Dear Carolyn:
Welcome to the thread! I initiated this thread some time ago, and well, yes, to a degree it has taken on its own life…lol…
Your point is well taken, certainly if/when one is able to actually play the instrument prior to purchasing it…(having not acquired any “used” instruments, I will defer to your experience, and obviously 30% of original price IS substantial!).
I can well imagine how many good instruments go nearly untouched after purchase…(acoustic guitars anyone???.. 🙂 …), though, at least from MY perspective, I would be surprised that a genuinely high quality recorder would be purchased and then soon fall into disuse, though just perhaps I am a tad biased…lol…Hopefully THOSE purchasers at least stored/cared for their “musical “mistakes”” well, such that little if any instrumental degradation occurred…
I WOULD be curious as to the distribution of high quality to “budget” quality instruments on the “previously-owned market”, and where the greatest value tends to fall, (be they wooden of resin/plastic instruments), and whether or not you might recommend the used instrument stock of reputable instrument sellers/makers, or just on the open market…
Peace/Namaste,
Tim