 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2000-10-03 23:30
if you are going to buy anything of value on ebay I would strongly suggest that you email the seller and ask if they will take the item back if there is a problem.
i just purchased a horn from some dealer in the mid west and he said it was excellent and in good condition.
Now I'm faced with a $130 repair bill to replace 10 pads and fix a bent key.
The seller maintains that he knows nothing about horns and it my problem. End of story. i filed a complanit with ebay.
mortal of story find out first who you are dealing with, and if they stand behind thier sales. The seller had a rating of 244 and i assumed i was safe.
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Author: Nate Zeien
Date: 2000-10-04 00:00
Bob, I think that you make a valid point. This is why I don't buy things off the internet. -- Nate Zeien
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-10-04 01:03
I have made this point many times on this board. Remember eBay is an auction. At any auction, it is buyer beware. Do *NOT* expect sellers to have a return policy. Operate on the basis that anything you may buy may need repairs no matter what the seller says because they usually aren't qualified to judge.
Sellers get good ratings because they ship promptly and are generally honest about what they sell. There is no requirement that they have a return policy. If this seller stated that he was not knowledgeable and did not explicitly state that he had a return policy then the onus is upon you for not factoring in the risk of probable repairs and not asking in advance about his return policy.
It is very unlikely that eBay will take any action as it doesn't sound like you have any real grounds for them to do so.
And actually for a musical instrument, $130 in repairs isn't bad. So long as you didn't bid too high, you're probably ahead.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-10-04 01:16
Nate Zeien wrote:
>
> Bob, I think that you make a valid point. This is why I
> don't buy things off the internet. -- Nate Zeien
Bidding on internet auctions is quite different than dealing with an internet retailer. I have had no problems whatsoever buying things off the internet. Naturally I don't buy from just any retailer. I check out their reputations and seek recommendations from people who have purchased the product that I plan to buy.
Internet auctions should only be attempted by savvy bargain hunters who know what questions to ask and who are willing to take a risk that the item may not be satisfactory. It is particularly fruitful for people who are able to do some of the basic repairs themselves.
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Author: Ken Rasmussen
Date: 2000-10-04 01:31
I've been studying the bass clarinets on Ebay daily for quite a few weeks now, and studying completed auctions. It is clearly a seller's market for premium quality bass clarinets, even abused premium quality bass clarinets. The good values, if it is appropriate to call them such, seem to be in beginner horns, especially in abused beginner horns. I don't have any particularly enlightening advice on where to find good used bass clarinets because I haven't been able to manage it myself yet. I think one is required to do a certain amount of suffering in addition to the spending of far too much money. I think I have suffered almost enough. Perhaps I can purchase my horn soon!
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-10-04 01:43
Bob,
I agree with Dee that you can find some not-too-bad auction deals if you do repairs yourself. The greater majority of eBay musical instrument sellers know nothing about the instruments they're selling - and usually say so in their description of the item. You can count on doing some (or a lot of) work, or having it done, on any instrument you buy that way.
$130 for 10 pads and a bent key sounds exceptionally steep to me, Bob. You can get a *complete overhaul* for that price in many shops around the country. Don't get taken twice.
ron b.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-10-04 04:33
I don't bid unless I can see all the keys and tenons are there. There's always a chance of a crack or chipped tone port. but some times if the picture is good, these show up as well. always assume it will need all new pads, corks and mouthpiece. Some times you get lucky. An older Peddler I just got for $26 had a duck bill mouthpiece that plays fantastic. Can't make out the name but I sure would like to find another. ron b. wrote:
>
> Bob,
> I agree with Dee that you can find some not-too-bad auction
> deals if you do repairs yourself. The greater majority of eBay
> musical instrument sellers know nothing about the instruments
> they're selling - and usually say so in their description of
> the item. You can count on doing some (or a lot of) work, or
> having it done, on any instrument you buy that way.
> $130 for 10 pads and a bent key sounds exceptionally steep to
> me, Bob. You can get a *complete overhaul* for that price in
> many shops around the country. Don't get taken twice.
> ron b.
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Author: Nate Zeien
Date: 2000-10-04 05:16
I should clarify the fact that I have bought from retailers on the internet before. In my previous posting I was referring to the internet auctions, and people wanting to sell insruments such as their so-called Stradivarius violin they found in their attic. The main thing that keeps me away from internet auctions is the inability to give the instrument a good look-over. I suppose I was a bit hasty in my generalization of "buying" on the internet, and should have been more specific. Oh well. -- Nate Zeien
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Author: jbutler
Date: 2000-10-05 02:11
I believe eBay to be a bargain basement buyers/sellers realm. I tried to sell quality instruments already overhauled on eBay and couldn't get any money for them. Bidders would only go $250 for an overhauled Series 9 or Buffet clarinet. I have sold some instruments on eBay, but only for the advertising of my repair business. I have listed a Series 9 clarinet about 6 or 7 times without selling it because of the reserve, however the picture of that clarinet on auction has produced 4 clarinet overhual jobs for me. I do buy on eBay to have stock to sell from time to time, but I can afford to because I do the repairs myself (of course). Most buyers do not have that expertise and get "stuck". I've only been "burned" one time, but that was one time too many. You learn quick to ask a lot of questions before bidding.
J. Butler
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2000-10-05 14:14
I have been very lucky on ebay. I have found that most seller are honest and stand behind what they sell. In this case the guy is a junk dealer and over stated the product and would not stand behind his sale. All I asked was that he pay half of the repair bill. All I could do is give him a negative feedback and move on with my life.
Just be as careful as you can.
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Author: Paul Lester
Date: 2000-10-07 14:55
EBay is not for the faint of heart. I've bought several horns and always expected to overhaul them, no matter the ad stated as to there playable condition. I've tried to bid with the overhaul in mind. But even then I've been burned once.
I don't believe that the seller tried to deceive me. He just wasn't capable of judging the condition of the clarinet. No returns though.
After all, EBay is an auction and should be approached as such.
Cheers,
Paul
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