Why do people buy new gear, just to sell or trade days later?

BassSurfer · #1 07-08-2009, 10:47 PM

This is just a curious question, I've always wondered. I ALWAYS see people in the "For Sale" threads selling gear such as basses, amps, and pedals after a day or two of use.

My main question is, why did you even pay for it in the first place? Did you try it out for minutes and make a quick decision based on a few minutes of playing or testing?

No attitude or offense here, just wondering.

bongomania · #2 07-08-2009, 10:52 PM

I buy a lot of gear without ever trying it in person first. This allows me to try it for as long as I like in the privacy of my home, which is otherwise only possible if you buy items brand new from a retailer with a generous return policy. But most of the gear I want to try is not available at e.g. Musician's Friend.

Naturally there's gear that I realize within a short time is not for me, and that's OK--it's all part of the fun of trying things out.

Dr. Cheese · #3 07-08-2009, 10:56 PM

Many people get over extended. Maybe they couldn't really afford it, or maybe they have a transmission die or the plumbing goes out right after dropping $1-3K on a bass or an amp.

N.F.A. · #4 07-08-2009, 11:00 PM

All of the above. I have bought many vintage effects pedals for instance because that is the only way to try one. If I didn't like it off it went. Also, sometimes you have bills crop up unexpectedly. Their loss is your gain... don't look a gift horse in the mouth..

BassSurfer · #5 07-08-2009, 11:03 PM

Good points on the bills that come up right away, sometimes when I hear " I tried it, but it just wasen't me", I often think, if only they tried it in person for a good 10 minutes there would be alot of time saved. Again,good points though so far guys.

WildTrkey · #6 07-08-2009, 11:04 PM

It's called "money" in some cases, "oops" in others...
either way it comes back to $$$.

WildTrkey · #7 07-08-2009, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassSurfer

Good points on the bills that come up right away, sometimes when I hear " I tried it, but it just wasen't me", I often think, if only they tried it in person for a good 10 minutes there would be alot of time saved. Again,good points though so far guys.

There should be a staff of pro musicians at every major retailer and a 'rehearsal space' so one can try said instrument in real world scenarios. Untill then, folks will trade up, down and all around before realizing that they need a quality Precision Bass in their arsenal.

perfektspace6 · #8 07-08-2009, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Many people get over extended. Maybe they couldn't really afford it, or maybe they have a transmission die or the plumbing goes out right after dropping $1-3K on a bass or an amp.

This seems to be the most likely culprit. Sort of the root of our recent financial problems in the US. Buy now, pay later...oops I can't pay at all! Sad and foolish.

gottawalk · #9 07-08-2009, 11:14 PM

+1 for all, and my 2 cents would say that sometimes there are people that love to keep "trading up", so to speak.

Example:

They'll buy a new Fender Precision and decide that it should lead to a Fender Jazz. They then "trade up" for the Jazz, use it for a while and then see something that they want above that. Then, the only way to afford it is to trade in the Jazz + cash for the new "GAS". It's an expensive way to get to the final destination of your "ultimate bass", but sort of makes sense in some ways.

My insurance doesn't let me use an expensive drug for an ailment until the doctor has exhausted each lesser-expensive drug for that ailment in the list. Then, and ONLY then is it covered. Some people buy basses that way. Keep going up the ladder, trading each time for "equity" + cash, and then finally reach their goal.

"Try before you buy" the next in line means that you have to buy it to try it and then sell it to try the next one............ and then sell that............ to even come near...... trying the other..............one...........in.............li ne.............

............. sorry;...........head spinning.......... have to stop!........

Kwesi · #10 07-08-2009, 11:34 PM

This thread seriously ended at like post 9, lol. They basically covered every reason why basses and other gear get flipped so quickly. I've never done it myself but I've always known after the first day of good play time on a bass whether I planned to keep it or not.

BassSurfer · #11 07-08-2009, 11:35 PM

Lol Kwesi, Im going to have to agree with that one.

zachbass02 · #12 07-09-2009, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassSurfer

Good points on the bills that come up right away, sometimes when I hear " I tried it, but it just wasen't me", I often think, if only they tried it in person for a good 10 minutes there would be alot of time saved. Again,good points though so far guys.

10 minutes could save a ton of $$$. however, for me, I just recently flipped 2 basses that I only had for about a week. Got both in the classifieds on here. One was a Marcus Miller Jazz and the other was a Lakland DJ5. Both smoking basses. Played amazing and sounded great soloed. I took them both out for a week of gigs and quickly decided they weren't for me. I had played them for more than 10 minutes at home and loved their tone...at home that is. In a real gig situation with a full band, they just didn't cut it for me. So I flipped them both for a Fender AV 57 P bass. (best bass move I've made in a long time)

The P bass tone, I don't really care for soloed. However, in the mix of a full band, it just does it for me. Had I played the P bass soloed at home only, I probably would have flipped it quickly as well. Sometimes it's more of you think it'll sound one way, but when it comes to real world gigging, it just doesn't work for you. I typically try to hang on to stuff long enough to use it on a gig to see if it's really going to work for me. If it doesn't do what I anticipated, it's out the door.

