Agilent Premium Equipment Store on eBay - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: rfbroadband
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 30, 2013, 03:41:26 am
content: I would like to encourage everyone interested in used equipment to check out Agilent's premium equipment store on eBay. They offer almost new, slightly used equipment incl. cal certificates at huge discounts of up to 70% of list price. Examples are the Agilent Arb 33522 that has a list price of 3,200 US$ is offered for 2,100 US$ and they accept offers below their asking price. The equipment is shipped directly out of Agilent's factory in Malaysia (at no cost for the buyer). You have to be somewhat patient and watch the store ~ once per week to find equipment that fits your need.Most of the equipment is still very expensive, but if you are patient and with some luck you may find what you need, more or less brand new at 70% discount.....http://www.ebay.com/sch/agilentused/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25&_trksid=p2053788Good Luck

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2013, 03:17:15 pm
content: Yep, just got my MSOX2024A from them! Came in 2.5 weeks and is like new and was almost half the retail price.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2013, 03:27:05 pm
content: The premium used provide a full warranty and so are worth going for.The other used items only seem to offer 7 days right of return but are listed at relatively high prices i.e. about 55 to 65% of new (i.e. a discount of only 35 to 45%), these seem to be less of a bargain especially if they contain options that you don't really need like GPIB. It is clearly good that they are checked over by Agilent first but if something goes after 8 days it looks like you're on your own. I guess that they are traded in items so are probably a few years old.You also need to remember that the prices are ex VAT (or other taxes) but postage is often free.I've been looking at that function generator and even put in a (low) offer which was rejected (they have had about 5 to sell but are now down to 1). In UK £ it works out at around £1600 inc VAT. Single channel versions of it selling on e-bay have gone in the range £500 to £800. Of course these are of lower spec but comparing original list prices they would scale up to around £800 to £1200 so you pay a premium buying from Agilent for which you get it checked as working but no warranty beyond the first seven days.

author: maiakaat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2013, 04:46:55 pm
content: I'm not sure the warranty would hold up to UK and EU law, for starters you have distance selling regulations of 14 days, for a manufacturer to provide no warranty I wouldn't buy them at virtually any price, that is terrible, but then I notice that the EBay sellers can get away with a lot more in other locations.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 30, 2013, 09:11:58 pm
content: Good luck getting a UK law to apply to an agreement through a US platform with a US seller with a product shipping from Malaysia.

author: jmole
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2013, 09:13:42 pm
content: I picked up an MSOX2024A as well. Got it for $1900, with an Agilent 5 year warranty, and even had them expedite the shipping for free (I was going to be out of town during their original ship window), so I got it in about 7 days.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2013, 09:21:36 pm
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on April 30, 2013, 08:55:44 pmI am not a legal expert, but this is the sale of second-hand goods from an overseas supplier (I guess they are separate from Agilent proper).I just e-mailed them and asked directly if there was any warranty beyond the 7 days and they promptly responded withIs there any warranty on the item beyond the 7 days right of return period?No other warranty. Best regards,So they clearly don't think there is.But you are right that they are covered by the Sales of Goods act which means the goods mustbe of satisfactory qualify (as assessed by a reasonable person, bearing in mind the items are second-hand), as described by the seller and fit for purpose.So you're covered for a fault that is present when you buy it. But if it develops a fault in say a month, and it is three years old, then it is hard to argue that this is unusual and the goodswere faulty when you made the purchase. This is particularly the case as they calibrate the goods before delivery, which is good for knowing they are ok but also means they can argue that any faults developed later and are not out of line with a product that is a few years old. Note that they don't describe the products as refurbished and they don't state the age. (Premium Used models are described as refurbished.)

