• 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.

Right or wrong

You probably wouldn't get away with it here, but good deal that you can elsewhere.

About the only time I can think of where this would get dicey is you knowingly took advantage of someones lack of knowledge to buy low, then flipped the item for a profit.

If I came across a high end bass at a garage sale, say a Sadowky/Roscoe/Ritter/etc, and it was only a couple hundred bucks but in great shape, I'd let the person know what they had and the potential value. I'd hope to negotiate a reasonable deal for myself, but I sure wouldn't just buy it without telling them first.

-Mike
What is there to "get away with"? Are you insinuating that a tbr sells a wrecked hulk for what he / she can get for the sum of the parts , I take it put hours of time and effort to restoring finishing it setting it up well, leveling frets etc.. that the community would begrudge me profit for my time and effort? I think not.
And as far as the garage sale ethics, I have been in that situation. A really beat 69 gibson melody maker and a nearly mint 68 fender champ. Both for 200.00.... I suggested to the owner that the amp alone was worth twice that he said it was his brothers who had left it there when he went to college 30 years ago and he had the pawn shop receipt from then and that's what was paid. He wanted it gone more than the money he said give me 400.00 for both and count your blessings.. :)
I told him I was going to go straight to a music shop and make minimum 500.00 in less than an hour ... he smiled and said merry Xmas in may... took my 400.00 ... off I went. Sold the pair for 1200.
And stopped off and bought a gift card from a local resaurant and a thank you note and dropped it in the mailbox.
 
I've been flipping basses as well, just not on a production scale or anything. I just keep an eye out for deals, then clean em up, slap on a fresh setup/strings and let em go. Only problem is I find a good player and I put it in the maybe pile for a while to see just how good it is. I tend to get a little maybe heavy from time to time and just purge, but it's fun so I keep doing it a little along. So far I've made a little or broke even on all but one, the bass from hell. It was an active deluxe and I got it right because the preamp was wonky. Long story short I went through 4 used preamps of various manufacture that each had some issue, either DOA from the seller, or something else that rendered them not acceptable to pass on to a stranger. I finally gave up and parted it out, but lost my everlovin backside on that deal.
One good thing is I'm kinda sorta getting known as the guy who's usually got a good bass for sale so I'm getting some calls from referrals these days. Makes it hard to keep much of a maybe pile, but sometimes you just gotta sacrifice for your passion.
 
I don't like it.
I went to buy an advertised bass for $250 but was sold....on kijiji ...and a week later I see the same bass up for $650

a...hole is what I thought of the buyer

I know businesses make their money that way, but irks me when people do it privately....
like ticket scalpers

I feel if you buy to use and enjoy.....but otherwise let someone who really does want it get a good deal

I know....I'm a dreamer
 
...I don't like it.
I went to buy an advertised bass for $250 but was sold....on kijiji ...and a week later I see the same bass up for $650

a...hole is what I thought of the buyer...

As a fourth generation horse trader, I was taught long ago to not crap where you eat. I rarely, if ever, resell in the same forum where I got something, at least not right away.

Oh and don't get mad at the guy for trying to make a little bank.

I was also taught there are too kinds of buyers, those there first with the cash, and those who wished they were. Casual buyers will not bother looking until they want/need something so deals for them are totally random chance, serious buyers are up before the sun rooting out opportunity, it's not like the deals just fall out of the sky, and it's always a crapshoot.

Profit is not a foregone conclusion and it's rare an item gets simply bought and relisted without some amount of sweat equity and added expense.
 
Last edited:
So I should pass up a good deal to let you get a good deal. Altruism is great ... when someone else exhibits it for YOUR benefit ... ;)
I guess what you say is true....my sense of fairness is always based on how I treat others in the world.
Unrealistic... I'm sure you are right
I guess I just feel like we are all one family under the sun

and always take it very personally if someone steals or takes advantage. Not that this is the case we are taliking about...sorry..changing the subject
 
Absolutely nothing wrong with this, provided you don't misrepresent anything.

For those of you that don't like it. Look at it like this. You go to buy a bass at a bargain price($500). The seller tells you he paid $1000 originally. Do you give him $500 or $900.

You can't have it both ways.