Why buy unseen?

[b0b]

Hi b0b,

I truly appreciate the tremendous effort you put into this great Forum. My apologies in advance if this request is just too much to ask.

Would it be possible to add a "seller feedback" section (a la Ebay) to the SG Forum to rate the sellers?

Dave

That's a lot of custom programming. No, I don't think I could do it.

[Gil Berry]

I've purchased two guitars through the forum. One from David Morgan, a second from Lee Johnson through Bill Stroud. Both these guitars were even better than my expectations, MUCH less expensive than buying a new guitar from a dealer/manufacturer. I could have been ripped off, I suppose, but sometimes three 7's do come up on the wheel. This was the case for both of these purchases and my hat is off to these honest forum members. Sometimes you just gotta take a chance when what you've been looking for comes up and APPEARS to be from a reputable individual.

[Gil Berry]

In mentioning problems I've had with psg's...I've owned 9 or 10 of them. Only two I ever had problems with are the two I had made for me (bought new). (I will not mention names.) Wood on the first guitar split in half (because it wasn't completely kilned). The change fingers burred easily on the second guitar (bad design? poor quality materials?). Both manufacturers, to their credit, though, stood behind their guitars. All the rest - Sierras, MSA's, Marlens, and Emmons - name brand guitars - have proven excellent purchases - and all were used from guys that were strangers to me at the time...

[Brian LeBlanc]

- I'm that ShoBud buyer guy...(Professional Cleaners)

- No way you're not buying long distance

- if you're in the Professional/ProII Market

- Obviously, it pays to look at sellers, 4-um sellers included, a whole lot more carefully

- BTW; Couple of the Big guys have looked at my pics
> 1st reaction is SHOCK!
> 2nd is paid about 50% over its value

(DD - got pics if ya want-um)

[Brad Malone]

Both manufacturers, to their credit, though, stood behind their guitars.

Hey Gil, Your above statement shows that you were not cheated, merely inconvenienced..even new car buyers "sometimes" get lemons but if the car company stands behind their warranty, all is well that ends well.

[J PARKER]

I have bought from several dealers off of the forum here and also individuals and all that i have purchased was just like they said it to be. The steel guitar community is very small and it WONT pay off if you sell a person some junk for a high price.
Jim

[Bernie Gonyea]

I agree with David, one hundred per cent, on taking a chance on buying a guitar, with-out seeing it up front. Wow, I have an example of doing just that recently. I bought a LDG Sho Bud back in the 80's [ brand new ]. My first purchase of a much desired Sho-Bud Guitar. Bought it from a certified dealer in Mass. This instrument was the biggest lemon any person could get stuck with. Took it back to the dealer; They, a buddy of mine, and I worked on the guitar in their shop for at least six hours, to no avail. Ended up coing home with my Sierra S-10; A fabulous trade for equal money. The recent event pertains to an E Bay purchase I made from a gent in the State of Washington. Bought a late 60's D-10 Pro Sho-Bud Guitar; sight unseen; just on the word of the seller. Turns out that the guitar is in excellent shape; considering its age; But every thing is original; no serious cracks or scratches on the cabinent or between the necks. Whom ever owned it took superb care of it over the past 45 years. And a great sounding Sho-Bud. Thus, I am truly one of the lucky folks to have purchased a guitar, sight unseen, from an honest individual; as most of our Forum members have proven them-selves to be. And it had to travel 3000 miles to my home in northern N.Y. Thanks for the thread, Ben..Bernie

[Neil Lang]

"Life is a Gamble"!!! PLAY & have fun!!!
"Ya WIN some-Ya LOSE some"!
And NEVER take it too seriously........!!!!!!

[Herb Steiner]

The only steel guitar deal I've ever truly, really gotten screwed big time was with a Forumite, a man who hasn't posted here since that deal... probably out of fear of deserved public embarassment.

Most folks here are good-hearted and honest, I've found. In a small community like this, with instant communication, knowledge of bad behavior spreads like wildfire and that also controls our baser urges.

That said, I've always been very cynical about the phrase "Forum brother," like that's some holy relationship. Oh, maybe like Cain and his brother Abel, perhaps.

[Steve Stallings]

I've been a happy camper here. Tons of stuff bought, sold, traded... I'm kind of compulsive about gear and enjoy the trading and stuff nearly as much as playing.

Anyway, no complaints here.

[Chris Boyd]

I've had great experiences here as well....have bought and sold a number of instruments,amps and misc gear and every transaction has gone perfectly. My Pro I came from Ebay and it is a truly wonderful steel..I still correspond with the seller 4 years later! This forum is a wonderful resource and I'm thankful to Bob and also to all the other truly kind folks I've corresponded with over the years....the sharing of knowledge here is unlike any other forum I've been on to date.....

