V
viking22
New member
I always use Paypal when i buy on-line.It looks to be safer but,of course,expensive...Isn't it a protection?Usually,the scammers refuse to use Paypal.I found a few of them...
Digital Jams
New member
jcj":louigeaa said:Digital Jams":louigeaa said:
Hell, all I buy is guitars or amps
To be kind there are people that talk a big talk but I dont trust them for my own reasons. I also will buy from CL if I can demo the gear, all good but for this one asshat kid wearing an In Flames Tee that had a mesa 2x12 that sounded like a kazoo
J
jcj
Well-known member
chunktone":1vh6voul said:
Cyndicate.
Some clown on the Harmony Central board.
Edited to add: One of the many reasons I like it here, is that we can out a crook, unlike TGP.
FixXxer
Member
who sold the herbert.. That one hurts. 
J
jcj
Well-known member
FixXxer":3dorx3hf said:who sold the herbert.. That one hurts.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=54216
In there someplace
steve_k
New member
I thought I had seen it all....
I loaned out a Fiesta Red Bill Nash relic'd Strat to a guy who I had met through a friend. He is a Saudi (being I live in Saudi) and a damn good player and really into blues. Thought I would do him a favor. He decided he wanted to buy it, then didn't have the money. I told him to hang onto it and pay me the next month. I sort of forgot about it and two years later, a guy was looking to buy a Strat and came by my house to show me it a couple days ago. The first thing I noticed was the neck, the wear, the cigarette burn on the head-stock, Bill Nash's initials on the back of the head stock, and the neck plate. The mint green pickguard and rusted out hardware. I feel pretty certain there couldn't be two Nash guitars in Saudi. I asked the guy where he got it because this was my fucking guitar with the exception of one problem.....the cock sucker had painted my beautiful relic'd red body YELLOW. The guitar now looks like something you may have seen filling the void in a baby diaper. Needless to say, I am mad enough to do some serious ass-whipping. But, you sort of got to watch it here, so rearranging one's dental work isn't an option. The guy who bought the guitar is a close friend and is going to work with me on it and hopefully get the guy to come clean on it.
It blows my mind how dishonest people can be. Knock wood, I haven't got burned on ebay yet. I try to buy from shops that take a credit card, but from time to time buy from individuals if they have good, and a lot of feedback. I don't use Paypal either, so all the risk is on me.
Steve
I loaned out a Fiesta Red Bill Nash relic'd Strat to a guy who I had met through a friend. He is a Saudi (being I live in Saudi) and a damn good player and really into blues. Thought I would do him a favor. He decided he wanted to buy it, then didn't have the money. I told him to hang onto it and pay me the next month. I sort of forgot about it and two years later, a guy was looking to buy a Strat and came by my house to show me it a couple days ago. The first thing I noticed was the neck, the wear, the cigarette burn on the head-stock, Bill Nash's initials on the back of the head stock, and the neck plate. The mint green pickguard and rusted out hardware. I feel pretty certain there couldn't be two Nash guitars in Saudi. I asked the guy where he got it because this was my fucking guitar with the exception of one problem.....the cock sucker had painted my beautiful relic'd red body YELLOW. The guitar now looks like something you may have seen filling the void in a baby diaper. Needless to say, I am mad enough to do some serious ass-whipping. But, you sort of got to watch it here, so rearranging one's dental work isn't an option. The guy who bought the guitar is a close friend and is going to work with me on it and hopefully get the guy to come clean on it.
It blows my mind how dishonest people can be. Knock wood, I haven't got burned on ebay yet. I try to buy from shops that take a credit card, but from time to time buy from individuals if they have good, and a lot of feedback. I don't use Paypal either, so all the risk is on me.
Steve
Ayrton
Active member
That sucks big time, but I am sure I don't have to say that.
I have only been burned once on a forum deal ($90), and once on ebay long ago. The ebay deal was $350, and I was fortunate enough that the seller lived in a small town. I contacted the local police department, and they actually picked the guy up.
