jefleppard Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-J-45-Acoustic-Electric-Mahogany-Vintage-Sunburst_W0QQitemZ220252828886QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item220252828886&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318 i'm not in a buying mode or having a GAS attack - i'm just trying to learn from you guys, what to look for in ads and how to read between the lines. most of you guys have probably seen this. 1000 bucks. wow. but why? what's the catch? also, on another ad, i noticed that the seller had a tone to his writing that, while not condescending, was over-simplified - like he was talking to a child or someone disadvantaged. he also had the serial # blocked out. are these to be seen as flags? please advise. (you are now entering brown nose zone) sorry, if you feel i'm wasting your time asking as i'm not buying (just you wait, bozeman), but i do believe in the advice here and most of us need look no further for expert opinions. (brown nose zone ends here) also, here's a fancy old one that looks good for 88 years old. http://cgi.ebay.com/1920-VINTAGE-GIBSON-L-3-L3-ACOUSTIC-GUITAR-OHSC-NR_W0QQitemZ110266464069QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item110266464069&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Lawton Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 The 1000.00 price is the lowest the seller would let the guitar go for. So - if you were to bid 1000.00 today (you can't bid lower) and no one else bid it up, it would be yours for 1000.00 (plus shipping or any other stipulations the seller might have noted - read the terms completely/carefully). If you really wanted the guitar right now, the seller allows you to buy it with the Buy It Now option. It will cost you 1450.00 plus the shipping (35.00). How badly do you want the guitar is, of course, up to you. Do you want to take a chance? Put in a bid and wait it out. You might just luck out (I have a number of times). I've also been involved in bidding wars for items. That'll drive you nuts. As far as tone and the seller's 'style' - I don't read too much into it. I take it pretty much at face value and email the seller with specific questions if he/she doesn't tell me enough in the item's description. Look at the seller's profile - that's a good indication of who you might be dealing with. Read some of the feedbacks - particulary any negative ones. Hope this helps. BTW - I've had mostly very good luck on ebay - both as a buyer and seller. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nid2007 Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I'm not sure Cunk, but there might be no catch. Maybe because no brick or mortar store is willing to pay more than $800 for it, he/she started the bidding at 1k? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nid2007 Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 What I've done (and likely will do again when GAS attacks) in an auction like this is to email the seller asking if he/she would lower the BIN price to the amount I want to pay. I bought my adi topped J-45 like that. THey often say no, but if their real bottom line price is lower than the BIN price, you are doing them a favor as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Rondack Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Ask every question you can think of... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 i love this place. thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosewoody Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I think the unfilled warrantee is worthless to anyone except the buyer with a dealer receipt. If you buy a guitar, it doesn't hurt to ask if the seller will take care in packing the piece, padding around the headstock, supporting the neck, filling in all spaces so there is no movement inside the case. It sounds anal, but there are sellers who don't appreciate how rough a shipper can be, and it's easier to prevent damage than to repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 uh..where the heck is the pickguard on that j-45???? (oh never mind...was removed.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 as a seasoned e-bayer...i'd say this looks as safe as it gets for a private (non-ebay store) auction. not much feedback...but the guitar looks legit. price reflects a non-knockoff. use paypal so you're protected. (if i didnt just buy my j-45 rosewood id consider this) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I know he took off the pickguard because he didn't like it. Fair enough. But wouldn't you at least keep it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 When you peel them off they get badly deformed and are hard to use again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I think as Eddie says the whole trick with Ebay is to ask the questions. My antennae goes up when I can't get serial numbers and folk can't remember where they bought guiatr etc etc. If I am interested I "watch" the item in My Ebay, look at the Q&A which to my simple mind MAY give an indication of other interest. I never bid until the very last minute. It's an auction and the most important thing is to resolve to pay an amount and NEVER overbid. My method is simple I sit there with the amount I want to pay in one browser window and another browser windoiw open just to show me how much time is left. At 11 secs I hit the button! The system takes care of it and at the moment I am in front. The SWD came for £800 which was the start price (no one else bid) Fair enough it has a UK retail of £1900. That beautiful Knight 12 string I lost, I bid £700, it went for £731! Fair enough it was a one off and in retrospect I think I'd have paid more...but I didn't! regarding the J45 it looks OK, the reason for the pickguard sounds sensible although one might venture an agruement that it devalues it slightly, unless re-fitted with an original guard. (<<Thats just the purist in me I know others would take a different view) Warranty? Yes well that's something you sacrifice on Ebay which means it is as well to budget in a set up when you bid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 When you peel them off they get badly deformed and are hard to use again. Thanks Jerry. I didn't know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Here is a checklist of questions I always ask about eBay acoustic guitars: What is the measurement between the bottom of the bass E string and the 12th fret. (3 / 32" is the best answer). Has the guitar ever been repaired? Has a pickup ever been installed/removed/replaced? Do any of the frets have grooves in them from playing? Are there any gaps in the binding? If you remove the strings and lightly shake the guitar, are there any rattles or buzzes? Can you certify or demonstrate that the neck is straight, undamaged? Can you certify or demonstrate that the truss rod is working and not set to either extreme? Are there any marks such as scratches, crazes, dents, fogging or discolouration anywhere on the guitar? If you lay a yard stick across the top just below the bridge and parallel to the saddle, does it lay flat, rock, or is there a space below it? What is the humidity % in the room the guitar is currently sitting in? What guarantee will you offer that your responses to these questions are accurate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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