Resale....why such a hassle??

[captainofsmooth]

It took me 2 years to sell a bass here on TB.
Accepted a lower offer that included shipping on my dime.
Reverb seems to have raised prices IMO.

This 100%. Reverb has become the go to market value price guide, but people arent realizing that everything there is marked up 10-15% because:
A) People want to haggle with offers, so everything is priced expecting to come down
B) Sellers usually take into account the fees and so forth, adding them into their pricing

 

[hypercarrots]

One of my favorite things here on TB is people who contact me to see if an item is still available, I respond and that's the last I hear from them. Happens pretty often, I have no idea why.

i would like to know why. imagine if people act like this in person. hi, is this for sale? yes. and then the person walks away without a word? weird...

 

[GMC]

It kind of depends on what you are selling. I recently sold a ton of pedals on ebay. All of the big brand stuff when for silly high prices where as the budget clone stuff struggled to get half what I paid for them. Some gear shifts for close to retail prices...some even goes for more if there is demand. But other stuff goes for way less than would seem reasonable. So one example...a Caline 10 band EQ would struggle on ebay, but an MXR 10 band EQ would shift for 90% of it's new price.
So with basses, the same is true. Some bands and models will sell all day at top price...others you couldn't sell as fire wood. So do your research before you buy if resale is important to you.
So one more example...a Vintage branded 5 string bass made from Bubinga, Ovankol and Wenge with a 3 band eq wouldn't sell for more than £200 ukp...how ever a Warwick thumb made from the same materials and spec would easily shift for £2500. Rickenbacker 4001 in jet glow black...£1500 all day. It's all about brand confidence and desire. In the car sales arena it's the same...BMW or Merc in nice colors are an easy sale.

 

[Pendulous]

I concur that many people ask unrealistic prices on used instruments. They price them very close to the price of new ones. Of course I’d spend just a bit more for the new one.

I occasionally browse for my “dream” bass. I don’t need it yet, I’m just starting out. I may not even stick with it, who knows? But, I have to laugh when I see ads like one I saw on Reverb a while back.

Lots of pretty pictures. Lots of good keywords: barely used, mint condition, and so on. Then the flashy terms: rare, unique, one of a kind, and so on.

Then the price. Over $1,000 MORE than it would be to order. I guess the person way preying on those flashy key words. Sure, it’s unique. But I can go to the builder and order one just like it for less money. It might take a year, but it’s going to be the same.

Anyway, I would never offer 50%. I try to stick with 30% at most offers. If I have to have 50% or more off, I just skip that ad.

 

[40Hz]

Still, most of what I've bought over the past xx years has been from here. Just gotta find the right people to deal with.

This. I have done very little buying outside of TB for quite a while. And I'm fine to keep it that way.

Me too.

I have pretty much given up on buying used instruments anyplace but here if I’m buying sight unseen. And if there were a better selection of the type of pedals I’m interested in, I’d do the same with those too.

I have zero use for CL. Any good deals to be found there they’re welcome to keep. It’s not worth the hassles AFAIC.

EBay I have mixed feelings about. Mostly favorable. But I’ve got a pretty good gut instinct for who and what to avoid there. Or maybe I’ve just been lucky.

Reverb used to be knowledgeable buyers dealing with knowledgeable private sellers and businesses. But the amateurs and BS artists have found that former oasis too. And I recently had a few less than ideal buyer moments. Something which I’m hoping isn’t a harbinger of things to come. Although on a positive note (unlike with EBay) complaint/dispute resolution is handled promptly at Reverb. And their new two-way protection for both the buyer and seller (Reverb LP) is a definite plus.

However…

The classifieds here are a better shopping experience for gear than you’ll find most places IMO. Even those few people in TB who I suspect might be semi pro flippers generally price things reasonably and are easy to deal with. At least in my experience. YMMV.

 

[brianrost]

I put simple instructions in my Craigslist ads like "please reply with phone number" and get lots of replies with no phone number.

Then I get plenty of lowballs. I've started to ask if people have a problem with the price before I even agree to have them see the stuff. I'm willing to come down a bit and have that figured into the asking price but when people come see the gear and then have some sob story about how they only have 40% of the money with them...I tell them where there's a nearby ATM.

One guy asked if I could deliver a $15 amp (hint: delivery would cost me $15 in gas and tolls).

 

[mattattack187]

Some of the social skills of buyers I’ve dealt with are pretty cringeworthy but others are super cool and became friends.

I agree with this fully. I think buyers from me have found that if you message me in a courteous and positive manner, I'll go out of my way to help them out. Otherwise, I just won't respond.

I had a guy message me a few weeks ago about something I was selling. It went something along the lines of "I'll take your (insert product here) for (this amount of dollars) shipped to zip code so and so. Send me your paypal". Only problem was he was looking to buy the pedal for $50 less than I was selling it for. It wasn't an offer by any means, he just literally said "I'll take it for this."

 

[nilorius]

Guitar is not car.

 

[Axstar]

I'm willing to be so patient that, if it doesn't sell in the range I'm asking now, I'd rather keep it since it kills live and in the studio and plays like a dream AND is so ergonomically comfortable.

That attitude annoys me no end. I see a lot of basses advertised as used over here with the line "I'm in no hurry to sell". Right? I'm in no hurry to give you my money!

