Buying 2nd hand from someone who kept the original box (and even better didn’t peel the protective film off) gives me the sense that they took better care of it than someone who immediately took it out, ripped the film off and threw out the manual, box etc
It’s not foolproof. Some 2nd hand things with OG box are still badly looked after, but it definitely can point to someone taking care of the thing.
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Yeah, I’d buy this if the guy had the box. But since he doesn’t, I’d have to take it on trust that he’s looked after it well:
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I always feel assured when the item has the original box. One for posting and secondly it’s just a psychological thing. I often return items to their boxes if I swap around my set up. I have made exceptions though for cheaper or rare items.
I face this dilemma yesterday. I’ve been wanting buy an Analog Heat MK2. And the options available yesterday were boxless or pay another £170 for a brand new one… So, now I’m in receipt of a mint condition AH, that despite being without the regular box was very well packaged. I made the right choice…
Thats insane. I dont understand someone defacing something like that so badly.
So much money to spend then just wreck it.
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I keep all my boxes, lots of the time you can fit boxes inside other boxes to save storage
I covered an iMac box in clear tape with pictures and have used it as a kind of suitcase for a decade, it survived checked in baggage internationally
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This is where we’re headed.
A whole marketplace just for gear boxes.
I’ve probably thrown away a small fortune.
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Exactly.
(Just to re-iterate; I am not really trying to sell an empty box!)
My Digitakt box is currently full of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Works great.
Locks in freshness and flavor. 
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Maybe its a false equivalency but I always took it as a sign that people took care of their stuff. It was a thing when I started buying gear 10 years ago. Personally, I would never pay more because of it but if it was a choice between two of the same item priced within a few dollars of each other I always bought the one with the box.
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I first staryed buying gear about 25 years ago, and I’m not sure if I just didn’t care, but it didn’t feel like having the original box was a selling point or desirable at all. This was also just before online retail really felt comfortable.
I think I mentioned it a while back, but I think it’s also party attributed to packaging design being more interesting these days. I mean, the new Elektron boxes as an example, are not just basic brown cardboard with some stuff on them like some of my first gear purchases. They look great and are generally well thought out, or at least thought out to some degree.
I feel like if they weren’t, having boxes wouldn’t be as big of a deal, to be honest.
Could be! That is one reason I’ll still buy physical media from an artist I like (ie; if the cover art is good, frameable poster etc).
To me if a seller keeps the original box , it shows there was potentially more care given to the item i am purchasing (not always of course). I find it a good rule of thumb. Plus it also gives me the enjoyment of opening it in the way the instrument designer wanted. Which is a bit sad , but true.
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I prefer always to have the original box. As a second hand book/record/movie/toy etc. seller I know that having a record without the sleeve is worthless and that old Star Wars toys with their boxes fetch a lot more money than loose ones. It makes complete sense to me. People who destroy/lose original boxes seem like complete slobs to me, sorry.
In other news: There’s a guy who’s selling a Boss RC-505 for a very competent price (265€) locally. The ad says it’s in great condition but it also says that it does not include the power supply. The included pictures also tell a different story. It’s filthy, not to mention the included toenail. I wish it had the original packaging. I really want an RC-505, but I’m not sure I want this particular one.
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A record without it’s sleeve isn’t worthless, but maybe a record that was worthless to begin with is still worthless without a sleeve. I’ve bought plenty (100’s) without original sleeves, but they certainly add to the experience, especially with records with classic artwork.
Maybe you should look into Discogs for reselling them.
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I see a lot of synths ‘ in good condition’ but the photos show it covered in dust and grime.
It takes very little effort to keep something clean / clean it before taking photos.
Unless it’s a cheap item that unlikely to hold value ( like a volca or something ) I typically only buy if it had full retail packaging. … though I do have a rytm without box… unsure why. Though it is immaculate otherwise.
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Also, potentially, they could have dumped a cheesy Gordita crunch supreme on it, put it back in the box and sold it to you.
I picture people who save boxes more like hoarders. Rooms full of unnecessary packaging from all manner of goods. I could be wrong.
I take equally good care of my gear, box or no. It all gets used while it’s out of the box and on the desk anyway.
I’ve been buying Decksavers for all my stuff since that caught on. To me, that’s more of a sign of someone taking care of their stuff, and is an added value.
When I was younger I couldn’t afford anything. Buying now with original box gives me some of the “new” experience I couldn’t afford then.
Also though some packaging is “just a box” others are more design oriented and give interesting insights into the marketing and times of the gear inside.
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A look in the garage of the average Elektronaut in his/her mid 40’s
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wow.
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