Breedlove Quartz OF - Fair Price?

[jnewell]

First post but a reader going back quite a few years. I have a question that I could use some feedback on from you all. I'm looking at a late 2000s Breedlove Quartz OF. I haven't seen, heard or played it yet. It appears to be in very good condition generally - it has a couple of small dings on the top. It is being sold in the original case.

I have searched here and various other selling venues for value and am not getting anything very concrete (which is not a big shock). Assuming it doesn't need major work or repairs, what sort of price do you all think is reasonable? The seller is asking for about $1k. EvilBay shows sold Breedloves that appear to be comparable going for $100-200 more. Your input is appreciated.

[allenhopkins]

Here's on Boston CraigsList for $950; could this be the one you're considering? Reverb has this one for $995.

This one apparently sold for $800. Bernunzio's here in Rochester wants $950 for this one.

It would seem that $1K is right around what dealers are getting for them, and also what some are asking in private sales. Private sales should be a bit lower than dealer prices, since there are no overhead, paid staff, advertising considerations. However, the damn internet means that private sellers are well aware what dealers are asking, and can set their prices accordingly.

So not a bargain, not a rip-off either, as far as a bit of Google research implies.

[jnewell]

Allen - thank you very much. The Boston CL listing is the one I'm primarily interested in, although I'd seen the Reverb listing and it's not far away, either. I hadn't seen the Nashua River one, which (oddly!) is more or less local, too.

[mandobassman]

I owned a 2006 OF for several years and during that time I saw them a few times on Craigslist or eBay for around $800-$850 used. I bought mine for $1000 new.

[Mickey King]

I have one I paid less than $500 for. It's a 2003 in near mint condition and it sounds great. I also saw one on ebay sell for $450. I think both were steals. I wouldn't sell mine near that cheap!!

[billy_v]

Never mind.

[Steve-o]

jnewell,

You should be able to beat that price handily. I sold my 2009 OF in excellent condition (no dings) earlier this year for $695. I had it up for sale last year at $700 but only received low ball offers, so I kept it another year. Good luck.

[fatt-dad]

In the secondary market, $700. Dealer price more (they have it).

f-d

[multidon]

Seems to me Breedloves just don't hold their value as much as other makes. I offered my beautiful perfect condition custom FO in natural (black top binding) in the classifieds recently for 1000. No takers and only very mild interest (grand total of one inquiry. He wanted me to go down more in price). How can an OO sell for close to 1000 when an instrument like mine (1700 original street price) can't sell for 1000? That is close to their price new (999 street price).

The announcement that Breedlove will cease making mandolins in the USA doesn't seem to have enhanced the market for used ones, as people predicted. In fact it seems the opposite. A whole lot of used Breedloves for sale out there and not many takers.

[colorado_al]

I just sold my Breedlove Quartz KF for $1150. It had some sweet add ons like Allen TR2 cast tailpiece, piezo pickup, & McClung arm rest, so that probably helped a lot. Those upgrades were about $230ish.
So they sell, but they are a niche instrument, much more than your average F model mando.

[colorado_al]

Here's your new mandolin:
https://reverb.com/item/1326224-bree...tural-mandolin

Breedlove Quartz OF $675 + $59.99 Shipping

[colorado_al]

Well someone picked it up. Hope it was the OP!

[jnewell]

Well someone picked it up. Hope it was the OP!

Thanks very much to all! I'm sort of on the fence on more fundamental questions and didn't move fast enough to grab that Breedlove at $675, but that's ok. It's actually a lot of fun to think about things (A or F? F or O? Maker? - etc.), so I'm having fun turning things over in my mind and am planning to do a little playing at local shops this weekend.

Any feedback on either The Music Emporium or Johnson String Instruments (Boston area shops) for mandolins? I have experience with TME for guitars going back many years but setting up a mandolin seems like a different sort of skill.

[allenhopkins]

...Any feedback on either The Music Emporium or Johnson String Instruments (Boston area shops) for mandolins? I have experience with TME for guitars going back many years but setting up a mandolin seems like a different sort of skill.

I've had some dealings with Music Emporium, both with Stu Cohen and with Jim Bollman when he used to be affiliated. Honest, reliable people, pricing tends to be high-market, and also a place where you can sometimes find unusual high-quality vintage instruments.

However, you're not necessarily looking for that kind of thing; you seem to want a decent mid-price mandolin. The Emporium tends to run to the pricier varieties, but they do have some mid-range from time to time. On the mandolin page of their website, all they list now under $1K are a couple of Eastman instruments.

[jnewell]

Yes on TME and the Eastmans. I'm planning to go over there Friday to see what I can hear!