The Steel Guitar Forum

I saw this on the Raleigh, NC craigslist, and I'm pretty sure it's a scam. http://raleigh.craigslist.org/msg/415967773.html
The seller seems to indicate that it's in Spokane, WA, and when I sent him a message, specifically asking where the instrument was located, he wrote back and said he was "on my honeymoon in Hawaii, but I can complete the transaction today", but didn't answer my question. I have since heard other people talk about the "honeymoon in Hawaii" scam.
So, buyer beware.

A scam? I'd bet on it! This great guitar and a pristine triple Fender Custom (same Washington state owner) were offered on eBay last year and soon after the auctions closed, scammers were ficticiously listing the instruments for auction again. I think the Fender Quad scam was revived on eBay several months ago. I noticed that this week, "Marie's" triple Custom is back on eBay....this time at a guitar store in Florida. This might be a legitimate auction (sure looks like it) but I'd advise one to contact the store prior to bidding and confirm that the thing actually is in their possession.

It's a total scam. I know the young man that bought the Quad in the original legit auction.
The final price was $7800, but the kid had made a mistake when he bid.
Anyway, they reached an agreement for an undisclosed amount,
and a 15 year old guy became the proud owner of a 26" Quad.

The text in that ad is taken verbatim from the original auction.
It keeps re-appearing on eBay, and now here.
Any time a Stringmaster Quad is on the auction block, it's a good idea to thoroughly check out the seller,
get his phone number, address etc.
Any ad or auction about "Marie's" Custom or Quad is bogus - both guitars were sold over a year ago.

There are not very many Fender Quads on the planet.
Up until a couple of years ago it was more profitable to part them out than to sell them intact.
Now that Stringmaster prices have risen astronomically, that is no longer the case.

OK I'll bite.

Is it a legitimate auction? I saw it posted a couple of days ago on ebay and rember the string saying it was a scam. Having been scammed in the past on e-bay I look for certain things to determine a legitimacy of a non-line business. And until you see the cargo sitting on your doorstep, you can never be totally sure. But this guy has over 700 successful transactions on e-bay and as you know, reputation is everything on e-bay. I would venture to say this is a legitimate auction.

I am not trying to stir the pot. Just offering another view point.

V/r,

Sam

I email the seller and asked him where the guitar was located, since it was in the Raleigh, NC craigslist, and it mentioned in the text that it was located in Spokane. He emailed me back telling me that he was honeymooning in Hawaii, but could still get it sent right out. I emailed him again, asking where the guitar was located. I got a curt responce telling me that I shouldn't worry about the location, since the guitar was being handled by some ebay selling company, and it could be anywhere.
If I wrongly accused this guy, I am truely sorry, but I still think that the raleigh Craigslist version that I responded to was a scam. Besides, I'd think that getting the guitar off of craigslist would be a help to the legitimate seller.

I just re-read the letter from Mr. Eder, and he says he's selling a 3-neck steel. The one that I was refering to is a 4-neck.
Now I'm REALLY confused!

It IS pretty confusing.

Mr. Elder IS selling a triple neck, and it is NOT the quad listed on craigslist.

The reason he's bent out of shape is this:

Rick Alexander wrote:Any ad or auction about "Marie's" Custom or Quad is bogus - both guitars were sold over a year ago.

The "Marie" guitar is what he's selling on ebay right now. His story sounds/looks legit to me, but what do I know?

Oh, and it looks like the craigslist quad has been taken down. "Flagged for removal" whatever that means.

I just talked to Andy Eder of Andy's Guitars (an actual music store in Tallahassee) - and he is the actual guy who bought the Custom (not the Quad) and the amp in the original auction about a year and a half ago.
The Custom and the Quad were auctioned at the same time in separate auctions, as was the amp.


Andy got the Custom (and the amp) - and the kid got the Quad.

Soon after, bogus eBay auctions would repeatedly appear for the Quad using the same text and this same picture of Marie with both guitars and her husband in the background sitting on the couch.


So everybody has understandably come to associate that picture with eBay Quad scams.

NOW - by coincidence - at the same time somebody runs a scam for the Quad in Craigslist, Andy's Guitars decides to sell the Custom on eBay.
Andy figured the picture of Marie would be a plus, so he used it in the auction - not realizing that picture has been used repeatedly in scam auctions and that a lot of people associate it with those scams.

It has become something of a red flag and that's why I said what I said about it.
I just don't want to see anybody get ripped off.

I explained that to Andy and told him I thought he should lose that picture.


Confused?


The bottom line is:
1. Andy is a reputable musical instrument retailer with a store in Tallahassee, and his auction for the Custom is legit.

But scammers take over reputable accounts, so it's good telephone the seller and make sure it's really them.


2. As far as I know the young man who bought the Quad still has it. I sent him an email and I'm waiting to hear back, but he always said he wouldn't sell it.

3. That Craigslist ad that John started this topic about - it was a scam.





And - it turns out that Andy and I sort of know each other.
He used to live in this area in the 80s, and we played in different bands so we knew who each other was etc.
He tried to join the forum so he could state his case, but he'll have to wait til b0b gets back from vacation.
I told him I'd post anything he wanted to say, but the issue was never his reputation or credibility.

We weren't even talking about his auction - the only connection was that picture.

Just a prop for Andy's Guitars in Florida:
I bought my stringmaster there a couple years ago. The transaction (it ws an ebay auction) was flawless, and the guitar arrived in good shape very quickly.
I highly recommend doing business with Andy's Guitars.
They treated me very well.

Yes, Andy's Guitars is a reliable legitimate store.

I got an email from the young man who originally bought the Quad - and he confirmed that he still has it and will never sell it. As he put it:

NO I DID NOT SELL IT THAT GUITAR IS MY LIFE I WOULD NOT SELL IT FOR THE
WORLD ITS MY BABY

I think that says it all.

Rick A. wrote:
"He tried to join the forum so he could state his case, but he'll have to wait til b0b gets back from vacation."

As of today he has not joined yet.
What's up?