TromboneChat

Been looking at Trombones to purchase.
Every once in a while seeing one where the price looks too good to be true.
Is there a place I can check serial numbers to see if it may have been stolen?

Not that I'm aware of.  On the contrary, I've been told that you don't want to publish the serial number because you can report it as stolen and it gets taken away unless you have a paper trail of the horn.  I don't know if the claim is legitimate or not but it's a very low cost procedure to X out the serials.

Generally if something seems to good to be true it is.  Slides and rotors are the two big things that can be bad on a trombone --- at least that can be masked and difficult to tell without playing.  Rotors corrode over time and may even play pretty well until a hole wears though.  I have a thayer valve that was like that... plays great. But it's corroded beyond belief. Getting it replaced isn't too bad but if it's a cost you don't now about your calculations for the total cost of the horn are going to be off.

Slides you can tell if there is wear on them by the stockings sometimes. But you can't always tell how corroded the outer slides are.  I tend to assume buying used that both of these parts are bad if I'm buying off a place like eBay and then find myself pleasantly surprised when disproven or at least not disappointed when not.

Anything in particular that you're wondering about?  If it's a US model, it isn't unheard of to get an F attachment horn for $500.  $850 - $1200 is more typical at the moment.  Then good playing/botique (those are neither exclusive nor dependent) ones for upwards of $3k.

Then there are imported horns.  Some of these are affectionately called "TSOs" by some here (trombone shaped objects).  eBay ones are hit or miss. Some have reported lucking out. Others... not so much.  There are reputable dealers such as Mack Brass, Wessex, and Horn Guys that handle imports and do a double check on the QC.  They still aren't typically as good as a professional horn made in Europe or the States but are checked to make sure they play well.  The TSOs can be under $100.  Expect to pay at least $650-800 for one that has been checked.  Some of the higher end imports such as JP Rath go for a little shy of $2k. 

Not that I'm aware of.  On the contrary, I've been told that you don't want to publish the serial number because you can report it as stolen and it gets taken away unless you have a paper trail of the horn.  I don't know if the claim is legitimate or not but it's a very low cost procedure to X out the serials.

Generally if something seems to good to be true it is.  Slides and rotors are the two big things that can be bad on a trombone --- at least that can be masked and difficult to tell without playing.  Rotors corrode over time and may even play pretty well until a hole wears though.  I have a thayer valve that was like that... plays great. But it's corroded beyond belief. Getting it replaced isn't too bad but if it's a cost you don't now about your calculations for the total cost of the horn are going to be off.

Slides you can tell if there is wear on them by the stockings sometimes. But you can't always tell how corroded the outer slides are.  I tend to assume buying used that both of these parts are bad if I'm buying off a place like eBay and then find myself pleasantly surprised when disproven or at least not disappointed when not.

Anything in particular that you're wondering about?  If it's a US model, it isn't unheard of to get an F attachment horn for $500.  $850 - $1200 is more typical at the moment.  Then good playing/botique (those are neither exclusive nor dependent) ones for upwards of $3k.

Then there are imported horns.  Some of these are affectionately called "TSOs" by some here (trombone shaped objects).  eBay ones are hit or miss. Some have reported lucking out. Others... not so much.  There are reputable dealers such as Mack Brass, Wessex, and Horn Guys that handle imports and do a double check on the QC.  They still aren't typically as good as a professional horn made in Europe or the States but are checked to make sure they play well.  The TSOs can be under $100.  Expect to pay at least $650-800 for one that has been checked.  Some of the higher end imports such as JP Rath go for a little shy of $2k.