Author Topic: Buying "blind." (Read 552 times)

stevie_g · « **on:** August 04, 2009, 07:07:40 PM »

Hi all,

I was just wondering how many people here have bought a used Alembic blind, i.e. without playing it beforehand, such as on eBay, for example.

What I'd like to know is: Did you get what you were expecting in terms of quality and playability? Or, have there been any nasty surprises!?

I've been lucky in the past, but parting with large sums of cash for an instrument I've never played before seems to make me very nervous...

Stevie

p.s. I know this question could easily apply to any brand, but hey - this is an Alembic forum! ;-)

dannobasso · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2009, 08:01:27 PM »

I buy my from the factory that way. Before FTC I only saw it when I opened the case. So far so good on used items but every transaction requires some faith.

tbrannon · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2009, 08:11:11 PM »

I purchased my first one here on the forum. I had been here long enough that I felt comfortable with the transaction because I 'knew' the guy I was buying from.

jagerphan84 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 04, 2009, 08:21:19 PM »

My main bass, an '82 Distillate, popped up on eBay years ago at a buy-it-now price that I couldn't resist. When I received it, I was dismayed to find that the jack had been violently ripped out, with a chunk of wood missing and gray epoxy sloppily patching the jack back onto the body. Naturally, the seller had curiously declined to include any photos of this area or any mention of the damage in the auction listing.

I haven't changed a thing on it. It plays and sounds better than any other bass I've used. The only disappointment was at the moment I opened the case and saw the damage. It's still an Alembic, this was just an unscrupulous eBay seller. Bottom line, it was still beyond a worthwhile purchase; one of the best I've ever made.

mike1762 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 04, 2009, 08:35:15 PM »

I bought my SC and Series I blind. I couldn't have been more pleased with the SI (I bought it from a club member). I really like my SC, but it's condition was not quite as advertised (I bought it from Tom's Guitars via the web). It wasn't beat-up or anything, but it was described as Mint when it was, at most, Very Good. Someone here pointed out that when they said Mint, they were referring to the color (see my profile pic)!!! I bought my Spoiler (used) at Atlanta Bass Gallery; therefore, I did get to play it first. However, they had a new SC and a new Rogue that they would barely let me look at... much less play!!! They probably cost themselves the sale of a new instrument that day since they were kind of shitty about it. Turns out that is not an unusual policy; therefore, even if you can find one in your area, you might have to buy it to play it!!!

mike13 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 04, 2009, 08:41:21 PM »

I bought my 81 S2 from a guy in Arcata sight unseen put $4000 into his account and mailed UPS to pick it up and bring it to OZ all arived fine

tmoney61092 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 04, 2009, 08:43:43 PM »

Mike, still a very gorgeous bass(from the picture at least). i am yet to own an actual Alembic, but i do go out on a limb and buy some pickups and electronics on ebay without knowing how they sounded(still don't, at the mothership getting fixed/checked out). so sometimes you just have to follow your gut feeling

~Taylor Watterson

harald_rost · « **Reply #7 on:** August 05, 2009, 12:43:03 AM »

Bought my Series 1 in 1999 via Ebay from a musician in Austin, TX. Located in Germany that was a great risk in these days without Paypal and such services to pay the money with the hope to receive a bass some weeks later from USA. I had been looking for a long time here in Europe but Series Basses a very rare here. In the end I was very glad everything went fine.

Harald

terryc · « **Reply #8 on:** August 05, 2009, 01:44:57 AM »

I have bought pedals/amps on the blind as usually they do what it says on the tin, with basses/guitars, well I prefer to inspect and play before parting with hard earned cash.
If you are buying blind from a forum member that is a good guarantee as I would hate to think we would rip each other off in this place.
Mike1762..nice collection!

bassilisk · « **Reply #9 on:** August 05, 2009, 08:03:01 AM »

I purchased a custom Rogue off ebay 3 weeks ago, from a zero feedback seller in California no less(I'm in New York)! Between Paypal guaranteeing the full price and using plastic I felt I was pretty safe (NEVER send cash). Everything looked okay in the pics too. As it turned out, the seller was an upstanding gentleman and actually mailed the bass before I completed payment! We had spoken on the phone immediately after I hit and discussed the shipping - off he went to UPS and sent me the tracking number AND the updated BOS with the actual amount. A very smooth deal. He was very concerned that I didn't feel it was misrepresented in any way and offered a full refund if I wasn't completely happy. As for the bass - everything as described and more. All it needed was a cleaning and set-up to my specs - what a beauty!

