An "objective" comparison of AGF forum value

[fazool]

I recently spent a lot of time retooling my guitar arsenal.

Reflecting back on my buy&sell experiences, I summarize them as follows, which should be self-explanatory:

• Sold GC3 – eBay: hassle, sold, unscrupulous buyer, relisted, resold again
• Sold CT50 – eBay: hassle, buyer tried to claim a flaw, then confessed when I wouldn’t give him money
• Sold T5-C1 – eBay: hassle, lowball offers, sold, buyer cancelled then asked to buy again
• Bought OMC15-ME – Reverb : defective guitar, returned for refund
• Bought OMC15-ME – Reverb : lost by FedEx, major delay finally arrived after filing claims
• Sold OMC15-ME – local CL : fantastic transaction – new guitar player friend
• Sold T5-C1 – AGF : great transaction – repeat buyer of another guitar last year
• Bought GC3 – AGF: great transaction– new forum guitar friend
• Bought OM-15 – AGF : fantastic transaction – new forum guitar friend
• Sold a GS8 – local AGF: great transaction – new forum guitar friend

[Rev Roy]

I hear ya. I don’t like torture, so I’ve never listed on eBay. I’ve sold 6-7 guitars, bought two on Reverb. Always good to great transactions. Traded/sold 3-4 on AGF. Super transactions and a new friend every time.

[Glennwillow]

That's really interesting information Fazool! Thanks for that summary!

- Glenn

[DownUpDave]

I am only a few years into guitar but have bought 2 from AGF members with stellar results. I come from a ukulele background and am a member of Ukulele Underground. I have bought and sold a PILE of ukuleles over the past 7 years in that forum with no issues. Seems to hold true here as well, established members have a reputation to uphold.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by fazool

I recently spent a lot of time retooling my guitar arsenal.

Reflecting back on my buy&sell experiences, I summarize them as follows, which should be self-explanatory:

• Sold GC3 – eBay: hassle, sold, unscrupulous buyer, relisted, resold again
• Sold CT50 – eBay: hassle, buyer tried to claim a flaw, then confessed when I wouldn’t give him money
• Sold T5-C1 – eBay: hassle, lowball offers, sold, buyer cancelled then asked to buy again
• Bought OMC15-ME – Reverb : defective guitar, returned for refund
• Bought OMC15-ME – Reverb : lost by FedEx, major delay finally arrived after filing claims
• Sold OMC15-ME – local CL : fantastic transaction – new guitar player friend
• Sold T5-C1 – AGF : great transaction – repeat buyer of another guitar last year
• Bought GC3 – AGF: great transaction– new forum guitar friend
• Bought OM-15 – AGF : fantastic transaction – new forum guitar friend
• Sold a GS8 – local AGF: great transaction – new forum guitar friend

I'm in one of these transactions and I feel the same, a great transaction with you fazool! I have a new forum guitar friend

[ghostnote]

If nothing else, this thread gives me someplace else to look next time I'm on the hunt for something. I've never seriously looked in the classifieds here. To be fair, I've only bought one guitar in the last 3 years because I've been pretty satisfied with what I have, but still, I've been here for a lot of years without trying to lowball any forum members - oops, I mean purchasing a fine instrument at a fair price.

[sevenpalms]

Very interesting to see that in writing....I've bought and sold quite a bit on the forum and have never had a bad transaction.... It's a great place to hang out with lots of good people!

[jasbo49]

Hi Fazool. I don't want to rock boats or make waves, but I don't know what a single one of those guitars is, and I've been playing for 60-plus years.

GC3?
T5C1?
OMC15-ME?

Is there a code here that we're all supposed to recognize? Or am I just hopelessly out of sync with modern guitar lingo?

Jim

[fazool]

Taylor model GC3 grand concert spruce over sapele short scale
Sterling Cutlass CT50 electric
Taylor T5-C1 hollowbody hybrid
Martin OMC15-ME all moahgany orchestra model with cutaway and build-in pickup
Martin Custom Shop OM-15 all mahogany custom
Taylor Grand Symphony GS8 spruce over rosewood jumbo

[wguitar]

During the past year I have completed 5 great guitar transactions with fellow AGF members, including my recent local purchase of Fazool's Taylor GS8. In addition, I twice traveled (met part way) with fellow AGF members to trade and sell guitars. Lastly, I purchased 1 and sold 1 guitar in wonderful transactions with fellow AGF friends. IMHO, the AGF marketplace presents a great opportunity to try different guitars, offers a reliable outlet for selling (usually 1 in - 1 out for me), and make new AGF friends in the process. I have also found the "want-to-buy" (WTB) feature to be helpful in certain instances.

Best to all,

Cheers!

[rule18]

Originally Posted by fazool

I recently spent a lot of time retooling my guitar arsenal.

Reflecting back on my buy&sell experiences, I summarize them as follows, which should be self-explanatory:

• Sold GC3 – eBay: hassle, sold, unscrupulous buyer, relisted, resold again
• Sold CT50 – eBay: hassle, buyer tried to claim a flaw, then confessed when I wouldn’t give him money
• Sold T5-C1 – eBay: hassle, lowball offers, sold, buyer cancelled then asked to buy again
• Bought OMC15-ME – Reverb : defective guitar, returned for refund
• Bought OMC15-ME – Reverb : lost by FedEx, major delay finally arrived after filing claims
• Sold OMC15-ME – local CL : fantastic transaction – new guitar player friend
• Sold T5-C1 – AGF : great transaction – repeat buyer of another guitar last year
• Bought GC3 – AGF: great transaction– new forum guitar friend
• Bought OM-15 – AGF : fantastic transaction – new forum guitar friend
• Sold a GS8 – local AGF: great transaction – new forum guitar friend

It's interesting you bring this up. I just bought what promises to be an excellent guitar from a new AGF friend (more to come next week on NGD for me!). I have bought and sold many items on ebay and CL over the years, this has by far been the best transaction to date...

[emtsteve]

Every transaction (3-4 I believe) I have had on AGF has been hassle free and a pleasure. It’s because AGF’ers on the whole are an honest and fair dealing bunch.

[birdsong]

Yikes. I ran out of fingers..... to count. 10 guitar, 1 uke, and a couple gear transactions in the past 5 years, via AGF. All flawless.

[Lee Callicutt]

Only two guitar purchases here, but both very positive experiences.

[donlyn]

Originally Posted by birdsong

Yikes. I ran out of fingers..... to count. 10 guitar, 1 uke, and a couple gear transactions in the past 5 years, via AGF. All flawless.

Actually you can count to 1023 on your fingers using a binary system.

Or 2047 on a good day.

I did buy a guitar 4 years ago from a forum member, sight unseen and no haggling. But I did ask a lot of questions and asked for a reference. I was so pleased with the entire transaction, that I told him he could use me as a reference anytime.

Don
.