Am I being fickle here?

ryanverbena

I know the short answer: Yes. But just wanted to share my story and see if anyone else had experienced anything similar. 

Scenario: Selling a 2021 CS Tele (in the classifieds right now), had interest from Gumtree from a guy who lived nearby. He came over to try the guitar a couple of nights back. Played it, adjusted the action to his liking, kept playing it, loved it etc. Nice enough guy. He spent 2 hours at my house. All fine. 

At the end of all of that, he offered me a few hundred quid lower. I asked why, as I had priced the guitar fairly (£2750). He didn't really justify it, but I said if it hasn't sold in a couple of weeks then I can consider it. (Had only been for sale less than 48 hours at the time). 

Fickleness: Upon reflection I don't want to sell him my guitar any more. Even at the asking price. There is a disgruntled part of my brain yelling he doesn't deserve it. If he could play it for 2 hours, love it, and then happily walk away from it - he does not deserve it. 

If it were any other object I wouldn't care in the slightest. But in this instance it's really gotten to me!

Sporky

Only drop the price if you've built wiggle room in, or if the buyer can demonstrate that it's too high (and one other example at a lower cost is insufficient).

I understand the miffedness, but if he comes back with an acceptable offer don't cut off your nose etc. 

TDubs

Second hand market isn't great at the minute. If you would accept a few hundred quid off from someone else, I would take the offer this chap put forward. Pocket the cash and be happy you actually managed to sell something as theres' plenty out there not shifting at the moment!

Buy something else with the proceeds and piss off the buyer by spending two hours in their house followed by some hard negotiating!

NCo

You agree the price before you come into a man's house to test a guitar. Unless he found a flaw that impacts the guitar value, I would probably feel the same way as you.

CaseOfAce

ryanverbena said:

I know the short answer: Yes. But just wanted to share my story and see if anyone else had experienced anything similar. 

Scenario: Selling a 2021 CS Tele (in the classifieds right now), had interest from Gumtree from a guy who lived nearby. He came over to try the guitar a couple of nights back. Played it, adjusted the action to his liking, kept playing it, loved it etc. Nice enough guy. He spent 2 hours at my house. All fine. 

??! He really made himself at home there... 

Paul_C

I agree, mostly because I will make an offer for something I want in the hope of paying a little less, but happily pay the full price as I've already decided I want it.

I fully understand that other people see things differently, but that doesn't stop me being annoyed

I couldn't cope with someone being around for 20 mins, let alone 2 hours, and I'd have chucked him out after a while.

TeleMaster

If that's a normal CS guitar then it's probably at the higher end of what they're selling for anyway, and regardless of price everyone expects to haggle so I always increase the price a bit to compensate for this. If he's offered £2550 I'd personally be very happy with £2650.

The issue I'd have would be with the playing for hours and the fucking about with the action and then the deal doesn't get done. You should know after 10-15 minutes really.

Switch625

It's your item to sell so doesn't matter whether you're being fickle or not... you can sell it to who you like. But I'm interested to know if you're expecting the full advertised price or open for to offers at all? Most people like to walk away with a purchase that they feel they got at a better price, especially higher end items. If you're not open to offers then bump the price up a bit so if a prospective buyer wants to offer you less, you'll still get what you want for it.

mo6020

Paul_C said:

I agree, mostly because I will make an offer for something I want in the hope of paying a little less, but happily pay the full price as I've already decided I want it.

I fully understand that other people see things differently, but that doesn't stop me being annoyed

I couldn't cope with someone being around for 20 mins, let alone 2 hours, and I'd have chucked him out after a while.

What Paul said... 

Offset

Are you only miffed because he'd been in your house for two hours and adjusted the guitar to his liking?

If he'd offered you a couple of hundred less without visiting your gaff how would you feel?!

Personally I'd trouser the wedge for a nice quick sale and a collection rather than having to piss about shipping it :-)

Fishboy7

I always dread this scenario when someone comes to try/collect a guitar.  I can't stand bartering.  Also staying for 2 hrs and messing with the set up is definitely taking the piss.  

Having said that, I wouldn't pay more than 2500 for a used CS in the current market.  

NickB

In that scenario I would have offered to split the difference if he would do the deal there and then. Be confident and stick your hand out so he has no option but to agree. 

CaseOfAce

I've got to ask... 2 hours...what did he play? that's not trying out a guitar - that's a recital.

Was he a good player? 

Why did he have to adjust the action ? Was it cheese grater high? Was it a single string - the top E was off?
Even so - someone getting out a screwdriver screams tyre kicker to me.
Personally that's a complete no-no for me - I once got admonished for daring to change a guitar strung in Eb to E standard in a guitar shop!

