Guitar Bill of Rights

[White Dog]

If you’re selling maybe check your messages!!!

This is a "slippery slope". As both an occasional buyer and seller on Craigslist, I know there is a delay at times during the communication phase.
Fortunately, I have a job that allows me to look at my phone when it alerts me that a message has come in...any time of the day. Not everyone is that lucky. Some folks have jobs where they could be fired if they're caught on their phones---some have jobs where they have to leave their phones in their locker (etc...) and can MAYBE look at it during their lunch break; or even wait until their work day is over.
So; not everyone can answer their messages right away, and some of them may not even know they have a message waiting until they get a chance to look at their phone.

Now; if it takes more than 24 hours for someone to answer their messages, I see no reason for. ESPECIALLY since everywhere you look everyone's got their face glued to their phone screen during their free time.

As far as the "email" link (messaging system) goes; I warn all perspective buyers that I will automatically delete them without opening them. I give my phone number and first name, and ask for text or phone call ONLY...every other method will be ignored.

So...if there is a DELAY in messaging there could be a good reason for it. If they NEVER get back to you...they are an ***hole.

This brings me to MY rule:

1). Once the item is sold TAKE THE AD DOWN!!!

 

[stylemessiah]

Flippers should be publicly shamed, if not hung

Partscaster sellers should have their asking price automagically reduced by 30% and their ability to whine in the face of reality limited to one whinge per week as their precious sits there and doesn't get any interest. Partcaster sellers are The Worst.

Anyone advertising a "golden era Fujigen E serial Squier" and the accompanying millionty unreasonable $ price tag should be immediately de-listed, because i dunno about you, but i'm so over that shizz. I'm sure most are fakes these days, they simply didnt make as many as are offered.

As a follow up, a complete ban on using the word rare anywhere in a Squier listing. It will always be a Squier...

Anyone quoting "but Josh Scott actually got several legit bites when he advertised his for $500,000" when trying to sell a Klon should be publicly stoned or forced to listen to Rob Chapman on loop, whichever you think is most heinous

All large headstock Fenders should be sold behind an opaque screen so the rest of us who like proper Fenders shouldnt have to look at them

 

[Leo Jazzmaster]

Flippers should be publicly shamed, if not hung

Partscaster sellers should have their asking price automagically reduced by 30% and their ability to whine in the face of reality limited to one whinge per week as their precious sits there and doesn't get any interest. Partcaster sellers are The Worst.

Anyone advertising a "golden era Fujigen E serial Squier" and the accompanying millionty unreasonable $ price tag should be immediately de-listed, because i dunno about you, but i'm so over that shizz. I'm sure most are fakes these days, they simply didnt make as many as are offered.

As a follow up, a complete ban on using the word rare anywhere in a Squier listing. It will always be a Squier...

Anyone quoting "but Josh Scott actually got several legit bites when he advertised his for $500,000" when trying to sell a Klon should be publicly stoned or forced to listen to Rob Chapman on loop, whichever you think is most heinous

All large headstock Fenders should be sold behind an opaque screen so the rest of us who like proper Fenders shouldnt have to look at them

A lot of people on here, myself included, flip guitars from time to time. Why should we be publicly shamed for cleaning up a guitar and reselling it? Did you have a bad experience with a flipper?

 

[Weimarunner]

If you're putting together a guitar from AllParts/Warmoth or whatever, don't slap a "Fender" sticker on the headstock. Even if you're honest about it being a partscaster and where your materials are from. This goes double if you're just taking a Squier and cleaning it up, maybe swapping tuners, etc.

 

[Weimarunner]

A lot of people on here, myself included, flip guitars from time to time. Why should we be publicly shamed for cleaning up a guitar and reselling it? Did you have a bad experience with a flipper?

I got a really fantastic guitar that was flipped. VM 70's Strat; was basically mint but the guy cleaned it up and sold it for an insanely good price (basically what he paid plus a tiny bit to keep funding his hobby) and gave me the case he bought with it. Sure, there are bad flippers, but I'm not in favor of a general ban. Sometimes it's a good way to get a deal on a nice guitar.

VM 70's Strat

• Weimarunner
• Apr 6, 2021

 

[drewcp]

I have no problem with flippers, because I would be a hypocrite if I did. But I do have a problem with people who misrepresent what they have, or why they are selling it.

No, Tom, you didn't buy that guitar for a student who decided they didn't like it. It was listed at $40, sold 4 hrs ago, and now you want $120 for it.

No, Dan, you're not a "Senior Citizen selling off" your gear. Your ads have said that for 6 months now, and the strat you're selling just came up for sale from the original owner 2 weeks ago.

 

[Leo Jazzmaster]

I got a really fantastic guitar that was flipped. VM 70's Strat; was basically mint but the guy cleaned it up and sold it for an insanely good price (basically what he paid plus a tiny bit to keep funding his hobby) and gave me the case he bought with it. Sure, there are bad flippers, but I'm not in favor of a general ban. Sometimes it's a good way to get a deal on a nice guitar.

