all sellers were willing to post the equipment. Only slight issue was with the Ha filter which was rather old and not up to current standards. Saved a good deal of money and I will be happy to sell on when the time comes.

[Craney]

I have purchased several scopes second hand.....  SGL  and ABS.   I tend to avoid fleaBay as you get more scams (not all though to be fair...) and it tends to be a much safer bet to have a transaction with somebody with a genuine interest in astronomy ie. has a profile on here with a history of posting.

Gear owned by an 'enthusiast' is probably better bang for your buck as they have usually upgraded the weaker components or adapted it to suit a niche. This means you will get something that will out perform the standard model and saves you reaching for the cheque book the instant it arrives.... thinking, "this is a costly form of experiencial learning !!"...    Also, a person who loves good gear will look after it.

I would also think about how you are going to receive it as well......  optical components tend to be fragile and may not travel very well through the post...  collecting in person is usually a more secure method and you get to see and meet a version of your future self !!......

I have a mangled 8" F5 Newtonian to testify to 'handling issues" ....!!!

Hope it all works out for ya.

 

Sean

[Cosmic Geoff]

I've bought a number of second hand items. Collectively they saved me a wad of money and all were usable. With one or two bits of kit I had to do a bit of "sorting out" but after I sorted them, they were okay.

So it depends on your expectations.  BTW there is at least one dealer in the midlands who specializes in secondhand astro kit.  I bought from them.

I don't know your level of experience, but if you are a complete newbie, proceed with caution, as if you have little idea how a telescope kit works, you could be in trouble if you have to sort out one that needs minor repair or adjustment.

[Grumpy_Git]

There is also astroboot. Mostly "bits" but occasionally scopes and mounts.

 

I thought you couldn't use the classifieds on this site until you reach 50 posts?

[VNA]

Also most of my telescopes are second hand, two things to remember: you want to see and try the scope and particularly if electronics are involved, and of course check mirrors. Otherwise it can be a crap shoot sometime?

Have at least  some kind of return policy if it is not up to your satisfaction. You do save a lot of money, like used cars or boats, but for some reasons housing just keep going up and up!

[spillage]

My last two scope (130pds and quattro 8) were both second hand. Strangely both were only a few months old but much cheaper than a brand new one. The only items I have purchased brand new were my asi camera and baader cc (couldn’t find one sh).

[Louis D]

In the US, CN classifieds and AstroMart are the main two second-hand astro equipment markets.  I'm too cheap to pay AM's annual fee, so I stick with CN.  I've bought dozens of items over the years with no issues from there.  Ebay is fine if you buy new old stock or used from reputable dealers who don't maintain an ordinary web store.  Random ebay sellers tend to be selling estate sale finds they know nothing about.  Buyers tend to bid those items up well above typical used prices, especially considering the unknown condition, age, or ownership history.  However, these same sellers do occasionally offer some rare items that can be a bargain if you know what it really is.

Check the photos, ask about any blemishes, ask about the condition of mechanicals.  If something is missing in the photos like lens caps or original box, ask if they are included to avoid surprises or disappointment.  Use the 60% of current new price rule unless it's a rare item you absolutely must have.  This should include Paypal fees and shipping costs since new retailers don't charge for either here in the states (for the most part on small or expensive items).  Big items like Dobs need to be bought locally because shipping costs are prohibitive.  Craigslist is good for local deals here in the states.  Unfortunately, those sellers often think their items are worth 80% or more of new.  I take a pass on those deals because they just get mad if point out their overly optimistic pricing.  England is small enough that just about the entirety of it can be considered "local" (less than a 3 hour drive in my book).  This is a great advantage to UK buyers and sellers.  Meeting up in person is much easier than in the US.

[Demonperformer]

Buying second-hand is always a bit of a gamble.

If through SGL, see if the person has sold before. It is sometimes possible to work out who made a purchase previously from the comments in the 'for sale' ad. I have been known to PM such a person and enquire if (1) they did buy from x, and (2) was the product as expected [after use]. If a person was honest last time, it is a reasonable bet that they will be this time.

What sort of scope are you looking for?

[Pete Presland]

I have bought load of 2nd astronomy equipment, without any problems really. Google the seller to see if you can find an internet footprint, a lot of astronomers frequent places like here regularly. Minimum talk on the phone if possible, hopefully visit if distance is not a problem. 

[JonC]

A lot of my kit is 2nd hand, mainly from here. Its also worth keeping an eye on retailers that sell 2nd hand stuff as well, my refractor came from ENS optical and was a similar price to a private sale / ebay.

[swag72]

By and large, the folks involved in astronomy are an honest bunch.... they love their hobby and they love to help others enjoy it. To that end, buying from ABS and SGL is a pretty safe bet as long as you take the necessary precautions. I've travelled a couple of hours to collect a scope and paid cash for it once I've seen it. Most will positively encourage this type of approach for larger priced items as it saves postage (no one really likes sending a telescope through the post) and also makes sure that both sides are happy with the item.

Smaller items I've been happy to buy on here and send people money knowing that they will send the item to me. Once you've knocked around for a while you get to 'know' people and treat them as friends. 

Second hand is a good way to get good kit at a cheaper price.... where I can I'd purchase second hand with sensible precautions of course  

[geoflewis]

9 hours ago, devdusty said:

I have contacted a number of telescope retailers and they only sell new products.

Hi Chris, you could take a look at Telescope House in Surrey a long standing (since 1785), reputable dealer (formerly Broadhurst Clarkson and Fuller/BCF). They have a preowned section (https://www.telescopehouse.com/offers/preowned.html). When I started back in this hobby about 6 years ago I purchased a couple of scopes from them a C8, then a Meade 10" LX200 against which they gave me the full price I'd paid for the C8 as PX. They warreny their items for 3 months I think, but you'll probably pay a bit more than through a private sale as they have to charge VAT. I've also sold a few of items through them that way too, once for the widow of a local astronomer who didn't know what to do with all his gear and they were great to deal with.

Another commercial resource for pre-owned gear is ENS Optical (http://ensoptical.co.uk/). Again you'l probably pay a bit more than via a private sale, but I've bought some fairly high end gear (AP1200 mount, C14) from them without any issues, including PX as they took my 10" Meade LX200 as PX for the C14.

I've also used ABS both to sell and buy items privately, again with no issues.

In my experience, so long as you take reasonable precautions, I'd highly recommend pre-owned as a great way to acquire your astro equipment.

Good luck, Geof

[Demonperformer]

RVO also do a second-hand section.

[devdusty]

Thanks for all your comments and advice.

I am looking for a 80 mm Short focus refractor on an altazimuth mount.

Also I am a complete novice in regard to telescopes , so would need someone experienced to look at the telescope with me.

Chris P

[Knighty2112]

3 minutes ago, devdusty said:

Thanks for all your comments and advice.

I am looking for a 80 mm Short focus refractor on an altazimuth mount.

Also I am a complete novice in regard to telescopes , so would need someone experienced to look at the telescope with me.

Chris P

I am available at weekends for very reasonable hourly rates and travel expenses incurred!  

[LukeSkywatcher]

14 minutes ago, devdusty said:

Thanks for all your comments and advice.

I am looking for a 80 mm Short focus refractor on an altazimuth mount.

Also I am a complete novice in regard to telescopes , so would need someone experienced to look at the telescope with me.

Chris P

If you can get pics of the scope from the seller and post them here it would be easy to give advice. In particular you want to see what the optics are like. In the case of a refrac scope, that would be the glass objective at the front.