As for bartering.. yeah sure. He might have seen other comparably priced guitars in the area so he might have been weighing them up - I don't see anything wrong with that and besides ..there's always room for manoeuvre right? You figure that into the selling price.

imalrightjack

Fishboy7 said:

…staying for 2 hrs and messing with the set up is definitely taking the piss.   

Yeah, not cool. But I’d still take the offer, most likely. Depends on how you feel about the amount - I’d not get hung up on what my inner chimp is telling me. 

gatheredinsong

I'd try and meet him half way and then sneak the action back to where it was, or a bit worse.

Voxman

I don't think looking for a couple of hundred quid off is unreasonable at this price point. He was clearly serious, you'd be saving on packing/shipping and there's an old saying 'a bird in the hand'.  Personally I'd probably have said look, can't really go down that far but you seem a nice guy, its a great guitar, you like the guitar so why don't we touch hands & meet half way?.  That way he feels like he's getting a bargain and a little psychological 'win', you've got a sale there & then for cash with no hassle, no packing/posting to a nice guy that likes the guitar.   

I appreciate you feel miffed but hey, it's a buyers market out there and I think perhaps a compromise may have been a good way to go.  If you find a buyer at the full price, fine - if not, you may end up having to drop the price anyway, and perhaps even a bit more. 

As for being in your home 2 hrs and adjusting the action, it's entirely up to you if you let someone adjust the action and how long they stay in your home.  An option to get him out earlier was perhaps to say, hey great to see you and thanks for coming round, you seem a lovely guy if you'd like to buy it at the price that's great, and I can see it will be going to a good home but if you're not sure or if the price is a bit more than you want to pay, I completely understand but I'm afraid I then need to call 'time' now as I've got someone else coming round to see it.  If he thought he might lose out, it might encourage the sale, & you've still kept it all friendly. 

I've learned never to take these things personally and to always keep the door open. 

chrisj1602

My wife would be going mental if I had some weirdo round trying a guitar for 2 hours, and I’d actually agree with her for once.

DPC

ryanverbena said:

I know the short answer: Yes. But just wanted to share my story and see if anyone else had experienced anything similar. 

Scenario: Selling a 2021 CS Tele (in the classifieds right now), had interest from Gumtree from a guy who lived nearby. He came over to try the guitar a couple of nights back. Played it, adjusted the action to his liking, kept playing it, loved it etc. Nice enough guy. He spent 2 hours at my house. All fine. 

At the end of all of that, he offered me a few hundred quid lower. I asked why, as I had priced the guitar fairly (£2750). He didn't really justify it, but I said if it hasn't sold in a couple of weeks then I can consider it. (Had only been for sale less than 48 hours at the time). 

Fickleness: Upon reflection I don't want to sell him my guitar any more. Even at the asking price. There is a disgruntled part of my brain yelling he doesn't deserve it. If he could play it for 2 hours, love it, and then happily walk away from it - he does not deserve it. 

If it were any other object I wouldn't care in the slightest. But in this instance it's really gotten to me!

I'd be exactly the same as you. Thanks for wasting two hours of my life, now f**koff

bertie

people will always try and get a few quid knocked off,  factor in a few percent on top of what you want to allow for some haggling, they think they've got a bargain,  you've got what you want.  Guitars, cars,  biscuits or beer.......... same thing anywhere

simples

if he doesnt offer what you want,  he doesnt have to justify it either, and neither do you for refusing it.  Its a business deal, not blind date 

 

ryanverbena

To answer a few of the questions above.

1) He wasn't a very good player. I actually stopped humouring him after about 20 minutes and started doing some work on my laptop. Was a bit weird after an hour in. 

2) The missus was sick in bed, had her headphone on watching a movie so didn't even really know what was happening. 

3) As for the price - I would have been open to a negotiation beforehand. It's more the premise, that he clearly loved the guitar and couldn't put it down, then was happy to potentially lose the sale over a couple of hundred pounds. 

I think another huge factor I should have mentioned is that I'm not desperate to sell. I really love this guitar and I'm not selling to buy again, simply trying to slim my collection down with the intention of "doing more with less". (that's why most of my pedals, and all of my amps except one are currently for sale in the classifieds). 

I agree with the comments about the current market, but this particular Tele is unique in that it's a great example of a 52' spec blackguard that addresses a lot guitarists gripe with the chunky U shaped neck. Which is why I think the price is fair. It's also exactly what I paid for it 18 months ago. 

bertie

ryanverbena said:

 
I think another huge factor I should have mentioned is that I'm not desperate to sell. I really love this guitar and I'm not selling to buy again, simply trying to slim my collection down with the intention of "doing more with less". (that's why most of my pedals, and all of my amps except one are currently for sale in the classifieds). 
 

stick to your guns.         If he gives you any shit,   I'll send Wilf round