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Old 12-03-2008, 10:42 AM
Acoustic Rick Acoustic Rick is offline
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Default Is there some truth to this remark?

I recently asked a friend of mine who owns a little music store about a particular guitar that I've been looking at on ebay. His answer to me raised this question, "If it were truly a great guitar would it be on ebay for sale"?

I've listed and sold several really great guitars here on the forum and have one of the best listed right now. So I know there are great guitars to be had here on the forum but what about ebay? Maybe it's a guitar that just didn't suit the previous owner or maybe this person just needs the money but do you think a truly great guitar could be found on ebay?

Maybe a person is just tired of a particular guitar and gassing for a new one? I know that's happened to me more times that I care to count.
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Old 12-03-2008, 10:45 AM
gitardude gitardude is offline
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Ebay's a mixed bag, some diamonds, some junk.
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Old 12-03-2008, 10:47 AM
walkin_man walkin_man is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Acoustic Rick View Post
do you think a truly great guitar could be found on ebay?
Yep! Some people don't always realize what they have until after they sell it. My PS-15 is a great example. (And I'm not just saying that because it's a PS. This guitar sounds incredible!)
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:00 AM
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I'm not sure I see any difference in WHERE a guitar is sold making whether it's "great" or not. I would ask your friend if he and other store owners screen every guitar they receive, and if it's not great, then they send it back to the factory or builder.

What I'm getting at is that there are fair, good, and great instruments available on the forums, in stores, on Ebay, on Craigslist.....everywhere. Since I've personally bought and sold a few great guitars on Ebay, I can vouch for the fact that there ARE great guitars there.....you just have to try them out and see for yourself.

Many are "diamonds in the rough". You get them and they have old strings and really bad setups. Once you get them "right" then they have a chance to shine.
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:02 AM
missouri.picker missouri.picker is offline
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tell him to look at this

http://cgi.ebay.com/1941-Martin-D-45...1%7C240%3A1318

EBAY is known to be high priced but not void of quality IMHO
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:03 AM
Jeff M Jeff M is offline
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I don't necessarily think a guitar going up on ebay means it can't be a "great" one.
What gets my suspicions up is when I see guitars by a "small" builder continually showing up for sale.
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:07 AM
Acoustic Rick Acoustic Rick is offline
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Guys this is the guitar that I was looking at on ebay. I bought it and it's on the way to me now. I've never even picked up a Koa guitar so I have no idea what to expect. My friend kind of made me nervous with his remark though which is the reason for my posting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Alvarez-Yairi-DY...1%7C240%3A1318
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:13 AM
missouri.picker missouri.picker is offline
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fine axe.........nice top color with lots of meduallry rays, the back is way cool and it looks in great shape. nicely taken care of. IMHO you did very very good and i bet it sings.
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:15 AM
12Stringer 12Stringer is offline
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impossible, its just someone else did not "love" it, maybe an electric player buys a acoustic, and finds its action too hard to play may sell it, or someone see's a "have to have it" guitar and needs to sell one to own the new one. Some people just change to keep looking for "the one". But, anything on ebay is buyer beware.
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:25 AM
6stringslinger 6stringslinger is offline
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I've sold great guitars because I needed the money. The last one I sold was my prized Martin 00-18. Vintage 1972. It was a beauty, but I had little choice.
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:26 AM
james55 james55 is offline
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Looks like a winner to me!!
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:32 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Acoustic Rick View Post
...If it were truly a great guitar would it be on ebay for sale?...
Hi Rick...
I've sold great instruments (mid-80s Les Paul) on e-bay for double what they would bring locally. I've seen Olsons, Ryans, Martins, vintage guitars there.
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:37 AM
Nort Nort is offline
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Hi Rick, just to throw my $.02 worth in.

I think that most of us who are on this & some of the other guitar forums
feel a "connection" with other players on forums.
If we have a guitar that we've enjoyed, but maybe is not the "one", a stepping stone or an experience/experiment with different builders/tonewoods
body size shape etc., and we're ready to move on, we like the idea of seeing
a guitar that we've developed some attachment to go to a good home/player

Although, we have to realize the limited exposure of a guitar for sale on a
forum, some for any number of reasons are very motivated to get the sale
done, Ebay is a "tool" certainly high visibility, there are of course costs
associated with it, upsides/downsides etc.

All that being said, I've watched ebay guitar sales out of interest/curiosity,
The advice given above of buyer beware would certainly apply.
There is no doubt ebay guitar sales are a mixed bag, some great quality pieces, some that would make lousy firewood, and everything in between.
Of course the "approval period" when offered by a seller with a superior feedback rating, could help to alleviate some concern.

In all things of that nature use do-diligence, tread carefully.

All the Best

Nort
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Old 12-03-2008, 11:39 AM
Shadowraptor Shadowraptor is offline
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you just have to try them out and see for yourself.

Typically, an eBay seller will not provide a "test period" allowing the buyer to return it for a full refund if it doesn't sound the way s/he wants it to. It's risky buying any guitar sight unseen, but I have taken a chance (twice) on AGF, and in both cases I am 100% delighted. I would not take the same chance with an eBay deal. eBay sellers have to include eBay fees and Paypal graft etc. in the price, so the deals are not always that great either.
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Old 12-03-2008, 12:18 PM
Jefferson Rocky Jefferson Rocky is offline
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Yairi's especially the ones made in the early 90's a real fine guitars. I remember playing several back at a music store in Philly...and they were all pretty good.

never bought from ebay...but it's really a case-by-case thing.

enjoy...
-Jefferson
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