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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:23 am
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Aspiring Musician
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arth1 wrote:
White Dog wrote:
I have gotten really, really, really great deals off Craigslist---usually from people that have no clue what they got, and/or what it's worth. And yes; I will straight up take advantage of the oblivious (easy to do when you know you will never see that person again).


Honesty and integrity implies not only not saying an outright lie, but not withholding important information. Taking advantage of others is not a virtue to brag about.
What goes around, comes around.
Simple remedy here for you....don't deal with me then.
And by the way....don't act like you would purposely pay MORE than someone is asking for a piece of equipment. If someone is asking $450.00 for a $1,000 amp, you're not gonna say "I'll give you $750.00".
Stop acting like you're better than everybody here...that gets old.


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Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 12:03 pm
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White Dog wrote:
And by the way....don't act like you would purposely pay MORE than someone is asking for a piece of equipment. If someone is asking $450.00 for a $1,000 amp, you're not gonna say "I'll give you $750.00".

Funny you should say that. The last amp I bought, an Orange Rocker 30 in perfect condition with the hang tags still attached, I bought through CL. The seller (Hi, Chris!) had lowered the price to $675, and I paid the $725 he wanted earlier, and threw in a Catalinbread pedal because the seller liked it, and I wasn't using it. With the typical price for a great condition OR30 being around $850, I did not feel so bad.

It has become my favorite amp, which I play with good conscience.
What goes around, comes around.

White Dog wrote:
Stop acting like you're better than everybody here...that gets old.

I don't really have to with you doing such a splendid job of making everybody else here look good in comparison. I think your bragging about ripping people off when you have a chance says more about you than me.


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:08 pm
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This has always been my approach: I know my market, I know what it's worth, and I explain my reason for the price I offer, and if the seller agrees then I see nothing wrong with it. I would NEVER flat out lie to someone. But if someone is selling say an newer American Standard Strat and they wanted $900 for it then I'd let them know that I thought they were a little high, but a pawn shop would give them in the vicinity of $350 cash for that (give or take a little) and I would offer a little more but I am hesitant to pay asking because if I need to sell it myself I don't want to jump through too many hoops to take a loss. If they agree then great, if they say no then we simply couldn't work out a deal. What I think is NOT cool is: lying about what it is, or agreeing on a price and making the seller drive out and showing up with less money and giving a "you're already here, take it or leave it" ultimatum.

Course it always poses this question: If you were driving through the sticks in a rural are and you came across a yard sale and found an unplayed 1954 Strat that someone found in their grandfather's attic and tagged for $200, would you really offer them $75,000 instead to be fair? Food for thought...


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 8:12 pm
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If you have an idea what Guitar Center will pay on trade-in then you can really get a great deal dangling a few more bucks... most sellers on CL that live in a GC or Sam Ash metro area are just trying to get better than trade value.

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Jackson USA Phil Collen PC-1
Warmoth Custom-Build Stratocaster (The Andersong)
Fender American Special Stratocaster
Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster
Fender Mustang GT40
Eleven HeadRush w/ two Alto TS212 FRFRs


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 9:19 pm
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Antisinglecoil wrote:
Course it always poses this question: If you were driving through the sticks in a rural are and you came across a yard sale and found an unplayed 1954 Strat that someone found in their grandfather's attic and tagged for $200, would you really offer them $75,000 instead to be fair? Food for thought...

I would probably buy it for $200, sell it for market value, then keep money for the gain tax, my expenses, and 10% finder's fee, and send the rest to them anonymously.

If I had more faith in humans, I would tell them outright, and expect a finder's fee, because if I hadn't said anything, they wouldn't have gotten anything more either.

But too many people, especially here, don't have an iota of decency when money is involved, and their gratefulness for making them $75k would likely have been limited to zilch. And I'm sure there are even those who would fire on all greed cylinders if they received a check and an explanation, and consult a lawyer to see if they could sue for the remainder of the money. Thus anonymosly.
Cause no good deed ever goes unpunished.


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 6:50 am
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arth1 wrote:
White Dog wrote:
I have gotten really, really, really great deals off Craigslist---usually from people that have no clue what they got, and/or what it's worth. And yes; I will straight up take advantage of the oblivious (easy to do when you know you will never see that person again).


Honesty and integrity implies not only not saying an outright lie, but not withholding important information. Taking advantage of others is not a virtue to brag about.
What goes around, comes around.


Paying the asking price that a seller has set is NOT "taking advantage." A buyer is under no obligation whatsoever, whether moral or otherwise, to educate a seller as to the price to set for a piece the seller owns.

A buyer has no idea, nor should s/he care, why a seller has chosen a price. They may simply want to be rid of it and not care. At any rate it's really none of the buyer's business.

My karma's just fine, thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 8:43 am
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Aspiring Musician
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All of us should search for very good deals on our equipment. That being said, I would shy away from unrealistically low prices. Don't want to be part of abetting someone who acquired an item by doubtful and devious dealings. Which brings up another point. I would never advertise and have a stranger come to my house to do the deal. Always meet in a neutral location, or they may be back next time your gone.


