Start with age, ownership and why it is for sale

Before you ask a single question about sound quality, establish what you are actually looking at. Ask how long the seller has owned it, whether they bought it new, and how many homes it has lived in since. An amplifier that has spent fifteen years in a warm sitting room is a very different proposition to one pulled out of a damp garage. Ask about the environment too: smoke-free, pet-free, and ideally not a loft or shed where temperature swings do quiet damage to capacitors and drive units.

It is also worth asking why it is being sold. Genuine reasons abound — downsizing, upgrading, a partner who has run out of patience — but vague answers can be a warning. While you are at it, ask for the serial number and the exact model designation. Manufacturers often revise a model quietly, and knowing the revision helps you check specifications and spare parts availability.

Service history and the parts that wear out

"Recently serviced" is one of the most overused phrases in the second-hand market, so pin it down. Ask who carried out the work, when, and what was replaced. Ideally the seller has receipts showing part numbers. If the work was done at home, ask which components were changed and why.

What matters depends on the equipment. Valve amplifiers need output valves, rectifier valves and the electrolytic capacitors in the power supply checked periodically. Older transistor amplifiers often benefit from new power supply capacitors and a bias check. Turntables need belts, idler wheels or lubrication, and the stylus is a consumable with unknown hours on it. Speakers are the most commonly neglected: foam surrounds perish, crossover capacitors drift, and ferrofluid in some tweeters dries out. Ask specifically about these and listen carefully to the answers.

Request photographs that actually tell you something

Stock photos tell you nothing. Ask for fresh, well-lit images of the actual item, taken in daylight, with grilles removed where possible. For speakers, that means a straight-on shot of each drive unit, plus a close-up of the dust cap and surround. You are looking for creases, dents, discoloured cones, pushed-in dust caps and any sign of amateur repair.

For amplifiers and receivers, ask for the rear panel and the speaker terminals. Corrosion, cracked plastic, missing binding posts or scorch marks around mains inlets all point to a hard life. Ask for close-ups of every cosmetic flaw the seller has mentioned — and ask directly whether there are any they have not. Corners, veneer chips, water rings on wooden plinths and scratches on fascia glass are all fixable or liveable, but you should know about them before you travel. A seller who sends a dozen clear photographs is usually a seller worth dealing with.

Ask about known faults and how they were treated

Every used item has quirks, and honest sellers will list them. Ask about hum from the transformer, crackle when turning volume or selector knobs, channel imbalance, intermittent relay clicks, and any noise that comes and goes. Turntables deserve questions about speed stability, wow and flutter, and arm bearing play. Tape decks warrant questions about sticky mechanisms and worn pinch rollers.

Then ask whether the unit has been used regularly or stored unused. Equipment that has sat idle for years often develops problems on first power-up, particularly in the power supply. Ask what the seller would fix if they were keeping it. If the answer is "nothing at all", be a little sceptical — very few pieces of older kit are genuinely perfect.

Original packaging, accessories and paperwork

Original boxes are more than nostalgia. Proper foam inserts and a double-boxed carton are the difference between a turntable arriving intact and arriving in pieces, and having the original packaging adds real value if you ever sell on. Ask whether the box is the original, whether the internal packing is complete, and whether the seller is willing to double-box it for a courier.

Accessories matter too. Ask about remote controls, dust covers and hinges, counterweights, anti-skate weights, spare styli, mains leads with the correct UK plug, and the manual. Replacing a missing proprietary remote can cost more than the item itself in some cases. If the seller still has the original receipt, that is a bonus worth asking about.

Practical questions before you hand over the money

Finally, sort out logistics before you commit. Ask whether you can audition it, and whether you can bring your own music — or even your own amplifier and speakers if matching is a concern. Check impedance and sensitivity figures against your existing kit if you are buying speakers or a power amplifier. Ask whether collection is possible, and if not, who insures the parcel and what happens if it arrives damaged.

Agree the payment method and the returns position before money changes hands, and pay in a way that offers some protection where you can. Test both channels at low volume first, then at a sensible level, and listen for anything that only appears after ten minutes of warming up. If something feels off, walk away. There is always another example, and the best buys are the ones where the seller answers your questions without hesitation.