The whole thing with court took a year, but I got my $350 back.
That being said, if anyone buys something through here from a seller in Atlanta and it goes south, let me know. I will be happy to pay a visit and I know several members of law enforcement.
I know I don't have many post here, but I am on several forums under the same user name and have a long history of solid deals.
-Chris
I have only been burned once on a forum deal ($90), and once on ebay long ago. The ebay deal was $350, and I was fortunate enough that the seller lived in a small town. I contacted the local police department, and they actually picked the guy up.
The whole thing with court took a year, but I got my $350 back.
That being said, if anyone buys something through here from a seller in Atlanta and it goes south, let me know. I will be happy to pay a visit and I know several members of law enforcement.
I know I don't have many post here, but I am on several forums under the same user name and have a long history of solid deals.
-Chris
tehuk
Member
fek":1kt3fzk1 said:Mailman1971":1kt3fzk1 said:You bet.
I was burned this summer for $350 on the Randall website by a RANDALL ENDORSEE!!!
Now how shitty is that??
Randall said they have no control over who we send our money to.
Its pretty risky but for the most parts.....but I want to think most people are honest.
Am I in the minority for this?
Dan
Who was that may I ask? I am getting ready to do some business over there.
I have been lucky I guess. I have bought and sold guitars, amps, pedals, speakers, and MTS modules with no problems over the past 5 years. (Knocks on wood)
It was RIPSTUDIOS. He is long gone but he scammed a bunch of guys collectively for thousands. Luckily I joined the forum a bit later otherwise I would have been one of those guys that bought into the "awesome" deals.
liamlw
New member
I haven't been fucked over yet. Though I haven't spent more than $200 on a forum deal.
Look at the seller/buyer feedback...there is a forum with this. That helps and their previous posts. eBay IDs, paypal...phone numbers. There is always a risk but you can minimise it.
I am on a local forum as well and do a lot of pick up deals.
Look at the seller/buyer feedback...there is a forum with this. That helps and their previous posts. eBay IDs, paypal...phone numbers. There is always a risk but you can minimise it.
I am on a local forum as well and do a lot of pick up deals.
glpg80
Well-known member
i can tell depending on the person.
normally i dont do 100% online transactions. if its something major like a guitar or an amplifier - i want your home and cell phone numbers so i can call you.
ask jay (overthemountain) why i require this. things can go bad by accident and i want all of your contact information if things every get hairy.
i also like to deal with people i can speak to 1 on 1. again, i never EVER deal outside of ebay without numbers being exchanged and conversations/questions being asked up front.
usually i sell to people who have bought stuff before - i also only buy from people who look like they know what they are doing. people who sell stuff have requirements. if it looks legit all of the stuff that i look for will be there.
plus the info exchanging too like i mentioned earlier.
i also dont bid/buy from someone other than ebay who has no posts on the forum. sorry - if you arent well known here im not spending cash on you. get well known first and then we can do business. you can tell ALOT from the people on the forum by the way they handle topic replies and share their knowledge with others.
its just like refusing to invite someone you have no clue about/some random stranger into your home. you just dont do it. get to know them first - and things can be watched a little closer.
normally i dont do 100% online transactions. if its something major like a guitar or an amplifier - i want your home and cell phone numbers so i can call you.
ask jay (overthemountain) why i require this. things can go bad by accident and i want all of your contact information if things every get hairy.
i also like to deal with people i can speak to 1 on 1. again, i never EVER deal outside of ebay without numbers being exchanged and conversations/questions being asked up front.
usually i sell to people who have bought stuff before - i also only buy from people who look like they know what they are doing. people who sell stuff have requirements. if it looks legit all of the stuff that i look for will be there.
plus the info exchanging too like i mentioned earlier.
i also dont bid/buy from someone other than ebay who has no posts on the forum. sorry - if you arent well known here im not spending cash on you. get well known first and then we can do business. you can tell ALOT from the people on the forum by the way they handle topic replies and share their knowledge with others.
its just like refusing to invite someone you have no clue about/some random stranger into your home. you just dont do it. get to know them first - and things can be watched a little closer.
