Guitar flippers ... Hate them :-(

4114Effects

Had my first experience with a guitar flipper this weekend. Bid on a guitar Friday. Lesser know acoustic brand but one I really love. I put in a max bid of £750, it went for £770. Damnit. Oh well wasn't meant to be. 

Just been searching on Reverb, self same guitar is listed for £1599. The seller is even using the eBay pictures from the original listing, so it looks like he doesn't even have the guitar in his possession yet! 

I've heard stories of guitar flippers before, but this is my first run in with one. I know I shouldn't care, I guess he won then auction so it's up to him what he does with it. Just seems to be taking guitars from the hands of people who would really appreciate them.  

koneguitarist

How much would you have sold it for? 

4114Effects

koneguitarist said:

How much would you have sold it for? 

I get the joke, but I wouldn't have sold it. It would have been my 40th birthday present. :-)

Alex2678

At the risk of starting another lengthy debate that will annoy people:
I think I’d decided buying on eBay/reverb and selling for more on eBay/reverb was fair game, but stuff like this does seem a shame.
On the other hand, I’ve seen stuff going cheap on bids, and it’s hard to ignore the feeling that you could make a killing if you had more patience than the seller. 

Complicated 

4114Effects

Just sour grapes on my part I guess. I should have bid more. I think listing it and not even bothering to take your own pics is a bit cheeky though. 

Cols

4114Effects said:

Just sour grapes on my part I guess. I should have bid more. I think listing it and not even bothering to take your own pics is a bit cheeky though. 

That would be difficult - it’s very unlikely that they actually have said guitar in their possession yet.

Alex2678

4114Effects said:

Just sour grapes on my part I guess. I should have bid more. I think listing it and not even bothering to take your own pics is a bit cheeky though. 

Definitely a bit of a red flag, plus from their side I don’t think I’d trust someone else’s photos. Could well bite them on the arse

Sassafras

Hopefully, the courier will 'lose' it or smash it to smithereens before it even gets to the flipper.

ZenOvertone

I was watching this one today, went for quite a high price but "pristine" so I expect it to re-appear in Sussex soon on eBay for at least 1500... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pristine-Fender-American-USA-Deluxe-Stratocaster-2008-poss-px-Gibson-Semi/303894314971?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Alex2678

Must be a good profit it in it to make it worth the faff. Selling on eBay causes me nowt but stress

Blueingreen

I must be looking at the wrong guitars, every time I see a guitar I fancy on Ebay the asking price is 30-50% higher than anyone who hasn't got much more money than sense would pay.  Maybe they've all already been flipped.

steer

Perhaps we could have a sub-forum where all these identicle threads could be kept?

gazrichards

Maybe you should have bid more?

Henrytwang

steer said:

Perhaps we could have a sub-forum where all these identicle threads could be kept?

I agree that there are far too many of these types of threads appearing on here but it’s a free world.  As you say maybe a sub-forum would be a good idea.....

chris78

I just wish nobody bought from the flippers. Unfortunately it obviously works for them.
Ive got a few Fender custom shop artisan models. Love them and follow the search on eBay. A strat appeared a couple of days ago for £5k on eBay and £5200 on reverb (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-FENDER-Custom-Shop-ARTISAN-Roasted-Burl-Maple-THINLINE-STRATOCASTER-EBONY/383973337021?hash=item59669827bd:g:LNwAAOSw8btgOnkg)  Coda were selling the same line for £3500 last year brand new. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was one of the coda guitars. Why anyone would pay that kind of premium is beyond me.

loveagood69

So actually, you haven't had an experience with a guitar flipper today at all have you? You were just outbid by someone on ebay. 

Maybe the title should be ... 'i hate that other people are allowed to bid on ebay and are allowed to do what they want with the guitar they purchased legally'. 

Rocky1991

loveagood69 said:

So actually, you haven't had an experience with a guitar flipper today at all have you? You were just outbid on ebay by someone on ebay. 

Maybe the title should be ... 'i hate that other people are allowed to bid on ebay and are allowed to do what they want with the guitar they purchased legally'. 

Well the guy is flipping the guitar, so by definition he has....

Whether you believe the morals are right or wrong

loveagood69

Not really. He's had no contact with the guy, he's not bought anything or been given a sob story. He's just been out bid on ebay and has decided to open a thread (I've only just joined but it looks like thread number 495 on this topic) bashing guitar dealers because he's salty that someone just put in a higher bid. Seems a pointless waste of internet space to me.

4114Effects

Perhaps I started this thread whilst slightly bitter. Yes I could - and indeed should - have bid more. In fact, if you read the thread I've already said that exact thing. 

I was a bit annoyed and chose this forum to vent. Apologies if it's ruffled anyone's feathers. :-)

Teetonetal

loveagood69 said:

Seems a pointless waste of internet space to me.

Seems like it's catching.

An awful lot of the internet does meet this criteria.

prowla

Well, given that it's now up for sale for double, I guess the bid was too optimistic.

(Not saying that it a judgemental way - I'll often put in speculative bids on things.)