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:17 am
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I should also probably add: if you're looking for a guitar and choose to buy used (whether it be Craigslist or a local store), you should know things to check. I would venture to say that most guitars are the same basic things to look for, but when I go hunting for stuff I carry around a small tin with a few tools in it. I'm going list a few things that I personally look for (in order from most important to least), but I'm always open to new ideas and improvements so feel free to add or shed light:

-Truss Rod: Bring the specific tool/wrench to check this. I think this may be the single-handedly most important thing to check. I both tighten and loosen the truss rod and check the string height/shape of the neck with each movement. If you haven't done this before, press any string on the first fret of the guitar (I usually do the G string), then with your other hand, put your pinky on the highest fret of the guitar on the same string (21, 22, or 24th fret, whatever is highest). Then with your thumb press down on that same string around the 7th-12th fret area. There should be a little bit of room, depending on preference. If you tighten the truss rod, that space should get smaller, if you loosen it then it should increase the gap. If the string is already touching the fret then it needs to be loosened a little but until there is a gap. I start off with the G string for no real reason, but if that goes well then I do check the other strings with the same method to make sure it is consistent and not warped on either side of the neck (I don't recommend to "eyeball" the side of the neck to see if it's strait, not a bad second method but not reliable alone). If there are any issues with the truss rod (stripped, won't change the neck shape, too tight to turn, etc.) then you're in for the repair of your life. I've learned this the hard way. I'd be less concerned about a $200 guitar (although I would still check it) but if you're going into something higher end, I would check this without fail and take my time.

-Carefully inspecting for any cracks, splits, repairs, or potential problems. If you see a crack at the neck joint and the seller assures you its purely the finish and not the wood, then jump ship. Also look out for additional drill holes, skunk stripe separation, and other modifications.

-Screws for backplate, pickguard, string trees, strap, etc.: I want to make sure they're not stripped, although it is easily to repair with wood glue and a toothpick. Once again, depends on what condition I'm looking for.

-Electronics: making sure they all work and are consistent (usually not super concerned about this since they can always be upgraded or replaced). The way I generally feel is I'm most concerned about the wood parts, if the electronics need a little work then it's not the end of the world (in most cases unless you're looking for all original vintage stuff).

-Playing it for 5 minutes with bends and different picking dynamics to see if it holds tune (usually not a major issue and cannot know this for sure till you've played it over time).

-Serial number: if you're really ambitious, pull up Fender's guitar dating guide and make sure it's consistent, or better yet, contact Fender directly. I don't tend to do this much but it's not a bad idea.

Aside from that, I obviously check the overall sound, playability, sustain, cosmetic condition, etc. I just figured I'd list those things other things for perhaps newer buyers, or maybe just to outline something you haven't thought of (happens to me every day, I learn something new).

Just be aware that although not extremely common, people can be trying to get rid of used gear because there's a problem that's not easily noticeable to the common eye. There's also the risk of it being stolen too (which is harder to know of course) but I at least try to make an attempt to ask brief questions about where they got it and so forth. I almost bought an Ibanez JEM a few months back from this guy on Craigslist and he sent me photos and gave the background of how he got it from Guitar Center a year ago etc., and I thank goodness did my homework (because I know Fender's pretty well, but I accepted that I did not know JEM's too well) and found out through the photos that it was a fake! I told him this and he claimed he didn't know and Guitar Center must have sold him a fake, but who knows for sure. Don't want to intimidate anyone but you can get royally screwed if you're not careful out there. If you buy a fake or damaged piece then everyone will try to make you feel better saying "well you still got a great guitar!" but we all know we'd be absolutely pissed lol. I don't think there's anything wrong with pulling out your phone and checking images for like models to compare while you're in the middle of sale. You will likely NEVER see that person again, so it is NOT worth taking a risk of buying a fake. I'm always upfront with sellers that I WILL be checking these things, which both sets expectations, and also may weed out someone who is trying to pull a fast one.


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:24 pm
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IMO, Craig's List is like playing Russian Roulette when it comes to buying used gear. Sometimes you come out smelling like a rose and other times , you get taken for a fool . When it comes to buying used gear , I prefer to use Guitar Center's used gear section on their website . I've found some great deals on there over the years and have never been ripped off once.


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 5:14 pm
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jeffo46 wrote:
IMO, Craig's List is like playing Russian Roulette when it comes to buying used gear. Sometimes you come out smelling like a rose and other times , you get taken for a fool . When it comes to buying used gear , I prefer to use Guitar Center's used gear section on their website . I've found some great deals on there over the years and have never been ripped off once.
All that matters is if YOU feel like you got a good deal. Just don't try to SELL anything to Guitar Center---no different than a Pawn Shop....they will give you 30% of the actual value of the product. And they have no qualms telling you this.


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 6:08 pm
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White Dog wrote:
Just don't try to SELL anything to Guitar Center---no different than a Pawn Shop....they will give you 30% of the actual value of the product. And they have no qualms telling you this.

According to one GC manager I spoke to, they often get used gear in from family members of deceased players, who do not want to spend time and emotional energy, but rather want to turn the gear in and move on, even if it means they get less. I can kind of understand it - if I inherited, say, some sewing machines or sports equipment, I would likely not go through weeks or months of trying to get a good price, while being reminded of the person who died and feeling bad about selling it.
And now in mid-January, you can find unwanted holiday presents used to pay for January credit card bills. Brand new items that can't be sold as new even though the plastic is still on the pickups.

So you can sometimes find some pretty good used gear at nice prices at GC, but the downside is that you have to actually go there often enough to find it when it comes in.


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:11 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Antisinglecoil, do you find people that will let you play with the truss rod before purchase? I could never let anyone touch even my $50 guitar unless they paid me first and agreed to refund only if there was a defect.


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Post subject: Re: Craigslist
Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:26 am
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To verify that the truss rod moves a fair amount in both directions is a reasonable request - if it doesn't, which isn't an unknown problem, it can prevent the guitar from being playable down the road, even if it's perfectly adjusted right now.
If not, I'd like a signed paper saying you'd take the guitar back and pay all my expenses if it turns out the truss rod does not work perfectly or doesn't have good leeway. Or a price that's severely reduced to compensate for that unknown.

Some of us don't like to gamble.


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