Stupid things you've been asked when selling a guitar

thegummy

DB1 said:

thegummy said:

I wouldn't say I thought it was "stupid" but I didn't understand why someone would ask me for the serial number of a guitar when they did.

I think some people on here actually told me the reasons for it at the time but I've forgotten them now if there was any.

I had that on eBay once - I didn't want to give out serial numbers, for reasons of security and possible forgery, something like that anyway. One chap insisted that he wouldn't bid until I did, and recounted his history as a buyer and seller of guitars, a collector and all round connoisseur of the bloody things. When I let him have the serial number, he would bid, as he would then have total confidence in my integrity.

So I did - and he didn't bid. I was a bit intrigued and messaged him to ask why he hadn't bid, not expecting a reply. But he did reply, to be fair - the answer was that it was 'out of his price bracket'.

I did wonder if he was asking for some dodgy reason myself so I asked on this forum if it's safe to give and people said it was.

Can anyone remind me what reasons someone would have for requesting this?

Fishboy7

Maybe so they can get the full detailed spec on the guitar.  From the manufacturer. 

DB1

What I should also have mentioned above is that I only do face to face selling, and always say that I wouldn't hand over a guitar or expect payment until the buyer's completely, not only with the status of the guitar, but its condition and the way it plays. I did say that to this fellow, but he insisted on having the serial number before he bid. Although it was out of his price range, which I thought was a bit bizarre.

thegummy

DB1 said:

What I should also have mentioned above is that I only do face to face selling, and always say that I wouldn't hand over a guitar or expect payment until the buyer's completely, not only with the status of the guitar, but its condition and the way it plays. I did say that to this fellow, but he insisted on having the serial number before he bid. Although it was out of his price range, which I thought was a bit bizarre.

See I wondered if asking for the serial number was a way of them finding out if it matches up to the guitar in order to spot fakes if it doesn't.

So maybe this guy was trying to police you and took it upon himself to investigate something he thought might be fake even though he wasn't going to buy it either way.

soma1975

Boba Fetish?

DB1

thegummy said:

DB1 said:

What I should also have mentioned above is that I only do face to face selling, and always say that I wouldn't hand over a guitar or expect payment until the buyer's completely, not only with the status of the guitar, but its condition and the way it plays. I did say that to this fellow, but he insisted on having the serial number before he bid. Although it was out of his price range, which I thought was a bit bizarre.

See I wondered if asking for the serial number was a way of them finding out if it matches up to the guitar in order to spot fakes if it doesn't.

So maybe this guy was trying to police you and took it upon himself to investigate something he thought might be fake even though he wasn't going to buy it either way.

Yeah, possibly. It's also possible he was just a bleedin' timewaster, who knows? As I say, I always make it clear that the provenance, playability and condition has got to be to everyone's satisfaction before money changes hands. Still, who knows?

DaevidJ

ICBM said:

"Does it have all the case candy?"

With the implication that he would either not be interested or would want money off if it didn't.

I would have been tempted to ask what kind they preferred... Haribo or gum drops

Hurling_Fruitmig

Tenebrous said:

Not quite as shocking as Bobba Feltching, though.

About that oboe...

hollywoodrox

Am I one of these people ?

a guy is on eBay selling a Mexican charvel So Cal  £599.  He said it’s in fantastic condition as it’s hardly been played  no fretwear chips or dings . 

But I noticed the standard black saddle screw and locking nut screws have been replaced with 
Silver ones.  I wanted to ascertain the reason for changing them and if they have been replaced with original Floyd ones and not some cheap ones off eBay .

I thought it a fair question as he’s asking more than the regular price for a MIM without a case which is about £449 to £500.

I asked twice  and also put in offers of £475 to £500. I would have gone to £520 even though it would be a stretch for me as I liked the color.  But he would not answer about the changed screws.

I figured for a hardly played guitar why would someone go to the trouble to change them was it cosmetic  or had it had more wear than stated.

was it an unreasonable question? Rude not to answer though.

anyway  I spent some money on an 80s boombox instead  whose seller answered my questions (has it had new belts etc and has it been tested on mains and batteries) it had and been cleaned inside and out and is in tip top condition. So I spent my birthday money and saved myself some credit card debt .  Another so cal or san Dimas will turn up in a color I like  but this boombox is a gem .

ps I have seen the specific ocean one on here, great color I like it  but am really looking at rocket red or neon pink  once I save up again  which should be quite some months 

Alnico

I once made it a condition of sale that the buyer of my guitar give me a certain price plus 4 curly wurlys and a freddo. 

I traded the guitar with @impmann and he did bring along the requisite chocolate. 

Daft I know but it made everyone smile. 

impmann

Alnico said:

I once made it a condition of sale that the buyer of my guitar give me a certain price plus 4 curly wurlys and a freddo. 

