Is Reverb.com getting worse?

[Cunamara]

Attachment 115195

Latin for "sandpaper is not illegitimate?"

[Mick-7]

Latin for "sandpaper is not illegitimate?"

See: Illegitimi non carborundum - Wikipedia

[telephonic]

I used Reverb for a short time and sold a few pedals. But then I discovered this great shop in Melbourne called "Found Sound" that take your stuff on consignment. Much prefer for them to deal with all the buyer drama. My pet hate was people who couldn't comprehend that "not accepting offers" meant that I was not accepting offers.

One thing I never understood with Reverb was that useless "watch" thing. Does someone watching your item mean they're considering buying it, or that they have one themselves and want to see how much your one goes for?

[Tomcat]

I bought and sold some guitars on Reverb in the last years. Including bought archtop GB15 from Portugal to Poland and sold Guild acoustic from PL to US.. So far no bad experience and no complaints. The packaging and shipping details (like the brigde removal) should be agreed by both sides imho.

[jzucker]

The packaging and shipping details (like the brigde removal) should be agreed by both sides imho.

I disagree. In an environment where it's *MY* job to get the guitar there with no damage, I have a right to choose what I feel is the best way to ship an instrument. In fact, I have the packing methodology (removing the bridge, etc) in my seller profile. The packing is non-negotiable. My job is to get it to the buyer in the condition advertised. Not to debate whether removing the bridge is "unnecessary"

[jzucker]

I used Reverb for a short time and sold a few pedals. But then I discovered this great shop in Melbourne called "Found Sound" that take your stuff on consignment. Much prefer for them to deal with all the buyer drama. My pet hate was people who couldn't comprehend that "not accepting offers" meant that I was not accepting offers.

One thing I never understood with Reverb was that useless "watch" thing. Does someone watching your item mean they're considering buying it, or that they have one themselves and want to see how much your one goes for?

Watching is not useless. It's like a bookmark. When you watch an item, you are interested in it and may come back to it later. Maybe you're monitoring it to see if the price goes down or whatever.

[John A.]

Latin for "sandpaper is not illegitimate?"

Mangled Latin for “Don’t let the bastards grind you down”

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Latin for "sandpaper is not illegitimate?"

I love it!!! That’s almost as funny as the commonly cited translation

[Cunamara]

See: Illegitimi non carborundum - Wikipedia

Carpe diem! (Fish of the day).

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I remember that guitar here. I would have pursued it if it were a 6-string.

And I would have bought it if the seller hadn’t been a flake. I have to thank the members who realized I’d be interested in it and spontaneously reached out to me. I was gratified to be told what it was probably worth by those with great knowledge and experience, and to find that I was in good company in my concerns and thinking.

For those who don’t know, when I couldn’t find a suitable used archtop 7 for my purpose, I put the $ into one of the last new Eastman Jazz Elites available, since Eastman had just announced that they would make no more 7s. I got the second to last one GnJ had.

I still want a “beater”. But as Jack dramatizes in this thread, buying and selling used guitars is not what it used to be. There’s an Ibanez AFJ-957 in Canada on Reverb right now at $1k USD that I’m looking into. It’s no Foster, but it’d be a great beater if it’s decent and the seller’s flexible on price. All of a sudden, everything’s gone crazy - there’s an AF207 on Reverb for which the seller wants $3600 USD. I truly love mine, but that’s outrageous!

[Cunamara]

I disagree. In an environment where it's *MY* job to get the guitar there with no damage, I have a right to choose what I feel is the best way to ship an instrument. In fact, I have the packing methodology (removing the bridge, etc) in my seller profile. The packing is non-negotiable. My job is to get it to the buyer in the condition advertised. Not to debate whether removing the bridge is "unnecessary"

I wonder if the buyer did not understand that bridge removal on an archtop is non-destructive...

[John A.]

This is my experience:

Consignment - didn’t work for what I tried to sell. Items sat, store did not promote. I think for certain niches it can work, but really has to be the right item in the right shop at the right time.

Trade-in/Directly to shops - fastest, easiest route, but yields lowest return. Worth it if you’re in a hurry or selling something low enough value that you’re not really concerned about the money and just want it gone. And amps. Selling amps is a huge PITA. GC will buy it (for half what you think it’s worth) when no one else will.

Craigslist - used to be great but is useless now. All scammers, lowballers and junk, so you can’t make a sale due to guilt by association.

Here - the actual transactions and people are a breeze, whether your item will actually sell is unpredictable.

eBay - Craigslist with fees

FB Marketplace - Craigslist, with 80% of the responses in a language I don’t understand.

