Your Best eBay Deal?

[BlueMountain]

Have you made any "real steals" on eBay? (It's getting harder to do, and I'm not going to reveal any secrets.) Go ahead and boast!

A few years ago I bought a matched set of professional A & Bb Full Boehm German clarinets made pre-WWII for $300. The keys had been covered with a grease to prevent corrosion, and this had led to mold growth. Two hours of polishing, and I had the best clarinets I'd ever played. I sold the set for $1,800 to a professional clarinetist who then sold the professional Buffet R13s he had been playing, as he didn't need them anymore.

More recently I was the only bidder on a rare banjo that had a terrible photo and a terrible ad, but mentioned in passing the model--Gruhn gave it a full page in his book. I "stepped out in faith" and got it for $1,000. I was afraid it would be a wreck, but it was superb, and I sold it a few weeks later to a dealer on eBay for $3,600.

I'm saving that money while waiting for the ad that says, "I don't know what sort of old musical instrument this is--it's like a little guitar with eight strings--and there's a signature inside that says Roar or Boar or something, and it's dated 1924." Buy It Now!

[Dfyngravity]

Most of my deals have come through the sports equipment. I buy and sell golf clubs because I know a wealth of info on all of the latest equip. and older stuff as well.

Recently I bought a set of Mizuno MP-14s in mint condition for $150...how I got them for that I haven't a clue. I used them for a couple months and then sold them for close to $400.

Ebay is a great place, it's like going to a yard sale or am antique store without leaving your house. If you are an expert or know a bundant amount of info in a certain area then you can def. make some bargins and deals.

[recklessmando]

Good for you Blue. I agree that it's rare to find steals anymore. You must have a great eye.

One caveat that you're probably well aware of; The phrase "I don't know anything about this item" is often code for "I know ALL about this item, it's a heaping pile of s**t, but I want to be able to claim ignorance when you tell me it's junk".

[DryBones]

I bought an Ibanez AW100Lcent acoustic/electric guitar for under $200, retails for around $549. thing was brand new and plays great!
I think it helps at times for me to be buying lefty items,not as much competition.

[John Rosett]

i bought my collings MT custom, barely used for $1400. not a steal, but a really great deal on a great mandolin.
i think the best deal that i've had on ebay was a ravaged old telecaster body i sold last spring. it had been routed out under the whole pickguard to reduce it's weight, routed and bondo'ed at the bridge, and needed a heavy sanding. i listed it for $5. and crossed my fingers. it brought over $90. and the buyer was very happy. go figure.

[Jim Hilburn]

I've done quite well with PA equipment, including my Yamaha mains for about half price and they were about 20 miles from here, so no shipping.
I once got the bug for a vintage Fender amp and in about '94 I found a total closet classic '59 Deluxe at the Dallas show for $1300. I took good care of it but along the way I got a Deluxe Reverb that I use much more and decided to E-bay the tweed. It went for $2150.
Mandolin content.. I regularly play my mandolin through the PA, but never through the Deluxe Reverb.

[Eugene]

I got an original ca. 1835 mandolin in playable condition for $212.50 via eBay.

[JGWoods]

I got a Brazilian rosewood no-name (Stahl?) in good condition for $40.
The sale ended on the 4th of July and I think I was the only one looking.

[PCypert]

Hey,
Someone on here got an early BRW for something like a grand. I've never been so lucky. Can remember seeing Lyon and Healy A styles at 2K, a Loar at 75K, a Driftwood at 1K, and a F9 for 1400. This was all in the last three years! None of these around anymore...too many people know. I wish it was the old days again and I had the budget I have now...oh well.
Paul

[FrDNicholas]

I don't know if this counts, but I got a brand new, still in the box microwave for $8.00 plus $20.00 shipping. I still have my Trinity College mandola, which I bought on Ebay for $265.00. It sounds wonderful for that price.

[jjboone101]

I picked up a nice 1912 Gibson A-2, all original, for $800 about a year ago. A real beauty.

[csstanley]

I got a Martin D-16 for $561.

[racuda]

I batteled it out with atetone and got a one-owner1923 A2-Z for $1800.

[jim simpson]

I got a Gibson J100 sunburst for $440.00. It was a little beat up with a couple of cracks that I've been meaning to patch but have been too lazy to. It sounds great, I have a couple of 1st refusal offers from friends. I think it's a keeper.

[Mike Handley]

Three years ago I swiped a 2001 Nashville Flatiron Festival F for an $875 "Buy it Now". The seller was a brick and morter store in the South. Had the dealer done even the slightest bit of homework he could have gotten about a grand more at that time.

