Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey Folks.

I have been getting some questions about what time the swap meet will begin on Monday. My plan is to crawl out of bed around 7:00 and have this bad boy launced by 7:30.

If you are jonesing to get in there and stake a claim ... keep this in mind.

I will warn you now, that I am planning on buying a few things, and I know some of the other sellers are eyeballing each other's wares. So I wouldn't dally if you are in a buying mood.

There is some GREAT merchandise on the block this time... and some of the "usual suspects" haven't even posted their stuff yet.

I can't wait.

I think this is easily going to be our best swap meet yet.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Great, I can see that I won't get a thing done come Monday.

Great,
I'll just stay up then.

7:30AM your time means about 5:30AM California time?

Wow... I better go to bed now...

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

4:30 I think....

Sorry bud....

But you know what they say about the early bird.   

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Yeah, certainly there can be some flexibility to it if everyone wants it to be a certain time.

However, I think whichever way we choose it won't work out for everyone. (Work and all that)

Since I also want to buy my plan is to make an announcement on the main board before I throw the switch to give everyone a heads up that it will be starting ... and after it is up I will probably wait a few minutes before buying.

I am not trying to get an unfair advantage... but at the same time ... the stuff I want won't last long... This way at least everyone who is "waiting in line" at the beginning (including me) will have an equal shot at what they want.

So... you think 10AM is the time we should launch?

How do the rest of you feel about this idea?

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Brock, here's an idea...

Open up the "store" right now and let everyone get a chance to look around to see what's available, and a chance to decide what they might want to buy.   Then at 10:00 tomorrow just post a message with a heading "The Sale Starts Now"

It would also give everyone a chance to get answers regarding any details about the items for sale.

long

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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus

It is really going to be tuff to make it fair with the different time zones. If you start at 7:30 Eatsern, some guys may be on their way to work east coast and of course at 4:30 most west coast folks are not up yet. If you pull the trigger at 10:00 east coast many people would be at work or what have you. Really it is not likely there is a perfect choice.

This reminds me of those early sales around the holidays (door buster things). I was going to try to get a TV one year at one of these sales. I woke up at 3:00 (well as awake as one can be), and headed out. I walked up and noticed a line of people (thinking wow, a lot of people are waiting). Before I got in line a fella from the store asked me what I was interested in buying. I told him that I was interested in the TV. He told me all the tickets for the TV were handed out at around 1:00 AM. What I did not understand is that the store hands out tickets to the people as they line up and wait. It was frustrating, mainly because I didn't understand the system (well that and I was wasting all that time).

I can tell you that because of all the pictures in the posts. People on dial up are going to be waiting for a spell to see everything, and of course people who are selling have had time to see everything. It seems like a nice idea to open it for viewing early. Then call a time for the purchases (whatever time it is, make sure it is really clear to everyone).

Peace,Rich

P.S. This is going to be the best swap yet! MONSTER SWAP

[QUOTE=Bob Long] Brock, here's an idea...

Open up the "store" right now and let everyone get a chance to look around to see what's available, and a chance to decide what they might want to buy.   Then at 10:00 tomorrow just post a message with a heading "The Sale Starts Now"

It would also give everyone a chance to get answers regarding any details about the items for sale.

long[/QUOTE]

This is an excellent idea.

The impression I get right now is that most transactions will be among the sellers (who've had a chance to preview what's on offer)... even if I get up in the middle of the night (0415), I'm not likely to be able to find the bargains before they're gone.
Without a preview, I'm also unable to check on shipping costs and conditions to Canada (lots of US folks seem to use UPS, which is generally a non-starter to Canada because of 'brokerage fee' ripoffs, etc.) I imagine OLFers in the UK, AU and other 'foreign' locations might have similar concerns. A preview might allow us to send a message to a seller about shipping, before the 'heat of the battle'.

Cheers
John
John

[QUOTE=fmorelli]
I think a published opening time when people can post is fair. I suggested 10am east coast only because then poor Peter doesn't have to stay up all night to make a 7am opening .
Filippo[/QUOTE]

Oh....thanks!!

I think its a fair thing to do and let everyone see the goods and get prepared for the sale. As far as the time, its up to you guys...

Thanks

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

I agree with Filippo: I think the later opening time (10AM) is more workable for more folks in North America. If my calculation is correct, 10AM Eastern time is 2AM in Sydney, and 4PM in London. So, that's a pretty good compromise for the majority of members around the world.

