Official Luthiers Forum!

I know that I'm new here, but has anyone had any luck buying tone woods on Ebay? Some of the prices don't look half bad. I know....you get what you pay for, or did I just stumble on something that everyone else know about? Clinton

Most of the Ebay vendors I have dealt with are honest & deliver a good product.
The obvious scammers are pretty easy to spot... for instance, I was looking at an inexpensive B&S set one day & only one of the sides & half of the back were in the picture.
I e-mailed the vender asking for confirmation that the backs & sides were bookmatched. He didn't return my e-mail.
Needless to say, I didn't bid.
Also, don't just check the feedback percentages. Go & read the feedback. Sometimes you can read between the lines.
Most of the vendors here have sold their wares on E-bay & they have an excellent reputation.

I likewise have had pretty good luck, but you have to be careful. As Daniel said, read the feedback and you can read between the lines.
I bought two sets of Sitka From a guy in Canada pretty cheap and got excellent tops.

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

A number of our own sponsors are on the 'bay, and there are some really good deals to be found out there. Look at the listings, follow a seller that has interesting stuff for a while (watch a few auctions, see where they go), read the feedback given, and don't hesitate to ask the seller questions about what's on sale. Things like: how dry is the wood, any damage, exact shipping costs, insurance, return policies, that sort of thing.

I tend to only go with things that have good photos, good descriptions, good feedback, and for sellers that reply to my questions with a certain degree of promptness. I've gotten some killer deals on eBay, particularly on figured maple for electric guitar tops (last score: 7 5/8" spalted bookmatched electric top sets for 78 bucks), but not everything on eBay is as great a deal as it looks like. Pick and choose.

I'd agree with the guys here. I've lucked out on a very decent set of b/s EIR for 35$. I figured at that price, if it didn't work out, it would of been a cheap lesson. It wasn't a AAA grade like stated, but you get what you pay for...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

I sell quite a bit of tonewood on E-Bay. I give the same kind of service that I do here. If the buyer is not satisfied I will take it back. Havn't had to do that yet. My seller ID is bobcefsr
Mattia and Daniel give some good advice. Follow those guidelines and you should be fine.

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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

I have had "ok" luck with ebay. I have a few sellers that I follow but I have been disappointed a few times too.

For the most part I now buy from people I know and trust...

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

I've purchased several sets of wood off of eBay, and for the most part have been very satisfied. Like others have stated, do a little research, check out the feedback of the sellers, etc. My last purchase was for 3 Engelman spruce archtop mandolin sets. Total price for all 3 - $15! And they are VERY nice. Pick and choose - not everything is a good deal there, but you can find some gems...

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
OR
Find me on Facebook

I have been buying lots of accessories on ebay in the last year but had sad experiences with wood. The worst ripoff (not the sole indeed) was from a famous 4500 positive feedbacks wood seller from Klamath Falls; payd 350 usd, received nothing, emailed and had unkind answers. At the end of the story no wood, no money back, bad mannered seller feeling probably protected by the distance.
My 0,01 euro cent advise: buy from sellers you know and think twice before bidding on ebay auctions.
Luigi

    Most people need to educate themselves about EBAY and WHABAM.COM ( New auction site like ebay ) . I have been with ebay for 6 years and getting the shaft can go both ways. I have only had 1 bad experience and that was early .
   If it sounds to good to be true it usually is , and also check out the feeback rating. Anyting under 99% I would be very wary of.
    Here you will get quality stuff as you buy from the sponsers and we all do our best to send you value and quality.
Good Luck
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars

Ebay is a world marketplace. You have access to vendors selling things that you'd never see in any store. Ebay can be like the rack at LMI where the luthier waits for his real order to be processed.

One thing it does is give the buyer a visual of the product where luthier supply houses just put up a pic of general nature. Ebay shows the exact merchandise. I mentioned that to Brian and Todd when I was there in May. Soon after, they start putting up the very sets I saw in their warehouse. Smart move, and they've kept it up too.

Ebay is just a forum for wares. Kind of like a used car lot. You have to analyze things sure, but it doesn't take long to look and move on. Kick the tires, light the fires and deal only with friendlies, those who offer refunds if not satisfied.

Like Bob, I've never had a single refund, though I offer it. One man's trash is....

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Well, I have been selling (and buying) on ebay for a few years now and I have a very strong customer base that includes some of the most well known luthiers. I have done the web site thing but for time and money management reasons I find it better for me to operate on ebay. As many here know, my quality is very high just as many of the vendors here. Just because someone is selling something on ebay doesn't always mean that they are getting rid of their junk. If you look close enough you can tell whether the seller is doing good business or not. I have done business (purchased) both on and off of ebay and been both satisfied and unsatisfied with either product and/or service in either case. I have watched Bob C (and others) do business on ebay for years and he is the same quality business man there as he is from his web site, the point being that when you find a good person to do business with, put them on a personal list of "good sellers" (at that point it doesn't matter where they sell from) and as long as they prove themselves keep them there.