[fatt-dad]

I just got a second chance offer on an F2 from a guy with a yahoo email account. He said, that all the winning bids failed and I could have it for my last offer (it was something less than $200.00). At least that's what I think the email was talking about, it wasn't in the best english. . . .

fatt I-did-buy-a-solid-MIJ-mandolin-on-ebay-for-$76.00 dad

[billkilpatrick]

spelling helps ... i bought a beautiful, professional quality charango for $15.00 from a pawn shop owner in colorado who had it listed on ebay as a "churango." he listed it under "acoustic guitars" - i was the only one bidding. if you close your eyes and say "churango" out loud you can almost see the little metal tips on the collar of his two-tone cowboy shirt.

the charango was made by one of the older generation of luthiers in bolivia. i was told he had a good reputation but that i should look out for his bridges. the pawn shop owner in colorado had given the entire instrument a galvanizing coat of varnish - sound board and all - thereby plugging-up the holes in the bridge. i made a heat reflective mask by cutting a bridge sized, rectangular hole in a flat piece of wood, covered it with aluminum-foil, placed it over the instrument so as to expose the bridge to the heat of an ordinary table lamp and soften the glue. i eventually winkled the bridge off with a putty knife. turns out the luthier made holes for the strings by simply cutting channels into the bottom of the bridge with a tiny round file instead of drilling them in the center. probably didn't have the necessary tools.

anyway ...

got a good quality instrument with a pukkah bridge replacement for approx. $20.00 (excluding, of course, vast sums of money spent on postage ... ) unfortunately, it's only happened just the once.

[spoefish]

eBay is great for providing hope and cheer on gloomy days - and sometimes the little stuff can be as much fun as more expensive things - all in the thrill of the chase. #That being said, most of my super bargans were in scientific equipment (and this is stuff that I know about being that I am a legit user in my work as a plant pathologist) - such as the Leitz sliding microtome that I picked up for $125 and resold to a dealer friend for $4,000 (they list for about $12,000 and are hard to get), and some nearly as good deals on microscopes. #When it comes to mandolins and such, my favorite is my Weber custom Haylite (highly flamed maple back, rims, and neck, with gloss sunburst finish and upgraded hardware - on a buy-it-now for $850. #And it was in unplayed condition and has turned out to be a super mando. #And my Martin HD-28V for $1,100 including postage on another BIN was not bad either. #Always some reason to keep checking - middle of the night when I can't sleep is a good time.

Stephen

[Pedal Steel Mike]

I scored a Vega Les Paul for @$200. The Vega company has of course chamge hands many times, and their quality varies greatly depending on who owned the company. This one was made by the man who bought the company from Martin Guitars and sold it to Deering banjos a few years later. His name was Peter Jung. (That might no be the correct spelling.)

Jung's instruments can only be described as exquisite. The body of this one is carved from a single piece of mahogany. It just sings.

I have another of Jung's guitars, a neck through body hard tail strat that simply blows away anything Fender ever made. I know another guy who has one of these gems and he feels the same wayt about his as I do about mine.

I mentioned in another thread that I have 27 guitars. These 2 vegas are among the best in my collection.

[danb]

$3500 for a single-piece back f4 with a mint case, required a little work (oiled the pegs and strung it up)
The seller had strange looking feet in the photos, and it was over here in England.. maybe that's why few/no bids. One of the best sounding ones I've ever played, used it the very weekend I got it in the studio

~$500-ish for an Ajr that needed a $70 seam repair (otherwise mint)
~$1700 blackface A snakehead for a friend
~$1800 Gibson Style O for another friend
~$500 for a nice Weymann tenor banjo (several years ago)

Ones that got away:
- a buy-it-now A2z for $1100 some years ago
- a buy-it-now truss rod F2 for $600 3-ish years ago

Stinkers:
- a fake resonator mandolin.. coverplate on a flat-top!

Stuff you can still do very well on:
mandolins that aren't gibsons
tenor guitars
tenor banjos
non-martin guitars
ukes

[danb]

Forgot the National Supro reso-mandolin.. It was under $700.. $650-ish maybe?

[8ch(pl)]

I bought my Mid Missouri M-4 5 years ago for $355 from a guy in Florida. It had a couple of tiny cracks to repair. I save a couple of hundred from what they were selling for in the local store.

[jim_n_virginia]

I just bought a brand new combo mandolin/ fiddle Travelite case for $75.00 plus shipping. My buddy has a $300.00 Bobolock case and there is no difference.

I also got an old Gibson guitar that had been smashed for nothing and resold the parts $375.00

I bought a brand new Taylor 800 series guitar for $1400.

And finally I bought a Clarence White CD with 16 tunes flatpicked by Clarence and no other musicians just Clarence playing solo for $3.00!

