Now what do I do

I am sitting here with the money for the 'Haggard P' (77-78 Fender Precision for those of you who might not know what Im referring to) and I go to get it yesterday and now the owner is being a P I T A about it and jacked up the price. Seems he does indeed know what this bass is worth and I think he didn't think Id get the money up for it. (So now hes got cold feet and is obviously mad cause he quoted me such a cheap price) Needless to say I was POd big time but just said 'fine see you next week' and walked out.

Some of the money Ive got is mine from selling my Brownsville Bat (FINALLY) and this small 20 amp Ibanez practice amp I had, and some of it is borrowed. I simply can not go higher then what was I originally told it was, even if what he quoted me is about 1/4 of what its truly worth. Now as some of you know, I was locked into getting a white 94 Cowpoke when this vintage Fender deal came along. I decided to pass on the Cowpoke to get this P and one might think since the owner is being a weasel about it, Id just go back and get the Cowpoke. Well I can't now cause it was that pretty white one missing its PG that sold here downstairs last week,

I frankly don't know what to do. I will not budge on the price, I simply can't. He has until tomorrow night to let me have it at the original price I was offered for it or Im walking. Thing is I can't get the cowpoke but I found another one way cheaper but with a fair piece of mojo near the upper horn (and no case) and the only GAS I really have left is for the new Yamaha RBX4 A2. I guess what Im asking is; give the money back I borrowed or grab one of these other basses I just mentioned (if the guy doesnt let me have the P) and go ahead with my repayment as scheduled.....

Opinions?

Disappear said:

That owner is an idiot man. He said a price then jacked it up? I mean even if the bass is worth more and you're losing out big on the deal, you set it at the price. I'd hate to say it man but I think you should grab another bass. I know it might be the bass of your dreams but I think another opportunity will arise...

Call me optimistic.

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Actually had that 77-78 P been a Tobacco burst that would have been the total bass of my childhood only a real P instead of the lawsuit copy I had. But it was natural with a great woodgrain so that was just fine too. It was just such a wicked price and in such good shape and I knew this was my one shot at /my/ vintage Fender. I am so pissed. And even more so cause I let the other Cowpoke go...grrrr... and in all honesty those ARE my favorite Fenders; 94-95 MIM P specials (Cowpokes).

And my friend isn't going to care really what I do with the money and he knows I will pay him back (we have borrowed from each other before and I guess its one of those rare friends can do business with each other cause we've never had a prob)...Im just beside myself. I think though, if I don't have that vintage Fender Precision sitting with the rest of my basses by tomorrow night my butt is ordering a Yammy RBX4 A2 and I will give up on getting a Cowpoke back up to the awesome one I have.

Darkstrike said:

Damn' this sucks.....

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Yea tell me about it.

Stumbo said:

You might try telling the P owner that "it's great that it might be worth more buy I'm here with cash, right now so let's do the deal". See what happens.

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His nephew is working on him so to speak. I know I found out yesterday that the man was almost 'vetting' me as new owner when this all first started. He wants to make sure the bass goes to a good home and his nephew assured him with me it WILL have a great home for life. And then he does this to me...thats fine, his nephew plans on reminding him what his oldest son will do with the bass should he pass on before its sold (pawn it on the street for crack literally).

If you have other basses, maybe let the GAS go until another day, especially if you want a P.

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Yea I have other basses, too many actually and I was actually banking on this one pushing me into selling off some of my other ones. I only held it and played it for maybe a minute but WOW is all I can say. And I have one Fender P but it is a hybrid so a straight up P would have been cool even though I do tend to lean more toward J necks, I was looking forward to having a straight Precision, going back to my original bass so to speak.

The only GAS I truly had before all this started was wanting a higher end Yamaha and the knowledge of one was laid at my feet the other night. Things work out weird...maybe the money I scraped up for the P is meant for the only GAS I have left, though that P is what all this was about and what Id like to have in the end.

Rugaar said:

Sorry to hear but I'm really not surprised. The guy was a pro player so he's got some idea of what good equipment is all about. He had time to look into current prices and found out that he was basically giving the bass away. I really can't blame him for backing out of the deal. I wouldn't be angry about it. Definitely disappointed but I not angry.

In my experiences, when you're presented with a killer deal you have to act immediately or it will go away. It looks like you waited too long on this one. I've missed a few, too. Oh well. Live and learn.

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I acted as fast I could but it wasn't fast enough.

Jim Carr said:

Don't get pissed yet. All is not lost. Be patient and friendly. Don't run off in a huff again--that's kid's stuff and will turn off the seller and hurt your chances. These things happen all the time.

The economy is going down the toilet like we have not seen in a long long time. Buyers will get scarcer. He will not get what he thinks he can.

Quickly borrow about 50% of what he has raised original deal from your friend and make a second "take it or leave it offer" in a nice charming way in his house with the cash on the table and the bass in your nice clean hands. Appeal to his desire to give the bass a deserving home (to a struggling young artist). Does he really want to just hand it over for more money to some 50-ish amateur bald guy with a beer gut and a collection of 10 basses? Nah! What would Merle do? Hey, call Merle and ask him! Don't wait a long time.

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I was actually nice to guy and the tone of my voice wasn't bad when I said I would see him next week. I saw his nephew today in front of the uncles house doing some yard work and I told him that I still had the money but I couldn't go any higher and I had to know something because some people needed their funds back. He went inside and talked to his uncle who now doesn't want to sell it period now.

So I guess thats that.

His nephew is a bit miffed because in all honesty the man is dying and will more then likely not be here by this time next year at the most. The nephew said it just made no sense why he wouldn't pass it on to someone who would take care of it now instead of hanging onto it until its to the point where the crackhead son comes in to clean out the place and hocks the bass for dope....ironically what made him reverse this sell was when they brought the bass to me last week to look at. He said when his uncle saw it go out the door to its potential new owner he realized he couldn't do it. He could have just told me that yesterday and that would have been that...

As morbid as this sounds he told me when /that/ happens he said he'd try his damnedest to get the house first, grab the bass as fast as he could and bring it to straight to me.

Oh well, I lost the Cowpoke, the Precision...gave one person their money back, taking the rest and grabbing a Yammy RB4 A2 and merry xmas to me........

cdef said:

Do you suppose the dude didn't want his bass to go to a GURL? Sounds crazy, but that's one thing that comes to mind here

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That crossed my mind as well. If there is anything behind that thought from him, its a sad showing of how even in todays times there can still be discrimination like this. And at this point, I wouldnt be surprised if my gender does have something to do with it.

Yea he does think 'holy crap' and hes not keeping /his/ whole situation in mind by changing his mind. As the powers that be as my witness, once I get that age and whether I am sick or not, by that age I know I will have no use for the basses I have and I would let them go to live a bit more comfortable for what time I had left you know? This was cruel what he ended up doing to me I feel. And even more so cause I gave up the other Fender for it and he knew it.

And yes, I really wanted that bass. It was my basses gone full circle and what I feel, my only shot at a vintage Fender bass. I am not made of money so this was a one shot deal I felt. And there was no quote written on paper but in my state a verbal contract is binding but it doesn't matter now, hes changed his mind about selling it period. As morbid as it sounds, his nephew and I have to wait for the unthinkable to happen and hope he gets to the house quick enough to grab the bass...that just freaks me out typing that....

I think you are right there. It would be part of his life gone if he let it go ... its just a total bummer. First I was angry about it, now Im just bummed... and yea there stands a good chance I will end up with it before its over. Its just rather unsettling maybe? when you think of how I will eventually end up with it... O_O

PM replied to.

And yea thats one way to look at it, Im inheriting it.