Ever check the Wanteds?

I typically do a search of the ads of whatever piece of equipment that I am going to be selling, so that I can see what the typical asking price is, so I can set my price in the same neighborhood.
When I do that, any and all of the "wanted" ads pop up along with the "for sale" ads. (However, to be honest, I have never lucked out and had such a "wanted" ad pop up.)

And to answer your second question, No, I never do it just for grins, (or giggles!)

I sold one thing through a wanted ad years ago. Usually what I have for sale doesn't mesh but I do look.

Wanted: Legacy Focus $1100 or Aerial 10t $1500
also wanted: Jeff Rowland Consonance preamp $500.

Yep used it a couple of times with success for getting specific pieces of equipment or cables. Instead of waiting for it to be advertised,it sometimes pays to put up a wanted ad see what happens.

Recently I saw a wanted for a preamp that I happened to own. I hadn't planned on selling but I contacted the poster. We ended up making a deal. So, from my limited experience, they do work.

Wendell

Then again just looking at what folks have posted for asking price often does trick as do auction where most "steals" are gotten but sometimes let you know what you have accurately.I watch the jazz Lp's on Ebay and am blown away after huge price rise 6 or so years ago now how good records don't sell what they did for steadily in past and how some have just shot up all beyond their relative value to what other records are up.I spent $1000 on an LP four years ago (Ted Curson Plenty Of Horn" on obscure "Old Town" and recently saw it shoot up to 4450 (maybe people had heard the Japan copy and new how good it was).Then I spend $100 on a low press Lars Gullin Columbia/EMI and now see soe guy can't sell it for $25.So guess it day to day.Sometimes I a pissed at what I might have spent but when I see a LP I spent $300 on (Lawrence Marables "Tenorman" with James Clay) and a few years latter see it go for $3K in same condition I am pleased.Gear seems more stable and some keeps it's value but it's interesting to see what you have.With LP it's like stocks if you only knew back wehn......