Valtiel
New member
Sorry that the OP feels that way, I just couldn't bring myself to do that to someone, wouldn't be able to live with the guilt. 
sixstrings
New member
Man that sucks. There's always some asshole that has to come along and ruins shit for everyone. I've done a shitload of high-dollar forum trades and sales without incident. There were a couple of exaggerations here and there, but overall pretty well done.
The most common thing I found was amps coming with used up old tubes. For some reason, people don't like to be honest about the tubes and will fight you tooth and nail over it.
Even so, I'm increasingly and rapidly becoming suspicious as I've seen a dramatic increase in sour deals. Furthermore, there's always some asshole who expects you to give your shit away dirt cheap and pay them premiums for their shit. I can't count the number of douchebags who feel so entitled that they get mad and email/PM you with shitty mesages. Some even go as far as to bring shit up months later in unrelated threads because they're still holding grudges about it.
One thing that I find quite alarming are the counterfeits going around. Some dude emailed me some pics of his fake-ass Les Paul where he fixed up a Gibson neck and then put his own body and everything together. He did some good fucking work, but man that dude is a fucking crook. You know he'll pass that shit off as a VOS and make a ton of money on a piece of shit Gibson neck he bought off of Ebay.
What stuns me about it is if people like him have that kind of skill, then whey the hell go around shafting people? Unfortunately, the answer is that no one really gives a shit any more.
I say just watch your ass and be especially aware of counterfeit shit. There are certain advantages to buying stuff from authorized dealers, even if it costs a lot of money.
Here are a few things I look for. It's not a comprehensive list of guidelines by any stretch of hte imagination, and some people might not agree with my personal rules. They're my PERSONAL guidelines so take it for what it's worth. So far though, I've done about $28,000 in trades in the last year or so without incident.
1. If something is too good to be true, it probably is. Don't be a cheapskate and think that you're going to take some ususpecting newb for a ride because you will find a rude awakening.
2. If a dude doesn't post details about stuff, don't trust him. He has too much too hide. Sometimes getting details about gear for sale is like squeezing water out of a fucking rock. It's like you have to ask all the questions and nothing is freely offered. Don't trust people who aren't forthcoming with information.
Sometimes people offer too much information. That too can be used to mislead you or distract you from undesireable facts. Make sure you prioritize what's important to you.
3. Beware if they're not the original owner. I can't tell you how many times an amp might get passed around and traded on a forum only to sell for twice as much as it originally posted for. There's always some dude who buys something on the forum and then turns around and posts it for a lot more than he paid, using the old "it's just not for me" routine. They know very well what their intentions were to begin with so don't make them any richer for it.
4. Stop perpetuating the "vintage" market. I'm sure I'll catch a bunch of shit from old Fender guys and whatnot, but to me old shit is plain old shit. I really don't give a damned what people think it's worth. If it's used and old, it's just used and old. I don't get these guys who pay out the ass for old-ass Soldanos, Fenders, etc... I'd rather buy something new for the same price or slightly more that comes with a warranty.
Man I can't tell you how many times interpretation gets mixed up when trading/buying "vintage" gear. If you're going to buy old shit, just be ready to fork out a bunch of dough for parts, NOS tubes, etc... if something goes wrong.
Oh yeah, and stay away from modified vintage shit. If you have a badass old Fender, Marshall, etc... and it's been modded, don't expect to get 1/2 of what it's worth without the mods - even if the mods are an improvement.
As far as I'm concerned, 80% of the time the shit being sold/traded on the used market is not worth anywhere near what it gets valued at. Every now and then you run into a few gems, like those rare guys who have an old Les Paul in their basement or something like that, but those are few and far between.
