mymindsok

Did all of this eBay activity take place this week? If so, (and since you're in the US) not everybody was home for the Labour Day weekend and probably not home for part of the earlier week or maybe this week. Did you have your auction close late at night or at the crack of dawn US time? Nope! I've been running Jewelry sales for three months and before that I sold a pile of BMW MC parts for good prices. This past week the only auctions I ran were for BMW Accessories that I have manufactured and I sold about $400 worth of parts. Thats despite the fact that the past 4 to 5 months have been very poor for sales. In general, jewelry auctions are the pits these days. Most people are buying things they think they really need and thats about all. As far as auction timing goes, I start all of my 7 day auctions on a Monday at around 7 PM Pacific Standard time. That way they all close on Sunday at 10 PM EST. The auction absolutely must close when the majority of people are at home and before they go to bed. If yourte selling a guitar, Ya gotta make it easy for the buyer. Almost no one needs a guitar!

Like the rest of you, I keep an eye on CL and 90% of what I'm seeing is the same old stuff being listed day-after-day and week-after-week. The only things selling are those that are well priced. $400 Fender Champs don't sell, while$250 and $300 Champs are moving. There are a lot of stressed out people who are trying to sell their valuables and a much smaller group ready and willing to buy. Add in the fact that no one really needs a guitar (Much less an expensive one.) and you have a classic buyers market. We've been selling off our American Indian jewelry collection on Ebay over the last few months and we've been very happy to be getting prices that reflect what we paid at wholesale ten years ago. In fact, we've had several auctions where the item didn't meet our reserve but were contacted later and made non Ebay deals that worked out quite well. Of course, our stuff is really beautiful! I listed my Mint Condition Brawley Attack a few months ago and had several guys email me with trade offers but no buyers. I consider those to be legit and certainly from guys just like me, so I treat everyone with respect. At least they were offering something! At this point, I consider my guitars and other gear to be nearly worthless, so I'll be happy to keep it and make music. Ebay auctions.... Always start your auctions at ninety nine cents. Auctions always bring higher prices, when people know that the item is definitely going to sell. Get two people who both want what you have and you can frequently make a killing!

I own three Strats right now and I love em but if it was only ONE guitar.... Sheesh... I'd have to go for a Tele with a HB in the neck. You can use a Tele for anything!

You know..... The real answer to this question has more to do with what youre looking for and how picky you are than anything else and that has to do with quality and what "qualities" youre sensitive to. There are definate differences between the MIMs amd the MIAs and once again, it really comes down to quality. If you remove a MIM trem system and compare it side-by-side with the MIA, the differenses are obvious and the MIA wins hands down. Now, compare the MIA or Fender Vintage trem to a Callaham Trem and you'll find more obvious differences, all related to QUAILTY. Same with the bodys. The MIA uses fewer pcs to build the body and usually, the higher end bodies have even fewer pcs and therefore, more ring. Necks? We can write a book about necks but for tone, the bigger the better. Feel comes from the neck shape and how the edges are shaped and/or rolled. More $$$ buys moreshop time and a better neck. In a nutshell, what the MIAs start to do is give the player a higher quality, better playing instrument, at a price that might be affordable. Heres what I've found... I have a MIM that I've set up very carefully and I've installed some expensive pickups in it as well. It plays and sounds damn good and everyone who play it is happy and admiring of it untill they take a spin on the EJ Sig. They might like the MIM a lot but give em a choice and they'll take the EJ, hands down. It not only sounds better plugged or unplugged but it plays and feels better. Much better. What you like and need, usually changes with time, experience and circumstances. Therefore, these are fruitless discussions. (Hell... My 13yo Grandson thinks his Starcaster is the bees knees!) unless the discussion takes place between people who have some similar experiences and a matching understanding of the different levels of quality. Just remember... SRV's instruments were all rebuilt several times by a master luthier and theres a reason why most good players buy hand rebuilt or custom guitars and it aint ego. They really are better guitars!