[bootinz]

1950 D-18 for $1800. It's one of the best sounding BG guitar I've ever heard!

[Brad Weiss]

Ok here's a relevant question: Any tips on how to GET a good deal on eBay? esp. old A model Gibsons? I will add that I have gotten some very good deals on eBay, and made some very good -if always scrupulously fair!- sales, too.

[acousticphd]

Ok here's a relevant question: Any tips on how to GET a good deal on eBay? esp. old A model Gibsons? I will add that I have gotten some very good deals on eBay, and made some very good -if always scrupulously fair!- sales, too.

YES - look for refinished instruments, or instruments have some other non-original modification, or need some not-too serious repairs. I got interested in teens As and A1s a few years ago, and have only been looking at auctions and prices for that period of time. In the last 1-1/2 years, I bought a '15 A and a '16 A1, for $1150 total. Both had been refinished, one obviously and not so nice - but it sounds great; and the other looked pretty good.

Already I think the days of finding an old A for under $800-$900 are just about gone. Nearly all the old paddlehead A/A1 are being priced at more like $1100--$1200 at Elderly, Mandolin World, etc. I think they're overpriced now, myself, but I still look for others like the ones I got.

I have no real steals, but a number of good deals:
1915 Gibson A - $500
1916 Gibson A1 - ~$625
90s Old Wave A5 - $1000
90s Old Wave A-oval hole - $1000
90s Old Wave C#-oval hole - $1400
Martin 00-15 - ~$425
Martin OM1 (buffed to gloss finish) - $450
Three pretty good fiddles playable with minor work/setup for ~$350 total

Two '60s solid-wood Harmony flattop guitars that really sound good for ~$75 each
'60s Harmony archtop tenor, one day to be converted to an octave mando - ~$70
A 1941 Harmony flattop tenor guitar for about $50 (I have a soft spot for cheap old guitars)

[Thomas]

Bought a Nashville Faltiron Festival F for $1800 and sold it for $2300 2-3 years ago. It was absolutley mint.

Just bought a Baby Taylor guitar for my daughter for $180.

[Mike Handley]

I've had the best luck on eBay with low priced items listed as 'Buy it Now', poorly described/bad pictures, or items listed in the wrong category.

I got my Flatiron Festival for $875 - Buy it Now. I got a decent 'masterclone' banjo with a good case for $300 - Poor picture/description. I just recently picked up a pink strat copy for my daughter for $25, plus $20 for shipping - It was listed in the acoustic category and was described as a 'Base Guitar.'

If you go to the top category of 'Musical Instruments' and search for 'Mandolin', check out all of the items that are NOT listed in the 'Stringed Instruments - Mandolins' category. That seems to work for me to find any item in the wrong category.

For the 'Buy it Now' deals, I think you have to get up early (East Coast Time) and keep refreshing your browser window.

[John Craton]

Probably my best mando deal was an 1890's Euterpia that I got for (I think) around $200. The seller was in France and had several negative feedbacks which, to me, appeared more a result of problems with shippers than with the seller himself. I took a chance on him and put in a bargain-basement bid, never expecting it to hold. But I guess the negatives scared off other potential bidders. I sent him the funds and received the mandolin in good order with no problems whatever. Even if I should decide to part with the instrument at some future date (not that I expect to), I'm sure it will bring considerably more than the paltry amount I paid for it.

[kudzugypsy]

i'll tell you something to be on the lookout for - 50's red spruce (Adirondack) topped martins - there were a few made, its easy to spot them if the photos are good - and they rival the pre-wars in nearly every way (outside of the $$$). these are going to be the next explosion IMO. i *accidently* bought one 5 years ago and since have seen a few others on ebay that i was itching to get. usually, they are the same price as a sitka topped martin.

my only ebay score was an original 1939 L5N (only 35 made) that went for $1800 because the lister didnt have the bridge, case, tuners or pickguard - (plus at one time someone had put a volume knob on the lower bout) #- all of which i eventually picked up over 2 years.

the ebay deals (outside of BIN) are very few - you have a HUGE marketplace worldwide and it amazes me what things go for basiclly sight unseen. i cant believe the people buying old cars on there and they are bid thru the roof and only 3-4 bad photos are provided. goes against everything your dad taught ya!

[Ken Waltham]

I got very lucky onetime with a previously undocumented 1929 Fern F5 in excellent, 100% original condition, with OHSC.
One of the best I've owned, with wood in the back that was spectacular.
It was a Buy it Now scenario. I think it was 87346. You can see it on the archive.
Ken

[stevem]

Bought a Flatiron Performer A for $815, sold for $1050.
Bought a Midmo M-4 for $210, sold for $350.
Bought a refinished '36 Martin 0-17 for $750 only got $750. (Lost $50 shipping).

