Vox AC30 Gumtree How not to sell an amp!

jonnyburgo

Oh dear, here is his reply. In the ad he claims the amp is 30 years old yet somehow manages to predate my "employment" start date of 1965

Just a courrtesy, I am not open to extended discussions with anyone given the volume of people am dealing with, and its open of serious buyers and not even for cash. If you had worked there you should be aware of all the models and besides, this one  predates your period there..

Have no time for any further replies or such requests from curious people

Sorry and no offence to you or anyone else. Have had contact with another individual who also has and he says sam,e as me how great they are and he would not part with his for love or money. I am disposing of all my old vintage stuff, long toms, Binsons, T60, T100;s Supreme etc

spacecadet

jonnyburgo said:

Oh dear, here is his reply. In the ad he claims the amp is 30 years old yet somehow manages to predate my "employment" start date of 1965

Just a courrtesy, I am not open to extended discussions with anyone given the volume of people am dealing with, and its open of serious buyers and not even for cash. If you had worked there you should be aware of all the models and besides, this one  predates your period there..

Have no time for any further replies or such requests from curious people

Sorry and no offence to you or anyone else. Have had contact with another individual who also has and he says sam,e as me how great they are and he would not part with his for love or money. I am disposing of all my old vintage stuff, long toms, Binsons, T60, T100;s Supreme etc

Love it. I'm that guy he's on about. Had quite a few emails with him so far. Just gonna string him along for a bit longer before I drop the bomb!

Told him I have the same combo as well as the head and cab version. He tells me the h+c aren't nearly as valuable and the head in an AC30 cab will be worth much more. He does have a Vox Valvetronix cabinet he will sell me for £250!!!!
8-}

spacecadet

This is him talking about the head version I "have"...

"The version you have is NOT as valuable as the combo. It's it's uniqueness of looking exactly like an AC30 on stage and from photos but with a Ferrari under the bonnet so to speak."

So he has basically admitted it's not actually an AC30. Gonna keep going with this I think. It's fun!

jonnyburgo

My next message - 

Thanks for getting back to me, just one thing though, how does a thirty year old amp manage to predate 1965?

I would like to see pictures please, as your amp bares all the hallmarks of a V125.

 I'm sure most people will appreciate clear pictures as you are asking a lot without giving much away. I notice from your other ads you have a somewhat unorthodox approach to selling. It may be best if you just put up an asking price rather than asking for deposits.

Buyers generally appreciate transparency as it gives them confidence in the seller.

Regards

Jon.

 

And his response- 

Sorry misread your dates, text too small on my hires monitor and am suffering with flu and headaches and resting near my PC and strong screen brightness affects my eyes . It's NOT a V125 for sure . I know what a V125 looks like.

Not looking for any advice or educators around here as it's not being sold for cash, purely swaps, and deposit is to ward off the timewatsers and car booters I encounter as 95% of reply traffic. Pure morons and leeches

You got your answer on the date mixup, no further replies, sorry.

And then I said - 

OK thanks, I am interested. But would like to see a picture of the top panel when you get a chance

Thanks

Jon

And then he said - 

Nothing............

PhilTQ

Mail him a photo of a V125 and say how does yours differ to this?

My apologies for the differing size text in my original post, it was late at night and I was cutting and pasting from his mails

thermionic

And you were suffering from flu and headaches, your PC is too close and the screen brightness affects your eyes? Yeah right.

ThePrettyDamned

Classic.  So he still won't take a picture of his super rare one of a kind ac30 that's worth a fortune?

Wonder how @spacecadet is getting on...

pmg

This guy is clearly a wanker.

benmurray85

@Drew_fx have a well earned lol. great email

EdScoville

3 years on. I guess he's still selling it...

http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/110469645/vox-vintage-valve-amplifier.html?link=/classifieds/for-sale/uk/vox+ac30

ICBM

EdScoville said:

3 years on. I guess he's still selling it...

http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/110469645/vox-vintage-valve-amplifier.html?link=/classifieds/for-sale/uk/vox+ac30

To be fair, this bit is at least honest now -

"This is VOXAC30 looking amplifier with 2 x 12 and all valve and with 125 WATTS output." (Ignoring that technically it isn't quite all-valve since it has an input buffer transistor on each channel, which I've forgotten before too.)

