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  #16  
Old 02-18-2020, 07:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly View Post
I just had a 10 year old used guitar returned because the color wasn't what the buyer thought it looked like in the pictures and the pick guard had some pick brushes on it. $$$
What in the world?? Obviously this wasn't here right? Must have been reverb.
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  #17  
Old 02-18-2020, 07:32 AM
rokdog49 rokdog49 is offline
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The odds of these bad experiences happening are certainly out there.
I’ve never had any issues and I’ve bought and sold instruments on both Reverb and EBay several times.
That’s it.
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  #18  
Old 02-18-2020, 07:55 AM
jsanfilippo5 jsanfilippo5 is offline
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Any online purchase is a risk.. I've even bought new stuff that was broken or not working when received.

But here on AGF forum I have a had great dealings - purchased some great guitars and got great deals from great people. Same over at UMGF and let's talk guild.
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  #19  
Old 02-18-2020, 07:56 AM
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Originally Posted by UncleJesse View Post
What in the world?? Obviously this wasn't here right? Must have been reverb.
My sell was on eBay. The last sentence of the claim asked that maybe we could work something out. That struck me as a shake down. I had it returned and after two days on eBay it's sold again. We'll see how this goes.
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  #20  
Old 02-18-2020, 08:19 AM
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Originally Posted by ukejon View Post
I buy used guitars very confidently from AGF members on the Classifieds page.....especially glad to deal with those members who have a track record here.
This I would be more open to....
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  #21  
Old 02-18-2020, 08:59 AM
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I'm no pie in the sky optimist, and I'm sure there are some people out there just knowingly trying to pass off their problems, but I really do think it's more a matter of naivete or sloppiness than malice or flat out dishonesty.

A couple of months ago I posted a NGD for a 000-18GE that ended up going back. It had long weather checking that you couldn't really see in the picks because they were taken straight on, it also had pretty major and poorly executed work done to the bridge plate. When I brought these to the seller's attention he really didn't seem to think that anybody would be bothered with them, I explained that people don't want surprises when spending that kind of money on a guitar. He refunded my money, was willing to pay return shipping (we ended up splitting it). And he apologized repeatedly and sent several follow up emails asking my opinion about a fair price, and how to present it accurately... I think he was just a bit out of his depth.

I also think this because I was once on the other side of it. Sold a guitar, a Webber, that had more problems than I realized because I just wasn't that experienced. Ended up taking it back and having the work done on it.
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  #22  
Old 02-18-2020, 09:42 AM
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Mostly I've had good luck.

I've been through about thirty used guitars all bought online in the past ten years.

I've only had probably 3 or 4 really bad guitars where there was something wrong with them that was undisclosed.

One of the worst was a Taylor electric I bought. The Taylor solidbody electrics (of which I own and love two) have plug-and-play loaded pickguards with some very high quality wiring inside, including terrific grounding, fusing etc.

I bought this one and wanted to swap the pickguard only to find it was a cobbled together homemade mess inside with cut and spliced wires hidden inside the pickguard. The seller didn't even debate and refunded my money the same day but I was still peeved that it was hidden.

I bought a vintage semihollow body 12 string that was super cool but the body had caved in (over time) and distorted so bad it would have required massive resonstructive "surgery". I took a loss and sold it for parts.

I had a couple others here and there but those were the worst two.

I find that eBay is totally fine except for counterfeit/forgery risks and the seller prices on Reverb have become stupid. Sellers on Reverb are asking significantly more than on craigslist or ebay (or even Guitar Center used) so I almost never shop on Reverb anymore.
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  #23  
Old 02-18-2020, 10:02 AM
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I've had only good experiences through eBay and Reverb (but maybe I'm not really picky.) All instruments have been as described, one was disclosed to have a "ding" that I had to hunt to find, it was so small. All have sounded good (not earth-shatteringly good, but good enough.) But no more, not because of bad experiences but my GAS is satisfied for now.
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  #24  
Old 02-18-2020, 02:48 PM
DesertTwang DesertTwang is offline
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Sorry about those experiences. I have to ask, though: did you not ask for detailed pictures? All the issues you describe would have shown, and likely prevented any ensuing "he-said-he-said" arguments after the transaction.
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  #25  
Old 02-18-2020, 05:55 PM
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As others have noted, buying via these AGF classifieds will usually yield very satisfying results (I try to not say "always" esp for a topic like this!).

