Oscilloscope Pricing

aboroth00 · June 2011

I am trying to sell an oscilloscope for my father who was recently laid off as a technician and he's trying to sell some of his older equipment. He gave me an Iwatsu SS7840 which hasn't been calibrated in about 7 years, however it turns on and powers up okay. I can see the trace and am able to move it however I don't have any probes to test it further.

I posted it on ebay with an arbitrary price of 500$. I'm just wondering if there are any professionals in the crowd that can give me a better idea of the actual value of the item now so I can adjust my price accordingly.

Here's a link with specs http://www.testequipmentconnection.com/specs/Iwatsu_SS-7840.PDF

Thank you!

dorokusai · June 2011

It's unfortunately not worth much and if you sell it @ $500, consider yourself lucky even with/without calibration. It's a great tool to have handy for anyone that builds their own equipment, e.g amps, tube based gear and to check spec's on vintage stuff that one may pick up along the way. I have one for double checking spec's and tracking down board level problems although the final work goes to someone else.

I'd see if anyone here would like to pick it up at a reasonable price first. You can let it ride on eBay if you want but I'd lower the price to $250-$350 personally.

mrbigbluelight · June 2011

That is probably good advice, Doro. Just out of curriosity, got to googling that Iwatsu SS7840 and found some interesting (:eek:

) prices for that oscope.

Kang Rong Scientific Co, Ltd lists a used one for $1200
http://www.used-line.com/c6407245s43-Iwatsu_SS7840.htm

Metric Test lists a refurbed for $5500 ?!?! :eek::eek::eek:
http://www.used-line.com/c6349382s19-Iwatsu_SS7840.htm

Seems like the Iwatsu SS7840 has been discontinued and replaced by the Iwatsu SS7840A
List of Iwatsu Oscopes and Prices
http://www.tequipment.net/IwatsuPriceList.html

Hmmm .... sale on that Iwatsu SS7840A:
List $12747.15 Sale $10785.32

:eek::eek::eek:

Okay, so I'm getting really sidetracked again :redface: but we are talking an analog 4-channel oscope, right ?

Last time I used an oscope was in a projects lab; back then there goal was to get the "good" Techtronix (sp?) 100 Mhz scope vs the name-brand POS HP 200 Mhz scope. 2 channel stuff. So we're talking Daniel Boone stuff light years away from the digital scopes out now.

Doro's advice is probably on the money, but DarqueKnight might be able to quote you chapter and verse on that Iwatsu.

dorokusai · June 2011

I've used those sites for selling old scientific gear which I always search for on the used local market. The prices are in no way usable and I've dealt one of those companies specifically for other rental gear and asked my POC WTF. His statement to me was that it's moreso for rental leverage and to give the impression to the lessee that they're getting a bargain. Luckily, we had a different arrangement.

Thx MBL. I'm well versed in the use of almost any oscilliscope, spectrum analyzer, power meter, etc since I use them for work. DK has brought these common pieces of equipment to the head of the class here at Club Polk for sure.

mrbigbluelight · June 2011

Thanks for that explanation; looking at those sites and their locations (Taipei, Taiwan), gave me a gut feeling that something was out of whack.

You all surely have tons more experience with a lot later gear than we do here at the Einstein Institute for Advanced Thinking and Stuff.

Our last experiment consisted of hooking up a signal generator that the Electronics Department was tossing out, taking it home, hooking it up to an R15, and sweeping the spectrum.
Very many scientific observations were made that night !

Well .... Sort of. We mainly found the frequencies that would (1) make the cat curious (2) make the cat run away.
We didn't record any data, so we'll have to re-do that experiment in the future when we get another sig gen (there was a reason it was getting tossed).
And another cat. :redface:
No R15's were harmed, though.

Oscilloscope Pricing

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