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2013, 09:25:59 pm
content: Quote from: jmole on April 30, 2013, 09:13:42 pmYes - these scopes were sold as "Premium Used" (used to be "CertiPrime") so have the original Agilent warranty.The site sells two sorts of products. "Premium Used" with good warranty (generally newer Agilent products) and just "Used" (generally older and discontinued Agilent products) which have no warranty beyond the 7 days right of return.Even with the 7 days right of return you have to pay for the return postage which would not be cheap going back to Malaysia!The slightly annoying thing is that the "Used" are not any cheaper than the "Premium Used" at least not as far as I can see from looking at a few examples.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2013, 07:07:28 am
content: Quote from: jpb on April 30, 2013, 09:21:36 pmThat's a UK law, but you're not buying from a UK based supplier.If you were buying through a UK-based distributor then the Sale of Goods act would apply to them, and you'd get the benefit - but you're not. Nobody you deal if you buy one of these instruments is based in the UK.For what it's worth, I received excellent support from Agilent when the VGA module in my 'agilentused' 3000X arrived faulty... a brand new one arrived in the post a week after I reported the problem, no questions asked. I really couldn't ask for better backup than that, full marks.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2013, 08:28:39 am
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on May 01, 2013, 07:07:28 amIt is a slightly gray area I think. Agilent has a UK presence and I was directed to the web store by Agilent UK. The delivery channel is the same as their other products - they add VAT rather than it being an import duty I think. It is unlikely to be tested in court, but that doesn't mean there isn't a valid case to be argued.It sounds as if you got good service but presumably that was within the 7 days as it arrived faulty, the test would be how they respond if something goes wrong after a month. They might be very good about it but there is probably little that can be practically done by an individual customer should Agilent decide that the part was not faulty when delivered.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2013, 08:39:35 am
content: They add VAT because VAT is payable on anything imported to the UK from outside the EU - Malaysia, in this case. I'm not sure what the duty rate is on T&M equipment, maybe it's zero or it was included anyway as part of the purchase price.If you didn't actually buy through Agilent UK, then I think you'd struggle to show that UK law is applicable to that transaction. Let's hope nobody need go to the trouble of finding out.My scope was sold as refurbished with warranty, so I never expected any difficulty in that respect - I was just pleasantly surprised by the quality of service.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2013, 11:49:29 am
content: I bought an MSOX2024A from the ebay store as well, and am happy with it.For the Aussies: I was talking to Charles from Trio Smartcal and I think they can match any price on the EBay site.So I would get a quote of them as well. That way you get the local distributor service.The other thing is, if you want any upgrades you might be able to get them cheaper if you get them when you buy. I missed this chance. I dont know who or how you ask for upgrades but I think it is possible.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2013, 03:32:39 pm
content: A lot of people have been expressing satisfaction with recent scope purchases from the store but I think these are all Premium Used (previously CertiPrime) items that were listed as refurbished and with warranty.There has been less feedback from anyone buying standard Used which effectively has no warranty.Though they allow you to search the store on the basis of type and do advertise the advantages of Premium Used when you select one of those items, they don't highlight the lack of warranty on the standard Used items.I think this is confusing - people are likely to hear from others that they bought a scope (say) which had 5 year warranty and was as good as new, then go on the Agilent store and assume that all products carry similar terms and conditions when in fact there is a huge difference between the two classes.

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2013, 10:00:29 pm
content: Quote from: jpb on May 01, 2013, 03:32:39 pmAgilent clearly states the specific details of the product in the auction listing. If people get confused it's because they did not read.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2013, 01:30:15 pm
content: Quote from: ben_r_ on May 01, 2013, 10:00:29 pmThis is not entirely true with regard to warranty. For Used equipment they state that there is a 7 day right of return. They make no statement regarding warranty.On Premium Used they do state the warranty.I would say that to "clearly state" the details they should do just that i.e. say there is no warranty beyond the 7 day right of return. I had to e-mail them to get a clear statement.With most e-bay listings you don't expect a warranty unless it is explicitly stated but with an official Agilent store, and one where many products are advertised with the full original warranty, expectations are likely to be different.As an aside they are a bit careless on listings anyway, they are currently listing the 30MHz waveform generator with a headline figure of 80MHz, they do have the correct figure further down.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2013, 07:22:39 pm
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on May 02, 2013, 06:04:48 pmAll this would cover you for faults in the instrument when it arrived, and the 7 day right of return would cover that anyway. Agilent by calibrating the instruments before supplying are covering themselves against such faults.You would have no right of redress over faults that developed later as the item would have been just as described and as it is second hand and a few years old you couldn't really argue that it was not of merchantable quality in the same way as you could if it was new.It is a different situation to that of a travel company going bust or there being a hidden fault that was present at the time of sale.I don't want to make too much of this as Agilent is a reliable brand and if the used item passes calibration it is probably going to keep working for many years. Equally if things do go they are probably not cheap to repair (unless you can do it yourself).

