Heads on eBay...

[Eskimo Spy]

A friend of mine is also looking for an Ampeg tube head, and he found one on eBay.

He asked me to take a look at it, and other than being in Oklahoma (we're in Texas, and it's local pickup only), it looked nice. We looked into it a bit more, and he had relisted this thing about four times, and he originally wanted $2000 for the head and 8x10 cab. But he has the Buy It Now price at $1400 for the head only now with a reserve...

My friend emailed the guy and asked him if it was US made, when it was retubed, did he have records of any repairs, is the tolex in good shape, etc. You know, basic and obvious questions you would ask before dropping over a thousand bucks on a used head.

Well, the guy responds with "I have no idea where it was made. Don't care sounds awesome. I bought a new svt in the 70's this amp sounds the same." My buddy emails him and back and tells him that, if you're trying to sell a head, maybe you should answer the question asked, since it's clearly important to the buyer. He also told him that maybe he wouldn't be relisting it for the fourth time if he just answered a basic question, and that he would just find one locally, thanks.

The guy responds with "Good then find one, don't waste my time."

I don't get people on eBay. You're trying to sell a product, but you can't be bothered to turn the amp around and see where it was made?!?!?

My friend responded and told him; "Oh, I'm so sorry I wasted your valuable time asking legitimate questions. I should have just bought it based on the fact you said "it sounds awesome.""

I was about to turn my buddy onto TB to find a head, but he ended up finding an SVT in Austin, and the guy he bought it from shockingly knew all the info about his own gear. He had the receipt from when he bought it, knew who made it, had all the documentation on every repair done to it, and he didn't mind doing so for the person willing to spend a thousand dollars.

I'm glad that TB is here, so I can avoid eBay!

[Pilgrim]

There are a**holes everywhere. Maybe he'll sell it the sixth or seventh time he lists it, when he has the price under $1000.

However, most Ebay sellers are much more willing to communicate than the jerk you ran into.

[bassteban]

I'd have walked away after that first iffy comment/reply. I also quite like your avatar.

[beans-on-toast]

There is a guy in Dallas selling his "like new Ampeg SVT with its two 8X10 cabinets, in profound condition" in vintage guitar magazine for $3500.

Claims that he's had it for 39 years and it's had very little use.

[Eskimo Spy]

I could understand overpricing your gear 20 years ago when access to the market info was difficult to find, but now? And to be a jerk about a simple question, especially when we're in a rough economy?

Screw that guy. I hope his gear never sells, to be honest.

Wow. $3500. What's profound condition?

Thanks bassteban, I'm quite fond of my avatar as well

[Eskimo Spy]

I was tempted to post the listing so everyone could message him and ask where it was made, but I'm not that evil.

[dannoman]

Originally Posted by Eskimo Spy

I was tempted to post the listing so everyone could message him and ask where it was made, but I'm not that evil.

I was about to ask for the link...

Send it to me, i'll email him!

[okcrum]

It's funny. I've had more trouble with eBay buyers than sellers, by a ratio of about 10 to 1. The current scam du jour is trying to get the seller to "repair" units that were sold as-is. Before that it was trying to get seller to include accessories not listed in the auction. Before that...

Basically it's all minor league extortion, made worse by the fact that buyers cannot get negative feedback anymore.

[Eskimo Spy]

Boy, no kidding on the buyers not getting negative feedback. That's another good reason to avoid eBay.

[Jonyak]

I bought a 74 SVT on ebay. the whole process went well. the shipping was a bit more extreme than I wanted, and the seller was slow with getting info about the cost of shipping back to me. but all in all it was a good transaction.

[Eskimo Spy]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

There are a**holes everywhere. Maybe he'll sell it the sixth or seventh time he lists it, when he has the price under $1000.

However, most Ebay sellers are much more willing to communicate than the jerk you ran into.

It looks like he read your advice and followed it. It started out at $2000 for the head and the 810, then $1600 for just the head, then $1400, then $1100, now $1000. Personally, given this guy's poor attitude, I hope it never sells.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ampeg-SVT-VR-300...item4cf45c3ba5

[Jim C]

At $1K I could see it selling

[DanNowhere]

Originally Posted by Jim C

At $1K I could see it selling

If someone's willing to drop a grand without asking questions, shame on them. But you're probably right, there might be some who will.

[MooseLumps]

I'm the a**hole on TB.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

You get people like that all over. I've bought all my main amps on ebay (picking up) and have dealt with some really nice folk

[Eskimo Spy]

Yeah, I would never buy a head or amp sight unseen on eBay and have it shipped, too many variables.

[jmattbassplaya]

It's funny. I'm extremely careful about buying things off of ebay and craigslist, but I often don't even think twice about buying something off of the TB classifieds if the guy has a good enough feedback rating.

[bassplayer8953]

OP: seller added a note at the bottom of the ebay listing: Made by Loud. Means it's an import, 90% probability. Loud shut down MIA operations after they took over Ampeg from St Louis Music.

[johnk_10]

IMO, for $1K it'll sell. to me, it doesn't matter where it was made. the VR's are great heads. my '07 VR was made in Vietnam and it's been perfect.

kinda silly not to say the country of origin though, since all he would have had to do was to look on the back of it and it would say what country it was made in.

[JimmyM]

dude, i just called my wife at work and asked if we had enough money for me to buy it. she said no.