Re: (TV) I've got the e-bay buyer blues

["Mark G. Ryan" <mgryan@cruzio.com>]

"Murray Ramone" <murrayramone@hotmail.com> wrote:
> one of the best page of ebay tips I've read is here
> 
> http://www.edromanguitars.com/rant/ebay.htm
> 
> Ebay is way too open to abuse from all angles, I dont like to use it

Great page!  It's hard to believe there are so many different ways to 
get screwed buying a guitar on Ebay!  (Just wish the Webmaster would
edit the writing on some of the stories people send in.)  This site
could provide material for a really humorous magazine article.

I think I detect a common denominator in most of these scans: buyer greed.  
Imagine people thinking they can buy a vintage Gibson guitar in good 
condition for under $1000!  Like the saying goes: if it sounds too good to 
be true, it probably is.  

I have to admit that I used to buy a lot of stuff on Ebay, mainly tools
(back when I wasn't quote so poor :( ).  I had mostly good experiences--but 
then I never bought any big price tag items or "great deals".   A lot of
the scams the site describes cannot work for an established seller who
plans to stay around.  And it should be mentioned that mail order outfits and 
retail stores can rip you off just as badly as an Ebay seller, if less 
anonymously.

Finally, I think it depends on what type of item you are buying.  Is it
just my impression, or are there an there are a above-average number of 
dishonest people in the music instrument resale business?   Even the honest
merchants I know admit this.  It's no secret that everybody loves to 
victimize musicians--music stores, club owners, record companies--separating 
musicians from their money is a thriving industry.

Speaking of which, wonder if Tom Verlaine still owns that Matchless amp,
now that Matchless is out of business?  Oh well, if it does it's out of 
warranty now so it probably makes no difference.

Anyway, you'll all laugh at what I'm about to say: I just bought a guitar
on Ebay!   (And no: it wasn't big price tag or a "great deal", so it's
a good test of my principle.)  When it arrives, I'll let you all know if 
I got screwed. 

Mark
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