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2013, 08:51:23 pm
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on May 02, 2013, 06:04:48 pmYou are very correct. And the Paypal time period for a dispute is 45 days (and sometimes they will stretch that further too) which means you could as a seller potentially have to take a return and have the payment refunded to the buyer anytime within that 45 days regardless of what was stated in the auction or forum classified listing or anything else for that matter. The real sad part is just because the buyer sent a return shipment doesnt mean what they sent back was the correct item or even an item at all, yet Paypal will still side with the buyer and refund the payment leaving the seller burned. No matter what there are still plenty of ways to get ripped off online.

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2013, 10:49:50 pm
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on May 02, 2013, 09:00:09 pmOh HA HA HA thats just hilarious. Jeez... Well thought out there. And Im sure tons of low life scammers willing to take advantage of individual people are doing this to others quite often. Sad, just sad.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2013, 08:18:10 am
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on May 02, 2013, 09:00:09 pmPerhaps things are different for big companies. If an individual sells an item it is probably a one off and if e-bay/paypal upset them and they go away then e-bay/paypal don't care much, it is not going to affect their business.On the other hand, the Agilent ebay store sells a lot of large high value items that it manufactured itself even though they are used. If some buyer was to try and claim that the Agilent product that they had bought from the Agilent ebay store was a fake I think even e-bay/paypal would tend to side with the seller rather than the buyer.As with most of life, it is the little guy who is ripped off as they can't afford lawyers.E-bay has been trying to move more into the main stream product sales as Amazon marketplace has started to compete. In the UK in the run up to Christmas they ran a big tv advertising campaign implying that e-bay was the place to go for new stuff. They are probably keen for larger companies to sell through them to change their image from the place to go for cheap second hand stuff to being a general retail portal like Amazon. A lot of people would feel ok about buying presents from Amazon but would think it a bit cheapskate to buy presents from e-bay, e-bay would like to change that.

author: Yaksaredabomb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2013, 05:17:14 pm
content: Sometimes they do offer good deals, and I've had my eye on them for a few weeks now hoping for a 2000-X series to be posted. They finally did and it seems almost a joke:Agilent MSOX2022A Mixed Signal Oscilloscope200 MHz. 2 Channels Plus 8 Digital Ch. - Incl. LAN/VGAhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/Agilent-MSOX2022A-Mixed-Signal-Oscilloscope-/190846832255?pt=BI_Oscilloscopes&hash=item2c6f5b8e7f#ht_1524wt_1161$2700 USD.New, it's about $2950 (scope) + $400 (option). There's a sale for BOGO options so lets say the option is worth $250 new to be friendly. $500 savings / $3200 new is only 15% off!And not even "Premium Used" either - in fact, it seems the furthest thing from it. No mention of a warranty that I could find, and only 7-day right of return. Further - the listing says no accessories so I wouldn't bet on probes being included! They aren't in the pics. Only says it passed self-cal.I had been writing the seller through ebay to ask about their stock. Oliver said "I currently have a MSOX2022A which is being calibrated. As soon as this is ready I will list this scope." So, maybe the listing is overly conservative to avoid complaints. Or maybe the particular scope Oliver mentioned isn't the same one as in the listing - and a second posting will be up soon.In any case - certainly don't assume you're going to get a great deal with Agilent on ebay. No way would I give up so much to save only 15%, no matter how pressed my budget might be.You can make an offer substantially lower and they may accept it, as some have posted, but it's your call if such a weak offering is even worth half what they're asking. I suppose in certain situations it could make sense.

