The for sale activity on here is so high, that people get carried away when they spot something they want, but can't afford. Trades are very common of course, and I've done a few myself on here with no problem at all, because most of us don't have spare cash, but we do have spare basses, and quite often, if there's a bass you don't use much, you fancy a change.
However, to commit to buy, then pull out is bloody irritaing to say the least. I had a Gibson Les Paul for sale on BW (many of the old BW crowd will remember), a member (albeit a new member), commited to buy it. He couldn't pay me straight away, so I agreed to put it on hold until the end of the month when he was paid. Meanwhile, I bought my current Stingray from Nash with overdraught money, knowing I'd get the Les Paul cash within a handfull of days to pay the overdraught back.
Needless to say, after I'd waited a month for the money, the buyer pulled out after changing his mind. I was rather upset.
This used to be a very honourable place for trading, and in my opinion, was a friendlier place altogether a handful of years back, but I'm afraid if you're selling/trading stuff here now, with members you don't know, you have to be very careful, and business like.
I feel sorry for Chris, because he's a good bloke, and the basses for sale are nice too, I just wish I could afford to buy one of them.
Now.............what else have I got to trade?