ziggydolphinboy Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I think i know the answer to this one but i wanna put it out there..... selling / trading a bass (or anything bass related )on basschat (now/since i found it) seems simply = right, honest , interesting, gentalmanly and just blatanty fair. so morally im struglling,,,, i could sell a bass on ebay,or shop comission sale and get A. a quicker sale b. more money. or do i hold the bass and sell it to a nice bass player on here that wants it and hope that when i have done a bass that i want will become/still be available? answers as quick as you like people of the bass world!!!!!! kindest regards ziggy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I would offer it on here until you either get a sale or need to shift it quick I have bought a bass and an amp from people on here and it has gone well and both parties were happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Selling on Basschat is just brilliant, I wouldn't dream of putting anything up bass related on Ebay now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 [quote name='risingson' post='1226911' date='May 10 2011, 11:14 PM']Selling on Basschat is just brilliant, I wouldn't dream of putting anything up bass related on Ebay now.[/quote] I have brought and sold on here and its all been happy, but my last bass for sale on here got little interest so I put it on ebay and it went no problem I'll always try here first, Id rather deal with other forum members, and pay an amount to the site rather than to ebay, but needs must, and there are some great people on ebay also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Before you decide that you could get more money elsewhere, check how much eBay and PayPal will take off you by the time the item is sold and paid for. You may be surprised. And disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 (edited) [quote name='lojo' post='1226920' date='May 10 2011, 11:20 PM']I have brought and sold on here and its all been happy, but my last bass for sale on here got little interest so I put it on ebay and it went no problem I'll always try here first, Id rather deal with other forum members, and pay an amount to the site rather than to ebay, but needs must, and there are some great people on ebay also[/quote] My biggest problem with Ebay as Happy Jack rightly stately above is the fees. I appreciate a company as big as Ebay makes its profit this way, however the fees are way too high right now. Also the seller protection is really quite poor in my view, there is no incentive for the buyers to leave feedback, and if you're choosing to use Paypal then as a newer customer you will need that feedback in order for your money to be released - and not before you've paid a tidy sum of your profit from the Ebay sale to Paypal (Ebay) for using their service. I paid nearly £15 on a recent transaction. This site offers a good way of selling to enthusiasts, dodging the fees and brokering your own kind of deal with the buyer, sure it's not a seller's market right now but it's friendly, well informed and well monitored. Edited May 10, 2011 by risingson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 If you've got a pretty rigid timeframe to sell it in, That Ebay is probably the best bet. I generally offer stuff here, then move it over to That Ebay if there's no interest in a week or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='1226923' date='May 10 2011, 11:22 PM']Before you decide that you could get more money elsewhere, check how much eBay and PayPal will take off you by the time the item is sold and paid for. You may be surprised. And disappointed.[/quote] +1 I tend to advertise on Basschat first, it seems simpler and I trust much more the feedback here. Each user is much easier to track, and overall the forum seems inhabited by pretty decent people (the ones that aren't, are quite easy to pick, unlike on eBay). I go to eBay if I'm in a hurry and I am not lucky here. Once you take out eBay's fees (and possibly paypal's) you don't really make that much more money, if any. If I don't want to post... then it's a local site, like Gumtree, which has the advantage of helping you meet some interesting people. It also has the disadvantage of making you meet some people you'd rather not meet (once I was a microsecond away from telling a guy "you know what? I'll give it away to somebody else rather than selling it to you" as he was rude from the minute he entered my house, and all for a £40 LCD computer monitor? but he dropped the money on the table just before I reached my point of no return). At the end of the day... it's your stuff, and your money. Basschat is not a place to do business per se, but it's not either a magical place where we all live on music and we don't need to eat and pay rent and everybody is wonderful. It's a great place, and it's great to do a little to contribute to maintaining the spirit. But if you need the cash and you think you can get more elsewhere, who is going to tell you "no, don't do it"? However, the feeling that you can get more on eBay is not necessarily a reflection of the truth. Do your maths. I prefer basschat and have sold and bought a lot of stuff since I joined (I think I would be overall richer, much richer, if I hadn't joined ) and everytime it's been a very pleasant and trouble-free experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan2112 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Basshcat every time for me! I've had nothing but joy buying and selling on here. I feel much more inclined to ask more detailed questions on here over ebay....guess the vibe of this place is much better than ebay ey and those ebay charges ey.....I do have a car up on ebay at the mo tho....if I could sell a car on here...it would be up here Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='1226923' date='May 10 2011, 11:22 PM']Before you decide that you could get more money elsewhere, check how much eBay and PayPal will take off you by the time the item is sold and paid for. You may be surprised. And disappointed.