5. Be your own judge of value. Don't let someone hussle you into giving them what they think their shit is worth. When it comes down to it, they have to sell the shit at the price they expect, pay all the fees and shipping associated with the sale, and they almost never get nearly what they expect in the end. The reality is that you have to find a buyer, they have to buy at your price, you have to pay fees associated with the sale, shipping charges, and you have to support the buyer if something goes wrong.
In the end, those guys almost NEVER get what they expect. 1/2 the time they know it but can be very forcefull and convincing. You just have to be your own judge of value.
Like I said, these are some of my PERSONAL guidelines and experiences. They might not be agreeable to you but they've worked well for me and I'm pretty sure I do more trading than the average person.
The most common thing I found was amps coming with used up old tubes. For some reason, people don't like to be honest about the tubes and will fight you tooth and nail over it.
Even so, I'm increasingly and rapidly becoming suspicious as I've seen a dramatic increase in sour deals. Furthermore, there's always some asshole who expects you to give your shit away dirt cheap and pay them premiums for their shit. I can't count the number of douchebags who feel so entitled that they get mad and email/PM you with shitty mesages. Some even go as far as to bring shit up months later in unrelated threads because they're still holding grudges about it.
One thing that I find quite alarming are the counterfeits going around. Some dude emailed me some pics of his fake-ass Les Paul where he fixed up a Gibson neck and then put his own body and everything together. He did some good fucking work, but man that dude is a fucking crook. You know he'll pass that shit off as a VOS and make a ton of money on a piece of shit Gibson neck he bought off of Ebay.
What stuns me about it is if people like him have that kind of skill, then whey the hell go around shafting people? Unfortunately, the answer is that no one really gives a shit any more.
I say just watch your ass and be especially aware of counterfeit shit. There are certain advantages to buying stuff from authorized dealers, even if it costs a lot of money.
Here are a few things I look for. It's not a comprehensive list of guidelines by any stretch of hte imagination, and some people might not agree with my personal rules. They're my PERSONAL guidelines so take it for what it's worth. So far though, I've done about $28,000 in trades in the last year or so without incident.
1. If something is too good to be true, it probably is. Don't be a cheapskate and think that you're going to take some ususpecting newb for a ride because you will find a rude awakening.
2. If a dude doesn't post details about stuff, don't trust him. He has too much too hide. Sometimes getting details about gear for sale is like squeezing water out of a fucking rock. It's like you have to ask all the questions and nothing is freely offered. Don't trust people who aren't forthcoming with information.
Sometimes people offer too much information. That too can be used to mislead you or distract you from undesireable facts. Make sure you prioritize what's important to you.
3. Beware if they're not the original owner. I can't tell you how many times an amp might get passed around and traded on a forum only to sell for twice as much as it originally posted for. There's always some dude who buys something on the forum and then turns around and posts it for a lot more than he paid, using the old "it's just not for me" routine. They know very well what their intentions were to begin with so don't make them any richer for it.
4. Stop perpetuating the "vintage" market. I'm sure I'll catch a bunch of shit from old Fender guys and whatnot, but to me old shit is plain old shit. I really don't give a damned what people think it's worth. If it's used and old, it's just used and old. I don't get these guys who pay out the ass for old-ass Soldanos, Fenders, etc... I'd rather buy something new for the same price or slightly more that comes with a warranty.
Man I can't tell you how many times interpretation gets mixed up when trading/buying "vintage" gear. If you're going to buy old shit, just be ready to fork out a bunch of dough for parts, NOS tubes, etc... if something goes wrong.
Oh yeah, and stay away from modified vintage shit. If you have a badass old Fender, Marshall, etc... and it's been modded, don't expect to get 1/2 of what it's worth without the mods - even if the mods are an improvement.
As far as I'm concerned, 80% of the time the shit being sold/traded on the used market is not worth anywhere near what it gets valued at. Every now and then you run into a few gems, like those rare guys who have an old Les Paul in their basement or something like that, but those are few and far between.
