How do I prepare my recording studio’s microphone collection for a buyer’s inspection?

Pull every microphone out of its case, cabinet or drawer and lay out the lot. Clean the bodies, check the cables and shock mounts, and put each in its own labelled case. A collection that is tidy and complete tells the buyer that the rest of the studio is also looked after.

Test them in a repeatable way. Record the same source through each and keep short notes on noise, hum, switch problems or capsule damage. Valuable condenser and ribbon models are fragile, so let the buyer’s technician handle them only with you present. Never let a buyer plug in phantom power to an unknown vintage unit without your say.

Then deal with ownership. Mics owned by engineers, rented in for projects or kept on consignment should be on a separate list. Show insurance schedules and any appraisal you commissioned. If a mic is rare or sentimental, say whether it is included, so the price talk is not muddied later. Keep a one-page summary at the front of the collection showing which models are the workhorses and which are occasional. It helps the buyer understand how the studio really makes its sound and what a replacement would involve.

Key takeaways

• Catalogue, clean and test every microphone before the buyer arrives.
• Keep repair records and receipts in one folder per mic.
• List personal, rented and client-owned mics separately from studio stock.