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2013, 05:44:12 pm
content: Quote from: jneumann on May 28, 2013, 05:17:14 pmYea I saw that listing too and thought it HAD to be a pricing error. That one is WAY out of the ballpark seeing as how Premium Used MSOX2024A's were going for $1850. Keep watching though, Im sure some better deals will pop up.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2013, 06:13:41 pm
content: I've been watching the store for a while, looking for a signal generator and have made a couple of lowish offers which were declined.I've also noticed that on multiple offerings (e.g. 4 for sale) in the history you can see which offers have been accepted. I now have a fairly good ideaas to what discounts are standard.There are two types of product they sell.ThePremium Used(was CertiPrime) are less than three years old, have been tested and refurbished if need be and carry afull warrantyandcan have options added. According to the web-site, these are typically offered at20%off.Thestandard usedproducts seem to be offered at around40%off, but these carryno warrantyother than a 7 day right of return. They are tested in the sense ofbeing calibrated but not the extensive testing the premium prime are given, no options can be added but they often come with options already fitted.They are open to offers which may go as much as 55% off (for used), i.e. a 3 year old item might be listed at 60% but then be sold at the 45-50% level. At the lower endof this range they might or might not accept the offer, and if you want your offer to be accepted I'd pitch it at around 50% for used. For Premium Used they seem to haveoccasional big batches they want to get rid of, like they had a lot of MSOX2022As a little while back, and so are willing to discount them down to around 65%. (Farnell bought someand were reselling them at 75% so Agilent must have sold them for less than that.)Personally I think their prices are generally rather high but possibly worth it for the reassurance of buying something checked by Agilent. For a three year old used item with no warrantyI think a fair price is nearer to 40% than 60% and for a Premium Used item I think anything above 75% is getting too near buying new especially as you may get some sort of discountfrom a dealer. For comparison, Agilent waveform generators sold in the UK on e-bay seem to have gone for anything from 40% to 55% of new (the 55% level for one that was almostnew). The other thing to bear in mind with used is that the fitted options may be of no interest like perhaps a GPIB interface, yet they add to the original list price.

author: Fezder
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2013, 06:32:38 pm
content: when i saw those prices, my heart skipped a beatgeez...but, quality is expensive! and you get what you pay for eh?

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2013, 10:23:15 pm
content: I think if you get an upgradeable scope such as the 2000 or 3000 series you probably want the 4 channel version. You can upgrade most stuff if you want to but not the number of channels.

author: rfbroadband
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2013, 04:05:58 am
content: just as a reference point. I purchased equipment at the Agilent store with discounts as high as 65%. Units arrived in just a few days in excellent, like new quality.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2013, 04:14:41 am
content: Quote from: HackedFridgeMagnet on May 01, 2013, 11:49:29 amSome of the ebay prices are really good. If Charles can match that then I'd certainly jump at it!

author: rfbroadband
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2013, 04:19:48 am
content: this works for US as well. Go find the unit you like on the Agilent ebay store and contact your local distributor. It is likely they can match the price. (That's how I got a huge discount on the MSOX3054)

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2013, 03:39:33 pm
content: Local reseller matching the price of an Agilent Premium Used item? How do they do that? They have access to Agilent refurbs too? Or are they just selling you the same ones Agilent is?

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2013, 03:51:01 pm
content: I just tried it in the UK and it didn't work at all. But perhaps it is not a fair comparison as the refurb site is selling used 3 years old and the local agent is selling ex demo around a year or two old or new. Still the difference was significant - more than 60% more.It must also depend on which items they are keen to shift.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2013, 11:27:42 pm
content: Charles said IIRC that they had access to the goods listed on the premium site but at a standard distributors discount. So you get the same price and the distributor gets the margin and ebay gets nothing. The exact same units would still need to be shipped from Malaysia to the distributor.But obviously what you dont get is the chance to make an ebay offer.What you should get in return is local service and a local return to base on your warranty.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2013, 03:16:30 pm
content: Just an observation of the pot-luck on prices on the Agilent store.I had been following the Agilent 33522A on the store for several months (they seem to sell one every two weeks)http://www.home.agilent.com/en/pd-1871286-pn-33522A/function-arbitrary-waveform-generator-30-mhzthis was on at $2200 and they accepted offers down to $1800 (I offered up to $1750 so missed out - but given that this was well above my comfortable budgetI'm not too disappointed).They are now selling the Agilent 33220Ahttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Agilent-33220A-Function-Arbitrary-Waveform-Generator-20-MHz-incl-Opt-001-/190885495896?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c71a98458for $2000 which is only 10% less but this is a 1 channel vs 2 channel, only has 64k of memory vs 16M, goes up to only 20MHzinstead of 30MHz and has a sample rate of only 50MS/s as apposed to 250MS/s it is also only 14bit as apposed to 16bit. It also does not have Truform so cannot dothe loops etc for the arbitrary waveforms with the choice of filters that the 33522A has. For the same reason it cannot change the sample rate.As a comparative value proposition it seems to me that you're getting about 1/3 of the value for a mere 10% reduction in cost. Given that the 33522As only sold a the rate of one every two weeks it will be interesting to see how quickly, if at all, the 33220A sells especially since it compares very unfavorably to say the Rigol DG4062 or the Siglent DG5000 series exceptfor total harmonic distortion and perhaps build quality.My main point is that you can get very good value for money from the Agilent store, but you need to pick your way through offers which are not at all value for money (in my opinion of course)

