Shopgoodwill.com can be a honey hole

[remellick]

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/auction...-38024667.html.

Korean made.. yes.. seems clean and straight maybe.. if nothing else perhaps a winning bid could be get that bidder a decent hard case for their other mandolin?!.. and some wall art

Just saying goodwill workers are rarely instrument experts and it could ewual a great deal!

[MikeEdgerton]

That's one of these. Also, that case is a chipboard case. It's not a hard case.

With that said there have been some decent buys on shopgoodwill.com. A few months ago there was a Gibson F5. This isn't really one of those good deals.

[DavidKOS]

That's one of these. Also, that case is a chipboard case. It's not a hard case.
.....This isn't really one of those good deals.

For 18 bucks I think it is! But I know you dislike that design mandolin a lot.

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm pretty sure $18.00 is overpaying for one of them

[DavidKOS]

I'm pretty sure $18.00 is overpaying for one of them

I got one for 40 bucks and it works fine! After some adjustments it sounds better than most of the lowest end A and F styles for more money.

Sure, these aren't the finest of mandolins....that I agree with.

But a working mandolin w/case?

Actually I have found some interesting instruments on the Goodwill auction site. I got a Magnatone lap steel and am Indian Sarangi from them, among other things.

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/search/...&showthumbs=on

current mandolin listings

[MikeEdgerton]

I have no problem with shopgoodwill, I just have an issue with those mandolins.

[Kris N]

I've been watching Goodwill for a while. What stops me from bidding is the shipping cost (most of the time). By the time I get a Rogue for $20, sometimes shipping is $30. I can go to Guitar Center and get it new for $60 ($50 on sale).

[remellick]

My point is ..understanding in most situations something that seems too good to be true is exactly that.. and that things at auction here are donations, which unfortunately too often means the donors concept of charity = "give junk of no use or little value", there are exceptions.
One exception is donors with the correct definition of charity and/OR desiring a decent tax deduction. There is the donor who doesn't realize the true value of that stuff from grandpas garage or attic. There's the donor who had that instrument filling the closet or space under their bed and they dont play it because its never been set-up or adjusted properly and they dont know how or can't/don't afford to get it done. Maybe its just time to let go of "the dream".
There is the goodwill employee dutiful and working to the best of their ability but have absolutely no clue about instruments. AND last There is the occasional mistakes made in listing where an unmarked kamaka ukulele is identified as a "childs 4 string guitar" or a listing that says "vintage eight string guitar" and it is a Gibson venetian style mandolin.
Yes, given 7 days for bidding might make that Gibson j-15 with case and a starting bid of $25.00 eventually reach a bid that's no better of a deal than at a retail shop or private sale...
but when it doesn't! !?.. and after 7 days it sells to the winning bidder for $500 who then gets it and finds it only truly needed a neck adjustment and new strings.. maybe an endpin replaced etc..

So many variables but many possibilities too depending on bidders desire, motivation and expectations of course.

[DavidKOS]

I've been watching Goodwill for a while. What stops me from bidding is the shipping cost (most of the time). By the time I get a Rogue for $20, sometimes shipping is $30. I can go to Guitar Center and get it new for $60 ($50 on sale).

Yes, you have to watch the shipping costs. This is also an Ebay issue.

I have no problem with shopgoodwill, I just have an issue with those mandolins.

I certainly understand.

I figure I lucked out for something to bring to the beach or on a car trip and not worry.

BTW, I agree with you in principle, they were NOT a great design, but out of all the ones made a few are "better" than the rest.

That's not saying a lot.

There is the goodwill employee dutiful and working to the best of their ability but have absolutely no clue about instruments. AND last There is the occasional mistakes made in listing where an unmarked kamaka ukulele is identified as a "childs 4 string guitar" or a listing that says "vintage eight string guitar" and it is a Gibson venetian style mandolin.
.

Yes, you have to look for yourself, as the listings often are not accurate.

As you say, this can be for good or bad. Buyer beware.

[Jeff Mando]

Shipping is often a dealbreaker for online sales, that is, I would buy it for $20, but with shipping it is now a $50 gamble, so maybe not such a good deal. OTOH, I was at a pawn shop the other day and saw a recent cheapo flattop mandolin for $20, but no bridge or strings. I grabbed it immediately and thought "what a deal!", but once I started looking at the construction it was the cheapest of the cheap, add in the cost of a bridge and strings (which I would change anyway) and it suddenly wasn't such a good deal. Hard to believe, but I think it is still possible to waste $20, even in these inflated times. I passed.

[DavidKOS]

Hard to believe, but I think it is still possible to waste $20, even in these inflated times. I passed.

No, it's not hard to believe. I used to work in both retail and wholesale/dealer music businesses, and I've seen a lot of stuff that fits your description.

MikeEdgerton dislikes those Korean made f hole mandolins for a good reason - it is often more expensive to get the instruments set up and working well (that is, when you CAN set them up well.) than the instrument is worth.

Especially since the world has no shortage of mandolins, old and new, there are plenty of other options.