Although this bit isn't -

"It can produce classic vintage VOX sounds/tones and also as a bonus Fender and Marshall sounds.

Best VOX amp ever made and perfect for studio use where versatility in sound is needed, and also better suited for large venues too, unlike the underpowered AC30 basic model"

Like all the AC30s famous rock bands use to play quite large venues like Glastonbury, presumably...

Telejester

ragingben said:

Are you sure his name is really Steve and not Tony McKenzie?

Don't go ragging on Tony, his heart is in the right place.

NelsonP

He appears to be a little more confused about what it is now......

"This is VOXAC30 looking amplifier"
"Model: AC30 125 watt model"

.....er, is it an AC30 or not? I think not.

Stuckfast

I bought a V125 combo which was wrongly listed as an AC30 on eBay (with bad pix, so you couldn't tell). But it was cheap, so I kept it.

It does have some good qualities, actually. It's very quiet (in terms of hiss and hum) compared with some vintage amps. The active EQ is unusual and quite versatile. And although it can go loud enough to peel paint off the walls, it does actually sound pretty good at low volumes. On the down side, it has a sort of clangy, hard quality to the mid-range that reminds me of my old Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. If you expect it to sound like an AC30 you'll be disappointed.

EdScoville

Do you think he's  managed to sell a few of these misleading V125s? Hard to imagine its the same one and he's still not achieved the giddy heights of a rear photo. 

ICBM

EdScoville said:

Do you think he's  managed to sell a few of these misleading V125s? Hard to imagine its the same one and he's still not achieved the giddy heights of a rear photo. 

I would think it quite likely, since the back panel very clearly says V125 on it so he won't want to put that in a photo.

fandango

Ha, on the back of reading this thread yesterday, I thought I'd make this sensibly worded enquiry via Preloved (all correspondence within the last 24 hours):

Hi,
I've got a few questions relating to this Vox amp you are advertising:
You say it is an "AC30 looking amplifier", but what exact model is it?
Does the amp have reverb?
What speakers are fitted?
Can you post any other photos? Say of the rear panel, the tolex tear, and one showing the condition of the controls. I'd be really grateful.
Thanks

Which got this response:

The Tolex tear is on another amp, so an error. No tears on this amp
. This is a very rare little know model which was marketed for USA sales only, so very few of them survived in USA. Its an all valve amp and housed to look like an AC30 as its external enclosure design. 

Am not discussing anything further without knowing what trades you are offering, as offers does NOT mean cash. Sorry. Had too many timewasters to be bothered about a cash sale

Since the seller didn't answer my questions, I fired off this more searching missive:

That doesn't help me one jot. You haven't answered my questions, and neither have you provided the additional photos I asked for. What are you hiding?

You claim it's a rare without telling me what it is - a rare model means diddly squat if you can't back it up with some hard evidence. Note a Morris Ital is rare (less than 50 left in the UK), but that doesn't mean it's worth anything. Again, what are you hiding?

Then you claim the tolex tear is on another item. Now I'm confused.

Then you talk of trades when you advertise the amp as "for sale". Now I'm really confused.

As it stands you haven't generated any trust in what I'm seeing or in you as a seller. For all I know, it could just be a fake box. I don't know you from Adam, and yet you expect me to believe your claim that it's "a rare little known model" which was "marketed for USA sales only". So, if you can't be honest about what you're advertising, then why would I offer to trade anything with you?

To which I received this long and snotty response:

Am NOT hiding anything, I get all sorts of idiotic people responding to my ads, and like to deal with people who understand its a valve amp, vintage and that it's for swaps and NOT cash as " assumed " by 90% of enquiries.

First things first, ......BEFORE am prepared to hold any dialogue, I need to know that the interest is genuine, and right from the first email want to know " what gear or trade " is being proposed as a possible swap. Now that is NOT a lot to ask, but am NOT going to be taking any time in beind approached in an abusibe manner as now seems to be evident by someone who comes across as " demanding " answers, photos or whatever !!! Who do you think you are ????? To be interrogating me or my gear or integrity ? 