Directly to people through personal connections - sometimes you get lucky.

Reverb - reaches the widest music-gear audience, generates the most interest, sells fastest, gets you the best price, and is the easiest for shipping and payment. It also exposes you to the most flakes and it’s not free (though lower % of sale price then eBay or consignment). Maybe Sweetwater will wind up being better, but meanwhile it’s on balance the most effective channel.

My pet peeve: cases. WTF is with people caring about OHSC? If I’m the buyer you should be paying me to take that piece of crap off your hands and out of your closet. If I’m selling, shout hallelujah for the gig bag. Boycott OHSC!

[Betz]

I disagree. In an environment where it's *MY* job to get the guitar there with no damage, I have a right to choose what I feel is the best way to ship an instrument. In fact, I have the packing methodology (removing the bridge, etc) in my seller profile. The packing is non-negotiable. My job is to get it to the buyer in the condition advertised. Not to debate whether removing the bridge is "unnecessary"

Exactly. In the freight industry parlance, you (the shipper) are selling the item FOB (freight on board) the destination. You own it until it is delivered. If you are paying the freight but the buyer wants to specify the carrier or shipping specs, it is FOB the shipping point but FFA (full freight allowed) to the destination. The moment the buyers carrier picks it up he owns it. A subtle but crucial distinction.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

The packaging and shipping details (like the brigde removal) should be agreed by both sides imho.

I agree completely with Jack that a seller’s responsibility is to get the item to the buyer intact. But if a buyer who’s been reasonable to deal with insists on a reasonable deviation from what the seller believes is the best way to pack and ship, I think there’s a solution. If the buyer wanted it shipped in a gig bag to save $, I’d obviously refuse. But I’d try not to lose the sale over something that’s not reckless if the buyer has been otherwise been great. There are knowledgeable believers on both sides of the “bridge on or off” issue.

I’d ask the buyer to agree in writing that he or she has specified the change over the seller’s objection and is therefore accepting full responsibility for the delivered condition of the guitar, with no return, refund, or other consideration of any kind. The buyer’s agreement to an “as is” final sale, with funds transferred before shipment without possible recapture, seems to me to constitute mutual agreement. And I’d make the buyer the shipper of record, so I wouldn’t have to get involved in any disputes over shipping damage or refused delivery.

I always photograph all stages of packing for documentation. In the above situation, I’d send the pics to the buyer and get email confirmation of approval before sending it out. I usually send the pics along with the shipping receipt and tracking number.

I have no idea if this would hold up in a dispute through Reverb, eBay etc, but it seems like it should. I can’t honestly say with certainty that I’d do it, but I’d at least consider it (especially if the item in question was hard to sell).

[Betz]

This changed how I sold guitars. For an additional 6.8%, I can sell through an on-line consignment at 15%. I sold 4 guitars (and purchased 2) over the past year or so with (forum member) Chuck at ThatRhythmMan. I didn’t have to deal with payment issues, tire kickers, dishonest buyers, or even the sincere buyer with whom the guitar simply does not click.

[John A.]

… If the buyer wanted it shipped in a gig bag to save $, I’d obviously refuse.

pet peeve trigger alert! I haven’t used a hardshell case in (literally) decades and don’t have one for any of my guitars. They’re essentially nothing more than a disposal problem because I have nowhere to put them. I’ve passed on deals because the seller wouldn’t sell without the HS case.

There are knowledgeable believers on both sides of the “bridge on or off” issue.

Eggs ackley. Either way, not a hill worth dying on.

I’d ask the buyer to agree in writing that he or she has specified the change over the seller’s objection and is therefore accepting full responsibility for the delivered condition of the guitar, with no return, refund, or other consideration of any kind. The buyer’s agreement to an “as is” final sale, with funds transferred before shipment without possible recapture, seems to me to constitute mutual agreement. And I’d make the buyer the shipper of record, so I wouldn’t have to get involved in any disputes over shipping damage or refused delivery.

I always photograph all stages of packing for documentation. In the above situation, I’d send the pics to the buyer and get email confirmation of approval before sending it out. I usually send the pics along with the shipping receipt and tracking number.

I have no idea if this would hold up in a dispute through Reverb, eBay etc, but it seems like it should. I can’t honestly say with certainty that I’d do it, but I’d at least consider it (especially if the item in question was hard to sell).

As a buyer, I’d be delighted with that. The part about pictures and approval prior to shipping would seal the deal. The last guitar I bought had no case (hooray! I get to try out yet another reinforced gig bag!). It was well packed in a sturdy box. I really doubt the typical HSC would have added any protection.

