A bad dealer? Here's the scenario.....

[fatkatz77]

I think the best route to go would be to give them a best offer, like others have said. If a price can't be agreed upon, leave it behind. The best things come to those who wait. You may find a better deal.

 

[rjudo]

As a collector of other things, I totally disagree. I constantly pay premiums for older well made items. Two things to consider.
1. He who has the gold makes the rules.
2. "I would not pay today's price for a 10 year old guitar and my thinking is the same as Jeff's on that one." What about a 10yr old Universe? Or LP? Or whatever? You always pay for craftsmanship regardless of age. That was a premium guitar then, and every bit as good as one made now...perhaps even better. If it was something I really wanted, and I thought it was somewhat rare, I would not quibble much. Of course the condition will dictate the price, but in the end it is worth what someone will pay for it. Once again, there is no right or wrong answer here. Everyone has made valid points. I just look at it from the collectors point of view.

I would think that this really applies more in when an item is rare, no longer in production? EBMM is still makin' the axis, so unless it is a limited edition, its just an older guitar on the wall. If it is like the guitars i see hanging around a shop for more than a year or so, it really is probably in used shape. My local has an Ibanez prestige i like, been on the wall 2 years and is all scratched up and pick swirled, etc. Right this minute I'm playing a thirty year old Ibanez thats in better shape. I guess in my mind just because it hasn't sold doesn't make it "new."

 

[Astrofreq]

The Axis hardtail is rare indeed. Only a couple (if that) pop up on ebay per year. So, finding one NOS won't likely happen again.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

And as we all know, they are the best Axis guitar! My main guitar is a red Axis Hardtail, and would love another one!

 

[rjudo]

The Axis hardtail is rare indeed. Only a couple (if that) pop up on ebay per year. So, finding one NOS won't likely happen again.

Gotcha, didn't realize that. good luck dealing...........

 

[straycat113]

I am not a name dropper but a store in another borough here in NY had a basement full of old NOS EBMM guitars and Peavey Wolfgangs that they finally broke out with after a good decade and were selling as new. Their online Ebay stores rating went from 98% to the mid 80's as so many of the guitars had issues and people felt like they got greased. I would almost guarantee that this is the kind of issue Sterling was talking about as I am certain a lot of them made their way back to EB for repairs.Over here we all know the store for doing shyster moves like this and that is why the majority were sold online. Every store that was owned by a friend would move a guitar after a few years to make room and to simply just move it.

Norrin the next time you go in look at a few other companies guitars that are a few hundred cheaper and dont let it seem like you are that fixated on that one ax. Act as if you are interested in a guitar that sells for 1,000 or 1,100 the owner. Then say let me check out the Axis again and then try and cut a deal, as the owner would wind up turning more of a profit on the Axis at a bargain price then the other guitar.

 

[beej]

I am not a name dropper but a store in another borough here in NY had a basement full of old NOS EBMM guitars ...

I believe I bought a NOS one from said dealer, several years ago. And yep, it went right back to MM for some warranty work ...

 

[Roubster]

I was at that store myself couple of times since they seemed to have a huge NOS inventory. I wanted to try out as many different EBMMs as I could, but I would not take home a single one from those guys. There is always a better deal to be had somewhere else. Something always shows up!

 

[threeminutesboy]

I believe I bought a NOS one from said dealer, several years ago. And yep, it went right back to MM for some warranty work ...

My band mate purchased an Axis Sport SSS from I guess same dealer and had no issue, but price was attractive though

Anyway Radrock, if you want this guitar (Axis hardtail) don't think too much it's rare, new and you love this model so....

 

[Astrofreq]

I know the exact dealer you speak of. Crazy prices. Anyway, if I can't strike a deal with this guitar, I'll pass the dealer along to the PM'ers in the order they came.

 

[Big Poppa]

I think everyone has a valid point in the direction they are coming from. I would not pay today's price for a 10 year old guitar and my thinking is the same as Jeff's on that one. As a dealer Pete is also on target but keeping it real I believe Pete would of blown the price out a few years ago and made someone a good deal to clear room. Sterling has a justified point but to be fair a lot of guys probably would not know the guitar was 10 years old and would not understand the company is taking the hit, as they are thinking they bought this years model. No one is wrong or right as this is more a neutral subject that can go either way. Also the vast majority are not savvy guys that hang on the forum and pretty much know the ins and outs.

