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Anyone here think instruments are about to get real cheap?

#263
Here in London it's certainly looking like used instruments are being sold cheaper. Just bought a backup Gretsch G2220 for £150 and newly listed ones may go even cheaper. I've been looking for a 30" neck for a build on a Tele guitar body, but it may work out the same to get a whole instrument soon. It's tempting to stock up.... not that anyone on the forum needs more than one bass..... In terms of ethics it's a bit tough - there's always a camaraderie between musicians. But if an instrument has to be sold for whatever reason, it has to go to somebody. Not sure if this makes sense, though, to be honest. I haven't quite understood the "new economics" we're living in.
 
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#264
Standalone said:
Yes, this is the ethics I’m talking about. It can get complicated. And buyers are not obligated to be charitable heroes with every purchase. This is a new market and things have changed — nobody’s paying 2019 prices for stocks right now, and things may be depressed for a long time. That has some bearing on how we buy and sell.

My main point is that ethics (and I agree that reason and emotion should both be a part of how we think about everything. Just try to understand your own emotions and how they work, first.) — that ethics matter in commerce.

I just made an offer on a bass guitar with some disclosed damage 20% under asking — its a long drive and seller is employed outside of music business and it’s not a desperate situation. Listing is pre-virus. I always bargain hunt and still will.

But if a local full time musician were selling some stuff off to keep her or his apartment or something like that — I’d try to be the right, ethical kind of buyer. What’s my responsibility in knowing that and researching or whatever? Who can really say, but that’s part of being ethical — thinking about these things and just trying to be a decent person

My first, somehow controversial, comment was that IF you could pay 2019 prices to someone in need, you’d have some good karma.
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Understood. Personally I'm pretty agnostic about good karma in this world, I just try to avoid doing anything that makes me feel like a tool. But if I know someone and know they are hurting for money because of COVID-19, I can see paying more money than I otherwise might. Hopefully they might even buy it back.

The inevitable politicization aside, this happening in an election year may help, as Dems and Pubbies and Trump are all highly motivated to be seen as helping out citizens (i.e. voters) the most. Thus I think we may see actual help for those most hard hit by the economics, small business and individuals in the hospitality trade. Something like rebates for past payroll and/or income taxes or even partial payments to make up lost income. (In which case, some servers and bartenders and musicians are suddenly going to regret not reporting all their income as they get compensated based only on what they have reported.) Should that happen, then it will reduce a lot of the pressure to sell beloved instruments cheaply, although some of the cheaper surplus instruments may get offered up.
 
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#265
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I just came home with this Tacoma Thunderchief. Listed before the pandemic, had pictured cosmetic (small crack) and disclosed setup problems (turns out neck wasn’t even tightly bolted on and way too much tension on the truss.)

Seller was not a prof’l musician. Just a good deal. The quarrantine meant that folks just aren’t into heading out of their homes or making drives. I was willing to, and here I have my newly set up axe. I’ve wanted one since I first played one in 1999 on 48th st.

It was one of those “I just want to see it go to the right person” ads. No bad karma there!
 
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#274
My 2 cents worth I think in about 4-8 weeks CL will be flooded with people unloading gear. Some good deals up front and people willing to take the lowball offers if you are standing there with cash. Always hated those low ballers-have acquired some nice gear at good prices on CL but never felt I was taking advantage of someones dire situation. Thinks are going to change and people will unload that extra instrument/amp etc
 
#275
For me it depends on what the Canadian dollar does, and what the gear makers do with their prices. It's dropped heavily in the last week. I won't be selling anything for financial reasons, but some stuff I thought about buying might not happen. On the other hand I'm probably going to save a bit of pocket change over the next couple of weeks by not buying lottery tickets and junk food.
 
#278
Don't know if prices will change, but the large chain stores might start offering bigger discounts and coupons. That is what happened during the 2008/9 recession. I saved $100. on a $500.(street price) Roland pedalboard, which I'm still using.
 
#279
We may be facing 20% unemployment and a much higher cost of living. Full time musicians will have no income and there will be no places hiring bands to have live music. The bars and restaurants are being hard hit and once they get the OK to have live music, they may not be able to afford bands as the restaurants have lost money. The prices of high end instruments will take massive hits, cheaper stuff a bit less. There will be desperate souls trying to sell their toys and they should go very, very cheap. Unless you are quite rich, keep your money for living expenses and emergencies. You have to be very foolish to buy musical instruments right now when you should be concerned about your survival. Your employer could go out of business as well and your job could end. Hate to say this but it can be reality. Years back I sold campers then we got high unemployment Some people were selling them for half their value and some others were selling their houses to live in their campers. This is going to be bad so be smart and don't buy unnecessary stuff, please.
 
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