|
|
Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 22
Location: Pennsylvania | So there was this Martin with excellent pics and from a dealer that has 18000 plus sales and 99.1% rating.
I stopped bidding as I got gunshy about the validity of spending said money on a guitar from ebay. It was much cheaper than another dealer from a state above Texas wants for the same guitar. In fact he wants what I would pay for this guitar new at the local guitar shop and he wants shipping.
Anyway, was I right in not buying from ebay? If it was one of you guys here I would not have hesitated a bit, but ebay?
It was the SWDGT, the sustainable cherry and rescued sitka spruce Martin. Boy do they sound nice. I have a shop near that sells all the expensive guitars except for Adamas/Ovation. so I get to play many wood backs of credit card maxing prices often... you know the 4000 dollar ones plus, and frankly for the price I like the cherry martin.
So it went for 810 on ebay. Plus 41 shipping.
I can get it new for 1150, the guy here at the shop wants 1250 but said he'd sell it for 1150.
851 is a lot cheaper than 1150 plus 6% sales tax (of course, being a good citizen I would have paid the tax to the state for my online purchase anyway!, so let's say, 900 is for the whole deal, puts me about 300 less than the new guitar).
Was I right in worrying about ebay? I buy from ebay, but never higher than 100 something dollars before. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Ebay is a crapshoot, plain and simple. I have bought quite a few guitars (hey, I heard that!) and sold a few there. I have never had a bad experience yet, but I do my homework. Check the feedback, check their return policy, email the seller and see how long it takes for them to respond, if you have a bid on the item, you can request their phone number through Ebay, and call them to "feel them out". I have walked away from a few sales just by talking to the seller. When they have a sincere attitude about their product, you can usually tell by conversing with them. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | I don't know where you are in the Allegheny Mountains, but I'm in Warren. I know a guy who works for Collins Pine. Years ago he had a day-long meeting with some folks from Martin which resulted in Martin getting the Cherry for that guitar from these hills right here. Some of the world's nicest hardwoods come from this area...especially Cherry (most of which, unfortunately, goes to Japan and China in log form). I have played one of those guitars, but more importantly to me I've spent some time just being mezmerized by that beautiful Cherry. Wherever you get it from and however much you pay, if you like the guitar half as much as I do...buy one.
John <>{ |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | What The Trader said. Do your homework and be very careful. There are some really good buys on eBay,(especially Ovations).
BTW: I was looking at that same Item. Since I wasn't that familiar with the model I passed on bidding. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The number of sales and the feedback rating are very important. Buyers using PayPal have additional protection. I've bought many guitars and other equipment (260 purchases) from the Bay and have never been burned. Based on the rating and feedback of the seller mentioned by Allegheny at the top of this post, I would have no qualms about buying something from this seller. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| I've bought numerous guitars on eBay, and only had one where the item was not as described. The seller refused to negotiate so I filed a formal dispute, PayPal found in my favor and refunded fully. I'd recommend not only using PayPal, but funding the PayPal purchase with a credit card since most credit cards offer additional buyer protections.
It's still a crap shoot, but all the advice above can minimize your risk. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 15
Location: Newcastle, UK | I'm waiting for my money back(£350) for a guitar i bought the other week which was supposed to be a USA 1987, 57 re-issue surf green Strat. guy had quoted a serial number which checked out and he had 120+ positive feedbacks and 2 negatives, both of which were for mobile phones (and from previous work experiences i know that people who buy mobile phones on ebay are a pain in the ass) so i gave him the benefit of the doubt. guitar arrived and something didn't look right as well as the serial number plate not being there(he'd put gold hardware on). checked it out at the local fender shop and was told none of it was original :-(
have to admit it was really nice and sounded good too but i was buying a Fender and it clearly wasn't a Fender. It's put me off a bit even though I've bought about ten guitars from ebay which have all been brilliant.
in future i'll not bid if there's any negative feedback that the seller hasn't replied to or if they have a low sales record..no matter how much of a bargain it might seem at the time..way too many fakes about for the main brands
My Magnum 1 was bought from ebay and is awesome, as is my Hagstrom Futurama..and the cheap Top Twenty I bought is a joy |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 22
Location: Pennsylvania | Originally posted by bauerhillboy:
I don't know where you are in the Allegheny Mountains, but I'm in Warren. I know a guy who works for Collins Pine. Years ago he had a day-long meeting with some folks from Martin which resulted in Martin getting the Cherry for that guitar from these hills right here. Some of the world's nicest hardwoods come from this area...especially Cherry (most of which, unfortunately, goes to Japan and China in log form). I have played one of those guitars, but more importantly to me I've spent some time just being mezmerized by that beautiful Cherry. Wherever you get it from and however much you pay, if you like the guitar half as much as I do...buy one.
