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Does "Mint Condition" or "NIB" or anything like that really mean anything anymore?


seifukusha

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people who say "like new" or "mint condition" are usually asking 10% off street price...hardly a good used price. i don't care how "nice" something is...if i'm paying almost retail, i want a warranty & the opportunity to return it.

 

otherwise, i'm gonna look for something at a decent used price.

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I bought an Ibanez S off of craigslist couple of years back, it was listed as "mint condition". When I saw it it had scratches everywhere, someone dropped it on the strap button which cracked part of the paint and pushed the button into the wood. It was missing parts, but overall it was worth the asking price ($100).

 

It's like people lost sight of what "mint" means, so I take those terms with a grain of salt.

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It's fine if it's still relatively new but I don't like it when people assume they will get a same new price or near as damn it for something just because it is in good condition.

 

That said... If I'm after something bad enough I will pay a bit more for it. Pedal GAS + instant gratification = spending more money.

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I bought an Ibanez S off of craigslist couple of years back, it was listed as "mint condition". When I saw it it had scratches everywhere, someone dropped it on the strap button which cracked part of the paint and pushed the button into the wood. It was missing parts, but overall it was worth the asking price ($100).


It's like people lost sight of what "mint" means, so I take those terms with a grain of salt.

 

That is my main issue.

 

Most of the pedals I buy are 20+ years old, so I expect some wear and marks, but when I buy a pedal on eBay (or wherever) which is described as 'mint', 'like new' etc then I expect it to arrive in mint, like new condition.

 

I bought a Boss DD-2 once, in 'mint' condition - the photo on the auction made it look all shiny and new. It arrived in a condition I'd describe as well-used/heavily-gigged. not that I would have minded if I'd known, but when I contacted the seller just to say I was a bit surprised at all the marks (and probably wouldn't have paid as much if I'd known what I was getting), he got quite aggressive about it, telling me that I had the problem and should expect some cosmetic damage on a 30 year old pedal - and that it WAS 'in mint condition for it's age'!!! :facepalm: Either something is mint or it isn't.

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Here in Australia, we don't get the opportunity to try many pedals out in a local shop. Most stores have the usual Boss, Digitech, MXR/Dunlop, Mod-Tone & Behringer stuff. If you want something a little different you have to research demos and forums to get an idea of how it might interact with your setup. I've bought a {censored}load of pedals, only to find that they're not what I was looking for, or they didn't live up to the hype. Being a pro and having owned a large amount of pedals by various companies over the years, I can usually assess a pedal quite quickly. The pedals I find unsuitable I sell or flip, having only played them for a short while. These I sell as mint, but if I had it on my board, or gigged it, I describe it accurately. I always keep boxes, instructions and any other paraphenalia the pedal may have been supplied with including my original receipts. Sometimes, owing to my locality, I have to pay quite a bit of shipping and these costs are also included to an extent, in my re-sell price. If someone says I can get one of my pedals for the same price new, I reply, "But then, you have to ship it" and sometimes you have to wait for the build as well.

 

If someone doesn't like my prices they're welcome to {censored} off.

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I'd pay a little more for a "new in box" vintage pedal but not for something currently (or recently out of) production.


NIB Boss VB-2? Yeah, I'll pay more.

NIB Eventide Space? No.

 

 

 

Yup - I'd say you pretty much nailed it. As a point of interest, or description of general condition, NIB is fine, but you shouldn't get major points for a relatively recent, slightly used product being in good shape - you should get points knocked off for the amount of damage / mods it has had done to it - scratches, chipped paint, etc.

 

On vintage stuff, being in "mint" or "near mint" or "VG+" all has specific meanings - at least in the instrument world. I don't think it's been quite as formal in the pedal world. But yeah, a "NIB" VB-2 is of far more interest from a "condition" standpoint than a Eventide Space strictly because anyone with enough money can go get a new, perfect condition Space, but a VB-2 in that shape is much harder to come by, if for no other reason than they haven't been made in over 30 years.

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people who say "like new" or "mint condition" are usually asking 10% off street price...hardly a good used price. i don't care how "nice" something is...if i'm paying almost retail, i want a warranty & the opportunity to return it.


otherwise, i'm gonna look for something at a decent used price.

 

 

DUDE. {censored}ING THIS. SO DAMN TRUE.

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Yeah it means more on older pedals IMHO.

 

My first deal here was for a Echo Park. The guy said "Excellent Condition". I got it and it looked like he had taken a belt sander to the sides and there were numerous nicks on the top. When I contacted him he said that he meant "Excellent working condition". Normally it wouldn't matter that much to me but if I had known the true condition I would have waited for one in a little better shape.

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Because of ebay, everyone seems to think they are a corporate hustler/used car salesman trying to trick people into buying their crap. Unfortunately, it seems there are a lot of fools willing to part with their money and get shafted rather than just say "no" and not buy something when its not a good deal. I buy used gear only if its

a. very hard to find and I really want it

b. well priced for what it is

c. priced irresistibly low

Those 10% off street price sellers never get a penny from me. I'd rather buy it new and get a warranty or have some option of taking it back.

I think I'm even more disgusted by the term "rare" than I am "mint condition" these days. There are too many idiots trying to sell gear using the term "rare" when its just OLD.

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