New Klon on eBay.

RaymondLin

danishbacon said:

On the face of it I don't think the guy is exploiting the market at all. He's put a $100 starting bid. The market is setting the price. He can (wishes to) only make so many, pretty simple supply/demand.
There are 4 competing bidders above U$1200, one is 0 feedback.

If that is account is shill then it's a problem. 100% bidding activity (two items) from the same seller.

The thing is that he has power to control the market, the market is where it is because he has "stopped" making them, until he wants to make a quick buck.

If he makes them at the rate that he used to, then the market value of them would be in the hundreds.

Dan_Halen

RaymondLin said:

danishbacon said:

On the face of it I don't think the guy is exploiting the market at all. He's put a $100 starting bid. The market is setting the price. He can (wishes to) only make so many, pretty simple supply/demand.
There are 4 competing bidders above U$1200, one is 0 feedback.

If that is account is shill then it's a problem. 100% bidding activity (two items) from the same seller.

The thing is that he has power to control the market, the market is where it is because he has "stopped" making them, until he wants to make a quick buck.

If he makes them at the rate that he used to, then the market value of them would be in the hundreds.

Why on earth would he do that - make loads of them so he can sell them for less? Can't see a single reason why he'd be obliged to do that. They'd all just end up on eBay at inflated prices anyway. See King of Tone.

You seem pretty put out by this but I really can't see the issue. Guy makes pedals, guy sells said pedals on eBay. Genuinely don't know what he's doing wrong - have I missed something?

roberty

Dan_Halen said:

RaymondLin said:

danishbacon said:

On the face of it I don't think the guy is exploiting the market at all. He's put a $100 starting bid. The market is setting the price. He can (wishes to) only make so many, pretty simple supply/demand.
There are 4 competing bidders above U$1200, one is 0 feedback.

If that is account is shill then it's a problem. 100% bidding activity (two items) from the same seller.

The thing is that he has power to control the market, the market is where it is because he has "stopped" making them, until he wants to make a quick buck.

If he makes them at the rate that he used to, then the market value of them would be in the hundreds.

Why on earth would he do that - make loads of them so he can sell them for less? Can't see a single reason why he'd be obliged to do that. They'd all just end up on eBay at inflated prices anyway. See King of Tone.

You seem pretty put out by this but I really can't see the issue. Guy makes pedals, guy sells said pedals on eBay. Genuinely don't know what he's doing wrong - have I missed something?

He has a mass produced product already, more efficient than building them each by hand but I'm under no illusions that his business runs itself. I guess building one every now and then offers three things, probably he enjoys doing it, it does generate a bit of extra cash, and it's good publicity since we're all talking about it and the high market value attaches prestige

RaymondLin

Dan_Halen said:

RaymondLin said:

danishbacon said:

On the face of it I don't think the guy is exploiting the market at all. He's put a $100 starting bid. The market is setting the price. He can (wishes to) only make so many, pretty simple supply/demand.
There are 4 competing bidders above U$1200, one is 0 feedback.

If that is account is shill then it's a problem. 100% bidding activity (two items) from the same seller.

The thing is that he has power to control the market, the market is where it is because he has "stopped" making them, until he wants to make a quick buck.

If he makes them at the rate that he used to, then the market value of them would be in the hundreds.

Why on earth would he do that - make loads of them so he can sell them for less? Can't see a single reason why he'd be obliged to do that. They'd all just end up on eBay at inflated prices anyway. See King of Tone.

You seem pretty put out by this but I really can't see the issue. Guy makes pedals, guy sells said pedals on eBay. Genuinely don't know what he's doing wrong - have I missed something?

Exactly, why would he want to do that? He doesn't, because it is in his interest to get $2k out of it whenever he wants.  He wants to get 5x the amount for the same amount of work.  I would too, I don't blame him for it.

I am not against him making it now and again, i will say for the 3rd time, he can do what he wants but the pre-text i find it to be BS.  I see no reason why he needs to explain anything. 

thomasw88

Don't see the problem with it.  If someone buys it then that's the market rate for that pedal..  

Barnezy

I don't think anyone is questioning the value of the pedals, as clearly the market sets that, and fair play to him for making the most of it, and cashing in now and again, it's not like it big money. The observation is more around Bill's marketing and sales savy.... i don't think anyone else aside from Dumble has pulled this off... hats off to him. 

