why would a seller block part of a serial number? ---URGENT!

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bunghole

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watching an Ibanez RG560

serial is listed and shown in picture as F038xxx. He put some mspaint white boxes over the last three numbers.

Is this a red flag? or should I go ahead with the sale? I know the guitar is a legit model, but why would he block the serial number?
 
redrol":z01fbrd7 said:
stolen is my guess?
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that's my concern as well, but the guy has 100% positive feedback with 59 transactions in the last 9 years
 
I've always wondered why people do that. I mean what could I do with a serial number?

The only thing I've guessed that makes sense to me is that they block out the serial number because the item is hot.....
as in stolen ?!?
 
if somebody was extremely protective of their address then they could block it out.

no reason why they should hide it all together though. (email contact, PM's, instant messenger, etc)

you can call the manufacturer with the full serial number and get the registered address of the buyer and/or the place it was originally bought.

although ibanez has always been shotty with their serial numbers. i did alot of research for my JEM VWH ibanez that im selling, and its not uncommon for serial numbers to be incorrect or off on models all across the manufactured spectrum.

might not be the guitar thats hot, but if he doesnt share at all even to intrested buyers id be buyer-aware.
 
I've actually seen some stores do that when they sell stuff online. I always find it weird as well. I always figured they did it so nobody else could take their pictures and use them? :confused:
 
Yeah man. I am going with red flag. Ask the seller to send you the SN, then check it out for yourself.

good luck!
 
My guess would be saving himself from headache incase it's reported stolen (although he didn't steal it)

Say Original owner has a guitar and person 1 steals this guitar from the original owner. Then he sells to person 2. Then person 2 sells it to person 3.

Say it was reported stolen by the original owner who spots the auction. He recognizes the guitar and sees the serial number that belongs to him. Who's fucked? Person 3. Yes, maybe person 1 is fucked too if the cops bother finding him but ultimately, person 3 is fucked for no good reason for buying a stolen guitar that he had no idea about.

Hope that was clear.
 
stores may do it so as not to piss off the wholesaler or the supplier. there are base line numbers they are not technically allowed to sell below. ( some do, just to move the merch)
ibanez, gibson, and a few other manufacturers are really pitas about this.
 
GRK":3o3lr9jd said:
My guess would be saving himself from headache incase it's reported stolen (although he didn't steal it)

Say Original owner has a guitar and person 1 steals this guitar from the original owner. Then he sells to person 2. Then person 2 sells it to person 3.

Say it was reported stolen by the original owner who spots the auction. He recognizes the guitar and sees the serial number that belongs to him. Who's fucked? Person 3. Yes, maybe person 1 is fucked too if the cops bother finding him but ultimately, person 3 is fucked for no good reason for buying a stolen guitar that he had no idea about.

Hope that was clear.
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+1.

I NEVER post the complete Serial #.

buyer doesn't need to know.
 
If you are not going to post the complete serial number, why even post "the serial number" ?
 
It seems to me it's more common to see the serial's blocked out than it is to see them unblocked.

A lot of counterfeit sites can scan auctions and use legit serial #'s they see in pics and slap them on their guitars. Then, when they try to sell and the buyer tracks the serial on the counterfeit guitar, it looks legit because of the stolen serial #.

It seems more logical to me to block them than it does to unblock.

Generally, posting the first few can help identify the age of the axe, whereas the last few may not mean much to determine age.
 
From the gear that I've sold I never display photos with the full serial number... It's to prevent that item from turning up as a scammer's sale, especially with high value items (PRS, etc).

I'll provide via pm though, or a personalised photo.

:)

If the seller looks legit (good track history) then that's more important. That and a willingness to provide further information if required.

EDIT: there's an epic scammer baiting thread on the birds & moons forum that kicked off because of 'borrowed' pictures of a Private Stock instrument on ebay. Would post a link but can't get to the site.
 
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