Depends on the bow and how well it was taken care of. There isn't much that can't be fixed if it's broken except maybe a bent riser or something like that. I would say you can definitely find a good used bow. Depends on what you're looking for and how patient you are. You got to know something about the ones you're thinking of buying to begin with. If it's a noisy bow to begin with, there isn't much you can do about it other than "Ad ons" like limb savers, heavy arrowsetc. You should beable to REALLY REALLY dicker with a used bow sale. Probably the best way would be to buy one on a recommendation of someone you know. I have an acquaintancethat sold all his bows in the past year.(something like 14 of them)They were all in primo condition at great prices. I bought one of his recurves. If I didn't have a great compound I would have bought one of his too. He needed the money. Now his crisis is over and he's stocking up again. He's done this a couple times in the past 6 years. He's a firm believer that a boy can never have too many toys or bows. I'm sure at years end he'll have a dozen.