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Thread: what would you do

  1. #26
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    Default Re: what would you do

    I would not buy from that store if it meant I was Internet bound or had to drive two hundred miles. If a store or car lot or where ever I'm trading tells me that they can't sell what I want to trade and make a profit, I'm ok with that. If they tell me it's junk and they don't want it or no one would pay $10 dollars for it and I won't give that much I would thank them for their opinion and tell them to have a good life, they won't be seeing me.

  2. #27

    Default Re: what would you do

    I've been thinking more about this. Was your conversation with an owner or manager? If not, they may be very interested in hearing about your experience. There are a lot of musicians who teach that hate teaching, and a lot working in music stores that think they should be playing auditoriums. An owner can't be everywhere at once and would probably want to know.

    I was in a store when a guy was trying to sell a cheap electric guitar. The sales guy explained to him that his customers were generally looking for higher end guitars, and he could probably do better at a pawn shop, or a low end used shop in the area. Nicely said don't make me insult you with the offer I could make. The guy said thanks for the advise. Rule one in sales is don't pre judge the customer. I had a friend selling his house. It was listed for 2.2 million. This was in Palo Alto so it was a nice house, probably $500,000 most places. This Asian guy pulls up in a battered old Honda, gets out of his car and offers him 2.4 million cash if they can close in two weeks. The guy had the money.
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  3. #28
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    Default Re: what would you do

    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_al View Post
    I'd go in and play some instruments. If they ask what you play now, tell them about your previous experience in the shop.
    Since you haven't shared here the make & model of what you currently play, it is impossible to gauge what the instrument is worth. Maybe the shop is correct, though the lack of tact in telling you was off-putting.
    I have been in shops where the sales person insulted everything that was not for sale in their store. Made it hard to trust the information they provided regarding their inventory.
    While they may be brusque and uninterested in your trade, there is no substitute to playing the instruments that you're interested in. At the very least it will give you another chance to see if you want to buy from them. It will also help you focus your search for a used instrument in the cafe classifieds.
    OK I have not shared what I currently have and was not sure that it mattered because we never got to the dollars and cents. If it makes a difference I have a Washburn A Timeless Series. It retails for 1000.00 not a cheapy but not a pro model. I went in looking at either a Pava or Collings, in my mind a significant upgrade. When he found out what I had it was immediately not worth his time.
    I figured that on trade it was worth at least half of retail and would have been happy with that kind of deal. BTW the instrument was
    only 6 months old without a scratch.

  4. #29
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: what would you do

    A Washburn A43 Timeless Series, used (floor model), could be had from this music store for $696 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Washburn-Ti...n/263931398227

    A Washburn A43 Timeless Series, brand new in the box, could be had here for even less ($569) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Washburn-TI...x/163430289676

    The A43 and A5 can also be found at $999, $1,199 and thereabouts.

    While there is no excuse for a retailer to be rude to a potential customer, it would be very understandable for a shop selling high quality instruments to pass on these. For one, the sales pitch is mostly hype about 140-year-old reclaimed wood in the top. That may be a great instrument, but using 140-year-old reclaimed wood doesn't guarantee it, so that type of hype in building & selling can be taken as a negative. Also, Washburns in general tend to be less respected than most Pacific rim instruments.

    I have a $400 over-built Washburn that I really like a lot, but it is nothing special in general and I know that if I'd been patient and looked for deals on used instruments I could have probably gotten a better deal for $400. (BTW, list price on it was a bit over $800 when I bought it new for $400).

    The fact that you could buy a new Timeless Series A on ebay for less than $600 provides a clue as to why a discriminating shop would not be interested in taking one on trade. You may be able to get $500 for that mandolin, but probably not close to that from a knowledgeable dealer tasked with reselling it.

    You are correct: It doesn't matter what mandolin you were writing about, if the point is that you were treated rudely or disrespectfully. However, it does offer insight into why the dealer would not be interested. So it all goes back to how rudely you may have been treated ... and a public forum may not be the best place to air this. How you handle such a thing is a personal matter, though I'd hope you would handle it better than they did, if they were rude about it.

    Just my two cents, and no offense intended to any of the parties involved, just my opinion.
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  5. #30

    Default Re: what would you do

    My pride is worth more than a store’s insult. I was once at a sportsman’s show looking at some fly fishing rods and started to negotiate a deal. The salesman noticed that I was wearing a well know, relatively expensive fleece and made the comment that “some people only know name brands and not quality”. I looked him in the eye and said “you just cost yourself a sale” then walked away. There is no excuse for rude behavior when it comes to customer relations. Buy what you want somewhere else. Oh, buy the way, I bought the fleece on sale.

  6. #31

    Default Re: what would you do

    Cruddy response from shop, sounds like an auto dealer trying to make a customer feel inferior to take advantage of them. I don’t even try trading instruments at most dealers. One can almost always get more selling here, or elsewhere, from what you’ll get in trade in.

    I’d sell it, then go back and find something you like. Then, check what you can get it for online with a return period. Go back and offer the shop a bit more, essentially a local shop premium. If they don’t take it, buy online.

    As they say, “Don’t get mad, get even.”

