eBay question (and a little SPAM)

[knockwood]

While I have bought a lotta stuff on eBay, I have thus far never sold anything. In the event of a shipping mishap, who gets the headache of squaring things with the shipper - buyer or seller?

 

Which leads me to the SPAM part.

 

I'm going to be selling my Taylor 310 very shortly, mainly to finance the purchase of a new git. It's in excellent condition with not a single scratch or mark beyond minor scratching on the pickguard (and I can't fathom how on earth that got there, since I never use picks). Would rather deal with a forumite than a stranger on eBay, so if anyone is interested, PM me.

[Freeman Keller]

The few times I've shipped a git I've insured it for the replacement value (in your case I guess that would be the selling price). If it was damaged it is my understanding that the shipper (UPS, FedEx) keeps the damaged goods and you (the buyer) gets the money. How you negotiate the shipping is up to you and the buyer, but should be defined in your ad.

 

I am very careful with shipping - get a guitar box, remove the end pin, loosen strings, really pack around the headstock, etc. Kimsey has a great section on preparing for shipment.

 

Plug for your SPAM - I think the 3xx Taylors are some excellent little guitars and highly recommend them. My little 314 is my "go to" git - it does everything well. I hope your dread finds a happy home. Be sure to post it in the buy and sell at the AGF (old Taylor forum) - that's where the T-heads hang out.

 

My wife bought my 314 off evil bay and gave it to me for a present. She said one of the scariest moments of her life was clicking "place bid", one of mine was lifting it out of its case and tuning it up. I have played it for her almost daily since.

[eor]

the way you praise that guitar up and down, you should have no problem moving it here

 

love,

eor

 

She said one of the scariest moments of her life was clicking "place bid", one of mine was lifting it out of its case and tuning it up

the 314 was eor's first acoustic love. i still find it to be one of the most asthetically pleasing shapes out there.

[knockwood]

Originally posted by eor the way you praise that guitar up and down, you should have no problem moving it here

 

That's what I figured.

 

FK,

Many thanks for the info and the plug.

[Hudman]

I sold 3 acoustics guitars and 4 electric guitars on Ebay over the past 18 months or so. Check the completed listings for Taylor 310's. Check out the individual auctions (sold and not sold). Pattern your auction on the ones that went for the highest amount of money. Copy and paste good descriptions. Avoid making the same mistakes the people made in the auctions that didn't sell. The most important factor is taking good pictures. Direct sunlight works best. I usually post 6 - 10 pictures in my auctions (I always include one that shows the case too).

[knockwood]

 

Originally posted by Hudman I sold 3 acoustics guitars and 4 electric guitars on Ebay over the past 18 months or so. Check the completed listings for Taylor 310's. Check out the individual auctions (sold and not sold). Pattern your auction on the ones that went for the highest amount of money. Copy and paste good descriptions. Avoid making the same mistakes the people made in the auctions that didn't sell. The most important factor is taking good pictures. Direct sunlight works best. I usually post 6 - 10 pictures in my auctions (I always include one that shows the case too).

 

 

All good advice, Hud. Thank you. First time I tried to sell that piece of s... um... my lovely 310... on eBay, I did basically everything wrong. If I can't get rid... um... sell it this time, I think maybe I'd better have a priest come and have a look at it...

[Hudman]

 

Originally posted by knockwood All good advice, Hud. Thank you. First time I tried to sell that piece of s... um... my lovely 310... on eBay, I did basically everything wrong. If I can't get rid... um... sell it this time, I think maybe I'd better have a priest come and have a look at it...

 

 

If you market it right, it will sell quick. Do your research and take good pictures.

 

I was trying to sell a 1998 USA made Peavey EVH Wolfgang Special on bulletin boards at work for months without a single bite. I was asking $375 or best offer. I ended up selling it for apprx. $600 on Ebay in a week. It was my first Ebay transaction. I've been hooked every since.

[Sweb]

Suggestion -

 

If all goes well and you have a buyer, call your local music store and ask them what it would cost to package and ship a guitar for you, insurance included. Also, ask them which shipper they prefer to use based upon their war-stories, origins, destinations, etc. Tell this to the buyer - may influence his/her decision on shipping method. Best price sometimes renders useless any "Fragile" stickers.

 

Edit: I am trying to find something about my 310-K that matches the disatisfied stories I've heard, yours included, about this guitar. Haven't yet. Maybe because it's Koa?

[knockwood]

 

Originally posted by Sweb Suggestion - If all goes well and you have a buyer, call your local music store and ask them what it would cost to package and ship a guitar for you, insurance included. Also, ask them which shipper they prefer to use based upon their war-stories, origins, destinations, etc. Tell this to the buyer - may influence his/her decision on shipping method. Best price sometimes renders useless any "Fragile" stickers. Edit: I am trying to find something about my 310-K that matches the disatisfied stories I've heard, yours included, about this guitar. Haven't yet. Maybe because it's Koa?

 

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I may give that a shot. As for "Fragile" stickers, in my own experience - not just with guitars - a "Fragile" sticker generally indicates to freight people, "This item is a volleyball."

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with a 310. Seriously. This git was just the wrong choice for me. Plus I have another hog dread that hogs all the playing time, so the 310 is being wasted in its case.

[Hudman]

 

Originally posted by knockwood Thanks for the suggestion. I may give that a shot. As for "Fragile" stickers, in my own experience - not just with guitars - a "Fragile" sticker generally indicates to freight people, "This item is a volleyball." I don't think there's anything wrong with a 310. Seriously. This git was just the wrong choice for me. Plus I have another hog dread that hogs all the playing time, so the 310 is being wasted in its case.

 

 

People making packing a guitar into a dark art.

 

It's very simple. Go down to your local Guitar Center and ask them for a shipping box that will fit your 310 case. Go to Office Depot and buy a couple large bags of styrofoam peanuts ($7.00 per bag). As a substitute you can use crunched up newspaper. I usually wedge a wad of crunched up newspaper between the headstock and the case. You want to make sure the guitar can't slide around in the case and that the case can't slide around in the box.

 

Put a light layer of peanuts or newspaper in the bottom of your shipping box. Place the guitar case in the shipping box. Fill large voids with wads of crunched up newspaper. Top off with peanuts. Make sure your packing material is packed tight with no spaces at the top. Tape the box shut. Tape FRAGILE & DO NOT STACK signs all over it and THIS WAY up signs on it to avoid them stacking it with the headstock pointed down. I print the signs up on my PC.

 

I shipped 7 guitars this way without a single problem. In fact, my guitars are better packed than most of the new ones I bought over the internet from the big online guitar retailers. Just make sure you get shipping insurnace (most people make the buyer pay for it).