Posted by Gus Pratt on June 06, 2003 at 14:05:21:
In Reply to: Selling a customized horn posted by Keith C. on June 06, 2003 at 09:34:18:
It all depends on the quality of work and what the modification is. If the modification looks stock then most people would consider it an asset. It also depends on whether the prospective buyer would consider it an asset. For instance, if a person would have the lacquer removed from their horn to make it sound better it would likely be considered by many as a detractant, because the horn no longer looks like a new horn. Those modifications that anyone can tell improves the horn, like adding a fifth valve, tuning triggers, changing receivers, etc. would probably add value. Those "improvements" that can only be discerned by a person that has played that horn in the before and after codition probably won't add value. Things like cryro treatment, lacquer removal, add strips of brass to the bell, etc would probably fit in this condition.
In an ideal world a horn would fetch a price based on how it plays only. If you were to take a 20J, put an upright bell to it, and change it to front action, and it were to play like a Yorkbrunner then in an ideal world it should be worth the value of a Yorkbrunner. But in a real world it would be worth 1/5th the value.