Am I being fickle here?

fretmeister · February 21

Paul_C said:

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.

I'm flattered then!

Voxman · February 21

ryanverbena said:

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.

Sure, completely get all that. It's of course entirely for you to decide who you want to sell to, and how much for. But as ever, ultimately somethings only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

fretmeister · February 21

I had someone do something similar with a bass many years ago.

Negotiated down a bit from my advertised price - then he came round to try it.

He did then tried to offer a lower sum, and then claimed it was all he had with him in cash.
I said no, repeatedly. He claimed that a lower amount was fair as he did the travelling. I told him that we had already negotiated and he knew at that time he was travelling.

I told him there were cash machines about 20 mins away.

He then 'found' the rest of the money in another pocket.

I then asked him to leave and refused to let him buy it. He got proper annoyed! I told him that I had no problem with negotiation, but not lies.

Wanker.

26.2 · February 21

After 30 mins I think I’d have said ‘I’ve got to go out now’ and tried to close the deal. I’d have accepted a couple of hundred quid less just to bring the whole thing to a conclusion. If I really want to sell something I usually consider it’s worth a bit of flexibility just to get rid and avoid the next set of tyre-kickers. Time is money etc, and as others have said it’s a buyer’s market right now.

But that’s me and of course you may have different priorities.

bluecat · February 21

Well ryanverbena, you have a hell of a lot more patience than the bluecat. If I could not strike up the right deal after 30 minutes I would have sent him packing, no way he would have adjusted the action to his liking, I bet you made him a coffee as well!
I just can't be doing with messers, tyre kickers etc.
Evaluate your bottom price then add a little more , so if you have to come down a little everyone is happy.
I won't be screwed buying or selling. And neither should you.

TeleMaster · February 21

ryanverbena said:

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.

Blimey mate if the conversation wasn't flowing and you weren't having a good time and went off to do work and the wife was ill I'd have got him out of there sharpish!

I've met some people who are genuine mates now after a sale and we got to know each other over a sale and continued a friendship but this is right at the other end of that. Good on you for being polite about it though.

ryanverbena said:
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.

Well, to you. To me, to others it may very well just be another Custom Shop so why would I pay over the odds? I think that's the way a lot of people will think about it I'm afraid.

rustneversleeps · February 21

Simples…………………Tell him you sold it for £2200.

BigPaulie · February 21

It's his money to do with as he wishes.

It's your guitar to do with as you wish.

Yorkie · February 21

Well, that’s not something I would do, neither as a seller nor as a buyer.

If I couldn’t buy something for the asking price in a zero problems scenario, I would certainly disclose that before visiting the seller. This sounds like someone trying to get you invested enough in the sale before he bites you. May or may not be a dealer, but I bet he’s done it before.

From a seller’s perspective, I would neither entertain anyone for two hours nor let them change the action.

The longest I’ve spent in a seller’s house was around 15’ — with the guy who sold me my Marshall. He had these super friendly dogs, lived detached (dB!) and I must had thanked him for the uber-affordable price like 400 times.

Jon

ryanverbena · February 21

TeleMaster said:
I've met some people who are genuine mates now after a sale and we got to know each other over a sale and continued a friendship but this is right at the other end of that. Good on you for being polite about it though.

This definitely wasn't the case! He treated the whole situation as though my flat was a guitar store. Jesus, the more I reflect on this, the more it's winding me up!

I appreciate the nods to my patience, but it was more a sense of disbelief. I would have thought me opening my laptop to do some work would have been the hint to move it on!

I take everyone's points about the relative value of guitars and the general notion of bartering etc.

Lesson's learned!

Strat54 · February 21

That's a good price for a guitar with a fairly rare spec'd neck profile, I would alter your ad to either £2995 allowing you to discount it a couple of hundred quid and send the buyer off happy or £2750 sorry no offers. Forget this bad experience with a tyre kicker and find a proper buyer.
As someone who was in retail across four decades I never accepted 'its a buyers market right now' Stand firm and sell with confidence....its always a seller's market

Yorkie · February 21

ryanverbena said:
I would have thought me opening my laptop to do some work would have been the hint to move it on!

LOLWIZ

swiller · February 21

always expect offers whatever you are selling below asking price.Thats how it works. If he really wants it he will come back.

In this day and age worth articulating what is acceptable and what isnt up front in the advert, including i dont really need to sell it so price is firm. Sounds like you dont really want to let it go.

Not sure he doesnt deserve it is a plausible thought process even at asking price. If anyone buys it at asking price can do what they want with it, including turning it into a very expensive pizza peel if thats their thing.

I would be a bit miffed if 2hrs was spent and i would have interrupted the action adjustment and confronted at that stage whether they are interested or not.

Nowt so queer as folk as they say. Deffo wouldnt let it get to me, or chop off a potential sale but we are all different.

prlgmnr · February 21

ryanverbena said:

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.

You're going to get an invoice in the post for the setup in a couple of days

Kurtis · February 21

A wee pickle fickle, maybe.

Paul_C · February 21

fretmeister said:

Paul_C said:

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.

I'm flattered then!

1. It takes more than 20 mins to get a word in edgeways with you.

2. You're always welcome

3. You're a friend, not a customer.

GuyR · February 21

Offset said:

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 :-)

Particularly as it’s no longer set up the way you like it…

roberty · February 21

Two hours FFS. And he changed the setup. I would not want to deal with this person again either. Bellend

Kurtis · February 21

Maybe after like 20 minutes or so he just wanted to find out how long he could sit there without anyone saying anything?

Roundwound · February 21

I had a guy do a similar thing a few years back. Over an hour in he cheekily asked to play my Gibson Hummingbird (which wasn’t the guitar for sale). For some reason I let him play it for a bit assuming he’d then buy what he'd come to see, which he decided he now couldn’t afford.

I generally aim to post by courier these days.

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Am I being fickle here?

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