Norrin the best you can do is tell the guy the guitar is 10 years old make him an offer and if he accepts take the guitar and if not move on. I do not think the guy is doing anything wrong that he should be named and blown up for trying to get as much as he can for it. The little guys have to work much harder to make a sale than the big boys, but I think if you go in with the right attitude and not the (I GOT YA) you will leave with it.

wowo you are speaking for pete and me and the potential customers......It isnt the age of the guitar it is that 100% of the shopworn guitars that are sold as new we are asked to fix under warranty either by the dealer or the purchaser.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Straycat,

Most of the inventory that hangs around gets blown out because it costs too much money to have sitting around on the wall where it runs the risk of getting damaged. So yes, some of those guitars can be had for a steal, and some are dirt cheap with no warranty (check our website, moving sale). However, we do have several "time capsule" EBMM pieces which are brand new but locked away in the vault and when the time comes will be sold as NOS provided there is nothing wrong with them. If there is something wrong then I will demand BP and co. to fix it free of charge heh heh heh (that's a joke in case anyone was wondering)

 

[ozzyrules]

wowo you are speaking for pete and me and the potential customers......It isnt the age of the guitar it is that 100% of the shopworn guitars that are sold as new we are asked to fix under warranty either by the dealer or the purchaser.

Maybe the dealer should differentiate. They constantly sell guitars as NOS that have been handled by thousands and not maintained. Perhaps they should advertise a guitar as "new, but shopworn". Shopworn is a much more accurate term than NOS. Or, display high end guitars like EBMM in a more "restricted" area like Robbie at GC Dallas. Robbie's Tributes were not accessible to "just any plain Joe" to come in and bang on. Just a thought.

 

[Astrofreq]

I know for a fact that this particular one was made in 10/98, 14 years ago. I'm still awaiting pics, so after I get those, I'll go from there.

 

[TSHOW]

I AGREE with you OZZY.......I wouldn't buy any EBMM from my local retailers Store......They are all mishandled by many...and left with terrible action, dirty necks, scratches....ETC,.....I purchased all 5 of mine from another state off the PLATINUM SITE....I did well on all my Purchases....Thank God!!! .I think the EBMM stuff should be on the wall...up high....or behind the counter...only to be played by Serious Potential Buyers.......Funny, they hide the PRS stuff...., but not the EBMM.....Maybe this will change in the future?

 

[straycat113]

Yes beej you know who I am talking about and they had a ton of them in the basement for years that were not taken care of and then listed them all as new until their Ebay store got bombarded with negatives from buyers complaining they were sold old guitars with issues, then changed them to NOS once their feedback plummeted.

Sterling all I am stating is I agree with the points you and Pete made.

 

[Astrofreq]

So, here's an update. I got pictures from the dealer and they were small and unhelpful. So I have a friend near that area who is going to visit the store and snap some pics for me.

We have a guy coming to check out our boiler. If it needs to be replaced, the guitar probably will not happen. If it doesn't put us in the hole, I should make an offer on the guitar soon.

 

[ozzyrules]

So, here's an update. I got pictures from the dealer and they were small and unhelpful. So I have a friend near that area who is going to visit the store and snap some pics for me.

We have a guy coming to check out our boiler. If it needs to be replaced, the guitar problem will not happen. If it doesn't put us in the hole, I should make an offer on the guitar soon.

What color is it? If it doesn't pan out, pm me. I might take a shot at it.

 

[TSHOW]

Quit hogging all the guitars Kev......

 

[Astrofreq]

Sooooo .... unfortunately I couldn't strike a deal on the Axis hardtail. The guitar is a new amber axis hardtail with a build date of 10/98. They didn't want to budge from their price, which is based on current list prices. Their price was WAY more than I'm willing, or can afford to pay. Basing the price on the recent list price seems unethical to me, but he who has the merchandise calls the shot. oh well.

I messaged the dealer info to the first person who PMed me.

Daniel