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Why can't I sell this bass?

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#61
groooooove said:
but sometimes, the price has to be rock bottom for it to sell.

i just sold an overdrive/distortion pedal, for $50 shipped. i paid $120 for it, used.
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It's always been that way, depending on the gear, of course.

If you buy new gear on Musicians Friend for retail, you're going to have to steeply discount it if you need to sell it. Look at the Ibanez GSR200 bass, for example. MFriend has this thing on sale for $200. They're selling in excellent condition on ebay for an average of $75. If the price is too close, people would rather spend the extra money for the luxury of new gear with a warranty. This is PARTICULARLY true when it comes to electronics, e.g. pedals.

The trick is to buy used, and buy smart. Don't get into anything that you can't get out of the next day for around the same money.



Of course, you're going to wait a while if what you want is an unlined fretless 5-string Bongo bass in gold. Until now.
 
#62
I can personally attest to the poor market, I recently sold a lined fretless 5 string Modulus Genesis for only $875, over $1K below the normal price. Also my Modulus Q5 finally sold after about 6 months for only $1100 :eek:. It's definitely a buyer's market right now. Good luck with your sale!
 
#64
not so much that its a fretless or that its a 5 stringer, but that its both - i think really narrows down the marketability of the bass.

i'm a perfect example: i'm an idiot and will buy almost anything on a whim, but b/c i dont play fretless or 5 strings - i'm not interested. although i think it looks beautiful.

also, i think the basswood body on the Bongos makes resale more difficult, not to mention the "acquired taste" look.
 
#67
As a HUGE fan of unlined fretless let me help you:

I think others have stated this above but I'll give you my perspective. Unlined fretless players are coming from the Double Bass (not upright) world. There even side dots are cheating. Now add two huge pole pups, now add five string, now add that multi band active pre, now add that gold color, now add that crazy (in a good way) Bongo styling. With each step you are getting farther and farther away from Double bass.

Probably why Rob Allen sells to this crowd. NO pup (piezo in the bridge), cant get it painted (natural wood finish only). No band pre (tone is screw in the back). You get where I'm going.

Oh yeah, and its the economy. The last bass I sold on here took weeks of bumping.:bawl:
 
#68
I can use one like that for my collection but alas I am poor now,Maybe it is the recession slowing down a sale.Hang in there because that is one fine bass and someone will buy it and hopefully in time for that new baby and by the way congrats on the baby.I have 3 grown kids and playing bass during they're childhood afforded me things like winter coats shoes trips to the amusement park.Why not work it instead and if you sing too well then you will be making bucks because singing bass players are very in demand.I wish you good luck whatever you do signed a fellow bassist
 
#70
lamarjones said:
Agreed, you are listing it for roughly 30% of list, retail is probably 90% of list (or maybe you listed retail, I saw that price on MF), and if you can't sell it for 50% off retail for it being like new then I'd wonder, but don't think you are there.

Lesson that I have learned from TB, NEVER buy new unless you KNOW you are going to keep it.
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This is where the "I don't care about resale" guys may be having a change of heart:D. And trying to sell in a down economy ain't pretty.

I just sold an almost new Lakland that was $4600+ street new on ebay for $2500. That's reality. I could've waited for just the right person, meaning someone who wanted that bass and was willing and more improtant, ABLE to pay what might've been a fair price for it but I didn't feel like spending the time doing that. I got zero serious bites when it was on TB and the usual "wish I had the money" over and over again. It is what it is.

This Bongo is a serious niche piece, which means you have a very narrow target market. With all of the current factors in play, you likely have an even smaller market than usual.

So what's the problem? It's quite simple... the price. It's not moving for your asking price but I'd bet it would move for $100. Now you need to figure out just how far past no brainer territory you'll need to get it sold.
:cool:
 
#71
jk3 said:
not so much that its a fretless or that its a 5 stringer, but that its both - i think really narrows down the marketability of the bass.

i'm a perfect example: i'm an idiot and will buy almost anything on a whim, but b/c i dont play fretless or 5 strings - i'm not interested. although i think it looks beautiful.

also, i think the basswood body on the Bongos makes resale more difficult, not to mention the "acquired taste" look.
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Fretless alone scares plenty of people. So do five strings. No lines... oh, the hunamity!
:eek:

I play unlined five and six string fretlesses and they're surprisingly easy to adapt to.
 
#72
jlepre said:
this coming from a KID. Geesh!

Thanks all for your opinions and congrats on the upcoming birth. I might have to bite the bullet, and find a way to accept Paypal for this one. I really can't see how lowering the price can make any difference. I mean I can't justify lowering to the $1000 range as a few of you have expressed.
th_DSC_0019.jpg
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You do that, wait for the right person or keep it. Simple.
 
#73
Man, welcome to today's economic times.

I'm trying to sell a few things and no one will buy, period. My like-new Carvin RL 115 cabinet selling for $275 for 6 months. No one wants it.

Selling my 1980 Camaro (partially restored, partially hot-rodded) no one will buy, even if I take an $8k hit on what it's worth.

I have both my and my wife's tuition to pay (her NYU Grad School tuition is driving me deeper and deeper into the gutter,mine is just measly CUNY) and my bank account hasn't been this low in 10 years.

If I had the money, I'd be all over that Bongo. Because I WANT an unlined fretless 5-string....
 
#75
I mean I can't justify lowering to the $1000 range as a few of you have expressed.
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In a buyer's market, if you're not selling at the price you think is fair, you can hold your price and wait, or you can drop your price to a point where it sells.
You have to take the market as it is, not as you wish it to be.
 
#76
if the bass isn't selling, your asking too much. plain and simple.

i sold a similar bass about 8 months ago; 5 string fretless bongo HH, lined, no piezo, same color as yours but with a tort pickguard. it took about a month to sell and i got $850 for it.

since then the used instrument market has totally tanked. just my opinion, but I think you'd be doing well to get $1100, probably $999 is more realistic.

good luck!
 
#80
Options -
- Wait it out, if you don't need the cash right now.
- Trade it, if you don't need the cash right now.
- Lower the price.
- Give Ebay a shot.

I agree that accepting paypal will generally command a higher price.
 
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