How to Sell a Broken Microphone

A broken microphone is still worth selling — typically £6 to £38 at For Parts, against £25 to £150 in working order.

Can you sell a microphone that does not work?

Yes. Repairers, people replacing one component and buyers who want a project all shop deliberately at this end. None of them will accept a fault they discover after paying.

What actually goes wrong with microphones

These are the faults that move a microphone down the grades, and the first things a buyer will ask about:

Damaged capsules from drops or moisture
Missing shock mounts, which are model-specific
Failed phantom power circuits
Cheap unbranded USB mics

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £11 to £68. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £6 to £38. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the fault properly rather than guessing at it:

Record a test sample and listen for noise or dropouts
Check the grille for dents
Confirm the shock mount and case are present

Photographing the fault

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

The microphone whole, on its stand or mount
The connector, showing USB or XLR
All accessories laid out together
The model marking, plus any dent, worn grille or damaged cable

What to state in the listing

Alongside the fault itself, buyers of broken microphones want these confirmed:

Brand, model, and dynamic or condenser
Connection type, and whether phantom power is required
What accessories are included — stand, shock mount, pop shield, cable
Whether it has been tested and any noise or intermittency

Brand, model and connection: “Shure SM58 Dynamic Microphone, XLR” or “Blue Yeti USB Microphone, with Stand”. USB versus XLR is the hard filter. Say dynamic or condenser, since condensers need phantom power and suit different uses.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

“Is it USB or XLR?”

State it clearly. A buyer expecting to plug straight into a laptop cannot use an XLR mic without an interface, and that is a real additional cost.

“Does it need phantom power?”

Say so for condensers. Without a suitable interface or preamp the mic simply will not work.

“Does it have any hiss or crackle?”

Record a test and listen on headphones. Intermittent noise usually means a cable or connector fault and it must be disclosed.

Is it worth repairing first?

Usually not, unless it is cheap and you can evidence it. What lifts the price is condition and completeness, which a repair rarely restores:

Recognised studio and broadcast brands
Undamaged capsules with clean response
Original shock mount, case and cable
Condenser and ribbon mics with a following

If the work would cost more than the gap between £38 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is broken and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Steady year round with a lift in September and January. Well-regarded models hold value strongly because microphones barely age.

Getting it to the buyer

Pack the capsule protected — condenser microphones are shock sensitive. Include the shock mount and any case, which are model specific and expensive to replace.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full microphone selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Is a broken microphone worth anything?

Yes — typically £6 to £38 at For Parts against £25 to £150 working. Repairers and people harvesting one component buy deliberately at this end. Damaged capsules from drops or moisture

Should I repair it before selling?

Usually not, unless the repair is cheap and you can evidence it. The things that genuinely lift the price are recognised studio and broadcast brands and a repair rarely restores those.

What do buyers ask about a faulty microphone?

The fault itself, in detail. State it clearly. A buyer expecting to plug straight into a laptop cannot use an XLR mic without an interface, and that is a real additional cost. The listing that answers it before being asked is the one that sells.