Members Sheepdog81 Posted June 22, 2015 Members Share Posted June 22, 2015 I own a Michael Kelly Nostalgia 2 acoustic guitar. It is what you'd consider a budget range guitar, having bought it 4 years ago for about £200 ($316). I've played a lot of budget range guitars and this is by far the best, beating well known names. It plays rhythm style guitar so well, it has a low action and just sounds wonderfully crisp. I have really enjoyed recording with it (I've attached a link of me playing it if anyone's interested). However, I have really got in to finger picking lately and it is not really suited to that so I felt the time had come to buy a guitar for that style. I wish I had a grand or two to get a Martin, but I am pretty skint atm, so I bought a Takamine for £225 ($356 plus another $65 as I am having it upgraded by a tech) with the proviso that I would sell the Michael Kelly a week later and re-coup the money that I really need back in the bank. Now, this is the sticking point... It is a really great guitar and in the UK it is not something you can buy, indeed I think it has stopped retailing now in America. Given that I am really fond of the guitar and believe it to be superior to most other guitars in its price range (second hand between $150 to $280) I do not want to part with it for cheap, because I believe it is worth more. On the other hand I need to replace the money I spent sooner rather than later. So I made a compromise and started it at $220 on ebay (I'll just use dollars now) as thats the very minimum I'd let it go for, but hoping for more. Trouble is, it is not a known name at all in the UK (is it even in America?) Any homework done on the guitar would lump it in with the same low priced range guitars and it is not tempting anyone on Ebay. My listing has just ended and nobody placed a bid. Not sure what to do from here. I think if I was selling it in a shop and people actually played on it, it would earn attention, but that doesn't work on Ebay obviously. My local pawn store will merely go on its retail value and given it has a couple of scratches I'm sure I would get under $100 which isn't enough to cover me. I don't suppose anyone has any tips on how to sell it or have had similar experiences? https://soundcloud.com/crackadorrecords/tragic-martyrs-jolly-rogers-most-wanted - I've put this in in the edit because the link below only links to my whole soundcloud page for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted June 22, 2015 Members Share Posted June 22, 2015 Hmmmmmmm. Personally I'd keep the old one - why part with something you like so much? You'll regret it. And why, please explain, is it not suited to fingerstyle? I play fingerstyle on all my guitars: acoustic, classical and electric and seem to get on OK. PS. Try putting some lighter gauge strings on the old git - you may be favourably surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I does sound pretty good on that recording. I tend to agree with Howard - you'll probably regret selling it. Do you have anything else you can sell, or any way to pick up some extra work to make up the extra cash so you can keep both? Unfortunately, the Michael Kelly isn't likely to be highly sought after based on the name or model. The only way it's probably going to sell at a price that you'll be willing to accept is if people can play / hear it. Is there a local music shop that does consignment sales? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted June 22, 2015 Members Share Posted June 22, 2015 Perhaps you'd get slightly more selling it on http://www.gumtree.com And... Welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sheepdog81 Posted June 22, 2015 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2015 I don't know how to quote more than one person, so I'll just go by username. garthman - I hadn't thought of using lighter strings tbh. As for the type of guitar, I do to much rhythm and solo-ing, I need the acoustic. I think when I say fingerpicking, its not quite the style I mean. I have songs that seem too much of a stretch for the MK I have. Phil O'Keefe - As it happens I have started doing some jobs for family members here and there so I might be able to make up the money that way. Though if the MK guitar doesn't sell at all, I probably won't have enough money back in time. I'm hoping if it goes for about £140 thats half way there, plus the extra cash would would be ideal. GW348, thank you for welcoming me, actually the forum has been excellent so far in the responses I've had over two threads. I thought of Gumtree, but I am excrutiatingly shy, and I know gumtree means people phoning me up and possibly coming to have a look, haggling etc which is why i've always preferred ebay. Call me anti-social Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted June 24, 2015 Members Share Posted June 24, 2015 I'll join the "keep it" crowd. I know it's hard when money is tight. Skip some meals? may even improve health. Nice to have 2nd guitar around if some friend shows up that plays.... besides when playing you can disguise anti social tendency as don't need to small talk so much... A little busking perhaps? Even if only pulled in $15 per session, would only take 10 sessions.