I agree with Bob Long: If the Swap Meet threads can be opened up now for everyone to see, I think that will help a lot. Right now (Sunday afternoon) it would probably take someone half an hour to an hour to peruse all the offerings - and more will be posted.

I hope the server is up to the task. I think there's going to be a pretty big hit on Monday morning!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

[QUOTE=JohnAbercrombie] [QUOTE=Bob Long] 





long[/QUOTE]



This is an excellent idea.



The impression I get right now is that most transactions will be among the sellers (who've had a chance to preview what's on offer)... even if I get up in the middle of the night (0415), I'm not likely to be able to find the bargains before they're gone.

Without a preview, I'm also unable to check on shipping costs and conditions to Canada (lots of US folks seem to use UPS, which is generally a non-starter to Canada because of 'brokerage fee' ripoffs, etc.) I imagine OLFers in the UK, AU and other 'foreign' locations might have similar concerns. A preview might allow us to send a message to a seller about shipping, before the 'heat of the battle'.



Cheers

John

John[/QUOTE]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this.  I am very excited to be buying in the swap meet tomorrow, but I just have this nagging feeling that the sellers have already staked their claim on the good bargains because they have had several days to browse the tables.  The people who aren't selling didn't get that privilege  and are at a bit of a disadvantage.  It feels like unless I take the day off work tomorrow, I won't have any chance at all of snagging any of the smokin' deals and will be relegated to sorting through the stuff the other sellers didn't want.  Kind of takes the shine off the penny so to speak.

That of course doesn't mean I won't be spending a lot of time in the swap meet this upcoming week though....

[QUOTE=Bob Long] Brock, here's an idea...

Open up the "store" right now and let everyone get a chance to look around to see what's available, and a chance to decide what they might want to buy.   Then at 10:00 tomorrow just post a message with a heading "The Sale Starts Now"

It would also give everyone a chance to get answers regarding any details about the items for sale.

long[/QUOTE]


Seems like opening things now on with "view only" permission is the only fair way to go ahead with this to me Bob. Otherwise the vast majority of members, being those who do not have a table, will suffer a major disadvantage as they sift through the offerings looking for what they want at start time, whilst those who do have tables are targeting all the stuff they want as of a few days ago.....no fair, no fair at all.

Ok. I posted this thread so we could have this conversation now, rather than after the fact... so from that angle it is good.

I will open this as close as I can to 10:00 AM (and that is by my watch). I make no promises that it will be 10:00 AM sharp because sometimes it takes couple of tries at the permissions to get everything right. But I will do my best.

I will also turn it on now so you can view the thread and see what is out there.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Some of us have to be at work at 7 and have to work all day.It seems it would be a lot fairer to start in the evening when everyone is home from work.
                             James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

there is just no way we can make this work for everyone.

I am willing to go with whatever the consensus wants. The only inconvenience about the 7am EST start time is that the west coasters have to get up REALLY early... but it is before most people start work.. so that is a plus. Besides.. it is just one day - we can all mis a couple hours of sleep for one day.. Just pretend you had to catch a 6am flight.    .

The later start might allow everyone to get a few minutes more sleep, but the downside is we are getting into the work hours and not everyone can set at their desk all day reading the forum.

Pro's & Con's

Again. i will go with whatever you decide.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

10am EST time sounds reasonable.... at least to me.

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

10 am EST - yes sounds good. It would be helpful for the seller to note where they are located for estimating shipping costs.

Peter L

8PM central .Everyone would be home from work ,East and West.This levels the playing field.That is if we want a level playing field?
                    James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

[QUOTE=James W B]That is if we want a level playing field?

James [/QUOTE]

That is just unnecessary.

I am busting my A** to make sure this is a good event. To imply that we are tipping the scales in favor of one group or another is just not so.

I am just as ok with 8pm as I am with 10am. But you are in the vast minority. If you want 8pm find others who feel this way to pipe up.

I am sure you know that how ever I ultimately decide to do this that some people are not going to be happy. I am just doing the best I can to make this a good event.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Brock I think you should make a decision and stick with it. There is no way everyone is going to be happy.

"Que Sera, Sera"

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Yes, Bob.. you're right.

10 AM.

Thanks for the input.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Sounds like a plan!   

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

[QUOTE=Bobc] Brock I think you should make a decision and stick with it. There is no way everyone is going to be happy.

"Que Sera, Sera"[/QUOTE]

Yes, and thank you Brock, for all you have put into this to make it come together, and for the flexibility you've shown. Good show!

See you at 10AM Eastern.

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

I know your working hard Brock.And appreciated But I still think that starting while people are working for a living sucks.
                  James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee