I think I may have been “bait and switched” today.

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

A new Ibanez AF55 is $329 shipped from a number of reputable outlets.

Used prices top out at $260.

The $175 price was reasonable for something you would have to fix, but no incredible bargain.

Are this point, dude tried to bump the price to twice his asking.
He claimed to have not one, but two buyers to try to influence my “Wanter”.
Then he lowered his price after I called him on doubling it. But in “lowering” the price he was above his original asking.

As the gear is still for sale, either his “other deals” fell thru...or they never existed.

I think it’s only fair to nearly half my offer to pay full original asking price, as he nearly doubled it. And now, seemingly still has the gear sitting unsold.

[BT55]

Listen to your wife. Offer a hard $100 and walk away if he doesn’t take it. You can never trust a scammer.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

Are this point, dude tried to bump the price to twice his asking.
He claimed to have not one, but two buyers to try to influence my “Wanter”.
Then he lowered his price after I called him on doubling it. But in “lowering” the price he was above his original asking.

As the gear is still for sale, either his “other deals” fell thru...or they never existed.

I think it’s only fair to nearly half my offer to pay full original asking price, as he nearly doubled it. And now, seemingly still has the gear sitting unsold.

Let it go.



(Just my opinion.)

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Let it go.



(Just my opinion.)

In point of fact, I’m letting it go.
Just thought it was cool of my wife to take up for me that way.

I kill spiders for her, she squishes scammers for me.
Match made in Heaven.
If it weren’t for the jeopardy to my guy card...I might swoon.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

....And now, seemingly still has the gear sitting unsold.

Serves him right.


whm

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

I kill spiders for her, .

That's what it's all about, my friend.

And getting stuff off high shelves . . .

[MChild62]

Originally Posted by guitar george

I guess this is what it boiled down to. No local store had this amp in stock so the decision was to either get my new amp from this guy, and still save about $80.00, or forget it for a while. I decided to swallow my pride, pay the higher price and forget about the whole fiasco. I have enjoyed the amp ever since.

George, I’m with you, and negotiation is something I have studied a bit. The desire to “punish” is strong and often leads us to reject offers even though it is our best interest to accept. It takes a lot to recognize this and accept something may be both unfair but also a good result for us.
FYI - its an affliction of social beings. Great demonstration by capuchin monkeys in case you haven’t seen this. (The monkey would have walked away from the deal.)
https://youtu.be/meiU6TxysCg

[gfspencer]

Originally Posted by guitar george

I bought an almost-new Fishman Loudbox Mini amp that was advertised on Craigslist, for about $100.00 under street price. After emailing back and forth, I agreed to pay the full asking price. I had to drive about 45 minutes, each way, to meet the guy. When I met him at a branch of my bank, he said he had lots of interest in the amp and someone else had offered him $40.00 more than our agreed price. He "proved" it by showing me a text message of the $40.00 higher offer. He said if I gave him $30.00 more I could have it. Well, I certainly felt that this was a con job and after a bit of uncomfortable discussion and him saying that he was sorry, but, he was going to sell it for the other offer of $40.00 more, I ended up giving him $30.00 more. It was still a good deal, being $70.00 under street price and with no taxes, and I really wanted the amp.

I'm glad you got your amp at a price that you were comfortable with . . . but I don't like people who change deals.

Years ago I sold a Flying Scot sailboat. The buyer and I agreed on a price. I pulled the boat about 150 miles to a Interstate rest area where we were going to do the deal. When we met he said that he wanted to buy the boat for less than the agreed on price. I guess he thought that he had me over a barrel. I got back into my car and prepared to go back home with the boat. He quickly changed his mind and paid the agreed on price. I hate jerks like that.

[Neil K Walk]

Here's my feeling on the matter: always trust your instincts. It's much simpler to just walk away. Anything more than that is just a waste of energy.

[TKT]

I have a story. I was watching a vintage Japanese classical on Reverb for some time. Like many of these it was at it's adjustment limits as far as action without doing a neck reset, but was at my upper end for acceptable. When it went on sale, I got serious. I was asking for info on action in the middle of the neck and at the 12th, and the amount of saddle showing in mm, and closeup photos in preparation to spend around $2,200.

He answered one email then came back to tell me the guitar wasn't for me. Since there were no returns accepted, I felt I had a right to figure out my comfort level spending a decent chunk on a guitar that may have had issues (for me).

So I was disappointed, but then found something similar, though by a different luthier, in better condition locally and bought that.

When the Reverb guy came up with another listing that was on my bucket list, I had to ignore it, since I felt that by his behavior he may have not been dislosing fully, some examples of which had showed up in his feedback from buyers.

So basically if your gut says something is off, trust it. Or ask your wife what she thinks.

[ripdotcom]

it sounds like a complete waste of time. Im surprised you even considered negotiating with the bait.

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

I was looking over the local BST today
And inquired via FB messenger about an archtop that was listed at $175.
He said he had someone else interested but if I was ready to buy now I could have it for $300.
After my asking how he came to that number when he had it listed at $175, he said that since someone else was interested he was going for the “auction” approach.
I said I could do $175 and I was struggling to do that.
I blessed him to sell it to the higher bidder.

He thanked me for my time and interest and said he’d get back to me if the other guy flaked.

An hour or so goes by and he asks if I can meet him half way at $200.

Is it common practice to bargain down, or price low then ask for near twice the posted price?
I usually ask high in hopes of getting what I want.

I told him that I had to consult with SWMBO.
I’ve not heard back.

UPDATE:
Five weeks later, this item has been pulled and re-listed at a higher price.
But now it’s just the guitar for $250.

[guitar george]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

I said I could do $175 and I was struggling to do that.

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

UPDATE:
Five weeks later, this item has been pulled and re-listed at a higher price.
But now it’s just the guitar for $250.

If you are still interested you probably could get it for $175 if you contact him again.

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by guitar george

If you are still interested you probably could get it for $175 if you contact him again.

I’ve shifter my interest to something better.
I’m just peeved that he is still running this game.
Principle of the thing and all that.

I understand needing to eat and all that.
I guess that old-fashioned concepts like “honor” and “integrity” still mean something to me. And this dude is shining a bad light on other musicians (he claims to be one) with these shenanigans.

[The Kid!]

I'd walk.
There are too many great guitars out there from reputable sellers to deal with nonsense such as this.