[/quote] I`d definately echo those points. If you have a bass that you could sell on here for £500, how much extra will you need to sell it on Ebay for, to actually get £500 in your hand, once Ebay & Paypal have taken their cut? From a personal point of view, I`ve bought and sold many things on here, and all of the transactions have been great, no problems with any of them, either buying or selling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I agree, I would offer it here first, but prices can be keen and there is no garauntee it will sell. I don't use e-bay and I have a bass for sale which will probably go to the Gallery. The point about it going to a nice bass player here who 'deserves' it is ok but some kit also goes through quite a lot of hands as well. One of the things that puts me off here, is how some stuff goes through a lot of people pretty quickly. There may be reasons for it, but I wouldn't happy if a bass I had built and had had for 17 plus years got passed around very quickly. Maybe not rational, but I wouldn't like to see that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voxpop Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='1226923' date='May 10 2011, 11:22 PM']Before you decide that you could get more money elsewhere, check how much eBay and PayPal will take off you by the time the item is sold and paid for. You may be surprised. And disappointed.[/quote] Totally agree, take off all the fees and offer it to a Basschater. I would prefer to give a Basschater a better deal than a eBay shark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' post='1227077' date='May 11 2011, 07:48 AM']One of the things that puts me off here, is how some stuff goes through a lot of people pretty quickly. There may be reasons for it, but I wouldn't happy if a bass I had built and had had for 17 plus years got passed around very quickly. Maybe not rational, but I wouldn't like to see that.[/quote] Funnily enough, I really like that! You can really build up a picture of something's worth, and it's good and bad points when you read the reasons for a number of people selling it on... Also, if you sell something and then decide you want it back months or even years later, there's a much higher chance of being able to do that if you sell on here. As others have said though, it's definitely not a seller's market at the moment. Not the end of the world as long as you don't need a quick sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) I'm split on this. I'd love to sell only on basschat, but I did have an experience on here once where I sold a rather expensive bass here at a reduced rate to 'benefit the board'... for the buyer to turn round the next week and sell it on ebay for a £700 profit... Admittedly it doesn't happen very often. Edited May 11, 2011 by Bigwan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AttitudeCastle Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 The Basschat bobbies (Ie the Mods!) are infinately better than any support Ebay/Paypal or anyone else really can give! Thats why i trust 99% of stuff on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerley Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Against the tide but I love eBay (for selling). Yes there are fees but items generally sell for more money (which is why I don't buy much used stuff from eBay) which makes up for the fees. Paypal is also great and again there are fees but it makes money transfer so easy. The only downside is the amount of idiots who use eBay but that is expected with such a high population of idiots in the country! What I tend to do these days is just list as Buy It Now with immediate payment required so it is impossible to be pissed about but you do lose the opportunity for people to overpay in auction fever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='Conan' post='1227086' date='May 11 2011, 08:04 AM']Funnily enough, I really like that! You can really build up a picture of something's worth, and it's good and bad points when you read the reasons for a number of people selling it on... Also, if you sell something and then decide you want it back months or even years later, there's a much higher chance of being able to do that if you sell on here. As others have said though, it's definitely not a seller's market at the moment. Not the end of the world as long as you don't need a quick sale.[/quote] The point about history is valid, agree. Maybe I am just being too precious about this one thing. This is a great place to buy/sell in general, IME,..not that I have done loads but it definitely feeds the GAS..and promotes it. I am trawling the FS for stuff I don't need and can't afford, but even so... even a P.A..!