Dealing with people selling guitars who don't have a clue

[67goat]

Originally Posted by sonic romp

Well, to be fair, phenomena will show that we often feel that we know better than the other person. Statements like “good luck…” are passive aggressive and maybe the conversation wasn’t so much about the guitar but missing or present interpersonal ingredients in both sides. I wish that it might have worked out better for both sides…it still may.

Recently, I was selling a guitar and one communication was simply “Hi. Let me know if $10K will do it. I can pay you immediately.”

A cold cash offer is no replacement for interpersonal decorum. I could get $10K up and down the boulevard; what makes your offer green to me, the seller? I quickly moved on to a warm, well-informed, reciprocating buyer and did much better. Human character develops human-to-human skills.

Whether I am the seller or the buyer, I am looking to make a transaction, not a friend. I'd rather people send me straight forward offers/questions and not try to start a conversation. I'm not a store trying to build future customers. I will likely never interact with this person again. Your interpersonal decorum is meaningless and annoying drivel to me.

[Medford Guitar]

Originally Posted by 67goat

Whether I am the seller or the buyer, I am looking to make a transaction, not a friend. I'd rather people send me straight forward offers/questions and not try to start a conversation. I'm not a store trying to build future customers. I will likely never interact with this person again. Your interpersonal decorum is meaningless and annoying drivel to me.

Agreed, thanks for your opinion

[Mr Bojangles]

Originally Posted by SRL

There are basically three types of sellers:

* Hostile
* Normal
* Motivated

The hostile sellers are not worth dealing with, in my opinion. Ask any realtor about them and you'll hear some fun stories. It's just not worth it, especially not for a widely available guitar like a Guild F-50.

Don't forget crazy!

[NeptuneBlue]

Originally Posted by Jeffreykip

Granted, 2500 is a lot, but if it’s truly mint, that’s not a crazy price (it would be the second cheapest on reverb right now with the most expensive at a 10k). When selling anything you get a lot of annoying offers and demands. It’s a natural expectation that a buyer will check out the item before they buy, but the phrase “I will need to inspect it very well” might sound like a challenging buyer assuming the seller is ignorant or dishonest and implies the buyer knows more about the product despite having never seen it.

The one on Reverb at 10K is Brazilian special build, followed by two 1950's Hoboken Guilds in the 5-7K range - different ball game. For a 1970's Guild F-50 I think you're right, that is a pretty decent price. OP is totally right to want to check it over, but I expect he could have been a little more patient with his phrasing so things don't devolve into 2 people being short with each other. I expect she knew enough to get by, more than OP assumed anyway, and was put off by something else. Both probably could have behaved better here

[Medford Guitar]

Originally Posted by NeptuneBlue

The one on Reverb at 10K is Brazilian special build, followed by two 1950's Hoboken Guilds in the 5-7K range - different ball game. For a 1970's Guild F-50 I think you're right, that is a pretty decent price. OP is totally right to want to check it over, but I expect he could have been a little more patient with his phrasing so things don't devolve into 2 people being short with each other. I expect she knew enough to get by, more than OP assumed anyway, and was put off by something else. Both probably could have behaved better here

The conversation didn't devolve into something bad. I wouldn't say we were short with each other. Direct is a better word. A little more facts. This is not her guitar. She's selling it for someone who died. She admittedly stated she knows very little about guitars. She is assuming because it has sat untouched in a closet for 25 years, and looks pretty it must be in excellent condition. Her claim that it's worth closer to $7K kind of seals the deal about hr limited knowledge of guitars. I'm going to look at it and inspect it thoroughly utilizing some of the tips others have offered here.

A little less condescendence would be nice at AGF. I suppose we all know what happens when we make assumptions.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Medford Guitar

She's selling it for someone who died. She admittedly stated she knows very little about guitars.

Yet she said she did a little research into its value. A "little" research is a dangerous thing. Might be hard to bargain with....

Originally Posted by Medford Guitar

I'm going to look at it and inspect it thoroughly utilizing some of the tips others have offered here.

When? I'm getting anxious about how this is going to turn out!

[Br1ck]

If someone is asking twice what something is worth, what is the point of checking out the guitar. You could find a lifting bridge, non original tuners and a guitar needing a neck reset, and you still wouldn't get anywhere.

[rllink]

I think that we need to keep in mind, if everyone was as knowledgeable as we are about guitars, selling them, playing them, and maintaining them at the proper humidity, we wouldn't be so special. We would just be guitar players, like everyone else. So really, we need those people.

[Guilty Spark]

Originally Posted by sonic romp

Human character develops human-to-human skills.

Appears to me as though the obstinate, close-minded seller is the one who could use your counsel, not the OP. Just my .02.

[Jeffreykip]

Originally Posted by Medford Guitar

The conversation didn't devolve into something bad. I wouldn't say we were short with each other. Direct is a better word. A little more facts. This is not her guitar. She's selling it for someone who died...
A little less condescendence would be nice at AGF. I suppose we all know what happens when we make assumptions.

I'm glad it is in a good place - if you get it it would be nice to start with a good experience and be able to look back on it fondly.

What I should have put in my first post is - those are amazing guitars - congratulations on finding one. I have a 1976 F-50R . We've been together for about 25 years and traveled the world together (it's not pristine, but it's beautiful). I have never played a guitar I would trade it for. If you get to a price you are cool with, you will never regret the instrument itself.