Even though I have a KTR, a part of me really wants an original..... I used to think people that collected junk were idiots..... now I've realised I've become one! 

Time for a reality check.... a £2,500 pedal will not make me a better player or make me happy.

Anyway I'm off to DM Mayer to see how much he wants to photograph a kit pedal, I haven't made yet, on his board..... $$$

VJIves

I was under the impression his friend had ongoing medical expenses. Either way, he can do whatever he likes.

mgaw

I am in awe of someone who can build a pedal and get loads of dosh for it, must be a lovely feeling

Cols

If he was really motivated by money, I’m sure he could crank them out in larger numbers and make a killing.  You’ll make more cash selling 100 pedals at £500 each than one pedal at £2,500.  

Sassafras

I'd rather get a decent amp for that sort of dosh.

mgaw

Cols said:

If he was really motivated by money, I’m sure he could crank them out in larger numbers and make a killing.  You’ll make more cash selling 100 pedals at £500 each than one pedal at £2,500.  

must be nice making a couple of Klons and getting upto $5k for the pair 

UnclePsychosis

Barnezy said:

I don't think anyone is questioning the value of the pedals, as clearly the market sets that, and fair play to him for making the most of it, and cashing in now and again, it's not like it big money. The observation is more around Bill's marketing and sales savy.... i don't think anyone else aside from Dumble has pulled this off... hats off to him. 

Even though I have a KTR, a part of me really wants an original..... I used to think people that collected junk were idiots..... now I've realised I've become one! 

Time for a reality check.... a £2,500 pedal will not make me a better player or make me happy.

Anyway I'm off to DM Mayer to see how much he wants to photograph a kit pedal, I haven't made yet, on his board..... $$$

Its absolutely mental, collecting. 

I recently bought a rare, high quality, 30 year old guitar thats worth more than my car. Its beautiful, and I love it, but part of me still thinks "am I mental?". It was a "big deal" to buy. The idea that its equivalent in value to half a dozen resistors and transistors that I could literally buy an exact copy of for the price of a big night out makes my head hurt. 

Hattigol

Cols said:

If he was really motivated by money, I’m sure he could crank them out in larger numbers and make a killing.  You’ll make more cash selling 100 pedals at £500 each than one pedal at £2,500.  

You'll make even more if you sell 100 of them at £2,500.

stonevibe

If you think Klon pedals are expensive now, just wait until Bill passes and then see the true value of these old '90s boutique overdrive pedals.

soma1975

Cols said:

If he was really motivated by money, I’m sure he could crank them out in larger numbers and make a killing.  You’ll make more cash selling 100 pedals at £500 each than one pedal at £2,500.  

Nobody wants a £500 Klon. 

They either want a £100 one or a £2000 one. 

Cols

Whatever.  The point is that making a handful of any product and selling at a high price is not an effective way of making money compared to high volume, low cost mass production.  

Look at the car industry; expensive brands like Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Bentley aren’t the big earners.  It’s Toyota, Volkswagen and GM.

Assuming this is no longer for the periodic benefit of his mysterious and financially bedevilled friend, the hand-crafted Klons are a ‘halo model’ to add prestige to the mass-produced Klon KTRs.  And why shouldn’t he make some money from it?  He produced a classic design; I’d be happier for him to make some cash from it than some Chinese knock-off firm.

soma1975

Well just take the stupid sticker off the KTRs at least. 

dindude

Demands on his time must be huge - taking something he designed 25 years ago and making one a quarter. It must be related to dealing with the paparazzi camped outside his house. What a tit.

idiotwindow

I don't see the problem with his marketing spiel on the listing. It just gives a bit of context to the sale of the pedal and reassures the buyer that he isn't producing many – i.e. he is preserving the rarity value of a new hand built Klon. He won't get $2k per pedal if people think he is working on them full time again. Instead he gives the impression (without being remotely specific) that he is making one every now and again – including for his friend to sell via her eBay account.

Good luck to him, it's no skin off my nose if someone wants to spend that kind of money on a pedal.

Seziertisch

mattdavis said:

Isn’t he selling them on behalf of a friend who has fallen on hard times or something? Can’t remember where I heard that, but if true, I’d don’t particularly mind him taking advantage of our unfortunate willingness to spend  money on stuff we don’t need  

Ancient Chinese proverb say:
”Give a friend in need a Klon, feed her for a day. Teach a friend in need how to solder and feed her for life”