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I have two friends who were trying to sell the same make and model guitar. Both had their guitars on ebay.
One had his on ebay for 3 months with nothing but lowball offers. He subsequently pulled his ad. The other put his own a few weeks later and had it sold in three days for the price he wanted.
I looked at that and to me, you really have to catch someone who wants your type of guitar and is willing to pay the price you want, but timing this thing seems so difficult.
What do you do when your guitar does not sell? Do you pull it, hoping to work with fate and maybe hook up with a buyer later on down the road? Do you lower the price until it sells?
Just what do you do?
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09-27-2015 12:21 PM
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I say, You keep marketing the guitar. Remember, there's a lid for every pot and it will sell. It won't sell if it's not advertised. Keep running the ad. Maybe the person who is buying that guitar hasn't started looking for it yet.. Tell your friends to be reasonable with there expectations. But don't don't succumb to a buyer who is overly opportunistic.
joe d
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Last fall I sold/swapped my highly customized Epiphone Sheraton II including Gibson classic 57/57+ BCS 335 style wiring harness (Mojotone PIO caps, bourn CTS 500k) cream cosmetic and TP6 TailPiece.
I said it was a keeper but finally it was more a platform to learn how to mod than an instrument I had joy in playing; mostly because I could never adapt to the big D shaped neck.
I knew as it was not stock, some potential buyers would stay away; I would also never get back money invested but had faith in finding a buyer; I would still not accept low ball offers...
I was also on the market for a Gibson SG so on my Kijiji add, I mentioned I could consider a trade for an SG (Epi or Gibson). A guy responding to my add came with a Gibson SG Standard and in the end we swapped.
My Sherry was exactly what he was looking for; a good sounding 335 style semi and my cosmetic changes were talking to him.
Keep it posted at a reasonable price and wait for the right buyer.
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Did one have better photos or more complete information?
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Sell to me for less?
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You make a lessons learned note.
Don't buy unmarketable guitars unless you intend to keep them.
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I'd like to supplement your point by adding that most embellishments (fancy tuners, pickups) are at best a step sideways when it comes to value. Also, one's guitar vision (custom Warmoth for example) isn't likely to be shared by many
Originally Posted by fumblefingers
(like the fellow who dumps an extra $5000 into his Harley and wonders why the resale hasn't gone up).
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Good question. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
To me, the ads were both about the same. The guitars were Epiphone Wildkats in Natural. One of the fellow bought the guitar after falling in love with his friends - and then both started selling off their guitars trying to upgrade to a Gibson.
I have not seen a lot of these models of guitar around or for sale.
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I have listed guitars on this and other fora with more (and often less) success. On occasion I've gone on hiatus with a particular guitar that didn't sell, and when I re-listed it some months later (sometimes much later), it sold quickly. I've also had guitar postings that just slipped down the postings hole after a while, only to have someone reach out to me 6 months after the last activity asking if I've still got it -- and buying it.
If you look at what's currently listed for sale on this particular forum, it's amazing ... it would be like walking into the world's greatest brick and mortar archtop store.
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Originally Posted by helios
My wife wants to keep putting more into our house like updating the kitchen, screening in the porch, landscaping, etc. She says that it increases the value of the house, so it's a good investment. When I start to explain that she's crazy because these are not wise investments and won't have a favorable return on investment, she points to my guitars. Touché.
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I was an avid collector for some years. I would look over the local Craigs List for guitars in my area. I never paid to much attention to price unless it was outrageous but if it was fair, I'd buy it. Fair meaning that if I bought the guitar today, could I sell it tomorrow for what I paid for it? That's how I judge the price as being fair. It's a simple case of supply and demand. If you paid to much for a guitar and you can't sell it for that price, put it back in the case and learn from your lesson. An instrument is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. I often times agree to the asking price and have the seller bring out two or three more instruments that he wants to sell. I've had to run home and get more cash more than once. Like I said, if I can sell the guitar tomorrow for what I bought it for today, it's a good deal and a fair price.
I normally don't haggle for guitars. I wouldn't call someone up about an instrument to try an low ball them. If I didn't want the guitar at the asking price I wouldn't call. If the price meets my criteria, we can do business. If not, I'll wait to see if it gets re-listed.
Regards -
Cliff
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for any archtop you probably need to have a 6 month to 1 year selling plan. Anything else is wishful thinking in today's financial climate and dwindling demand for archtops
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"What do you do when your guitar does not sell? Do you pull it, hoping to work with fate and maybe hook up with a buyer later on down the road? Do you lower the price until it sells?"
Depends on your financial situation and why you want to sell the guitar.
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Often when I think of selling my low priced guitars I'll look at the fees, paypal ebay free shipping, and determine the net.
At that point I will think, "hey i'd buy it for that in a miniute"! Then it goes back in the closet.
Rick
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Lemme guess.. You're an Accountant, right? Originally Posted by Beanctr
JD
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The sad thing is that sometimes I've read my own listing, saw the pix and felt like buying it!
A mentor of mine told me long ago this wisdom: It's not what you have that's important. It's what you don't have.
But Steven Stills counters with "love the one you're with".
There's the eternal conflict in a nutshell.
Originally Posted by Beanctr
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Good photos are so important. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
I've noticed this when selling cars.
Good pics sell!
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I recently had a guitar on Reverb for $800. (or was it $799?) Not an unreasonable price, but just a tad on the high side. It was very clear in the listing that I was accepting offers. It sat a while with not one inquiry. I finally lowered it to $700 and it sold that day. Go figure.
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Off topic but updating your kitchen is probably the best way to increase value of a home, you'll get that money back and then some. Originally Posted by Marty Grass
If you're upgrading a guitar, keep the original parts even if its not a collectable instrument so you can keep your$$$ pickups and such because you gennerally will get little to nothing for them if you sell.
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Keep the guitar or sell for way less than it is worth locally. I would not buy a guitar without playing it first especially an expensive one.
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Wait a minute, Lemme guess your contractor in the Midwest... Originally Posted by whiskey02
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Classic! Originally Posted by Marty Grass
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What you call updating and what my wife has in mind are two different things, believe me. Originally Posted by whiskey02
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1. Put it on ebay at $1, and let the market determine the value.
2. Donate it and take the charitable tax deduction.
3. Keep listing it forever.
Every once in a while I take a beating on a sale. I try not to let it bother me. I have certainly been on the other end of those transactions.
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I've bought and sold many guitars on Ebay, and now Reverb. I've made money on some and lost on some. There are a few reasons a guitar won't sell. Limited popularity or maybe a little-known brand. Oversupply in the market for that model. Bad pictures and presentation in your ad.
When I place an ad, I think about what would make me as a buyer want that guitar. Avoid hype but don't be shy about selling the good points of the guitar. Make the pictures as sexy as you can! Pose and light the guitar in such a way as to make the buyer want to touch it.
Know the real market value of your guitar (not what people are asking) and price it accordingly. If you want to sell it faster, price it lower. If you're in no hurry, price it the same. If the guitar has features that make it better, ask a little more. Or price it the same and it will sell quicker.
If a guitar just will not sell at what you think is a fair price, and you've had it on the market for a while, the only real option is to cut the price until it sells. I recently had to do this with a wonderful Seventy Seven guitar. A fantastic guitar but an unknown brand. I sold it for way less than it was worth but what's the worth of a guitar you're not using? The new owner got a deal and I'm happy it's being played. And I needed the cash.(to buy another guitar, of course!)
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