.....sorry for the somewhat lengthy post, it has been a while and I have been saving up!!Brian Hawkins38756.396412037

I dig with the "good sellers list". On ebay you can find things you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else, quality can be excellent and prices often cheaper. Just wanted to say that I do prefer well known sellers.
Luigi

Brian it's okay. Dr. Phil says it's good to communicate with your friends exactly how you feel!   

Behind me on my bookcase is a little German clock. I bought it off Ebay for 9.95. The shipping was as much as the clock. It would run three hours and stop. Exactly what the vendor said. It was complete, lacking only the windup key, which was mentioned.

I finally took time to look at it and adjusted the rotating pendulum. It took off like a banshee and hasn't stopped since. I have it regulated to within a minute accuracy a day and am very happy with my little German clock.

Would you like to hear about my antique plane collection or my antique hand drill collection?
Well then... perhaps some other time.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

BD..... it is good to have good friends!

I've bought and sold quite a few things on ebay. Well hundreds and
hundreds actually. Of all them I've only ever got ripped off 2 times. Once
I bought a dehumidifier that did not work at all, and so I e-mailed the
dude and he said he would replace it. I shipped it back to him and never
heard another thing from him even with a dozen or so e-mails. the other
time I bought something without looking at feedback and the guy turned
out to be screwing everyone over. That one I consider my fault, luckily it
was only like $30.

I've sold LOTS on ebay and besides a few PITA customers who had zero
patience I've had great luck, and got to deal with quite a few great people.
I buy wood of ebay occasionally. I'm always skeptical of the odd dealers,
but I've taken chances on some of them and been pleased, and
disappointed, but at least I'm getting to know who I like to deal with and
who not to. Be sure to not mess with them two guys called bobcsfsr, and
beachtonewood. Man them are some shady fellas (kidding guys... you
rock)

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

All good advice here, I got some very good guitar building stuff on eBay, and
some average too but no disappointment. Nothing to add except that when
things go wrong (as they're bound to once in a while) there is virtually zero
customer support on eBay or/and Paypal. Dispute console and other
mediating services are just plain BS and a waste of time and money. You're
on your own, period…
When you don't know the seller it's a good habit to ask a couple of questions
on the item (even if you know the answer) just to gauge the seller from the
time it takes her/him to respond, the tone, attitude and so on. John is right,
a seller with 100s of entries and less than 99% positive FB should be
avoided.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Hi Clinton-

I've bought from most of the ebay sellers that have posted in this topic and have had nothing but good dealings with all of them - Bob Cefalu, Brian Hawkins and John Hall (I think I won a few of John Mayes auctions too). They all go the extra distance to make sure you get great wood quickly and safely and are very good about answering questions to make you feel comfortable about your transaction. I have bought wood from approximately 40-50 ebay sellers and I always make sure they have their own retail website for selling, are known luthiers or are forum members that I am very familiar with. I have 30 sellers saved in "My Ebay" that I trust to do business with. I know it's been said already but do a little homework on the sellers before you bid - all the other posters have given great advice about how to weed out the "problem children" sellers. Good luck and I hope you find some great deals-
John Lewis38756.5328587963

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

I didn't realize,that is until now, who here on this forum sells on ebay.When I purchase on ebay it will be from someone here, who loves me.......Clinton

I know a lot of our sponsors are frequent or infrequent sellers on ebay, certainly Brian, Bob, Steve, John Hall, John Mayes, and others. have sold on ebay and they are good to work with on or off that site.

However... I have to say 2/3 (and this is being generous) of the stuff I see on ebay is crap. Woods being advertised as quartersawn are clearly NOT qs, and lots of things are just poor quality.

I am not saying one should never try out new suppliers or take advantage of good deals, but Cavaet Emptor applies doubly so to Ebay.

I think it is certainly wiser to find suppliers who take good care of you and reward them by giving them repeat business.

Brock Poling38756.5919907407

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

Would it be possible to create a page on this forum where OLF'rs post links to their eBay offerings? Kind of an OLF online store. That might be beneficial to the OLF sponsers and general members too. Sort of 'keep it in the family'.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

[QUOTE=Brock Poling]However... I have to say 2/3 (and this is being
generous) of the stuff I see on ebay is crap. Woods being advertised as
quartersawn are clearly NOT qs, and lots of things are just poor quality.
[/QUOTE]

Definitely true… Examining the pics -and making sure what's onsale is
what's on the pics- and asking questions, always.
Did I see a lot of 10 Honduran mahogany (flat sawn…) boards advertised for
guitar fingerboards last week? I did.…


laurent38756.7477777778

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

See that is what I mean? That's ridiculous.

Well... without tipping our hat too much I can tell you this... in 2006 the OLF will launch our own lutherie auction site. Not so much to compete with ebay (even ** I ** am not that foolish) as much as it is to provide an alternative to the junk the is being pawned off of ebay. I am hoping this will be a place that the lutherie insiders go not the general masses.

Clearly we want our sponsors to participate and the others that are known and trusted suppliers, as well as individuals who are looking to sell off some of their tools, wood, or whatever....

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