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GRW3
Nov-19-2008, 11:49am
MAS makes me look at the classifieds even if months or years away from that next purchase. I have noticed repeated instances of people putting used mandolins in the New classifieds. Mostly it seems an honest mistake, 'I just got it but it's not for me' or 'I won this in a contest'. Sometimes it's less clear but still does not to seem intentional. I think it's just a natural tendency to think of a new mandolin as New. In this instance though New is a commecial description.

No matter how pristene once a mandolin is sold ,or given in a contest, it is Used.

No matter how beat up or shopworn a mandolin is, as long as it has not been sold it is still New.

The big deal is the warranty. Most are not transferable.

I checked the classified guidlines and help and this is not mentioned. Maybe this would be another point to make. "NEW means being sold by manufacturer or authorized agent and includes full warranty coverage"

John Flynn
Nov-19-2008, 12:34pm
No matter how pristene once a mandolin is sold ,or given in a contest, it is Used.

No matter how beat up or shopworn a mandolin is, as long as it has not been sold it is still New.

The big deal is the warranty. Most are not transferable.
I'm not sure the lines are that clear. I'm not saying the following is necessarily some standard of right or wrong, but it is my personal buying policy and likely always will be.

A brand new, pristine mandolin, with either a blank warranty card or other valid warranty, is "new" to me, no matter who I get it from or how they legally got it. Some builders back thier instruments for life, no matter who owns them. Others go by who filled out the card.

On the other hand, I would take great issue with any builder or store who sold me a noticeably "shopworn" instrument as "new," warranty or not. Shopworn is shopworn, the vendor should state that up front and I would probably expect a price concession or there would be no deal.

Tom C
Nov-19-2008, 12:48pm
Quote: A brand new, pristine mandolin, with either a blank warranty card or other valid warranty, is "new" to me, no matter who I get it from or how they legally got it. Some builders back thier instruments for life, no matter who owns them. Others go by who filled out the card.


How wrong can you be??? To use the warranty card you must have a proof of purchase from a valid retailer. A blank warranty does not mean anything without POP.
If I bought a Gibson a month ago and never filled out the warranty, it will do the new buyer no good unless they can prove they bought it fron a licensed retailer.

John Flynn
Nov-19-2008, 1:03pm
How wrong could your reading of what I wrote be? Re-read what I said, "a blank warranty card OR OTHER VALID WARRANTY," the implication being that if the blank warranty card is NOT a valid warranty, it would not be what I'm talking about. Some manufacturers go by warranty cards and do not require a POP, some do. Some manufacturers back their products without any documentation, so the warranty is transferrable. My Old Wave is "guaranteed for the life of the builder!" My point was clearly that if it has NO wear and it IS covered by a warranty, it's new to me. If it is worn, or not covered by the warranty, it's not new.

In addition, I stated up front that this is just MY BUYING POLICY, not intended to be a standard. My buying policy is completely my choice and so it can be neither right nor wrong. It just IS.

Tom C
Nov-19-2008, 1:21pm
Agreed. But I would not take the seller's claim that it's valid.

Patrick Sylvest
Nov-19-2008, 1:30pm
I prefer ad's with pictures. I'm not in the market, but love surfing the ads.

John Flynn
Nov-19-2008, 1:35pm
Agreed also. I have wondered about that verbiage I see on classified listings occasionally, especially for used, but recent model, Gibsons, saying to the effect, "blank warranty card included." I guess that's pretty much meaningless!

MikeEdgerton
Nov-19-2008, 1:40pm
You might pick up some more perspective in this (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36138&highlight=blank+warranty+card) thread.

JEStanek
Nov-19-2008, 1:42pm
Pretty much. I had a recent trade of a used for a new mandolin. The instrument didn't come with the card but my dealer told me he had record of the sale and that's all that was needed. The instrument would go through him for any warranty issue anyway. Blank warrantee card on a used mandolin = nice souvinier!

Jamie

Eddie Sheehy
Nov-19-2008, 2:02pm
I have a mandola for sale right now and I have mentioned that it includes a blank warranty card. This does not imply a warranty, it merely shows that the mandola has not been "owned" and therefore has little or no play-time. The store I bought it from had the same understanding when they traded it to me. I got in the "USED Classifieds" and I'm selling it in the "USED Classifieds" I agree that only instruments with original warranty should be classified as "NEW". None of the mandolins, or guitars that I own have a "transferrable" warranty.

This is not an advertisement.

delsbrother
Nov-19-2008, 2:20pm
How does a blank warranty card signify anything about length of ownership? It may just mean the owner didn't take the time to fill it out. I have plenty of blank warranty cards for other items that have been in use in my household for years.

Also, can someone point out the manufacturers that OFFICIALLY warranty their instruments for the life of the instrument, whether you are the original owner or not? I understand that some builders might do this out of courtesy, but I would think that as a general policy it would be fairly rare, no?

MikeEdgerton
Nov-19-2008, 2:22pm
Other than a few bulders that have mentioned it (very few) I know of none.

Scott Tichenor
Nov-19-2008, 8:19pm
Correct me if this is wrong. New Instruments are almost always far less than 10% of the total ads. I just looked at all 28 new instrument ads and saw 3 that were obviously placed in the wrong category. Most are placed by known retailers or builders. I'll correct two of those here in a few minutes. One of them has both used and new. I don't think anyone's confused by that. If this is what constitutes repeated instances or is viewed as a perceived problem, so be it--all less than 1% of all total ads. The classifieds content, like the forum, is user generated. Thinking human behavior is corrected and managed by posting additional guidelines and policies, I will assure you, is very wishful thinking.

And if anyone is interested, the John Flynn at Mass Street Music that posts their ads is not the same John Flynn that frequents this forum.

Phil Goodson
Nov-19-2008, 8:35pm
I have a mandola for sale right now and I have mentioned that it includes a blank warranty card. This does not imply a warranty, it merely shows that the mandola has not been "owned" and therefore has little or no play-time. .....


This sounds disingenuous to me. If the card doesn't imply a warranty, why mention it? Why not just say "little or no play-time"?
Saying confusing things in a setting where everyone may not know what you're thinking might be good salesmanship but doesn't seem quite honest to me.
My own opinion.

Jim Broyles
Nov-19-2008, 9:55pm
I'd go even further and say that the implication of mentioning a "Blank warranty card" is that the buyer could fill it out and have a warranty. I agree that if there is no warranty, the fact of a warranty card is irrelevant and should not be mentioned. I have plenty of items with blank warranty cards and which are heavily used.

Eddie Sheehy
Nov-19-2008, 10:10pm
I mention it because it does come with a blank warranty card....

GRW3
Nov-19-2008, 11:32pm
2-3 of 28 is hovering around 10% not 1%. I'd guess it's somewhere in between. I just seem to notice one every time I check the NEW section. Like I said, I don't think it's any way nefarious just an honest feeling that "this new mandolin is new, doggone it."

Phil Goodson
Nov-20-2008, 7:45am
I mention it because it does come with a blank warranty card....

Forgive me, but it comes with strings too.
But they weren't mentioned. Wonder why?
I'm sorry. I'll say no more.

Come on over for a brew & some pickin'

Eddie Sheehy
Nov-20-2008, 3:06pm
You can see the strings in the pics...

frankenstein
Nov-20-2008, 5:05pm
my favorite for sale brand X "hoss" it's a keeper. for what it's worth i think most adds are from dealers. buyer beware !