Guide to creating the perfect listing

Before focusing on positive aspects, create a list of known defects.

This may include:

• scratches and dents;
• wear;
• unusual noises;
• irregular controls;
• missing components;
• replaced parts;
• repairs;
• modifications;
• intermittent problems;
• untested functions.

This list does not need to appear word-for-word in the listing, but it should ensure that no relevant information is forgotten.

A credible listing is not one that describes the item as perfect. It is one that lets the buyer understand its condition accurately.

Year, series and country of manufacture can affect interest and value, especially for certain models.

Use this information only when supported by reliable evidence: serial number, documentation, known production characteristics or other trustworthy sources.

If you only know a range, state it as a range.

Avoid claims such as “1980s vintage” or “made in USA” based only on visual impression.

Accuracy is more valuable than a description that merely sounds more attractive.

Some functions may be difficult to test: specialised connections, MIDI, effects loops, digital ports, specific outputs or behaviours that occur only under certain conditions.

If you have not verified a function, say so.

If a problem occurs only occasionally, describe it as intermittent and explain when it appears, if known.

Do not turn the absence of testing into a positive claim.

This precision protects both the buyer and the credibility of the listing.

Before pressing “publish”, read the entire listing without relying on what you already know about the item.

Ask yourself:

• do I immediately understand what is being sold?
• can I understand its condition?
• are the defects clearly visible?
• do I know what I will receive?
• do I know the price?
• do I know how it can be delivered?
• do the title, photos and description agree?
• is there any claim I could not support?
• is an obvious pre-purchase question still unanswered?

If the answers are clear, the listing is ready.

The goal is not to make the item appear “perfect” by hiding flaws. It is to make the listing perfect at representing what is actually being sold.

A manufacturer image may occasionally help identify a model, but it should not replace photos of the actual item being sold.

The buyer needs to see:

• your specific unit;
• its condition;
• its accessories;
• any modifications;
• its defects.

Stock images cannot provide this information.

If you use any image not created by you, also avoid creating confusion about which images actually represent the item for sale.

You may state why you are selling the item if you think the information is useful.

For example: changing your setup, unused equipment, moving to another model.

The reason for selling is not proof of reliability and should not take up most of the description.

Phrases such as “selling because I no longer use it” can add context, but the buyer still needs condition, functionality, defects, accessories and verifiable information.