You might check to see if you have any local beekeeping clubs in your area. This tends to be a good source for people who have extra/surplus equipment. Our local club even gives away a complete starter kit to one lucky kid each year via a "scholarship" sponsored by the club.

I have started two hives this year and I had the same idea but........

Our local bee keeping club, which I'm a member of, have advised me not to go with old equipment, just because you don't know of the "history" of these, whether the bees had American Foulbrood, or other diseases, at one time or the other and the spores can be in the wood virtually for ever.
Also, the bees winter better in new equipment.

Only go with almost new stuff, if you decide to go with used, you will have less trouble down the road.

Konrad

Konrad, that is good advice. First timers should use new equipment, and they should also realize that the best way to avoid American Foul Brood is to rotate out their old comb every three years or so.

Dumping terramycin on the colony every year is not all that smart and isn't that effective anymore.

Several European countries forbid the use of terramycin, and they have AFB completely under control by replacing their old comb with foundation after only a few years.

Why?

Because old wax, harbors AFB spore. And the older the wax it, the more it harbors.