Selling your trombone: consignment or direct sale?
If you're thinking about selling a trombone, there are two ways I can help: I buy it from you directly, or I sell it on your behalf on consignment. Both make sense — just not in the same situation. Here's how I think about it.
Selling directly to me — how it works
You tell me what you have, I have a look, I play it, and I make you an offer. If the price works for you, the trombone changes hands and you have the money. No waiting, no back-and-forth with strangers, no stress about shipping a valuable instrument to someone you've never met.
My offer will be lower than what you might eventually get through consignment or a private sale. When I buy outright, I'm taking on the risk of how long it takes to sell, what prep work it needs, and where the market sits when I list it. The price reflects that. What you get in return is certainty and speed.
This works best when your trombone has a clear market value. Solid production models in good condition, reliable brands with consistent demand — a clean 88H, a recent Shires or Edwards, a mouthpiece with steady demand. I can price these fairly and move quickly. If your trombone needs a lot of context to justify the number, direct sale gets more complicated.
Trombone consignment — how it works
Your trombone stays yours until it sells. I handle the listing, the photos, the description, the inquiries, the sale, and the shipping. Once it's sold, I pay you out.
This makes more sense when the instrument is genuinely special — a rare vintage piece like a Conn 70H, a serious custom setup, something that needs the right buyer rather than just any buyer. A MV Bach, a specific Thein configuration, an Elkhart-era instrument in original condition: these don't move the same way a production model does. They need context, and they need the right audience.
What I can do on consignment that a private listing usually can't: I know who's looking for what. I can describe the horn accurately because I've played it — how it sits in the low register, how the valve action compares to other examples I've had, who it suits and who it probably doesn't. Buyers purchasing sight-unplayed make their decision on exactly this kind of description. That's often what makes the difference between a horn sitting for months and selling to the right person at a fair price.
And I have a waiting list for lots of models of trombones! Nearly 20 years of networking aren't completely useless.
The downside is simple: it takes time. Sometimes a few weeks, sometimes longer. And until it sells, there's no payout. If you have a concrete timeline — another instrument already lined up, a purchase to fund — that's worth thinking about before we go the consignment route.
How to decide which one makes sense
The most useful question is usually: how soon do you need the money? If the sale is funding something else with a deadline, direct purchase is probably cleaner. If you can wait and the instrument deserves it, consignment usually gets you more.
After that, think about what you're selling. If it has clear, comparable market value, I can make a fair direct offer without much fuss. If it's unusual — a rare configuration, a collector piece, something that needs an informed buyer — I'd rather take my time and sell it properly on consignment than make a quick offer that doesn't reflect what it's actually worth.
I'm not going to push you one way before I've seen the instrument. What you have, what condition it's in, how active the demand is, and what you need from the sale — all of that matters. That's what the first conversation is for.
Questions I get asked a lot
Do you buy used trombones directly?
Yes. Send me the details — model, condition, what you're looking for — and I'll come back with an honest assessment. If it's something I can sell on, we'll find a number that works.
How much can I get for my trombone?
Depends on the instrument. Condition, model, how active the demand is right now. I can give you a realistic sense once I know what you have. What I won't do is throw out an inflated number to get you interested and adjust it later.
How long does trombone consignment take?
It varies. A horn with a clear target audience — a well-known vintage model, a recognisable custom setup — can move quickly. Something more unusual might take a few months. I'll tell you upfront what I think is realistic.
Which trombones do you take on consignment?
Vintage instruments, serious custom setups, high-end production models. If it's something I'd want in my own collection or something I know my audience is actively looking for, it's probably a good fit.
If you're thinking about selling, get in touch and we'll work out what makes sense.