[John Davis]

Ken I have nine steels here at the moment and anyone can come and try before they buy, that must surely be the best way to find out what you are getting?
And being in the middle of England ....it would only be half the bike ride to get here,,,,,what you gonna do with the afternnon??

[John McClung]

Here's a tip, whether buying here or from ebay: be very suspicious if the published photos don't show EVERY key view of a steel. One ZB on ebay recently was being considered by a friend. I pointed out how odd it was that there was no image of the guitar's front. When he asked the seller for a shot of the front, sure enough, the guitar was pretty ugly and hacked up, a real project guitar not even worth bidding on.

Personally, I want high res JPG closeups of every part of the guitar, exactly how I've posted for my MSA D-12 for sale on the forum (I even show all minor dings). If the seller can't be bothered to provide quality revelatory pix, then I can't be bothered even considering the purchase.

[Hans Holzherr]

Personally, I want high res JPG closeups of every part of the guitar

Right. And an offer that conforms to this request can hardly be called 'sight unseen'.

Hans

[Roger Francis]

Billy wrote

I believe in the seven letter word, HONESTY!

Which leads to a nine letter word "INTEGRITY"

[Mickey Adams]

I have but one entry to this thread. I recently purchased 2 Emmons PP's. One from a Forum Memeber, and one from a reputable dealer recommended by 2 different individuals. The D12 I went to see in Salt Lake...bought it...however it was rough....Now its better than new. The D10 was advertized as perfect.....It was close. A few missing rod ends, a lever that didnt work properly...etc...but all in all, I consider myself lucky....Ive got 2 GREAT PP's.
I did have to put some money into both of them, however I went into the transaction knowing what a troulblesome beast an "out of whack" PP can be. And I came out ahead....

[Joe Drivdahl]

Well I just bought a guitar unseen. But I suppose it doesn't count since its new and Bobbe set it up the way I wanted it. But I just bought a new green, double neck Magnum. Lord help me now.

Joe

[Gary Lynch]

Ask a lot of questions, get photos and ask for a three day trial period. That's how we do it on the Martin Guitar Forum.

The forum members at the SGF I have dealt with were all pros and I received great instruments.

[Rick Winfield]

Yesterday, I received my,sight-unseen, 1st PSG. Marlen D 10 1973, purchased from a forumite. It was all that I expected and more. Around my neighborhood music stores, I would never SEE a PSG, let alone try one out. I did a little research, asked a lot of questions, and trusted in the integrity of my brother forum member, and WAS NOT disappointed.
thanks

[Ken Thompson]

Joe D., I get over to your part of the state every now and then. I would love to sit down at your GFI and try it out. I have thought about getting one as my second steel but I have been hesitant to do so without playing one. I hope to get to Nashville one of these days and spend about 8 hours at Bobbe's store trying out all of them.

[Terry Kinnear]

Hi Ken , I bought one steel off a person who sells steel guitars,and is a forum member. sold me a steel , that he said he played that nite before. I took his word and he took my money.but i just bought another steel guitar. from mullen ,i bought a G2 .[ I played a mullen royal ] ,what a steel.I bought the worst and now im buying the best.

[Chippy Wood]

I buy quite a few Steels and have bought from the US and GB, Mostly I have been very satisfied with descriptions and photos, If I sell a Steel I will always give a full and accurate description with photos prior to purchase and will always refund if the buyer is not pleased with it.

[James Cann]

It's an odds game. From everything I've seen in this thread and in several others, I can think of no safer way for anyone to buy a used guitar (or amp or accessory, perhaps?) than from within this group?

There will always be those out to screw others, who make honest mistakes, or who are simply ignorant of one thing or another, but for perspective, the question serves: beyond buying a new guitar direct, are there better odds at any other "store"?

[Ernest Cawby]

I bought a steel on the forum, posted by a member for a friend not a member. The guitar was un playable, tune it hit a pedal out of tune. there were parts missing parts broken, it had not been oiled in it's lifetime. After an hours work from Johnny Bondz it played a little. I traded it to him for a pro 1 that looked like it had been in a dumpster, the finish was worn thru etc.
I payed $1,200,traded for the bud he was asking $850.00, lost on the trade. Sent it to Leon and he refinished and redid all the under neith, another $1,000 or there abouts. The guitar was posted on the forum after rebuild , it was beautiful and was as new. alls well that ends well.
ps traded it for a d 10 Carter just love it ,it was made for me and fit like a glove.
Would I buy from a forum member you bet.
I never called the seller on this deal after the sale I just bit the bullet and traded it off. Johnny sold it to a friend of ours for $ 850.00, he worked on it some more and sold it again.
This guitar was made by a member on the forum from South Ca. it was no fault of his the guitar was mistreated, he told me he would fix it but I traded it instead.



ernie

[Jack Goodson]

Ernie: i have been there and done that. but all in all i have made a lot of trades, bought, sold etc. but the biggest thing i fear is the delivery truck getting it to my front door in good condition.....thanks jack