John <>{ John, I'm from outside of Altoona. Pennsylvania has the best Cherry in the country. Black Cherry of this quality is found in the Northern Hardwoods , which for my area is up on top of the Alleghenies (I live at the base of the Allegheny Front) ie, Cambria, Cleafied Counties continuing to the north. basically the northern hardwood forest is a v shape in PA, but not covering the whole state. Once it gets up your way it's basically the main forest type! Black Cherry is one of it's hallmarks. I know a person who had a few hundred acres of black cherry that would make you drool cut off her property, selectively of course. It's my aunt's cousin. Let's say she made a ton of money :) ]
I think I love that cherry guitar even more knowing it's made here and grown here. I had a suspicion the cherry was from PA. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 354
Location: nashville | Money is money and w/3 girls I know that. But a new Martin has a Life Time Warranty that covers a lot of stuff. If you are going to keep it I would factor in that in. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | It's a complicated equation. There are advantages to buying new. There are advantages to buying from a real live dealer. Advantages to supporting a local mom and pop store. Just as well there are advantages to buying on ebay, selection and availability. Sometimes ebay is the only place to find something rare. You have to weigh the pros and cons and go with your gut.
If my local guitar shop offered the selection of ebay and the quality service of Alpep, they would get all my business.
Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by Tupperware:
If my local guitar shop offered the selection of ebay and the quality service of Alpep, they would get all my business.
Dave ...and That Is X -actly the Point..!!..
Vic
..Quality and Service.. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | I have bought a number of guitars on eBay with only a couple of problems...worked out with the seller. Too good of a price, walked away "too good to be true." Poor disclosure? Maybe the buyer should have asked better questions.
eBay has brought a lot of great guitars out of the closet, created a national and international market, and given a basis of value based on past sales.
Probably the best opportunity we have for used guitars is here on the OFC. Stephen has sent a Martin HD-28VS...he says it is great, I know it is great even though won't arrive until Thurs or Fri. Even when I have bought on eBay, knowing it is an OFC'er gives me confidence. Heck, with the regional get-togethers, we even have affirmation from others that had seen or played it.
With that said...strange that For Sale postings on the OFC result in few sales. Many posts. Many requests for pictures. Not uncommon to see the seller saying "bump" or saying "if no interest, going to eBay." Some OFC'ers are no longer listing the item here first. No problem...just a lost opportunity to get a guitar from someone that is known and where the social stigma from having a bad deal is strong. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4238
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by Tony Calman:
Probably the best opportunity we have for used guitars is here on the OFC.
With that said...strange that For Sale postings on the OFC result in few sales. Many posts. Many requests for pictures. Not uncommon to see the seller saying "bump" or saying "if no interest, going to eBay." Some OFC'ers are no longer listing the item here first. No problem...just a lost opportunity to get a guitar from someone that is known and where the social stigma from having a bad deal is strong. Ditto that! I still always list here first. I like the idea of selling to someone who knows what they're getting instead of someone looking for a steal. (You know those types eh? They look much like myself. :rolleyes: ) Anyway, if it was something I wanted, and the price was right, AND within my budget, I would always buy here first.
That being said, the only issues I've ever had with eBay arose from the ever-fickle transit of intruments to and from my door via the roller conveyers used by every shipper which apparently were designed to mimic the trajectory of the "vomit comet."
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | The reason there are few sales here is probably because most of the regulars here have more guitars than they need and similar, if not identical, guitars to those being sold. It's also a little harder to get a steal from a knowledgeable buyer or seller. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 1234
Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | I have yet to actually make an ebay purchase for a guitar that wasn't listed here first. The doubleneck was a go and see in person, cause I wasn't spending that much money for something listed on ebay sight unseen. No frick'n way!
