Edit: Maybe not as bad as first thought...

[seanh303]

Edit: I'm gonna cool the jets and think about this some...perhaps not as bad as I first thought upon discovering this. Basically I bought from a seller that bought used and probably cleaned them up. No big deal, but I feel that his listings were pretty deceptive.

So here's the deal. I see this auction for an ES-446 that looks pristine, and is described as "New" and "Mint".
Here's the guitar he had listed:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MINT-2000-G...=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

And here's the auction where he got the guitar. The seller that bought the guitar was o***t, some private hidden account.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Cust...rry-Red-RARE-Mint-Original-Case-/251200462605

And another:
Original listing that o***t bought the guitar:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIBSON-ES-4...=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

And now the listing where music_garage has it for sale:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-GIBSON...5-/370736770033?pt=Guitar&hash=item5651a22bf1

Both of these guitars are being sold as "As close to new as you can get" and "Mint". Both of these guitars look super clean, and to be honest, I would have no problem buying them if the seller was honest about what he'd done. I was pretty furious 10 minutes ago...but maybe it's not as bad as I thought....I still feel the listings are pretty deceitful.

 

[gag halfrunt]

The first link shows no longer available on ebay.

 

[seanh303]

Yeah the first link is the guitar I bought. It hasn't shipped yet. I'm still debating whether I want to buy it from him now (I did pay already). I'm a little soured on the deal but I still like the guitar.

I just lost it a little when I found the same guitar with the signatures on the face from 2 weeks ago, but bought it from this guy thinking it was "New Other", "Mint" and "as close to new as you can get".

I don't care what he paid for it, and I'm perfectly fine paying what we agreed on, but that deal was made with me thinking it was in that condition through preservation, lack of play & handling, and proper care/storage...not from used car repair magic tricks.

Plus, to have an account you buy used stuff with, and another account you flip it with, seems going above and beyond to hide what you're up to...idk, I feel the faith in this deal was broken.

I'm sure music stores and whoever else does this commonly, but it doesn't mean one wouldn't be a little upset if they were sold something "New" and saw pictures of how it looked before.

 

[gag halfrunt]

Ok, I didn't realize you had already made the purchase - I read the OP quickly.

I bought a used guitar from a shop last year for $3,500 (the going rate for that make/model), and afterwards saw that the shop had bought it for $2,500 the week before on ebay. Somebody listed it for a crazy low price, and the shop bought it less than 2 hours after it had been posted.

At first I felt like a chump, feeling like I overpaid. But I didn't - I just paid the going rate for a guitar. Just because the shop made $1k on the deal really had nothing to do with me.

 

[seanh303]

Yeah I have no problem that the guy paid what he paid, and sold it to me for what we agreed.

My problem is when he bought it, the original seller listed it as used, and it had the signatures on the front. When I bought it, the guy listed it as "New other" and made no mention of the "cleaning up" he had done.

Plus, he bought it with one ebay account, and sold it using a completely different account...just seems shady all around.

 

[Oregon]

If the guy cleaned it up, he shouldn't list it as new, and shouldn't be misusing the New Other status.

Simple truth in advertising.

Hopefully it's as good a job in cleaning and refurbishing as you're looking for.

 

[seanh303]

Hopefully it's as good a job in cleaning and refurbishing as you're looking for.

Very sensible bro, thank you. This deal really got to me for some reason. I decided to check out the guitar anyway, I hope it's great. After talking to sensible folks like you I realize it may not be so bad...I'm willing to give it a shot

 

[Mattfig]

Shady seller but it sounds like the guitar could almost pass for new anyhow...I'd personally roll with it if it's what you're after...I might tell the seller to eat a bag of cock for selling it that way and show your research...Man, you do your homework...

You could always take the other road...File a complaint and resolve it by accepting a discount...That will take longer but save a few bucks...Or just drop it on him and demand it...

 

[audiomidijace]

I can't even find the instruments we're talking about in these lists.
But I'll say this:
"Any instrument is only worth what the person in front of you is willing to pay for it."
I've been buying/selling guitars since '92.
In my mind, as long as someone isn't completely misrepresenting an instrument, nothing else matters. In other words, they aren't trying to pass off a Korean knock-off as a real Les Paul, or selling you an instrument they say works perfectly, yet the pickup selector switch is bad, the neck pickup is dead, etc.
I took a Sunburst Strat off of the wall at a pawnshop once to check it out and the salesman said that they had an "expert" say it was a 1963. I told him "This expert thinks that is unlikely because of the sticker here that says MADE IN JAPAN."
But as long as the instrument IS what they say it is, it's up to you to decide if the instrument is in good shape and worth the price they're asking for it. But you can't assume ANYTHING!
I can buy a Chinese strat at a garage sale for $10, clean it up, put new strings on it, set it up and sell it for $99 an hour later. The guy who buys it gets a great deal that he's happy with and I make a few bucks on the side. It's just business. But it's also who you know.
I've also purchased a 1942 Martin for $250 and sold it for $5K that night. But I know that guy is going to sell it to someone for $10K within a week. And the collector that ends up with it will be VERY happy to have a 1942 Martin!