Every shop says its pieces are “excellent.” The word has been used so much it doesn’t tell you anything anymore. So we wrote down what we actually mean by it.
A published scale
Each piece is graded on a scale we publish and hold ourselves to: Excellent, Very Good, Good, or For Parts. You can read the whole scale on The Standard page. The grade is where you start, and the notes are where you find out what the piece is actually like.
Faults, written down
Every listing carries a condition section written in plain language: the brassing, the haze, the tick that runs a little fast, the crack at the battery door. If we noticed it, you’ll read about it. The photos include the close-up detail shots you’d want if you were standing at the bench with us.
No surprises in the box
The test we hold ourselves to is simple. When the piece arrives, it should match the listing, or be a little better than it. We would rather lose a sale by being upfront than make one and have you open the box disappointed. If that ever happens anyway, there’s a 14-day return, and it covers changing your mind.
The idea behind the name, which the About page explains, is a light held up to an object so you can see it properly. Grading is where that gets practical.