BassSurfer · #13 07-09-2009, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachbass02

10 minutes could save a ton of $$$. however, for me, I just recently flipped 2 basses that I only had for about a week. Got both in the classifieds on here. One was a Marcus Miller Jazz and the other was a Lakland DJ5. Both smoking basses. Played amazing and sounded great soloed. I took them both out for a week of gigs and quickly decided they weren't for me. I had played them for more than 10 minutes at home and loved their tone...at home that is. In a real gig situation with a full band, they just didn't cut it for me. So I flipped them both for a Fender AV 57 P bass. (best bass move I've made in a long time)

The P bass tone, I don't really care for soloed. However, in the mix of a full band, it just does it for me. Had I played the P bass soloed at home only, I probably would have flipped it quickly as well. Sometimes it's more of you think it'll sound one way, but when it comes to real world gigging, it just doesn't work for you. I typically try to hang on to stuff long enough to use it on a gig to see if it's really going to work for me. If it doesn't do what I anticipated, it's out the door.

Thats another good point, diden't even think of that though. Tim Commerford says the same thing about his tone..he only likes it in the mix and not soloed as well. I guess its all preference.

rfclef · #14 07-09-2009, 01:30 PM

I have not done it so much with bass gear, but when I was doing more astronomy (before getting heavily into bass, and therefore back into music) I lived WAY out in the boonies, light years (it seemed) away from any astro stores... 6-8 hours away from any actual storefronts... BUT: I could buy stuff on Astromart (a great astro-classified site), try it out, and if it was not for me, sell it again for little or no loss. Certainly less than the gas woulda cost to go try. And I could do it in my own time, in some of the best skies in North America (I mean WAAAAY out in the boonies).

Granted, Most of the stuff was not new, but I did a LOT of that.

Jeff K · #15 07-09-2009, 01:37 PM

I've bought and sold a lot of basses over the years. But I normally give them at least a few months before I decide to sell them.

I'm not one who buys a bass with the intention of turning around and selling it. If I decide to sell it, it's either because (A.) Something else hits my hot button and I need money to buy it, or (B.) I just don't like it as much as I thought I would. With option "A" above, I normally try to sell off my most "expendable" bass at that time. That can sometimes be a tough call to make...

LilRay · #16 07-09-2009, 01:53 PM

A lot of it has to do with folks like me. Nearest brick and mortar with any "Real" selection is over 100 miles one way trip. Internet shopping is huge.

Example; If I buy something from the internet at $1000.00
I usually get free shipping, no tax, no gas, no time away.

Brick and Mortar at 100 miles away Same $1,000.00
7-9% Tax $ 70-90
Gas for trip $30-50 (one Ton Van W V12)
Time away from work

I can drop $150 on what I paid online and still come out fairly even as if I had bought the item from a store. I can order exactly what I want to try, I don't have to drive and find what I want in stock someplace. And I never leave my seat.

Not to mention I'm disabled and I get goofy looks from a lot of the sales staff as if I'm going to fall and knock over a full stack.

God Bless, Ray

stflbn · #17 07-09-2009, 01:59 PM

If you buy gear at good value with money you have on hand you have no risk.

I cannot count the amount of gear i've bought, tried out, then sold for a profit, or at least no loss, or even minimal loss of $5 to $10 because it was not what I was looking for. Often hours or days after receiving it.

Very rarely will I lose money on something I buy and sell.

Often you cannot make a decision on something without having it, touching it and getting your own impression of it. Doing so has made me realize that a vast VAST percentage of Talkbass users have absolutely NO clue of how to describe, suggest or review gear in a manner that's really helpful to future people who are interested in it.

.
.

cassanova · #18 07-09-2009, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassSurfer

My main question is, why did you even pay for it in the first place? Did you try it out for minutes and make a quick decision based on a few minutes of playing or testing?

No attitude or offense here, just wondering.

Because I had the intention of turning around and selling it for a profit. Any bass that I've ever wanted for myself has gotten exhaustively researched then played a few different times before buying it.

The ones I plan on selling I'll play for a few minutes to make sure they sound and play good, take them home, set them up, then turn around and sell them for more than I paid.

LilRay · #19 07-09-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stflbn

Often you cannot make a decision on something without having it, touching it and getting your own impression of it. Doing so has made me realize that a vast VAST percentage of Talkbass users have absolutely NO clue of how to describe, suggest or review gear in a manner that's really helpful to future people who are interested in it.

EXACTLY! Each individual has to gather their own opinion. Not all TB'ers are pros. There are a few out there who know their stuff, but they ARE few and far between. (Myself not included).

God Bless, Ray

cosmicevan · #20 07-09-2009, 02:47 PM

3 simple letters...

G.A.S

*** ** * ** ***
big +1 for trying out things in my own settings (once i started caring about my tone i quickly learned that most shops don't carry what i'm looking for and if they do, it is hard to find a day where someone isn't pounding out higher ground on bass next to me or crazy train on guitar across the store - which makes actually checking things out in a meaningful way impossible), having the opportunity to trade up (i've done bass+effects deals to get a bass i never dreamed of owning), catching a fantastic deal and flipping it for more (see trading up), and the overall love for the instrument and the gear. i can't afford to have everything at the same time (tombowlus is my hero), but i always have some cash invested in a bass or gear with the intention of having it for a certain amount of time and then throwing it back to the community to try something else out.

that and my wife isn't too cool with me buying new basses without first selling one to fund the next purchase.

it's amazing how quickly you can save up if you toss $20 a week into an envelope and mix that cash with some gear in a cash/trade deal for something nicer. and it is also pretty cool to have the chance to have played all these basses that you drool over on tb.

i'll never understand the folks who buy new instruments only to flip them weeks later. at least when you go pre-jammed you can usually get what you put into it back.