I have bought many basses off ebay over the years (25 give or take) and have done a number of deals/trades off of forums. I could say I've been lucky, but it's an amount that exceeds coincidence. There were one or two borderlines (that got resolved) and only one true AH that I reported to ebay and got a resolution in my favor. Of course you hear horror stories but I feel that, if you do your homework and exercise some common sense in protecting yourself, the overwhelming majority of people are solid and reasonable, and expect the same kind of above-board treatment. Ask the right questions beforehand and make sure you get it in writing. If it looks shaky or too good to be true it probably is - let it go. If you feel like taking a chance, then be prepared if it doesn't pan out in your favor. Basic stuff.

Having said that, every great once in a while you might actually come across that incredible deal - sometimes you just gotta jump or somemone else will!

(Message edited by bassilisk on August 05, 2009)

hg30904 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 05, 2009, 09:53:33 AM »

I have found SOME Alembics that I liked (feel) better than OTHER Alembics, but EVERY Alembic I have played I have liked better than ALL other guitar and bass brands.

Have bought quite a few from music stores (GC, etc) and that was a time to compare them to other Alembics in the store. Have bought a few online and the sellers have been uniformly good. Have tried to trace down a couple of the too good to be true deals like the recent S2 for $4k on Craigslist, but none of those have worked out for me yet.

If aesthetics are important, ask for a lot of pictures. If feel is important, it's an Alembic and you will grow to love it. If you feel that the deal is shaky, then let it go. Few of us can afford to let $4k or $5k go into the wind.

My 2 cents...

bracheen · « **Reply #11 on:** August 05, 2009, 01:59:19 PM »

I bought my Epic off of ebay. It was exactly as advertised and I'm totally satisfied with it. I bought it from a store not an individual. I don't know it that makes a difference or not.

Sam

elwoodblue · « **Reply #12 on:** August 05, 2009, 02:38:10 PM »

Most my online instrument purchases (over 100), have been satisfactory,
A couple times I never received the item ...and that stings.
Only one Alembic was not as advertised...looking back the deal I got wasn't too bad; a series 1 guitar with the guts cut up for 900 dollars.

When I sell things online I do my best to bring up any details that might be an issue.

One of my more memorable sales related conversations was with a guy who kept asking me to call him direct instead of using email.

After a great discussion (about 1/2 hour)of 70's funk and equipment preferences he mentions he is blind.
...so my pictures in the auction only allowed his wife to describe second hand what I was offering.
He was looking for a bass that not only sounded good but had an impeccable finish because it was truly about how the instrument feels.

If someone is willing to speak directly about a sale I feel a little safer about a purchase and I think that goes the same way when I'm selling something online...it's always a bit of a gamble,
and I try not to forget that.

bass4worship · « **Reply #13 on:** August 05, 2009, 08:46:50 PM »

I just got my first Alembic Excel in a trade and it went very well.

I never played one or hear one live so I took a chance on what most of the guy's here had to say.

I have had many basses that I got off E-bay and was very happy with most of them, never a problem.

I do use Ebay or TB to sell my basses and always supple pictures.

glocke · « **Reply #14 on:** August 06, 2009, 04:02:32 AM »

I've bought four Alembics off the internet. 3 used, and one new from Bass Central.

For the used basses, I only went through with the purchase after extensive talks with the sellers, and in the case of the SII i had shipped over from England, only after one member from the board and a luthier from England were able to see and play the bass.

With each bass, I didn't have any surprises, but I also told myself I was buying an instrument that was one or two decades old, and as such was not new and may have an issue or two that the owner may or may not have been aware of. Fortunately, with the exception of the SII from england which needed a refret,(and which I was aware of from the start) all were in fine shape.

There were a few sales I was interested in over the years also that I did not pursue. The reasons for this mainly had to due with lack of communication on the sellers part.