Question Why can't I sell this bass?

[maddog]

Well I'm having a crazy idea. What if every day I drop the price $25 until the bass is sold? I can have a rock bottom number in my mind, and if the bass reaches it, just stop the price drop there.

What do you think?

that's often referred to as a Dutch Auction. Can work wonders.

Well gee, I suppose you could to that, but why would anyone buy it before you've reached your "rock bottom" price?

because psychology gets involved. Someone with an eye on it may worry that another person with an eye on it will buy it.

 

[Mogee]

Its best to either make your reserve the rock bottom or to start the bidding there.

 

[rizzo9247]

John, I just sold mine...people are out there, don't give up hope

 

[oli@bass]

A couple of remarks and observations, some of which may already have been touched by others:

• Not willing to sell worldwide gives the impression that you don't really care about the market or the current economical situation.
• Priced rather high for the US market. If you want to get a high price, you must go international. Just remember what you've read here about international prices.
• That Bongo is really special: Unlined fretless, colour, pickup configuration, piezos. How many like it have you seen, and therefore how large do you think the market is for it?
• You are trying too hard to sell it... it gets annoying to see your (topic unrelated) sales plugs in every other thread, especially as a forum regular reading almost all threads.

All that said: If it was a 4 string HSP in Lava Pearl or Desert Gold, it would have been right up my alley. And the price wouldn't have been an issue, not even the missing (and now added) Paypal option. It's just not what I'm looking for...

 

[jlepre]

John, I just sold mine...people are out there, don't give up hope

Maybe so...but now there is ONE less person out there.

 

[strummer]

[*] You are trying too hard to sell it... it gets annoying to see your (topic unrelated) sales plugs in every other thread, especially as a forum regular reading almost all threads.
[/list]

Sorry to say that I agree with the above, but there you go...

 

[jlepre]

First off I would like to apologize if anyone was annoyed by this thread. It was actually started as a learning tool. I really wanted my fellow knucklehead's opinions as to why I was having such a tough time selling THIS bass. I have actually learned quite a bit about how certain TYPES of basses are perceived. This thread was in NO way a SALES PLUG, but in reality just an informal way for me to talk to many of you who have many more years of knowledge on the selling of used balls.

If the mods wanted to close this thread it would have been done days ago. Thanks again to all of you who have given me your honest opinions on this subject.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

As a topic of discussion, I actually thought that the jeist of the thread was of interest to me and a few, and I personally didn't feel as though you were trying to push it under my nose to sell it. But of course I represent only a minority compared to the majority.

So... did it sell in the end?

 

[jlepre]

As a topic of discussion, I actually thought that the jeist of the thread was of interest to me and a few, and I personally didn't feel as though you were trying to push it under my nose to sell it. But of course I represent only a minority compared to the majority.

So... did it sell in the end?

Thanks for understanding my intent.

To answer your question...no...

 

[oli@bass]

John, this thread is fine to me, and it has a good deal of information in it that can be beneficial for both future sellers and buyers. What I was referring to are your other posts in various threads where you were hinting that you are selling this bass.

To make that point more clear, I'd like to share how my perception of events was:

1.) You posted an ad in the for sale thread (with very loud typographic elements and huge pics), and all those readers interested in buying basses have most probably seen that. Fine.

2.) You edit your signature to show that you're selling this Bongo, which can now be seen in all the messages you ever posted. Fine. (actually, probably your most clever move)

3.) Then you post some hints on other threads, which most readers of Bongo or Fretless threads will have seen. Semi fine. It starts to get in the way. In fact, the most annoying post was where you posted to an excited "look at my new Bongo" thread that the proud new owner should have bought yours instead and would have had a better deal. Way to ruin someone's great new bass day.

4.) Then you start this thread, which being a new thread is seen by everyone whether interested or not. Well, ok, we can see you're desparate and try to help. Sort of fine.

5.) You post more hints in other threads, dropping that you're selling this Bongo whereever you can. It starts to get really annoying.