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members All The Same Posted June 24, 2015 Members Share Posted June 24, 2015 I agree with the others - if you love the guitar this much, hang on to it if possible. Check your closet - maybe there is some other piece of musical equipment collecting dust that could help defray the costs of the new guitar? I have sold too many guitars and ended up regretting it later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted June 24, 2015 Members Share Posted June 24, 2015 Keep the guitar.You can finger pick on any guitar, although a lot of guys like the wider 1-3/4 nut width guitars to do so on. I personal like the 1-11/16 wide nut better. It might be just what I am used too. Some time down the road buy your dream guitar. If that's you in the picture, cut back on the smokes and drop what you spend daily into a bucket. It ads up like crazy. Nice lil tune and playing on that song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sheepdog81 Posted June 25, 2015 Author Members Share Posted June 25, 2015 I really appreciate the advice guys. I think you may have just swayed me to keep it. For now at least. I have a four day trip to Barcelona in late September. I am going to put the money saved for that in to my normal account and try and start saving again. I'll see how I am come September. Some very good arguments posted to keep the guitar, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sheepdog81 Posted June 25, 2015 Author Members Share Posted June 25, 2015 Some time down the road buy your dream guitar. If that's you in the picture, cut back on the smokes and drop what you spend daily into a bucket. It ads up like crazy. Yes that's me in the picture, I'm not a smoker, do I look like a smoker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted June 25, 2015 Members Share Posted June 25, 2015 I'm a little late to the party but I thought I'd chime in. First, I'm not a good reference if you want to sell it - I have kept almost all of my guitars over a 40 year and building career. I think its a great idea to have an "extra" guitar - take on trips, loan to friends, put in an altered tuning or just have available for a change. Secondly, I think its a bad idea to buy something new with the promise of selling something to pay for it unless you absolutely know you can sell it. House, car, guitar - I don't care - if you don't have the money then sell the old one first. We bought a new house at the very time the market went to hell (my timing is golden. eh?) and had to sit on the old one for almost a year before it finally sold. Third, selling a slightly odd ball guitar can always be a problem. Think of how you bought it - probably played it in a store and liked it rather than seeking a Michael Kelly by brand in the first place - that is how you need to market it. Stores sometimes will sell on consignment but they don't like to - they make more money on their own stock. Pawn shops are also in business to make money for themselves, not you, and they price things accordingly. On E-bay I would advertise it as an "acoustic guitar", not necessarily by brand. I would use any local means of advertising it - news paper ads, in the US we have a service called Craig's List. The buy and sell section of forums like this (don't spam the discussion section). Maybe your music stores have a bulletin board. Talk to local players. Get the word out Lastly, be honest about the condition (you just learned this with your new Tak). If the action and condition are perfect take pictures and measurements that prove it (the same ones that we discussed in your other post). The first thing I look at if I am interested in a guitar is the bridge - how much saddle is sticking out? I look at the action at the 12th fret (sound familiar?) - if the combination is good I'm more interested in the guitar. If its bad I might still be interested but I know there is some expensive work involved. I recently saw a charming Guild 12 string in a music store - I told the clerk that once it had a neck reset ($350) it would make someone a wonderful guitar. She looked kind of guilty - she knew. The guitar (and you) sound good in the clip - if you really do want to sell it take your time - someone will come along. Good luck, keep us posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted June 26, 2015 Members Share Posted June 26, 2015 I really appreciate the advice guys. I think you may have just swayed me to keep it. For now at least. I have a four day trip to Barcelona in late September. I am going to put the money saved for that in to my normal account and try and start saving again. I'll see how I am come September. Some very good arguments posted to keep the guitar' date=' thank you![/quote'] Yeah. I'm glad you are going to keep it. I've parted with one or two guitars over the years and have always regreted it afterwards. You'll sort it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members katopp Posted June 29, 2015 Members Share Posted June 29, 2015 Apart from my seven custom made Binh guitars and my Martin D35, all of my other 18 guitars are subject to possible sales.Just sold my FG730S. So what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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