 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Josh
Date: 2002-01-02 21:09
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1401869534
"Silver buttons"? "I could not find the serial number"? "plastic on the outside"? and...A HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS!!! Even if this isn't an R13, which I do believe it is...JEEZ!!! [ Edited out by the webmaster] And even giving the most generous benefit of the doubt possible...can we say "stupid"?
[Unless you want to be on a receiving end of a lawsuit, do not ever, ever, ever, ever, or ever accuse someone of stealing anything unless you're absobluminlutely sure they are. And then call the police. This is a public forum and you can get yourself into more trouble than you know for making unfounded accusations. Mark C.]
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Author: Kristen D.
Date: 2002-01-02 21:22
I sent the seller an e-mail...
"The serial number should be on the back just
above the thumb rest. Do you know the model
number? Is it new or used? Can you tell me
where or how you got it?"
I'll have to let you know how he responds....
Kristen D.
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Author: Josh
Date: 2002-01-02 21:23
I can't imagine how many of those emails he must have gotten already...he's also got a new-ish Vito alto sax up for $175. Oy.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-01-03 00:31
Whoever he is, he doesn't have much experience with the clarinet, does he? Doesn't the typical ad normally show more than a small blurred picture. Part of it is understandable, but most musicians, clarinetists or not, try to show as many details as possible for something in "great" shape because that's what sells!! And "buttons" for keys? By benefit of the doubt I'd say that they were thinking about more than what you put your fingers on. I have often thought as what you actually touched an pressed down as "keys" and everything else as... I don't know, but "buttons" could qualify. But what really comes to mind is that you can tell that more than one of those reeds in the picture is eithe damaged, used, or both.
I'm wary, but I'm still curious.
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Author: Dennis
Date: 2002-01-03 07:02
hmmmm, interesting......how about these 2 instances on ebay.....1) a buffet clarinet for sale starting bid $69.99, with no reserve. . No relevant info other than good condition original case and look at the picture. I em'd seller (canada) and she responded ....... ""Hi, within the logo reads Buffet Crampton & C ie which I originallythought was an o short for company. Also says A Paris Made in France. A Harp on top of the logo and a Scrolled fancy B with a C over it. Cannot
find trace of serial #. In good condition, shows little wear. No chips or
cracks. Hope this helps."" (signed xxxxx)
from yet another em, she mentioned it was wood, had no other markings below the logo, no letter or number. I specifically asked B12, E11).....
well, after less than 1/2 day, she was contacted and offered a sale since no bids had yet been received. Somebody got a nice clarinet for $69.99.
Instance 2).....a preR13 just closed. condition was stated " excellent working condition"......3 people that I know, em'd the seller asking about cracks, crack repair(s), chips and s/n. Over a one week period, all 3 people received an em stating ONLY the s/n, with no mention of their other queries. Sooooo, assuming wood repairs, it was advertised correctly.......in excellent WORKING condition.
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Author: Kristen D.
Date: 2002-01-03 16:25
Well, he replied to one of my e-mails..
"Also, in your description, you did not mention
if the clarinet is wood or plastic. If you can find
out, please let me know."
Kristen D.
Dear Kristen,
This clarinet is wood.
Thank you,
John
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Author: Josh
Date: 2002-01-03 18:05
yet he didn't see fit to respond to your email explicitly telling him where to find the serial number? Could he be a *little* shadier?
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Author: Mike B.
Date: 2002-01-03 18:52
I think y'all are being a bit too hard on the seller. This person obviously does the ebay thing for a living, i.e. estate liquidation. He/she has over 500 positive feedbacks, and no negative ones. He/she also obviously doesn't know much about clarinets, but doesn't profess to either. Just where is it written down that a seller has to be an expert on the items to be sold? I would be a bit more careful about applying terms like "shady" without, IMHO, any evidence to support the allegation. Regards,
Mike B.
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Author: KayR
Date: 2002-01-03 19:52
I think Mike is correct, in that this is a seller who liquidates estates and knows nothing about musical instuments. One can actually get some excellent deals from such sellers. About a year ago I found an e-bay estate sale that advertised a bundy clarinet, starting bid was $75.00. I acually found the listing from a link to Steuben glass, but that's another story. Anyway, from the pictures I could tell it was a Selmer-Bundy plastic e-flat clarinet, with the original case (including key) and the instrument looked to be in fine condition. On the last day of the auction, noone else had bid, so I decided to give it a try. I ended up with an excellent condition 25 year old eb clarinet that needed 1 pad replaced; current list price for the selmer/bundy plastic model is around $600. Similar instruments advertised on e-bay but correctly identified at the same time were selling for $250-$350. It would have been nicer if it had been a professional quality wood instrument for $75 + minimal shipping, but still I'm happy with the purchase, and my son is regularly playing the instrument in his high school band.
Moral of the story: You can get some really good deals from e-bay sellers that don't know what they're selling. Don't automatically think they're being shady, they could simply be ignorant. Just make sure they have lots of positive feedback before bidding.
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Author: Josh
Date: 2002-01-03 21:20
while I agree with all of that, as I have found some great deals myself on eBay, when one is selling an item that is OBVIOUSLY as nice as this one, I don't care how much you don't know about it, the logical thing to do would be to do a little research. Come on, the serial number on a clarinet is NOT a hard thing to find, and I and at least four friends have emailed the seller asking for it, telling them where to find it, and have heard nothing, while *other* questions have been answered. Look at the clarinet...the case...does this not *seem* like an expensive item, even to a completely layperson? One would think one would do a little homework first, no matter what one's area of knowledge is. I would apply *extreme* caution to anybody wishing to bid on this item.
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Author: Kristen D.
Date: 2002-01-03 22:05
Hey Josh....
Are you telling us this so that we don't bid on it and you can get your hands
on it? (ha ha ha)
Kidding.
Kristen
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2002-01-04 02:51
Just sent this thread to the seller. I’m bad. Bite me!
Vytas
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Author: Al
Date: 2002-01-04 16:50
I asked the guy about the serial number. Itold him where to find it.
He said the number is 324108.
I guess that would date it about 1989.
Al
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Author: suzanne
Date: 2002-02-08 23:45
i 'm the person who bought the buffet clarinet in "'working condition" for 380. it's a 1954 R-13 with every upgrade that was available at that time, and it is in pristine condition. i had it repadded anyway. the case is real leather and it came with two nice high-end mouthpieces. all serial numbers intact, all original parts, no repairs or replacements. just wanted to let you know...for your fish-files...
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