" I ! alone will decide whether the interest is sufficient for me to respond and progress any discussion. I am very fussy as to the kind of person I am dealing with and I don't care what you think about my choice of words or your frustrations., as YOU have frustrated any discussion by your tantrum approach and giving me no idea what you would be offering me.

I have several amps, the tolex tear is on another one, not rocket science to understand and I stated was a mistake..

I don't care about YOUR opinions and am NOT in the business to generate anything to please your idiotic approach which arrogant and demanding without understanding what is initially couerteously expected of you BEFORE I go into any details or discussions on what I have available etc. 

I am an honest person and you can stop this attack on my responses, the advert is factual and has intrigued you as well as peeing you off. Am I bothered ? I know what this amp is , amd a 60's guitarist who probably has a better knowledge of VOX amps and gear that goes way beyond what is written about today by young people who were not from that era. Even VOX's website is innacurate on it's info on AC30's as I had a model in the 6-'s that is never mentioned or anyone having knowledged of.. So bite your lip before duelling with strangers. I am a Music producer and never bought rubbish, but this amp IMHO is the best amp VOX ever made and is really three amps in one a VOX Classic Vintage Sound, A Fender Twin sound, and a Marshall Sound and all .......without any modelling etc. The clarity of power chords or solo breaks is as clean as it gets and cuts through any bands muddy sound..

A local guitarist was sick of his solos from a 100watt Fender being lost in the general band sound and wanted an amp that would cut through. I hadn't used the am for years , dusted it down and he put it through its paces and was blown away INCLUDING ME how it was bell like clarity over and above his bands loud sound. He begged me to sell it him, realised it was something special, I withdrew its availability 5 years ago as to good to let go., and have now put it back in the market as am disposing of all my big amps etc as no longer needed.

So you can think what you like, I don't care or give a monkey's but want to make sure it goes to a musician and NOT a collector or investor, or someone who thought he knew everything about amps or VOX. 

I will trade it for the valuation put on it and not a penny less and for guitars or equipment that suits my project needs in 2017 and am not bothered about ! ANY CASH OFFERS " etc

When you are ready to tell me what you are offering we can continue this discussion otherwise, thanks for looking, but this amp will probably be out of reach to you with nothing likely to interest me. I have over 50 guitars and still a few am after etc

So carry on insulting me and I won't bother responding, as it will go when the terms are exactly what am after.

Trust has NOTHING to do with my responses , and you should put your brain in to gear before coming out with such clap trap, YOU don't dictate how my disposals will be conducted especially by getting someone's back up. I am NOT your average seller who is beholden to his buyers every need. AS IT SAYS ITS "OFERS " and so far you have wasted your own and my time just venting and for what ? 

Perhaps I should modify my listing 
1) Offers first
2) Q&A last

That would get rid of the hundreds of time wasters I get all the time

Trying not to laugh too loud or get sidetracked with his arrogance, I returned to the nub of whole issue:

Mmmm, without knowing EXACTLY what the amp is, I don't know whether it's worth a guitar pick, or a used and abused looper pedal, or a rare Les Paul Custom, or some brand new PA equipment.

So, would you please be kind enough to answer me this simple question:
What is the exact model reference of the amp you are advertising?

With a proper answer, I would then be in a position to respond with an appropriate offer.

And within minutes, this:

You totally missed the point and plot. Am NOT DISCUSSING ANYTHING unless I know exactly what you might be willing to offer, if it's what you want.

Capiche ?

Stop wasting your opportunities for a response

I give up. The seller isn't interested in being reasonable, or providing sufficient information. He spouts plenty of irrelevance and maintains an arrogance attitude, then wonders why there are so many "time wasters". Sigh.

Gagaryn

Pretty obvious the guy is unwell. Surely kinder just to move on.

Bridgehouse

Offer him a V125 in trade and see what he says..

newi123

If he`s going to pay me a deposit of £250 to come and collect it that doesn`t seem like a bad deal - maybe I`ll clarify that with him and send him my (made up Nigerian) bank details............