Just for a moment, imagine how this forum would look if everybody who ever had a bass for sale would have acted similarily as you do. I hope you can see this as a informational post and not as a personal attack.

Have a good day, and good luck with the sale!

 

[GreyDad]

jlepre, here's some worthless feedback for you

I have my first bongo and plan to get some more. Now, I don't have the money to go out and buy another one just yet but that doesn't mean I'm not constantly looking to see what's out there (like most people on this forum)

Now, I can tell you I will want to get a 5 fretless at some point and so I took a good hard look at yours as a theoretical exercise. If I had the money right now would I buy it? No. Why not? Well, I don't like the colour. Sorry, dumb, stupid, subjective reason but it's as simple as that. Nothing wrong with it technically or even the price, which is attractive for someone in the UK, but I just don't like the colour. The HH Egyptian smoke one was much more to my liking and if I had the cash now I would probably have bought it.

Sometimes even bass players are fickle, life's like that. But there may be someone somewhere who is really lusting after that colour, so you just have to be patient and open up to the widest possible market you can. Don't forget this is really a tough time globally for high-end luxury goods which is what these are like it or not and it's only worth what someone will pay for it. Worse, in the world of high-end basses a 5er is a smaller sub-market in general and a 5er fretless (unlined forsooth!) is an even smaller niche and whilst I potentially still fall into this category as a potential buyer the gold just rules me out. So all in all the number of potential buyers you've got for it probably isn't that big at all at the moment and I bet all the people on this forum who may be in the market will already know about yours and will have made their minds up.

But don't let me put you off Price it competitively, market it widely (not just here) and it will sell eventually.

 

[jlepre]

3.) Then you post some hints on other threads, which most readers of Bongo or Fretless threads will have seen. Semi fine. It starts to get in the way. In fact, the most annoying post was where you posted to an excited "look at my new Bongo" thread that the proud new owner should have bought yours instead and would have had a better deal. Way to ruin someone's great new bass day.

Not my intent at all. I noticed that he was local to me, and I thought if he could cancel his order with MF, I could save him a few $$$ and sell my bass at the same time. HE understood what I was trying to do.

4.) Then you start this thread, which being a new thread is seen by everyone whether interested or not. Well, ok, we can see you're desparate and try to help. Sort of fine..

Not deperate at all my friend

5.) You post more hints in other threads, dropping that you're selling this Bongo whereever you can. It starts to get really annoying...

Again..it wasn't my intenetion, and I appologized if it annoyed anyone.

Just for a moment, imagine how this forum would look if everybody who ever had a bass for sale would have acted similarily as you do. I hope you can see this as a informational post and not as a personal attack.

Have a good day, and good luck with the sale!

This point I can totally agree with. I appeciate your opinion, as you are a senior member as I, and I will try and curb my enthusiasm for selling my bass. I hope she sells soon,

 

[jlepre]

Grey Dad,

Thanks for your input. I really appreciate it. The fact that you aren't attracted to the color, is totally understandable. Look at it this way. I like more BRIGHT colored basses, hence my decision to buy the medallion gold. Plus, that's why EBMM make some many color schemes. I'm sure someone will find my bass to their liking, and I just have to be patient.

 

[GreyDad]

Remember, you only need ONE buyer - he or she is out there somewhere, you just need to find them.

And relax, you've got a kid coming, enjoy it now 'cos your whole world as you know it is going to be completely nuked

 

[bovinehost]

And has this thread gone on long enough?

I say "yes" and we call it a day and wish John good luck with his new addition and his bass sale!

jack

 

[Big Poppa]

im sorry but I was going to step in because I have read about this way too much. Sorry not baggin on ya...but it did get over the top. FOr all the people reading this I strongly object to a retailer making a sale and a forumite trying to circumvent the process....You know I dont charge a fee to list used stuff here...but there are a bunch of families in San Luis Obispo that depend on Musicians Friend, pete, Gc selling new stuff.

I will tell you that we make an effort to not moderate as it just gets ugly...I let things go that i used to take issue with
but usually they run their course

OH yeah I need to sell new stuff and it is really hard this year. Thank god for slinkies.