  7. #32
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    Default Re: what would you do

    I can understand the shop not wanting to take your mandolin in on trade since they might get $500 max for it and it isn't a super desirable brand. If they did offer you a trade I'd expect that it might be in the order of $200. Unfortunate that they were rude about it. For most instruments you will get a better price selling it privately than you'd get as a trade in anyhow. While the Washburn is not a sought-after instrument, I've played that model and it was pretty good for the cost. Since they can be purchased new from $600+ these days, you might get $500 for it, more likely $400.
    If you need $400 to purchase your next level mandolin, I'd list it for sale here in the Classifieds.
    However, I'd frankly recommend keeping it as a backup or for use in situations where you'd might not want to play your Pava or Collings or whatever you buy. If you can afford to.
    Again, I'd go back to the shop and play some mandolins that you're interested in. Maybe you'll get treated better and find one you love and buy it. If not, at least you'll have an idea what to keep your eye open for in the Classifieds.
    Best of luck in your search!

  8. #33
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: what would you do

    I'd go back there, innocent looking, and...

    - try out as many instruments as possible,
    - tell them the whole lot was not really great,
    - walk out on them,
    - order the instrument I liked best on the web.
    - sell my old instrument on the web if I have to.

    Brick-and-mortar retailers complain about competition from the web so often, they could at least try to take an advantage from the fact that they are facing the customer in person.
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  9. #34
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    Default Re: what would you do

    I've made 3 journeys down to UKs TAMCO,259 miles each way - however,i went by train & made the journey part of the enjoyment.
    If you're prepared to do the same - enjoy the trip,
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  10. #35
    Registered User Hendrik Ahrend's Avatar
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    Default Re: what would you do

    I'm one of those who tend to see the positive side in a person. Sure, the clerk may have had a bad day (or what have you) and crossed a line. But why not try to forgive him? It feels better than burning bridges actually - at least to my experience. You could talk to the fellow again and tell him about your disappointment. He may honestly appologize and even offer a discount.

    If that doesn't help, you could still talk the matter over with the shop keeper.

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  12. #36
    Registered User Frankdolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: what would you do

    I have been in a store where they think their really "special"... And I make sure to spread the word of just how "special" they are.

  13. #37
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    Default Re: what would you do

    If you have a Music Go Round somewhere near you I recommend you see what they would offer. The stores are all independently owned and operated but they have a website that combines all their offerings. Right now, nationwide they have everything from the Rogue all the way up to a Gibson F5G and a Lebeda. You find high quality, medium quality, entry level quality, everything imaginable. They really don’t care. If they think they can sell it for a profit, they’ll buy it. The deal is simple. They figure out what they believe they can sell it for, then offer you 40-60 percent of that depending on desireability. Obviously, if they already have 12 Washburn’s just like yours, it’s less desireable. But if it gives them something unique to sell, you might get the 60 percent. So if they thought they could get 500 for it, they might offer you 300. Cash, simple, clean deal. Then use the money to buy whatever you want, wherever you want. NFI, never sold anything to them, but I have bought several nice instruments from them and been satisfied. It may seem like you’re giving up a lot of your bottom line doing this, but consider that they set it up, restring it, market it via their website, and take all that on not knowing how quickly they can turn it over. And, judging by the variety of their inventory, you’ll get no snobbery there. It’s purely business for them. All they want to know is, can we sell this for a profit? Don’t get me wrong, they care that their purchasers are happy, and they guarantee that everything they sell will be playable right out of the box. They have a no nonsense approach that I appreciate.
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  14. #38
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    Smile Re: what would you do

    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_al View Post
    I can understand the shop not wanting to take your mandolin in on trade since they might get $500 max for it and it isn't a super desirable brand. If they did offer you a trade I'd expect that it might be in the order of $200. Unfortunate that they were rude about it. For most instruments you will get a better price selling it privately than you'd get as a trade in anyhow. While the Washburn is not a sought-after instrument, I've played that model and it was pretty good for the cost. Since they can be purchased new from $600+ these days, you might get $500 for it, more likely $400.
    If you need $400 to purchase your next level mandolin, I'd list it for sale here in the Classifieds.
    However, I'd frankly recommend keeping it as a backup or for use in situations where you'd might not want to play your Pava or Collings or whatever you buy. If you can afford to.
    Again, I'd go back to the shop and play some mandolins that you're interested in. Maybe you'll get treated better and find one you love and buy it. If not, at least you'll have an idea what to keep your eye open for in the Classifieds.
    Best of luck in your search!
    I went to ebay and looked at every A washburn offered in every case each mandolin offered for less than 999.00 was what they considered a scratch and dent item. I have decided to keep it and take a trip to another store that sells what I am looking for.
    I can see them not wanting to take it in trade but as I stated before it was attitude that turned me off. Who knows I might just become like a lot of people here and end up with more instruments that I can play in a week.
    Thanks everyone for your input

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  16. #39
    Mediocre but OK with that Paul Busman's Avatar
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    Default Re: what would you do

    Screw them. If a sales person and the owner himself treated you that way,they don't deserve your money. In addition to not giving them my busdiness, I'd give an honest review of how you were treated on Google or someplace similar. It might make them straighten up and fly right.
    I recently took several instruments I was hoping to sell to The House Of Musical Traditions near DC. They weren't willing to give me enough money to make the sales worth while, but they very carefully and politely explained to me why they offered what they did.Their reasons made perfect sense and I could see their points. I learned a lot from that visit, and would definitely not hesitate to go back there.
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  17. #40

    Default Re: what would you do

    Do you think your mandolin is junk? I have several junk instruments - an acoustic guitar and electric base, both of which I'd be fine with using them as firewood. I'd go back to the store if they have instruments you like. You can't control what other people think or say, you can only control yourself.

  18. #41

    Default Re: what would you do

    I would never go back. Life is too short to support people like that.

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