When selling, you hope there is a bit of urgency on the part of the seller.

 

[basscapes]

I's kinda like trying to buy a house in Florida (after the first try with a custom builder fell through)- so many people trying to get top dollar for B.S., and yet not willing to pay top dollar for quality!

Agreed- pricing of used gear/effects can get pretty whacked out there. An artist from my home town has been trying to sell a hand-painted 70's Strat for as long as I've known him. The art is pretty sweet- surly up there with something you'd see from the 60's (like Clapton's SG painted by "the Fool"). his asking price? $20K. He hasn't sold it yet...

That being said, I've decided that rather than try to ""turn over" any of my lesser used gear now, I'm gonna keep ALL OF IT and let my Wife, Son, Niece and God-Niece sort through it all and just sell it for whatever is the going rate (same applies for my record collection, hi-fi and studio gear). As I'm fond of saying to them all, "Do what you want with it when I'm gone. Until then, keep yer mitts off of it!"

 

[JimB52]

I sold 4 basses and an amp here a few months ago and got near asking price on everything.
I listed 4 more basses last month, priced correctly or even a little low, I believe, and haven't sold one yet. Maybe everyone is on vacation? (Example is a 20th anniversary stingray for $1400 )

 

[Jscriv]

I sold 4 basses and an amp here a few months ago and got near asking price on everything.
I listed 4 more basses last month, priced correctly or even a little low, I believe, and haven't sold one yet. Maybe everyone is on vacation? (Example is a 20th anniversary stingray for $1400 )

Is that the flame topped one??

 

[40Hz]

That attitude annoys me no end. I see a lot of basses advertised as used over here with the line "I'm in no hurry to sell". Right? I'm in no hurry to give you my money!

When selling, you hope there is a bit of urgency on the part of the seller.

I guess I’m one of those people who are destined to annoy you then. I never have to sell anything. My main motivation for selling something is I’m not currently using it and I’m thinking someone else may find use for it. I hate it when good stuff just sits idle.

When I’m selling, I price at what is sometimes called “the point of indifference.” If I don’t get any hits on my asking price within a month of listing it, I’ll try selling it elsewhere. Usually on Reverb. If there’s still no interest I’ll either keep it, or occasionally just give it away to someone on a tight budget or a student. I’ve already done that a few times recently.

Point being, I’m in no rush to sell. Ever.

 

[Val Tremola]

For my used gear, I ask basically what I paid when I purchased it used. If the, say, bass is improved with a better neck for example it is reflected in my asking price. And yes, there is always a bit of negotiation room in the price. Anyway, I haven't sold anything in a while!! Good thing is that I never really WANT to let them go

 

[Medicine Man]

I watch my local craigslist all the time. And these sellers are living in denial of how much their "one of a kind" instrument is worth. I see stuff selling for 90% of new all the time, sometimes even over the new price. This may be to counteract low ballers, but their prices don't even draw my attention. Just because you put $400 of mods into a $1000 instrument doesn't make it worth $1399.

 

[JimB52]

Is that the flame topped one??

Yes it is.

 

[40Hz]

i would like to know why. imagine if people act like this in person. hi, is this for sale? yes. and then the person walks away without a word? weird...

That happens too.

 

[aborgman]

And I would agree. IMHO 50% below asking price is an offer I would ignore rather than even counter.

Depends on how that asking price compares to market price.

For example - a bog standard, early 2000s MIM P-Bass.

I can look at sold listing on eBay, and see that they regularly sell for $200-$300. So I know that I can, with a little bit of waiting, expect to get one for around $200. Maybe I have to watch 5-10 auctions and do some sniping, but given a few months - I will get one for that price.

If you're asking $500... an offer of 50% of asking is completely reasonable.

I know for a fact buyers have lost out on good deals simply by trying to be too "cute" about it.

Eh... when I lose out on a "good deal", another one will be along shortly. This isn't food or shelter - I don't NEED any of it.

 

[40Hz]

The thing I find most amusing is when somebody wants to sell a fully populated pedal board as a single lot item.

No two experienced players will ever agree 100% on exactly which pedals should be on a board, or how to position them in the signal chain. It’s a very personal thing. So why would anybody expect someone to pay several hundred dollars for their complete pedal collection unless at least 90% of what’s included is precisely what the other person is looking for?

Same for custom and customized instruments. Some people seem to think a heavily modded or custom built instrument will automatically command a premium. What they fail to realize is that the more you customize a bass to be the perfect bass for you, the less likely it is to be for anyone else.

And let’s not laugh too much over all these “rare” instruments and effects we’re seeing for sale. Ain’t nothing more common than rarity in the used gear market these days.

And in the name of all that’s holy will people please look up the definition of the word ‘unique’ before using it? It doesn’t mean ‘unusual.’ Unique means: unique. Just unique. Period. There’s no such thing as “most unique” as in: “one of the most unique basses out there.”

u·nique
yo͞oˈnēk
adjective

1. being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else

 

[Ric5]

Anyone else find selling used gear to be a total pain in the patoot? Lots of insane low balls and ridiculous trade offers. It's not 2002 anymore. Or 1987 for that matter. Prices have gone up. Maybe it's just where I live, maybe there's just not much of a market. But boy is it a hassle.

everybody is looking for a deal