Also, there are a lot of people who can't work on guitars, either from lack of knowledge or time, and because of flippers who repair and set up their finds for sale, some nice guitars are on the market.

 

[Weimarunner]

Indeed. I would say unscrupulous flippers should be banned, but in this type of market that's kind of on the buyer.

 

[Leo Jazzmaster]

Indeed. I would say unscrupulous flippers should be banned, but in this type of market that's kind of on the buyer.

Yep.

 

[BarnyardShark1979]

My brain associates flippers with the change I've perceived as happening over the last 5 or 10 or 15 years from a situation where you used to be able to find used Squier strats for less than a hundred bucks all over the place, like, couldn't walk down the block without tripping on one or two of them, to the current situation where a search on Reverb for "Squier" under $100 lists 4 mini-strats (will never be interested in those ever), a Starcaster strat "for parts" and one of those single HB Bullet strats. I feel like 10 years ago it would have netted dozens if not hundreds of Affinity and higher-level Strats with that search.

But then again, only my perception, and I'm most likely viewing the past through rose-tinted glasses.

 

[espresso1760]

Rule 1: Guitars are not defined by brand name.
Rule 2: Honesty is Policy.
Rule 3: Treat Newbies as you would treat a Legend.
Rule 4: Scalping, Ripoffs, and Scams are all Wrong. People who do these things are an insult to a kind community.

 

[mb doug]

At least blow the cigarette ash off of the item. (I know I'm being picky on a $20 item).

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/274656820914205/

 

[Bob the builder]

Guys knocking flippers?
Only thing pisses me off is they got the deal before me.

 

[Wronghanded]

1. Do your due diligence to know about guitars, cars or anything you want to buy, know true value.
2. Be honest and forthcoming.


Some years ago a lefty telecaster came up for sale, made in japan. On ebay, I won the bid $200. As I looked into this guy I saw he was a wannabe scammer, he was selling things multiple times, like xboxes he sold 3 or 4 he had one. He lived in Honolulu after two months of no guitar and empty promises. I looked him up. The show source in your email is invaluable. I found out who he was and where he worked. A busboy at a restaurant in Honolulu. I called the restaurant, asked for him threatened him with local police told him I knew where and who he was. Guitar showed up 2 weeks later poorly packaged, bridge rusty. but I cleaned it up, looked beautiful, played great. I also once tracked a guy trying to scam me, Prince TuTu of Nigeria, yeah funny. I tracked him to the slavic nations, used a false name, signed up at an employment agency in Italy and emailed him one day and scared the living crap out of him. He thought I was interpol.

Anyway, email has a show source, sure you have to weed as you read thru it, but invaluable to find folk, you need to find when buying online.

 

[Conghaille]

META:

If you want honesty then let's face the reality behind what we're saying:

Sellers want buyers to not be a headache and pay what we think an item should be worth.

Buyers want sellers to invest all the time in the world in us, not be a headache, and give us the item for the lowest market value.

The nature of selling anything is maximizing what you take in and minimizing cost to efficiency (your time). The nature of buying is trying to find the best thing for the lowest price. Neither of these things generally happen. Typically it's a compromise between the two.

To paraphrase, the sign of a good sale is when nobody is completely happy.

 

[Angry Possum]

At least blow the cigarette ash off of the item. (I know I'm being picky on a $20 item).

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/274656820914205/

View attachment 197084

Lmao

 

[howserx]

Don't use the term rare

lol, This! Rare Colour! Rare model! I usually read then for a laugh. Thing is, I think it works because the ads don't stay up long... I mean I have a FSR squier, is it Rare? Maybe. Would I list it like that? No. I'll mention it's a FSR and that some hack idiot butcher (Me) took a dremel to the cavity...

 

[stylemessiah]

A lot of people on here, myself included, flip guitars from time to time. Why should we be publicly shamed for cleaning up a guitar and reselling it? Did you have a bad experience with a flipper?

More about Flippers usually asking unreasonable amounts....trying to soak others, with overhyping ads and descriptions

As i posted, theres simply not that many "golden era Fujigen E serial Squier" guitars - a lot are selling via bs....

I must have seen 5 this week

Are they the same 5?

No...

 

[Leo Jazzmaster]

More about Flippers usually asking unreasonable amounts....trying to soak others, with overhyping ads and descriptions

As i posted, theres simply not that many "golden era Fujigen E serial Squier" guitars - a lot are selling via bs....

I must have seen 5 this week

Are they the same 5?

No...

I agree. Those types of sellers are annoying, and I feel bad for someone who doesn't know the price has been unreasonsably jacked up.

 

[TimTheViking]

All large headstock Fenders should be sold behind an opaque screen so the rest of us who like proper Fenders shouldnt have to look at them

My first experience with Fenders was in the 70's so I'm partial to the large headstock. So am I like a duckling that's been imprinted by an ugly dog for my mother? Or maybe Seinfeld's ugly baby episode?