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2013, 03:33:25 pm
content: it's the same thing with apple refurb store : there are machines that comes from client returns, and also machines that has been repaired too long and that the client didnt wanted any more.and you have rebates from 10% to 40% without any explaination... you have to guess if it will be a good machine for you or not.my thought : buy it, debug it intensely, and if there is any (small) trouble) return it...

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2013, 07:18:12 pm
content: Quote from: jpb on August 22, 2013, 03:16:30 pmWow, I got a two year old 33220A used for $750. Its in perfect condition and even came in the factory box and the serial checked out with Agilent just fine as well. I see them go for under $900 all the time on the US eBay.

author: microwave68
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 25, 2013, 11:45:36 pm
content: As a old RF engineer that has been using Agilent equipment for a long time I have to say that I am rather displeased with the way Agilent is going over the last 10 years for various reasons:First thing that I don't like is the fact that most of the later model equipment seems to be coming from Malaysia and Singapore , the quality of the equipment is also not quite as good anymore as it used to be back in the HP days and the entire service philosophy has changed too , no more schematics only big and expensive exchange modules !The only way you can really afford to own a late model piece of equipment is by buying a extended warranty and upon expiration a repair agreement which keeps you save as long as agilent decides to support the equipment you bought but as soon as they decide that your unit is EOS than you are screwed !

author: Fezder
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2013, 10:52:21 am
content: so much of customer service eh?...

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2013, 04:28:46 pm
content: Man I cant remember the last thing I kept until it was EOF. I upgrade every chance I get minimizing loss on the resale and keeping me up to date with the latest and greatest. That being said, its not like anyone else is providing better or longer support for their products, so while Agilent may not be the same as they once were as far as how long they will support a product, they are still one of the best options out there.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2013, 04:47:42 pm
content: Quote from: microwave68 on August 25, 2013, 11:45:36 pmagilent has had that fab in malaysia since 1968 !singapore is NOT a fab. it is a service / assembly center. the only reason it exists is the US gorvernment will (would) not buy equipment made in malaysia for political reason. so they shipped it to singapore in subassemblies , did final assembly there and slapped sticker 'made in singapore' on it. problem solved.QuoteYou really think you can fix a subassembly made in the last 10 years , even if you would have the schematic ? they are full of asic's and custom programmed chips. you don't stand a chance... if it's anythin beyond a trivial defect like a blown fuse a bad solder joint your are s-o-lNot agilents fault. if you want to remain cuting edge that is the way to design products. all the other brands do it too ( or would if they could afford it) . sign of the times. roll with it. we are no longer in the individual transistors in a socket and thru hole 1/2 watt resistor era .... its almost 2014. the world has moved on. no point in crying over spilled milk ... flush it , all of it , and get fresh wholesome milk!

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 27, 2013, 05:40:30 pm
content: The low power bench power supplies (eg. U8002) would probably be fairly straightforward. Most of the components in the handheld multimeters are readily available. But in something more sophisticated like a DSO-X 3000 (let alone the expensive toys that cost more than a brand new car) the power supply would probably be the only thing. And the power supply is an OEM module that might come from a different supplier for availability/cost/quality reasons.It's not just the complexity, though. It's also that not publishing schematics conveniently saves them money and makes it harder to spot the (unavoidable) obscure 'using negative feedback to reduce distortion in DSO input stages' patent you might be infringing on.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2013, 05:43:17 pm
content: Quote from: alm on August 27, 2013, 05:40:30 pmrepairing the u8002 or a handheld meter is BER Beyond -economical repair.... so no need for manuals.the higher end stuff is BTR beyond technological repair

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2013, 06:58:21 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on August 27, 2013, 04:47:42 pmer....yes...QuoteHardly full - a few ASICs and a crapload of standard parts.Apart from ASIC failures, most other faults are repairable.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2013, 06:50:10 pm
content: I realise I keep posting on this subject and aught to shut up, but I'm fascinated by the random nature of Agilent's e-bay store pricing.The latest is a 33521A without memory options for which they are asking the same price as they were asking for the two channel 33522A with 16M (per channel) just a couple of months ago.In fact the price is much higher than the same model new from RS (it is discontinued by Agilent but RS and others are still selling stock) which comes with a 3 year warranty.How do they decide upon asking prices?

