Guitar Listing Pet Peeves

[West R Lee]

I'll start with a couple of mine, but curious to see what drives you crazy when you see it in a listing of used guitars. The term "mint" has been dissected pretty thoroughly in the past here, so in order to benefit some of us who might one day list a guitar, what do you NOT like to see in a listing?

I never like to see a guitar laying on concrete or even a wooden floor. And to me it's like fingernails on a chalkboard to read........"Has some scuffs which can be easily buffed out". It always makes me wonder why if it's so easy to buff them out, the seller didn't simply do it?

I always try to be overly forthcoming in what I perceive as any flaw in a guitar I sell, and I know this membership does as well. But what do you not like to see or read in a listing?

West

 

[GAD]

One single out of focus image.

 

[West R Lee]

One single out of focus image.

Good point GAD. I always wonder if they are trying to hide something by being out of focus.

West

 

[RBSinTo]

West R Lee,
Listings that praise the guitar to the skies and yet give no believable reason for selling it.
Or list a guitar that was only recently purchased, but is once again being sold, without a reasonable explanation.
Or list a selling price that they have decided is reasonable (whether or not anyone else thinks so), and advise that they will not entertain counter-offers.
RBSinTo

 

[West R Lee]

West R Lee,
Listings that praise the guitar to the skies and yet give no believable reason for selling it.
Or list a guitar that was only recently purchased, but is once again being sold, without a reasonable explanation.
Or list a selling price that they have decided is reasonable (whether or not anyone else thinks so), and advise that they will not entertain counter-offers.
RBSinTo

Yeah, occasionally you'll read that a guitar is the finest guitar they've ever played. It makes you wonder why they are selling. The ones that do tug at my heart are the ones in which a seller says he can no longer play due to hand or shoulder issues. I'm a pretty trusting person, so I generally take them at their word. Maybe because I've had hand issues and can sure see how it can happen. Our member Scratch is going through that now.

West

 

[RBSinTo]

Yeah, occasionally you'll read that a guitar is the finest guitar they've ever played. It makes you wonder why they are selling. The ones that do tug at my heart are the ones in which a seller says he can no longer play due to hand or shoulder issues. I'm a pretty trusting person, so I generally take them at their word. Maybe because I've had hand issues and can sure see how it can happen. Our member Scratch is going through that now.

West

Physical issues are a real problem.
Besides a bit of Arthritis in my left wrist (undoubtedly aggravated by hockey), two torn Rotator cuffs (that continuing to play only makes worse), make it difficult to play my larger-bodied instruments. So I undertand that that is a reasonable excuse for selling an excellent guitar.
Another listing peeve that comes to mind is advising that the Fishnorten branded instrument is actually that company's Martin, Gibson, Guild etc., clone that was, or should have been the subject of a cease and desist lawsuit by the high-end company umpteen years ago, and so is now the bargain of a lifetime.
RBSinTo

 

[walrus]

Dust covered headstock, dirty fretboard, etc. Let's tell potential buyers the guitar has been neglected! Duh!

 

[GGJaguar]

Dust covered headstock, dirty fretboard, etc.

Now you sound like @davismanLV.

 

[PreacherBob]

So there is a slight connection with listing guitars and choosing how you want your steak cooked. I tend to scroll right over these listings with this word in front, because I already know I’m not willing to pay that price. It also may be to cushion the blow when the reader gets to the price. “Rare” is usually a euphemism for “overpriced “. So it comes down to “how do I like my guitar cooked?”
‘This guitar is rare!”
“This guitar is VERY rare!”
“This guitar is EXTREMELY RARE!”
I’ve seen all three.

 

[walrus]

Now you sound like @davismanLV.

I take that as a compliment!

 

[GAD]

It would seem what most people dislike is marketing.

Honestly, I'm on board with that sentiment.

 

[Roland]

My thought, assuming the seller has more than one guitar, maybe a dozen guitars or more, most people selling guitars probably do, I don't care how good they say it is I always wonder what it is about that particular guitar that it is the one they want to dump.

For the record, I hate selling guitars. I would rather trade and take my loss than go through selling one. The one time I did, I'm sure I didn't do a very good job of it.

 

[West R Lee]

My thought, assuming the seller has more than one guitar, maybe a dozen guitars or more, most people selling guitars probably do, I don't care how good they say it is I always wonder what it is about that particular guitar that it is the one they want to dump.

For the record, I hate selling guitars. I would rather trade and take my loss than go through selling one. The one time I did, I'm sure I didn't do a very good job of it.

Yes, in the back of your mind, you always kind of wonder why they are selling.

West

 

[mavuser]

Modified Fender amps...I guess Tony from Rockaway Beach has it all figured out, but Fender was it doing wrong for 70 years

 

[GAD]

Modified Fender amps...I guess Tony from Rockaway Beach has it all figured out, but Fender was it doing wrong for 70 years

I blame Jeffry Falla.

 

[chazmo]

I often ask people on LTG privately why they are selling, but in the wild (eBay, reverb) I don't think I've ever asked. I wouldn't trust an answer, but if I was responding to an ad that capitalized BEST SOUNDING or BEST I'VE EVER OWNED kind of stuff, I might. I stay away from that kind of ad.

 

[richardp69]

The big red light to me is a seller who either doesn't answer the questions you ask or answers everything but the questions you ask. Oh yeah, and I don't really ever believe any used guitar is in mint condition.

 

[ReevesRd]

I saw a listing today that stated, "Better than new."

 

[Rocky]

I blame Jeffry Falla.

In the 80's silver panel Fenders were super cheap, and a LOT of people thought they could get more modern sounds out of them, especially in the usually unused "Normal" channel.

 

[twocorgis]

The big red light to me is a seller who either doesn't answer the questions you ask or answers everything but the questions you ask. Oh yeah, and I don't really ever believe any used guitar is in mint condition.

Agreed. This is why I've gotten to insist on actually speaking to the other party when I'm buying or selling, because it gives you a much better feel for who you're dealing with.

And after learning my lesson on what luckily was a relatively inexpensive guitar, I never call them "mint" anymore. Even if I can't find a flaw, somebody will!