If you go into trying to to make money on a resale, it can get stressfull and is no fun. If you go into planning to sell, but have the attitude that you're just 'renting' the instrument after, then it's fun, even if you lose a little $.

[bratsche]

Best deal? #There've been many (never really had a bad one), but here are some highlights. I got a Flatiron 1N 'dola for $290 (buy-it-now); I think I was only the 2nd person to click on it and I knew it wouldn't last. My very first eBay purchase was a 1968 handmade Czech viola for ~$1000 back in '97, which outplayed several I had paid multiple thousands for - it was from a guitar dealer in Texas who had no use for it, and that got me hooked on eBay real quick! #Another noteworthy purchase from the 'bay's wild and woolly days was a VitaMix blender that gets very frequent use, for less than $30. That's the kind they sell for around $400 new, but now they make them from plastic, and this one is stainless steel vintage model. It was during the time when eBay was frequently "wonky", and the seller said I got lucky because she got a lot of e-mails from irate bidders who tried to snipe (as did I) and were shut out because of the sluggish server! Then in late '03, we bought my husband's car thru eBay Motors (a repo at a great price - nobody who saw it knew it was pre-owned).

I won't even go into the good deals I've gotten as a seller.

Signed, a real eBay fan, http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

bratsche

[PCypert]

Saw a Flatiron Zouk on one time. Convinced the lady to pull it and sell it to me for 5 or 600. Can't remember now. Great deal. Funniest deal I got was when selling my turntables to buy a better mandolin. Sold them once and barely got 100. Luckily the bidder backed out. Relisted and they sold for 300 (more than I paid). Timing I guess.
Paul

[ShaneJ]

My most recent "good deal" on eBay was a couple months ago. I found a Fender Pro Tone Squier Strat listed with a like-new Peavey Transtube amp. It was being sold by one of the businesses that lists and sells items for people. They didn't know what it was. They listed it simply as a "Fender Squire". The Pro-Tone series was made in the late '90s in Korea, and rivaled American Strats/Teles in quality. When I blew up the photo of the headstock, I saw it said Pro Tone. I put in a snipe for a little more than the amp was worth and ended up getting it for $223 (a few dollars less than the amps sell for new). I planned to sell the amp, but I actually like it better than the old Fender Silverface Champ I had, so I sold the Champ for $206. Basically, the Strat, nice Fender gig bag and cable cost me $24 once the dust cleared. Not too bad!

Buy It Now's will occasionally yield a good deal if you pounce quick. Sort your search for "Newly Listed" to catch them early.

Here's the Strat, BTW.... (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7340009857&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOAB:US:6)

[sgarrity]

I just got a Santa Cruz OM/PW for $1500. Pretty good deal in my book.

[Jim Garber]

I have bought way too many bthings on eBay, some bargains, some not so.

The strangest was one old Italian-American bowlback which I won for about $60 in good playable condition. There was another auction for another one by the same maker with a severely warped top and that one sold for about $400. I still can't figure out why that one wen t for so much more in worse condition and for mine there was so little competition. The odd vicissitudes of eBay!

Jim

[John Craton]

eBay is indeed an unpredictable animal. A few weeks ago I was following several violins, hoping to get lucky. Two of them were easily worth between $4-$8k, but they eventually went for just $940 and $860. Another one I was watching was a nice instrument, but was worth no more than $600 tops. That one sold for more than either of the other two. One just never knows. A friend of mine put a Götz student violin on eBay back in August with a reserve price of $500. The first listing didn't even meet his reserve. He relisted it, lowering the reserve, and finally sold it for around $600. Go figure.

[Dan'l Terry]

Brad, the way to get a good deal on ebay is to become the top bidder early in an auction and then communicate with the seller. They have a rule now that lets a seller stop the auction before the snipers jump in and sell to the highest bidder. So communicate with the seller and make an offer that encourages the seller to do just that, before it gets inflated in price.

[Jim Garber]

Dan'l: It is entirely in the bidder's interest for the seller to do that. If I were selling, I would wait for the hordes to arrive at the last minute and drive the bidding up the wazoo. Unless, of course, the bidder was making me an outrageously profitable offer -- way above what I felt was the high value of this item.

BTW I didn't know that that was now a legit rule on eBay. I just thought that folks did that anyway.

Just my dos centavos.

Jim

[Bob A]

My best deal lately was to score a fine midlevel Ceccherini bowlback for $202. It had been advertised elsewhere for 650, and from my experience was easily worth it.