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2013, 06:58:55 pm
content: you can always make an offer and they seems often to accept it

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2013, 10:04:03 am
content: It turns out that the price of the 33521A was a mistake. I sent Agilent a message via e-bay (as the price was actually higher than a new 33521B) and they thanked me for my message and have dropped the price by $700!

author: bronson
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2013, 08:31:36 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on August 27, 2013, 05:43:17 pmDoes the high end stuff use electrolytics or tants? Or spring-force connectors?Because, if they do, then it seems like there are a lot potential failure modes that would be very economical to repair...?

author: grego
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2013, 03:54:22 pm
content: These guys kill me. I was thinking of possibly putting in an offer on the MSO3054 they've had listed for quite some time -- and they go and increase the price by $400 from 7999 listed to 8399. Come on Agilent - used gear prices are supposed to go down after they've been sitting for a while, not up!

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2013, 04:00:01 pm
content: Quote from: grego on September 25, 2013, 03:54:22 pmMake them an offer. Hit em up via email/message if there is no Best Offer option. Offer them less than the $7999 price. Theyll negotiate.

author: WarSim
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2013, 05:53:54 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 28, 2013, 06:58:21 amI completely agree with you but it seems we are a minority, or part of the silent majority here. I have almost stopped responding to the very vocal can't camp. After all part of my current job is fixing test equipment of all ages for our cal lab. It is a fact I effect the very same repairs that are impossible, not including proprietary chips. Not worth the fight to get them.Just a note saying you are not alone. Viva la Can's.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2013, 09:30:26 am
content: Ha ha. agilentused is certainly an entertaining browse. "Look at all the pretty equipment I can't afford."But things like these I can afford:300694263268281158300726Incidentally I've been having a lot of luck lately making offers. Even when the seller doesn't have 'make an offer' enabled, they still will often accept 20 to 50% off their ebay list price if you contact them and ask. I'm not sure if it's just that many sellers have so much stuff to get rid of, or if times are particularly hard.

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2013, 10:30:45 am
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on September 26, 2013, 09:30:26 amprofessionnals sellers buy lots, and then sell each item individually, these items dont have a price, the whole lot has a priceand the lot must go as max as possible to pay the lot so there is no price, if it sells it's ok for them.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2014, 10:41:19 am
content: I've not been on the store for a while, and decided to see if the waveform generators which were way-over-priced had come down at all.Now when I go on it, I get a message that it has gone away but will be back.I guess they are just redoing it, but to take a couple of days over doing so seems a long time.

author: plesa
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2014, 02:14:58 pm
content: Quote from: jpb on January 06, 2014, 10:41:19 amI suppose that it was shutdown related to end of year. I saw other eBay seller/stores which shut down their shops.

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2014, 08:21:23 pm
content: Huh, perhaps it was a trial thing the company wanted to have a go at just for a year or two (not sure how long it was up).

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2014, 08:40:55 pm
content: It's up right now, 130 listings.Mmmm... shiny....

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2014, 10:17:17 pm
content: Oh nice, glad to hear it! Must have just been a temporary reset for the end of the year.

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2014, 01:36:52 am
content: Likely for accounting to freeze the books. Its common in businesses to that. Provide a nice sharp demarkation denoting the end of the year. Makes it easier on accounting.

author: nowlan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2014, 03:15:38 am
content: Thought they just had 0 listings over xmas and new year.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 07, 2014, 05:46:00 am
content: Quote from: PedroDaGr8 on January 07, 2014, 01:36:52 amI'm pretty sure this is something you just made up. It doesn't even make sense, tax end of year doesn't necessarily follow the actual end of the year, and usually doesn't. I don;t see many companies shutting down for a period of weeks at any other time of the year just to keep the accounts easier. Be interested to see a source for this.