[Doug B]

Carpe diem! (Fish of the day).

I always thought it meant "Seize the Fish!"

Doug

[Mick-7]

I always thought it meant "Seize the Fish!"
Doug

That would be easy because carp happens......

[DawgBone]

the questions thing is an interesting topic. On both gearpage and talkbass, there are threads in the respective pubs, disparaging the asking and answering of questions. Sellers have made the claims that whenever anyone asks a question about weight, neck dive, radius, neck profile, that almost 100% of the time, they don't make the sale. So a certain contingent on those sites, deliberately ignores any questions like that.

I replied on one of those threads saying that I had spinal surgery and am very weight sensitive and was basically told to "get over it"

I start backing away the more questions a potential buyer has and the more pictures he requests, even if we are talking about a craigslist deal. I include most of that info in the ad so it tells me the person isn't reading it. Just my experience that the guy with a million questions or who needs dozens of photos is a shit buyer or someone who will scam/burn you later on in the deal. Not saying any of this is you, obviously, but there are some red flags a buyer can convey through multi question and photo requests. Also, anytime someone lowballs me, even with a fair offer, through a PM system I am immediately done with that buyer. I don't have a problem with lowballs but some guys get super offended by them. People have lost the ability to haggle.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

pet peeve trigger alert! I haven’t used a hardshell case in (literally) decades and don’t have one for any of my guitars. They’re essentially nothing more than a disposal problem….The part about pictures and approval prior to shipping would seal the deal. The last guitar I bought had no case (hooray! I get to try out yet another reinforced gig bag!). It was well packed in a sturdy box. I really doubt the typical HSC would have added any protection.

Actually, I meant shipping in just a gig bag to save money

I’ve only sold a few guitars in the last 25 years, and they were solid bodies. I put the guitar in one of my saved plastic bags from guitars and gig bags I’ve bought. Then I sandwich it between two sheets of closed cell foam the width and length of the box and half its thickness, with an extra strip of foam behind the neck and headstock and the strings slacked. I relieve the foam under the headstock as necessary to prevent excess pressure on it.

I remove knobs and switch covers and put little styrofoam blocks over the shafts to protect them from pressure. Then I slip the first box inside another close fitting one. I get the boxes from GC.

When my Carvin arrived at the buyer’s house, he asked me if I was expecting a nuclear attack.

[John A.]

When my Carvin arrived at the buyer’s house, he asked me if I was expecting a nuclear attack.

Were you? If you know something I would hope you’d warn us …

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Were you? If you know something I would hope you’d warn us …

If I knew, posting it on JGO would be my first thought, John . But I can confidently predict a high probability of shipping damage if packing is less than perfect and loss if packing is perfect.

[Doug B]

That would be easy because carp happens......

I bet that's your pet carp, isn't it? Can he do any other tricks besides plaing dead?

Doug

[jzucker]

On fb marketplace...

*is the item still available" followed by crickets when you reply

This is my experience:

Consignment - didn’t work for what I tried to sell. Items sat, store did not promote. I think for certain niches it can work, but really has to be the right item in the right shop at the right time.

Trade-in/Directly to shops - fastest, easiest route, but yields lowest return. Worth it if you’re in a hurry or selling something low enough value that you’re not really concerned about the money and just want it gone. And amps. Selling amps is a huge PITA. GC will buy it (for half what you think it’s worth) when no one else will.

Craigslist - used to be great but is useless now. All scammers, lowballers and junk, so you can’t make a sale due to guilt by association.

Here - the actual transactions and people are a breeze, whether your item will actually sell is unpredictable.

eBay - Craigslist with fees

FB Marketplace - Craigslist, with 80% of the responses in a language I don’t understand.

Directly to people through personal connections - sometimes you get lucky.

Reverb - reaches the widest music-gear audience, generates the most interest, sells fastest, gets you the best price, and is the easiest for shipping and payment. It also exposes you to the most flakes and it’s not free (though lower % of sale price then eBay or consignment). Maybe Sweetwater will wind up being better, but meanwhile it’s on balance the most effective channel.

My pet peeve: cases. WTF is with people caring about OHSC? If I’m the buyer you should be paying me to take that piece of crap off your hands and out of your closet. If I’m selling, shout hallelujah for the gig bag. Boycott OHSC!

[Mick-7]

I bet that's your pet carp, isn't it? Can he do any other tricks besides plaing dead?

Doug

As a matter of fact, he plays a mean version of I Cover the Waterfront on harmonica, only down side (literally) of it is, he pauses frequently to sink down into the water to catch his breath - but even so, a masterful performance.