5. Be your own judge of value. Don't let someone hussle you into giving them what they think their shit is worth. When it comes down to it, they have to sell the shit at the price they expect, pay all the fees and shipping associated with the sale, and they almost never get nearly what they expect in the end. The reality is that you have to find a buyer, they have to buy at your price, you have to pay fees associated with the sale, shipping charges, and you have to support the buyer if something goes wrong.
In the end, those guys almost NEVER get what they expect. 1/2 the time they know it but can be very forcefull and convincing. You just have to be your own judge of value.
Like I said, these are some of my PERSONAL guidelines and experiences. They might not be agreeable to you but they've worked well for me and I'm pretty sure I do more trading than the average person.
D
Deleted member 3860
Guest
...
glpg80
Well-known member
R.Milbeck":1u8lhzt4 said:
+1
ive got spare boxes of huge sizes and packing peanuts in the building behind our house for the same purpose.
RedB4Black
Well-known member
Unless you 100% know you are dealing with a stand-up guy, always use a credit card through paypal. A charge-back through you CC company is the only real recourse. For me, 99% of the time I'm using a CC anyway for cash flow/airline miles, etc., so I don't really sweat it unless the guy seems like a total jackass - then I just don't bother.
Me too. My garage is full of them. Be careful though. This guy was hiding in my packing peanuts a few weeks ago...
glpg80":2maen9iq said:
Me too. My garage is full of them. Be careful though. This guy was hiding in my packing peanuts a few weeks ago...
ke2
Active member
mhenson42":1hn54ke1 said:Unless you 100% know you are dealing with a stand-up guy, always use a credit card through paypal. A charge-back through you CC company is the only real recourse. For me, 99% of the time I'm using a CC anyway for cash flow/airline miles, etc., so I don't really sweat it unless the guy seems like a total jackass - then I just don't bother.
glpg80":1hn54ke1 said:
Me too. My garage is full of them. Be careful though. This guy was hiding in my packing peanuts a few weeks ago...
What the FUCK is that??
A badger raped a rat?
S
Shiny_Surface
Active member
I always thought RT was one of the safer places for buying/selling, and have had great transactions with people here.
Sucks that the darker element has finally caught up to the forum. The forum is so well known now that people will sign up just to spam and/or get more exposure to their scams.
It's good that people are talking about it so we can be more careful now.
Sucks that the darker element has finally caught up to the forum. The forum is so well known now that people will sign up just to spam and/or get more exposure to their scams.
It's good that people are talking about it so we can be more careful now.
bbaug14
Active member
I've bought and sold nearly every piece of gear I own over the internet and I've never had an issue (well, save one where I bought a mic, found out it was a fake, and got my money back). I think just as long as you are careful with how you pay and who you deal with, you'll be alright. Sure there are people out there that will try to scam you, but as long as you are certain going into the deal that that there are avenues for you to get your money back if they do scam you, what's to really worry about? Sure it's a headache dealing with paypal and all that in the event you get scammed, but the upside is you will eventually get your money back. I guess I'm just lucky that I've never had to resort to this because I haven't ever really been scammed. It really sucks for those of you who have, because it makes it harder for us honest people to sell stuff around here. LAME! 
grimmchaos
Well-known member
I almost got ripped off on a 350Z forum by a guy who had 100 feedback on the forum alone. I was about to start the Paypal claim when low and behold a month and a half later the air intake I bought off him showed up at my front door. He had stopped responding to all my emails and private messages about 3 weeks prior. A guy who bought an exhaust system off him is still waiting for it, and trying to track down authorities. Just goes to show you these days you really can't trust anyone at all.
blackba
Well-known member
I have had good deals on the forums, if anything I find the gear I get is in better condition than what I get on ebay. You do have to be careful and I am the most concerned with HC. I am wondering if setting up a pay to post like they did on the gear page would filter out some of the bad apples.
I like to think musicians take care of their own. I love it when people e-mail me back after getting an item and just love it.
I like to think musicians take care of their own. I love it when people e-mail me back after getting an item and just love it.