I traded the guitar with @impmann and he did bring along the requisite chocolate. 

Daft I know but it made everyone smile. 

<takes bow, smiling>

Always a pleasure, chap.

thegummy

hollywoodrox said:

Am I one of these people ?

a guy is on eBay selling a Mexican charvel So Cal  £599.  He said it’s in fantastic condition as it’s hardly been played  no fretwear chips or dings . 

But I noticed the standard black saddle screw and locking nut screws have been replaced with 
Silver ones.  I wanted to ascertain the reason for changing them and if they have been replaced with original Floyd ones and not some cheap ones off eBay .

I thought it a fair question as he’s asking more than the regular price for a MIM without a case which is about £449 to £500.

I asked twice  and also put in offers of £475 to £500. I would have gone to £520 even though it would be a stretch for me as I liked the color.  But he would not answer about the changed screws.

I figured for a hardly played guitar why would someone go to the trouble to change them was it cosmetic  or had it had more wear than stated.

was it an unreasonable question? Rude not to answer though.

anyway  I spent some money on an 80s boombox instead  whose seller answered my questions (has it had new belts etc and has it been tested on mains and batteries) it had and been cleaned inside and out and is in tip top condition. So I spent my birthday money and saved myself some credit card debt .  Another so cal or san Dimas will turn up in a color I like  but this boombox is a gem .

ps I have seen the specific ocean one on here, great color I like it  but am really looking at rocket red or neon pink  once I save up again  which should be quite some months 

You paid 500 quid for an 80s boombox?

SteveRobinson

IvisonGuitars said:

To play an R7 down the phone to a potential buyer so he could compare it to one he’d tried in a shop the week before....

I've had that too, maybe it was the same guy?

bgmartinsbridge

Perhaps we could come up with the most stupid question and see if we can get someone to answer it?

That sounds like a whole new thread though. 

maltingsaudio

bgmartinsbridge said:

Perhaps we could come up with the most stupid question and see if we can get someone to answer it?

That sounds like a whole new thread though. 

Like : are the strings ethically sourced

if I collect the item can you plant a tree to make the sale carbon neutral

Sort of thing?

thegummy

maltingsaudio said:

bgmartinsbridge said:

Perhaps we could come up with the most stupid question and see if we can get someone to answer it?

That sounds like a whole new thread though. 

Like : are the strings ethically sourced

if I collect the item can you plant a tree to make the sale carbon neutral

Sort of thing?

Can I buy this instrument, that was made by exploiting third world economies to get cheap labour, as my 12th guitar because my collection isn't quite a full tree yet and I need a variety of tones to write my next environmental socialist anthem.

Re: ethical strings - I only ever get new strings when one of my cats die of old age and I have my halal butcher remove the guts for me.

hollywoodrox

thegummy said:

hollywoodrox said:

Am I one of these people ?

a guy is on eBay selling a Mexican charvel So Cal  £599.  He said it’s in fantastic condition as it’s hardly been played  no fretwear chips or dings . 

But I noticed the standard black saddle screw and locking nut screws have been replaced with 
Silver ones.  I wanted to ascertain the reason for changing them and if they have been replaced with original Floyd ones and not some cheap ones off eBay .

I thought it a fair question as he’s asking more than the regular price for a MIM without a case which is about £449 to £500.

I asked twice  and also put in offers of £475 to £500. I would have gone to £520 even though it would be a stretch for me as I liked the color.  But he would not answer about the changed screws.

I figured for a hardly played guitar why would someone go to the trouble to change them was it cosmetic  or had it had more wear than stated.

was it an unreasonable question? Rude not to answer though.

anyway  I spent some money on an 80s boombox instead  whose seller answered my questions (has it had new belts etc and has it been tested on mains and batteries) it had and been cleaned inside and out and is in tip top condition. So I spent my birthday money and saved myself some credit card debt .  Another so cal or san Dimas will turn up in a color I like  but this boombox is a gem .

ps I have seen the specific ocean one on here, great color I like it  but am really looking at rocket red or neon pink  once I save up again  which should be quite some months 

You paid 500 quid for an 80s boombox?

No  but some rare ones go for a grand or more . I paid 200. It’s a huge one  and I’ve lusted after them since my teens . I had a Phillips as a teen but it didn’t have the coolness of the Sharp ones

ICBM

hollywoodrox said:

No  but some rare ones go for a grand or more . I paid 200. It’s a huge one  and I’ve lusted after them since my teens . I had a Phillips as a teen but it didn’t have the coolness of the Sharp ones

Is that one of the vertical-turntable ones that knackered all your vinyl albums?

hollywoodrox

No it’s the sharp gf 666  I think the turntables was a VZ 

Stevepage

Being asked if I would drop my price and deliver personally over 100 miles away for free.