• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

ornary sellers?!?

Depends if the question is of something that the potential buyer could easily find out themselves, usually in less time too. That annoys me as a seller, but things that pertain specifically to an individual item, then ya no reason to be an ass

Totally. I have been an ass to people when they come at me and are clearly wasting my time. I had a fancy TLM103 mic that I was selling, it came with a nice hard case that could hold a pair. My add said in big writing and in several places (because I got questioned) that it was just one mic, not to mention as had it very competitively priced. So when someone would ask me if it was one mic or a pair I would know they weren’t a buyer and wasting my time so at times I got snarky for fun. Not necessarily proud of it, but I wasn’t really chasing away actual buyers. I was very polite to those who asked legitimate questions.
 
Always two sides to the coin.
As a buyer, I research whatever I need to if the info is not provided in the ad.
If I need to know anything else, I ask the seller, if and only if I a) have the money **and** b) my research has validated that this is the item I want.
As a seller, I have had buyers buy items and not know what they are purchasing, file claims saying I didn't disclose enough info for them to know what the item was or was supposed to do (facepalm)
*Edited to fix typos
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tanner5382
Didnt read all the replies but, I know when I have sold things online, even here on TB, you get alot of tire-kickers that are not going to buy your item. So even though it doesnt bother me that much, the obligatory "WEIGHT?" posts from someone that is not going to buy it could trigger some people on a bad day.
 
Why do folks list stuff and then cop an attitude when you ask them about the weight, balance, specifications, action, etc?!?

Then they're mystified when their stuff doesn't sell...

Oy...


Because that crap only matters to someone from TB (which is a minority of the community).

Seriously- I hadn't met anyone who cared about weight and balance until I started reading this forum.


Dude, you're buying a used car- stop asking for the compression reading on the 3rd cylinder at 1800 RPM. If you want custom gear, pay for a luthier to build it for you. If it was custom built they'll know the specs and list them. It is not they won't. Don't be a douche and ask that kind of stuff for run of the mill used gear. It's either something you want or it isn't. Stop looking for a diamond in the rough- you aren't special, you won't find it. You get what you pay for.
 
Didnt read all the replies but, I know when I have sold things online, even here on TB, you get alot of tire-kickers that are not going to buy your item. So even though it doesnt bother me that much, the obligatory "WEIGHT?" posts from someone that is not going to buy it could trigger some people on a bad day.

That's definitely understandable. I'd only ask about the weight if I was seriously considering buying.

Maybe it's a little different on TB because we like to talk about bass specs and stuff. These non-buyers asking questions could just be making friendly talk about the bass being sold. But yes, I can see how that's annoying for the seller.
 
That's definitely understandable. I'd only ask about the weight if I was seriously considering buying.

Maybe it's a little different on TB because we like to talk about bass specs and stuff. These non-buyers asking questions could just be making friendly talk about the bass being sold. But yes, I can see how that's annoying for the seller.
As I said, I dont usually care and expect the "tech" questions but some people may get sick of it. Me? Whatever you need to know to make the sale lol
 
I think asking about characteristics particular to the individual specimen of a bass (e.g., weight) is perfectly reasonable.
Asking about generic specs that can be looked up elsewhere is maybe a little annoying, but one shouldn’t mind answering those questions either, generally speaking).

Ultimately it’s about finding a good buyer/seller fit and it will depend how motivated the respective parties are. Each can be as picky or as eager as suits the need of that moment.
 
Maybe it’s because alleged “ buyers” ( and many of them) don’t do any work, and I mean ANY, to look up basic specs and some sites don’t allow the seller to post links to those sites. I just listed a stereo amp with tons of reviews, spec listings, on line pics, etc., and was asked about dimensions, weight, power output, types of inputs, and on and on… it took like .00003 seconds with Google search to find this info.

I’ve been selling since 2006 and was in retail before that: if I have to spoon feed an ignorant and lazy buyer, guess who will be the first to complain…go ahead, just guess.
Every single instrument weighs different. No two pieces of wood are the same, and there's at least seperare wooden parts on a bass. Weight should be a given listing when selling a bass. Weight. If someone asks about what kind of wood, or anything else, then you should decide to disclose that or not. Any normal person would answer the wood question as well.

But, listing weight of your bass should be a standard practice, if it's not already. It cannot be "looked up" it has to be weighed in person.
 
Why do folks list stuff and then cop an attitude when you ask them about the weight, balance, specifications, action, etc?!?

Then they're mystified when their stuff doesn't sell...

Oy...
I recently sold an American professional strat on a NZ auction site. The listing title was literally "Fender American Professional Stratocaster" and the first 10 questions asked were "where is it made ?".
Idiots.
Also, I've seen Fender road worn guitars being sold and people in the question asking if there's any scratches or dings.
 
If a seller can't be bothered provide the information in their ad that I require to decide on a purchase, I'll buy from someone who will.
Not long after Wifey and I started seeing each other, I told her one day I was thinking of a number and if she could tell me that number I’d give her that many dollars. She said, “how should I know?”, and I replied, “exactly, i’m no mind reader either.”
If I’m shopping for basses, the only thing i can’t find published by makers, is weight, and I get why it’s not a published specification. It would require each bass be weighed individually and that weight entered into a document that is unique to that bass, or publish an average weight derived from sampling production, with a disclaimer about accuracy like the old “packed by weight not volume” boilerplate, or publish that same average weight with a tolerance that covers the full range of weights in any given model.
 
I wouldn't care... I ask away. I am about to hand over a small pile of money so I believe I'm entitled to ask a question (even if its dumb - to you). Now if I'm on Craigslist I automatically assume the person has no knowledge of bass and/or its a rip off. (Thats part of the fun of looking there). If I'm on a music site, I often see bad pics or blemishes in the pic that isn't addressed in the text. (and blemishes are often just reflections in the picture). Not to mention, we all have our own personal issues to contend with. For example.... most people don't care, but "I" want a bass that is cosmetically perfect. I know I can fix most anything else, but if it has been dropped and has structural / cosmetic damage, it's value "to me" has diminished by 50% or more.