subject: Used Marimbas Can Be More Trouble Than They're Worth [print this page] My roommate had a marimba in college, and I often played it, but after graduation the marimba was right up there on the list of things I missed (along with the parties and friends). I had no idea how much a marimba could cost until I started searching for one! I was surprised and upset to learn that the marimba with the octave range I wanted cost anywhere over $8000. That simply was not in my budget, so I decided to buy one used. If I could find a good deal on a used marimba, I would be able to use the money I save more wisely; like on beer and sport games.
Sounds good, but tough to execute. I encountered a lot of problems along the way, and I decided to share them so if you ever look for a used marimba, you'll know what to watch out for.
It's important to gather the basic information like the age of the marimba, its previous owners, etc. It also helps to know why the owner is selling it. For example, a musician that got married and moved into a new house, and is selling it because he hasn't the time to play it or room to store it, will be a better purchase. He will be able to tell you what's wrong with the instrument, if there is anything that needs to be replaced, but overall being a musician he probably took better care of the marimba. On the other hand if it's an odd sale by someone that just gained possession of the marimba through a family member and is now selling it for a bit of a profit, will know little about it, and may also try to hide any imperfections. All this by the way you can find out over the phone just by asking how long they had it, and why they're selling.
When you drive out to see the used marimba, look for:
- Missing or broken parts
- Mismatched colors, like parts have been replaced
- Listen to how it sounds
- Touch the parts, to make sure they're well secured
- Wheel it around a bit, the vibration will quickly highlight any damaged parts
And make sure you can bring it back to your house without problems.
Don't be pressured by any aggressive sales tactics, because there are no refunds on a used marimba through a private sale. So make sure the item you have you're happy with
You can also consider buying a used marimba online, rather than locally.
I cannot recommend that option. I got to see a lot of crap as I was driving around the city, searching for a good used marimba. Sometimes the sellers were trying to mislead me, other times, it was just different from the classified ad. I imagine that online it will be similar, but with more headache.
Do not buy anything you cannot see, feel and hear.
In fact, after not finding a decent deal, I just made my own marimba! There were those marimbas that clearly were broken or missing components and needed repair that were selling at a "fair" price and there were those that were in a decent or good conditions that were significantly overpriced. So for me it just made more sense to make a marimba instead of buying a used one. It took me just under a week, and under $600 for a 5-4 octave marimba.
Used Marimbas Can Be More Trouble Than They're Worth