Since 2015, I have purchased.....yikes, 8 used guitars, and swapped one I already had for a ukelele. Each transaction was for me, "perfect". I am not as picky as some, but each has sounded close enough to what I'd hoped for; and a few of them better than I had expected. I've been "sampling" different guitars, and rotating them as I play, and enjoying the moment.

I really like AGF classifieds because I can read the many educational comments, and learn a bit about both guitars, and the folks who are posting. I can go back in time and see what folks had posted, read their style of writing, etc. You get a bit of a picture about someone, and of course you can ask questions.

In thinking about some of the above responses, I feel like the AGF "arena" is more friendly than others, and the folks posting sales seem more "realistic" about what we buyers want to know about. The prices "over there" are also far more reasonable than anywhere else (and most everyone will negotiate). It's really almost too nice to go shopping in these classifieds, which is how I ended up purchasing 8 guitars in a 5 year period....ha ha.

And I'm not done - but it's so hard to let one go........ when I recently decided to sell a few I'd had for many years and no longer played, I did so on consignment at a neat little store up the street (young guys who mostly do repairs and sell old electronic guitar stuff but a few acoustics). Each sold quickly at a fair price and I didn't mind paying the fee.

Now that I have a little more room......hmm...... yeah, when it's time for my next purchase I'll be back in the AGF classifieds......

John
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  #26  
Old 02-18-2020, 06:29 PM
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I am not sure it is a Reverb prob. It is a seller problem . Recently I saw a used J-45 on Reverb. For some reason gas overwhelmed me and I bought it. When I received it, the action was high. I did my usual measurements and decided the neck needed to be straightened. But a 1/8 of a turn on the truss rod and it locked out.

I returned the guitar. The seller asked if his luthier thought there were no probs, would I still buy it. I gave a half hearted yes. Within an hr of the UPS delivery to the seller, I received an email saying his luthier cleared the guitar. i replied that if he could send me a copy of a signed letter by the luthier testifying that the truss rod was not locking out early I would buy the guitar. I heard nothing but crickets. And the guitar is back on Reverb.

Similarly GC overlooks problem guitars and merely rates them on looks. I have received guitars I have bought that rated well on looks but had various probs.

So it is buyer beware. You are on your own.
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  #27  
Old 02-19-2020, 10:50 AM
Ralph124C41 Ralph124C41 is offline
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I don't mind buying used from a place with an accommodating return policy, such as Guitar Center.

My only used purchase from a private seller was on eBay and that was the one I've written about ... the "excellent" condition guitar arrived with a lifting bridge and the once-friendly seller became combative and even seemed to suggest I was a scammer and that there was no problem at all (even after I took it to a local shop) and refused my request for a refund. I got eBay involved but I foolishly caved in and accepted an insultingly low credit adjustment made by the seller. But that's on me as I should have just pressed my case and let eBay dive in as I really think I would have gotten my money back.

Conversely I've only sold two guitars (my Guild D-55 and an electric) and I've had no complaints from the buyers .. in fact the buyer of the Guild even wrote back to me about how truthful I was in my presentation of the condition of the guitar.
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  #28  
Old 02-19-2020, 12:40 PM
TennesseeWalker TennesseeWalker is offline
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Many, many good shops post their pre owned pieces on their sites as well as on Reverb and such. Always good to start there.

Private individuals can be quite a different matter - I usually ask numerous questions and ask for specific pictures of different areas of the guitar.
Any hesitancy or times of being ignored is my red flag - buy something else. Those guitars might sell, they just won't be headed this direction.
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  #29  
Old 02-19-2020, 01:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TennesseeWalker View Post
Many, many good shops post their pre owned pieces on their sites as well as on Reverb and such. Always good to start there.

Private individuals can be quite a different matter - I usually ask numerous questions and ask for specific pictures of different areas of the guitar.
Any hesitancy or times of being ignored is my red flag - buy something else. Those guitars might sell, they just won't be headed this direction.
That's funny you mention it. I saw a used guitar posted online and the guy had in the ad "don't ask too many questions". Sorry bud, not even thinking about buying that guitar now.
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  #30  
Old 02-19-2020, 03:28 PM
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I have purchased 3 guitars in the past year+. The first on-line from the Guitar Center, the second from the maker (same maker as the Guitar Center guitar who I follow here on AGF) and the last was purchased through AGF. All were very satisfactory transactions.

I also sold 3 guitars in the past year through local shops. I know it's less money to me but I like supporting the shops and there is zero hassle.

I check out "guitars for sale" on AGF just about every other day. It's fun and also an education.
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