Official Luthiers Forum!

I sell some things on the 'Bay, but usually not Luthier items. However, I buy a lot on ebay if I don't care so much for quality. For example, my first guitar was make with Myrtle B/S, and I think I got them for around $50. They were really nice. I also bought some Koa B/S sets for around $120, and they are just as beautiful as something you might find from LMI that goes for $300. To test the seller I usually will ask a question, and if I don't get a response back in 4 hours, then the seller is not serious about doing business over the internet. My philosophy is that if you are going to do business over the internet, then you have to respond in less than 2 hours. This is like a customer coming into your store and browsing while you were in the back, and you never came out to help the customer.

Brock, I like your idea of the OLF auction house. It would be great for me, as I have some special spruce that I want to get rid of, but just don't want to mess with ebay to get rid of it. I also have some pickups for electrics that I want to get rid of. Let me know when you get this going.
Tracy

Brock, how's that web site coming? I keep checking. An OLF auction sounds great! Who takes it from here? I'm just glad to find several "trusted names" that I can look for on ebay. Makes me feel more confident about any purchases. Thanks guys! Clinton

Although not recently, I have bought woods from e-bay. One guy used e-bay as more or less as an advertising thing. I bought a couple of sets from him through e-bay. Excellent quality and priced accordingly. I still buy from him a couple times a year (although now I go direct.)

I bought a sitka top on e-bay from a dealer who I later found out had a pretty good reputation. The e-bay top was an "ok" top at the best. Oh well, I just stickered it and put it on the shelf with the rest of the tops. When I flexed it (a few months or it might have been years later) it split right in two. I grabbed the other half and Yup, it split very easy too. Even though they might be a "good" wood dealer I wonder if they were just trying to get rid of crap on e-bay to some unsuspecting sap. Well if that was the case, it backfired as I won't go running to them with my next order. I don't buy ton's of sitka but I will get 12 or so sets on occasions.

Now to be fair, I never went back to them to complain or ask them to make good but it just seemed like they were trying to dump the junk.

[QUOTE=crich] Brock, how's that web site coming? I keep checking. An OLF auction sounds great! Who takes it from here? [/QUOTE]

Lance and I are working on it. It is on the 2006 list of things to accomplish. We have a software package identified and some due diligence performed but we need to buy it, install it and customize it. It is one of those things where the devil is in the details.

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

There are things I don't buy on eBay, and acoustic guitar tops are one of them. Unless, of course, I happen to know the seller's serious enough about it. Places I do trust have plenty of low-cost, high quality tops.

Back/side woods I've seen slightly better deals one, but, once again, not generally significantly better than what I can find from one of our sponsors or a European supplier. The majority of the wood I've gotten off eBay has been quilted maple (most from a seller that came highly reccomended, some from sellers that looked legit, and the prices were too good to pass up, and it was rosette stock anyway), and for stuff that's easily 3A to 4A (samples here and here), bookmatched sets 1" thick per half, cost per set after transatlantic shipping about 40 dollars ain't half bad (and I sold off half of them to pay for the other half at prices still way below local market, so, well, cost per set dropped to about 10-15 bucks).

Brock: sounds like a great plan!

For what it's worth, I met BobC on eBay and he introduced me to a certain luthier's forum that shall remain nameless.

Ya know Bob, I'd forgotten about that until this thread, Thanks!

Steve

Yes, I introduced a couple of Ebay luthiers here last week, just like Bob invited me here from MIMF or AG Forum. Ebay helped me meet the likes of Jason Voth when he was nineteen, selling a little wood so he'd have college spending money. Beats working at the grocery, eh Jason. He's now a sponsor on the OLF.

It's always caveat emptor in the real world. I want to say that relationships forged between luthiers and suppliers are strong ones. They both need each other. I've been led to some fine wood by folks I met right here. So in essence, Ebay is helping to build the OLF.

Don't shoot yourself in the foot and then wonder why your foot hurts.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

   I also send my ebay customers this link. Ebay is a great ad tool for me and the others. To be successful on ebay you have to be honest to the customer and fair. Also as a buyer you need to educate yourself as there are some winners and loosers out there.
    If it sounds too good to be true it usually is. There is also a new site out there WHABAM.com. It is small and I hope it can grow into a viable ebay competitor as ebay needs a little competition.
    Keep the OLD OLF'er going
john hall
blues creek guitars

I just received my second buy from First Quality Musical Supply's ebay post and I am very excited about it. They are selling some honduras pieces that were miscut at their factory. Selling two to a package, measuring 2 1/4" thick X 8" wide X 23" long. They are beautiful, and quartersawn.
Just by adding 1 1/2" onto the heel thickness, I've gotten 8 (nearly one piece necks) for about $10 each. There is also enough left to make two laminated necks. A real bargain for perfect honduras. I'm bidding on another that ends in about 6 hours. I believe they said that there were about 50 total pieces they were selling. Actually, I probably shouldn't be telling you all this, cause I'll have to bid more now. (but that's the kind of guy I am)

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I've bought 3 set of wood from Ebay from the same guy.....very satisfied with the product(and the price!)
I got it promptly too!

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

Many sellers on Ebay now demand that you give them feedback first, then they will give you feedback. What that means is that the feedback system has become corrupt. Even some of the sellers with very high feedback percentages are not necessarily what you would expect, compared to the outstanding feedback percentages they display.

Conversely, if someone has 2% to 5% of their customers giving them bad feedback (giving them a rating of 95% to 98%, you can bet that there are more problems unreported.

OLF members like Bob Cefalu (RC Tonewoods) and John Hall (tippie53) may offer some great deals on Ebay, and you can put 100% trust in them. A few others that I trust are, (with Ebay handles): Kevin ___________ (rivdrftr), Brian Hawkins (bchtonewood), and Dianne____________ (nicemaple).

[Hey Lance, if this post steps on any OLF sponsor's toes, let me know and I will edit or delete the post.]

Dennis
Edit: oops, Sorry I did not originally list Brian as an OLF member, but he is that and 100% trustworthy. I missed Tracy (Luthier Supplies) too. Hey Tracy, when are you going to put some binding router bit/bearing sets on Ebay, with a $0.99 starting price??? DennisLeahy38757.9081828704

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

There are many good deals on E-Bay, but also many notso good ones. Just be careful and have fun. Don't invest too much until the vendor establishes a track record with you.

Al

Mayke sure you buy for a paypal verified member and pay them with paypal. If the goods are not up to the promise, you can file a complaint with paypal and maybe return the goods and get a refund or even an adjustment!

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

I sell on e-bay also, under luthiersiak. I too treat people as I would like to be treated.

I never buy from anyone on Ebay with below 98% and I always find out the shipping cost before bidding. Some deals seam really good until you find out the shipping is ridiculously high.   

Read the feedback! Even if they have 100% positive for 3000 deals. The ratings could all have been as a buyer and not as a seller.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

[QUOTE=peterm] Mayke sure you buy for a paypal verified member and pay
them with paypal. If the goods are not up to the promise, you can file a
complaint with paypal and maybe return the goods and get a refund or even
an adjustment![/QUOTE]

Peter, not to hijack the thread with my rant but… Have you ever dealt with
Paypal or eBay's customer service? I have. They're non-existent.
Like I wrote earlier: in case of a problem with a dishonnest seller, or
merchandise lost or broken during shipping, you're on your own with the
seller. Period. I personally try to avoid using Paypal and prefer sending a
personal check or USPS MO.

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