I also have bought some rare books for near bargain prices, and I got a wonderful viola for my granddaughter for a decent price. (Neither I nor the high bidder made the reserve, but an email to the seller got me the instrument for a hundred bucks more than my top bid).

The art of the snipe is worth studying. Watching the pattern of bids, I once put in a bid that topped the previous high bidder by 1 cent. And it was in fact my high bid. Can't cut any closer to the bone than that! (Of course it was fortunate that my bid was placed before his; else it wouldn't have made the incremental cut).

[GTison]

I bought a '80s model Kentucky KM-1000 for about 400 bucks on a Yahoo auction it was just marked as a "professional mandolin". Kept it a while had frets dressed and a new bridge put on. Finally sold it for I think $ 1000. Does Yahoo even have an auction any more? I bought a wreck of an A model Gibson that said it was playable, for a little less than 500 bucks. It was not even remotely close to playable, and I still have it. After another 400 bucks it's playable and sounds wonderful ( anyone want to buy it for what I have in it?) but I coulda purchased one in much better condition for $ 1K that was ready to go. win some loose some be careful.

[mandopete]

I just missed out on a potato chip that was shaped like Jay Leno for $23,000!

[Jason Kessler]

I GOT that potato chip. Tasted good...

[chovie d]

someone mentioned mispellings and that is an excellent way to score. I got a 70's Gibson Grabber Bass for $300 that was listed as a "Graber". It is sweet. Another good way is pick up only auctions. I just watched a sweet sweet old vintage tube amp and matching cabinet go for $145 a few weeks ago.

I find it very difficult to spend serious money on an intstrument without touching it first tho, I could never be as daring as some of you...

[SternART]

Sounds like Waltham wins BIG on the Fern....or Stephen and his deal on the the Leitz sliding microtome.

[RichM]

I was negotating to buy a Michael Dunn gypsy guitar from a fairly well-known vintage guitar store. The seller was asking $2000, and I was offering $1700. The seller repeatedly refused to budge and stated that if he could not get his price, he would just put it on ebay. He did, in fact, put it on ebay, with a $1000 starting price an no reserve. I ended up being his high bidder, at $1400.

Every time I play it, I kinda feel bad. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Mark Walker]

RichM - Yeah, RIGHT! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Stephen Perry]

17th C N. Italian violin in poor shape structurally, but lots of original ground and some original varnish. $225. Took a major restoration, but sold for more $. Many many many many more $. Plus a new Gibson Fern.

[Doug Edwards]

I got a 150 year old German fiddle for $65. I had to have some repair work done and did a little extra, but it appraised for $500. I also bought an old German bow for $45 that's worth $150. I like them both and use them.

[jjboone101]

I picked up a 1917 cremona brown Gibson A-2, all original including case, for $700 about a year ago.

[BBarton]

'Got a 1947 000-18 for about $2200. Not a huge deal given that it had repaired top cracks, but what lovely sound and playability.

[harmonist34]

Bought a poorly listed "ryan guitar" off of ebay. Seller had lousy pictures, had the maker's name spelled wrong, and claimed that the guitar's waverlies were worth over $200.

I figured...solid wood dread with waverlies (granted a little beat up) and some nice appointments was worth taking a risk. Paid $650 for it and have since had a guy who owns other Jay Rhyne guitars offer me considerably more. I hope to be able to hold on to it for the long term. It's a flatpicking monster and is beat up so I don't have to worry about taking it wherever.

Andy

[Jim Garber]

It was a Buy it Now scenario. I think it was 87346.
Was that the serial number or the price... or both? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jim

[Darryl Wolfe]

I tripled my money on a late 30's A-1/A-50 for $700 (think parts and rectangular brown 50's case)

I stretched a bit on this junker snakehead A-2 for $700, but I think I'm ok now.

The blackface was a body for $125 followed by a neck for $75 later. I think I'm ok on it too

[banjo1]

The McConnell that I know have.When the mandolin was comming off of auction, there were two other great mandolins ending about an hour after mine.One was Roland Whites Randy Wood #2 and the other was Adam Steffeys Apitius(spelling) so the attention was on those two mandos.
The one I bought was from a small builder,no intrest as I got it for opening bid.
I would not three times the $999.00 that I gave for the mandolin.It is Awsome.

[ejkauf99]

It just arrived about ten minutes ago! An Ebay purchase for a
stew Mac F mandolin kit with gold schallers, and two Ibex planes, along with two extra necks. Buy It Now $50.00 + $19.00 shipping. The guy must have been way over his head on this one. The only bad thing is that he just threw everything in the box loose with a peanuts. Must have just given up!
Ed