I'm currently at two slotheads with Alpep offered from LostVintageArt (Thanks Mr. Big) and 6 from other OFC members that were listed in the For Sale section or results of PM's on the board.
I would say that this board is a great place to buy and sell AND know that the guitars are staying in the "family".
Tim |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The comments on this thread got me to thinking about the sources/origins of my guitars. Interesting breakdown . . .
8% face-to-face guitar shops
8% on-line guitar retailers
13% custom ordered from Al
18% from OFC members
53% from eBay |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 1234
Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | Good break down Prof, need to work on raising that custom ordered percentage though :)
So I would say that you support Ebay transactions!
I think MIB hit on a good point, quite a few of the recent For Sale listing are for guitars many of us already own/have owned. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | You know you've purchased a lot of guitars when....
You run a source / percentage breakdown and everything comes up whole numbers. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I've bought a lot on ebay, some into five figures, and like he said, do your homework. The only time I had a problem was when I didn't ask enough questions. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | I prefer buying guitars from my OFC Family but I have been fortunate so far in my Fleabay dealings.
So maybe you should only buy from OFC Members with Ebay Stores?
:rolleyes: |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | You know you've bought too many guitars when you can't remember where they came from. I have a long way to go, unless my dimentia kicks in. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2007
Posts: 11
Location: Florida | I can see how it would be easy to get a bad deal on ebay. I guess you have to trust the feedback ratings. Although I have only made a half dozen or so transactions on the bay, I have not had any problems whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I sniped a brand new Adamas 2080 for only $1300. It doesn't get much better than that! Except for the digitech whammy pedal I sold for $600! These are probably exceptional incidents. The 2080 is kind of weird, so there isn't a really big demand for them (at least with a $2000 list price). I love it though. I don't know what's up with the whammy pedal. I found it useful for the detune effect, but it is insanely popular with a small group of players, I guess. I think I paid about $100 for it. I have sold two guitars for about what I paid for them. So all in all I would say it is a good bet to purchase something on the bay. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | dhf, I have a similar story that reflects how fickle eBay can be, and why you need to be fully informed when transacting business thereon. Four or five years ago, I was watching an auction for a two-sided lighted plastic Gretsch dealer sign from the 1960s. I already had one for which I paid something like $50, but it was not nearly in as nice a condition as this one. I got out of the bidding at $100, then watched the bidding insanely increase to over $1,400 in the last few minutes. I was absolutely dumbfounded and contacted the buyer to inquire what it was about the sign that caused him to bid so high. He said he was a Gretsch memorabilia collector and that this sign was the only one he knew to be in existence, so its value was based on its extreme rarity. When I told him that I had purchased a similar one, albeit not in the condition of his, for considerably less a year earlier, he essentially called me a liar and said he'd give me $1,000 for it sight unseen. I sent him a picture of it along with my telephone number and said it was all his. He never replied back. The sign, now split into two one-sided signs, can be seen at the bottom of the photo below.
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Us Australians pretty much HAVE to buy our Ovations on eBay (USA) - unless money is no object. My 1768 cost me USD$525. With shipping and currency conversion it ended up costing me just over AUD$1000.
If I'd bought it in a 'Ma n Pa' guitar shop over here, I'd be paying somewhere between $2k - $2.5k
We're taking a gamble, but we're only paying half price. And a bit (a lot :rolleyes: ) of research is an absolute necessity.
And FWIW, the 1768 was in absolute mint condition. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 747
| I've never bought anything off ebay and I wouldn't because I know that I'd get hosed.
If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have ..............................?
The other thing is that I really like to ply a guitar before buying it and if I try 5 of the same model there will be one that I like over the others.
I don't look for a particular model so much as I look for a guitar that inspires me when I play it or has some kind of characteristic that I can work up.
That said though, there are car sites that I've been on for years along with a lot of other people so I trust them and would buy stuff for my race car sight unseen from most of them. This board right here seems to have a similar core group who value their reputations and could therefore be relied upon but guitars aren't car parts so I'd still want to try them out first but we'll see I guess. :cool: |
|
| |
buying geetars from ebay
