Post the craziest gear buying/selling story you've got! (Craigslist/EBay/shops/etc)

[heavydutysg135]

I had my Gretsch Black Falcon listed on Craigslist at a price I thought was a little high, but not totally unreasonable. I got a lot of people wanting to check it out an low-ball me and was starting to get tired of it.

Then I got an email from a guy out of state that was asking if my "Item" was still for sale. I replied to it saying I was not interested in scammers. He replied and said he wasn't scamming and asked some questions about the guitar that made me realize he was really interested. He was out of the country on business for a few weeks, but said if I could ship it to his brother who lived in his home town then he would pay me full asking price, shipping, and an extra $200 because of the trouble!! Since he didn't know exactly how much shipping was going to cost and he wanted expedited shipping, he sent me a money order for $3000 (I was asking $2200 for the guitar) and asked that I send him back any extra money that was left after shipping costs with the guitar when it shipped.

I thought it was crazy that he would trust me to not just keep the money since he really didn't know who I was. I did the right thing though and just put the cash from the overpayment in the case with the guitar when it shipped (today).

I totally thought it was a scam at first, but turns out to be a good deal for me after all! Plus, I made an extra $200 over my asking price!!

Hopefully this happend months ago and the MO cleared the bank and everything worked out. This sounds like a classic scam where the MO is fake. Your bank will initially take the MO and credit your account; however, within a few weeks (less than 30 days) the bank will tell you that the MO is fake, take the money out of your account, and you will be out your gear and also the "extra" shipping money you sent. Unfortunately, just because the bank initially accepts the MO and credits your account does not mean that the MO is real. I know a family friend that got scammed out of $6K due to thieves using this same type of trick and it makes me sick to hear about. You should never accept MO from craigslist "buyers" and if you did not get scammed this time then you got really lucky.

 

[Johnny Alien]

Hopefully this happend months ago and the MO cleared the bank and everything worked out. This sounds like a classic scam where the MO is fake. Your bank will initially take the MO and credit your account; however, within a few weeks (less than 30 days) the bank will tell you that the MO is fake, take the money out of your account, and you will be out your gear and also the "extra" shipping money you sent. Unfortunately, just because the bank initially accepts the MO and credits your account does not mean that the MO is real. I know a family friend that got scammed out of $6K due to thieves using this same type of trick and it makes me sick to hear about. You should never accept MO from craigslist "buyers" and if you did not get scammed this time then you got really lucky.

This...absolutely. Not much you can do now but this is a classic scam. They have the guitar and extra money and your bank will take the funds from you for the money order. Hopefully that's not the case.

 

[Johnny Alien]

Actually I see that it just shipped today. If I were you I would call the shipping company and tell them to halt the deliver and send it back to you. Let the guy know that you will send back his money (or the guitar if he still wants it) after the MO has been verified and cleared.

 

[heavydutysg135]

Actually I see that it just shipped today. If I were you I would call the shipping company and tell them to halt the deliver and send it back to you. Let the guy know that you will send back his money (or the guitar if he still wants it) after the MO has been verified and cleared.

Really good catch and advice, I sent Geosh a PM but he did not have an email in his profile. Hopefully he gets the message and can stop it in time or he will be out his instrument and any extra shipping.

 

[VJF]

Geosh, maybe you can stop the shipment and work with your bank to expedite the process of clearing the MO or tell the buyer you are waiting for the MO to clear???

oops I see some other guys beat me to it...man I hope you can get this worked out

 

[airportbar]

Oh dear...

I had my Gretsch Black Falcon listed on Craigslist at a price I thought was a little high, but not totally unreasonable. I got a lot of people wanting to check it out an low-ball me and was starting to get tired of it.

Then I got an email from a guy out of state that was asking if my "Item" was still for sale. I replied to it saying I was not interested in scammers. He replied and said he wasn't scamming and asked some questions about the guitar that made me realize he was really interested. He was out of the country on business for a few weeks, but said if I could ship it to his brother who lived in his home town then he would pay me full asking price, shipping, and an extra $200 because of the trouble!! Since he didn't know exactly how much shipping was going to cost and he wanted expedited shipping, he sent me a money order for $3000 (I was asking $2200 for the guitar) and asked that I send him back any extra money that was left after shipping costs with the guitar when it shipped.

I thought it was crazy that he would trust me to not just keep the money since he really didn't know who I was. I did the right thing though and just put the cash from the overpayment in the case with the guitar when it shipped (today).

I totally thought it was a scam at first, but turns out to be a good deal for me after all! Plus, I made an extra $200 over my asking price!!

 

[Geosh]

Oh dear...

I totally meant to add a "just kidding" to the last part of that story, but must have fogotten!!

It actually did happen that way up to the point where he offered me extra money to cover shipping and then send the rest back. I remembered some "shipper" scam I read about and this set back off the warning sirens.

I just thought it would be more fun to tell with some embellishments...or flat out lies. Don't worry, the guitar was sold to another legit buyer who I met in person and paid in cash.

 

[Delayed Delay]

I totally meant to add a "just kidding" to the last part of that story, but must have fogotten!!

It actually did happen that way up to the point where he offered me extra money to cover shipping and then send the rest back. I remembered some "shipper" scam I read about and this set back off the warning sirens.

I just thought it would be more fun to tell with some embellishments...or flat out lies. Don't worry, the guitar was sold to another legit buyer who I met in person and paid in cash.

wow...

Might be an important tidbit to NOT forget next time man... you had people freaking out for you.

Would've been a really funny story though... still kinda is I guess.

 

[Jonny Hotnuts]

Rare Takamine 375S Brazilian. As you can see the bridge popped off so I got it for 50$. These sell for well into the 1500$ area.

-I was assessing water damage to a 'Goodwill' type store from a roof leak and passed this on a shelf. After resetting the bridge and some new pins and has been one of the finest acoustics I have ever owned.

I also have this crazy carbon fiber (real, not fake 3M poop) on a RG 550. I also paid 50$ for this guitar because it to was 'broken' (missing a trem spring causing the bridge to pitch forward causing radically high action). I got this at a party a few years ago. The ironic thing is the guy laughed with his friends that he was really screwing me!!!!

LOL!!!!


Sorry for all the pics.....I have more crazy gear stories but I will digress for now!

~jh

 

[lefthandagenda]

Mine had a poor ending,

Was out in another major city, hitting the guitar stores.

Walking into a B- or C rated store, there was nothing there other then a SG junior early '60's. Behind the counter it hung up. He got it down, I played it in the back room. I played a few other guitars to not give it up that I was digging it. I took it up to the counter and told the guy I will take it. He goes grabs the case and I hand him cash, (needed change) writes up the handwritten recipe, and some jack wagon that came in after i went back to play the guitar, spoke up before the recipe and change handed back, he said " hey you should check that thing out before you sell it, it might be worth more". The guy stop dead in his tracks, goes let me make a call, I tried every thing I could and the guy wouldn't. Made a call and he found out what it was and no deal.

Bummed me out.

I think punching that guy in the face would have been the way to settle that. Seriously, who comes in, and takes a huge crap on someone else's good deal. That's a dick move.

 

[Luke]

I went to Ed Roman's house after he left East Coast Music mall, but before he headed to Vegas. He was making "replica" Donnie Hunt Satriani guitars in his dining room. His garage was full of Steinberger parts. His guest room was full of BC Rich's. And two of those strippers you saw in his website photos were hanging around, as well as, Mrs. Roman. Of course he shared his opinions on everything under the sun, after two hours he finally sold me the guitar I came to buy. It was surreal.