• 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 free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Pawn shop Jazz!

#62
So, thanks to all of you who helped identify the bass as a Squier VM Jazz with Fender decals put on it.

I took some info & pics from the Squier website, Fender's website, current online prices for a VM, and the pics you guys helpfully posted in this thread and went back to see them today. Plus a couple other threads I found on TB with Fender decal changes, ebay sites to buy decals, etc.

As I said before, my attitude going in was that we were both fooled. I think was true (but I can't know for sure). The end result, though, was quite good, and a pleasant experience overall.

The guy gave me no argument, offered immediately to fully refund my money with no BS at all, and he and his counter gal were interested in the info I brought to help them identify other fakes.

He was very clear he wanted me to be happy, so I was a customer beyond just this one item.

Then I said, well, the funny thing is, I kinda like the guitar
(for a variety of reasons: sounded good in the short test I gave it, nice to have a beater bass for some venues, lots of modding potential, and the sentimental anniversary gift/wife's pawn shop hunting aspect).

So the guy said: no problem, he'd sell it for $160 (or refund back $260 of my $400+$20tax total). I said fine, but are you going to make something off this? His comment was "well, I'll be able to eat tonight, but only at McDonald's". I think everyone should win in a sale, not just one party. I maybe could have done a bit better, but I wasn't going to sweat it.

So, in my opinion, I ended up with a used, very nice condition VM for $100-ish + a $50-ish hard shell case. He still made some coin on the deal, just not as much. I got a used guitar for ~1/3 of a new price. Close enough for me. Not the hidden treasure I first thought, but hey, those are quite rare, as we all know.

So, thanks again to my TB friends and Fender hawks for helping me identify this as a fake and providing me the info to help get a significant refund (or my money back had I wanted to). I wouldn't have drastically sweated a $100+ loss, but no one wants to get cheated, and I'm no different.

For those in the NoVA/DC area, A to Z Pawn (Manassas) is a decent place to do business, based on this experience.

Everyone's happy in the end, and my wife and I have a great story about the bass, which adds to the sentimental/anniversary gift coolness of the guitar.

Happy New Year to you all.

Now, let the modding begin....:D
 
#64
It is still a good score. I picked up my 70's vm from GC used for 200, and i still think that was a steal given the quality of it.

Great to see that everything worked out. Kudo's to the pawn shop as well.

Enjoy that bass!
 
#69
Jefenator said:
Nice!! Way to go.



Except this apparently means the broker gave the previous guy $160 minus a happy meal for what he thought at the time was a legitimate Custom Shop axe.

Buyers AND sellers beware - that's why they call them "Pawn Shops". ;)
Click to expand...


maybe that's all the guy was looking for?



nice happy ending - enjoy your bass, and drop by that pawnshop now and then to say hi, and buy a cd or something
 
#70
Lester Verde said:
maybe that's all the guy was looking for?
Click to expand...

I fully expect the PO was stoked. (I'd be stoked to get a bill and a half for a bogus FCS.)

It's just interesting to me that the pawn broker fell for a scam, then got stuck with it, and he still came out a bit ahead!

I guess that's why I try the TB classifieds, then eBay, then the local swap meet, then consigning at a music store, then doing some landscaping temp work, then standing by the freeway offramp with a cardboard sign, before I'll ever offload any axe of mine at a pawn shop.

Especially a Custsom Shop Fender! ;)
 
#71
Jefenator said:
It's just interesting to me that the pawn broker fell for a scam
Click to expand...

If he fell for a scam, and we may never know the truth about where that bass came from, how much the pawnbroker shelled out for it, and whether or not the pawnbroker knew what he had. He might have taken a chance on a sucker (no offense to OP intended) and then when the jig was up did some fancy backpedaling.

My experience with these guys is they are VERY savvy and resourceful when assessing value on virtually everything known to man. Their livelihoods depend upon it.
 
#73
electracoyote said:
If he fell for a scam, and we may never know the truth about where that bass came from, how much the pawnbroker shelled out for it, and whether or not the pawnbroker knew what he had. He might have taken a chance on a sucker (no offense to OP intended) and then when the jig was up did some fancy backpedaling.

My experience with these guys is they are VERY savvy and resourceful when assessing value on virtually everything known to man. Their livelihoods depend upon it.
Click to expand...

Just to add a touch more detail in response to this and similar comments...

the counter gal looked at the ticket to see who took it in originally. Most of the others at the store were youngish (20s?). I don't think the broker/owner guy took it in, so perhaps he did not get fooled by the original seller. I'm not sure. and you're absolutely correct, we'll never know for sure.

I did not get the sense from this guy he was trying to scam me. Perhaps he's smoother than he appeared to be, but I sure didn't get that sense. But I agree with you, they gotta be pretty savvy to make money doing this.

The fact that he did make something on the deal seems consistent with what someone earlier posted in this thread, to the effect that $75 was a Squier value and perhaps $150 (IIRC) for a Fender when sold at a pawn shop. And I'm Ok with him making a few bucks on the deal. I got no problem with folks making decent profits. Everybody gotta eat!

But someone else's post regarding shop elsewhere first is good advice. I wouldn't have bothered but for the original lure of a USA Fender advertised for $470. We'd probably all think about that. And it was close to home, so what the heck...worth a trip I figured. Plus, there was the sentimentality of going back to a shop my wife had first dragged me (skeptically) into to look for a "buried treasure" !

Thanks again to all for the help! TB is a great community.
 
#74
Lester Verde said:
and drop by that pawnshop now and then to say hi, and buy a cd or something
Click to expand...

ha...yeah, I plan to. Part of why my wife and I enjoyed this little adventure so much is that the first time we were in there, while not finding any great guitar, they did have an awesome selection of swords and broadaxes (you know, the two-headed axe a Viking might use). We still joke about wanting the broadax. And I mentioned it to the guy both times I was there (buying, and then today getting money back on the bass). The broadax is still there, and we may yet buy it. I mean, doesn't everyone need a broadax?
:D
 
#75
electracoyote said:
And your wife is beyond cool. Mine would have been rolling her eyeballs and shaking her head in disgust.

Good score for a decent Jazz in a hardshell. Well done.
Click to expand...

Yep..I'm happy for the deal.

And my wife appreciates your comments. I've been sharing this thread with her from time to time.

Me, I appreciate my wife! She is pretty damned cool and we both enjoyed the adventurous story of this as much as anything. It wasn't like a really NEEDED another bass to go with my Ricks, P, GL Jazz, etc...but getting a great deal at a pawn shop has some bizarre cool appeal, to us at least!
 
#76
rob4001va said:
The fact that he did make something on the deal seems consistent with what someone earlier posted in this thread, to the effect that $75 was a Squier value and perhaps $150 (IIRC) for a Fender when sold at a pawn shop. And I'm Ok with him making a few bucks on the deal. I got no problem with folks making decent profits. Everybody gotta eat!
Click to expand...

Pawnbrokers absolutely must make money on the sale, it is the only way they stay in business. The markups can be phenomenal when factoring in the relatively small amount of the loan paid to acquire the item. Most good pawnbrokers make insane, almost sinful profits.

He made some coin on your bass, but not as much as he did initially. :smug:
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back