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Whether an instruments sells will depend entirely on your ad reaching the people who are interested in it and how keen the price is. eBay is the biggest potential market (especially if you are prepared to ship internationally), there's always a chance that your instrument will end up in a bidding war and sell for more than you expected. However eBay (and PayPal) will take their cut and they are not as seller friendly as they used to be. The BassChat audience is much smaller but more focused. Unless you have something that is very special and desirable though don't expect to get anything more than a fair market price. Selling through a shop. Probably the smallest potential audience of the three, even if the shop does have an on-line presence. Unless the bass is something very mainstream I would only consider one of the specialist bass retailers. You're unlikely to see any more money from the sale then you would from selling it on eBay (after commission/eBay fees). Also it may take a lot longer to sell and while your bass is on display in the shop you don't get to use it, whereas if you sell it through eBay or BassChat you can be playing right up until the moment you need to pack it up for shipping. As for your bass getting passed around various owners once you've sold it, that's really out of your control. IMO it's down to two things. Firstly is the instrument has been custom made for you there's a good chance that it won't suit a lot of other people as well as it suits you. Secondly for a lot of the instruments that turn up for sale here the only other way you could buy one would be to order new direct from the manufacturer. So it's unsurprising that when you can buy a used bass on here for considerably less (and with no waiting time) than a new one, that people are going to use the opportunity to get to try an instrument in real world conditions (rehearsals and gigs) safe in the knowledge that if they discover it isn't for them they will be able to move it on with minimal financial loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I had a gorgeous Jap Fender Jazz on here at a good price for a month and it didn't shift. I put it on the bay and it went within 3 days to a very very nice bassist who absolutely loves it. After (the perfectly reasonable) fees I am left with what I had it on here for. Ebay is fine. Yes there is a lovely community here but if it ain't selling what you gonna do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I have no idea what anything is worth so i stick it on the bay for 99p no reserve generally. If I could do that here I probably would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer61 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='1226923' date='May 10 2011, 11:22 PM']Before you decide that you could get more money elsewhere, check how much eBay and PayPal will take off you by the time the item is sold and paid for. You may be surprised. And disappointed.[/quote] +1 them fees do add up...! My normal route is 1)Here first with price movement if needsbe. 2)eBay with high reserve price. 3)Back here if all else fails with trousers round ankles. 4)Keep the fecker Normally I've shifted the bass on by number 2) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I`ve bought a few things here in the relatively short time I`ve been a member and instantly appreciated the way that when you`re looking to buy here you get peer reviews and endorsements of various kit that`s immensely helpful. Also, as a buyer you know that the reputation of the seller is regarded as a precious thing, not to be squandered by mucking anyone about. The result is a high level of respect on both sides usually leading to a good deal being made. I also think that the feeling generally is, "everybody here knows what this is worth" so there`s no point trying to maximise profits at the expense of the regard of the community. eBay is the wild wild west compared, but still a lot of honest folk use it. MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_bass Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' post='1227077' date='May 11 2011, 07:48 AM']One of the things that puts me off here, is how some stuff goes through a lot of people pretty quickly.[/quote] You'd never really know if this was happening on Ebay though, only because of the presence of an online community here is it really possible to keep track of your departed gear. I sold a MIM jazz bass on Ebay a couple of years ago, I later realised the sentimental value of it & I'd love to know purely out of interest where it is now I always put gear on here first before heading to Ebay. Saying that though there have been times when I have ended up with a lot better results on Ebay. For example I listed a Warwick Rockbass here for £160 or so that didn't budge for a couple of weeks, I put it on the bay with a starting price of £150 & it went for some thing like £230! When the MIM jazz went on I had a very rude lady messaging me repeatedly offering half the starting price, she then started bidding last min, I prayed she wouldn't get it! Luckily she didn't & it went off to a nice bloke in Cornwall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Usually buy stuff of here, if it's something I want. Selling-wise depends what it is.... If it's MIJ stuff, always Ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I haven't sold anything on here for a while but if I do, I will be making a small donation. Basschat is peerless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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