Semantics over gear condition

[PunkBillCarson]

I side with KnightBrolaire on this. The overall guitar seems fine and he even said he would install a pickup in it. Fuck that guy.

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

There are some olympic-level dumbasses on Reverb and I've had to deal with an amp, three guitars, and an effects unit not being as described (and I've been successful zero times through my own idiocy). Please don't be one of them. Change the condition.

**EDIT: I see now the piece about you offering to install the pickup. Split the difference: install the pickup, post new pics then be done with it. Everybody wins and nobody loses.

 

[r33per]

And yet meanwhile I can't seem to get them to remove all the ads for slip covers for amps when people are saying the actual _brand_ is Mesa/Diezel/Engl, etc., when they are made by some generic slip cover brand. And now all my searches need to have a price floor so these things don't pollute my amp searching.

Apologies for a bit of a thread hijack, but THIS.

Maybe this needs a repost in the "1st world problems" thread...

 

[Ordacleaphobia]

There are some olympic-level dumbasses on Reverb and I've had to deal with an amp, three guitars, and an effects unit not being as described (and I've been successful zero times through my own idiocy). Please don't be one of them. Change the condition.

**EDIT: I see now the piece about you offering to install the pickup. Split the difference: install the pickup, post new pics then be done with it. Everybody wins and nobody loses.

Or, if a missing neck pickup in the posting is enough to turn you off of the guitar, maybe just look at a different guitar? I don't understand why buyers complain about this stuff. There is a bottomless pit of gear for you to look at. If there's anything about the one you're looking at right now you don't like, toss it out and look at something else. It's a buyer's market.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Or, if a missing neck pickup in the posting is enough to turn you off of the guitar, maybe just look at a different guitar? I don't understand why buyers complain about this stuff. There is a bottomless pit of gear for you to look at. If there's anything about the one you're looking at right now you don't like, toss it out and look at something else. It's a buyer's market.

It's a negotiation tactic.

These "complaints" are rarely sincere and made in good faith.The idea is that they're justifying a reduced value as a basis for a low offer/refund.

It's used a lot when used car shopping. You make a list of anything that could be a problem, exploiting any visible superficial issues and inflating the severity. That puts the seller on the defensive, where they typically have the upper hand (unless of course the item is bad, or selling is time sensitive).

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

Or, if a missing neck pickup in the posting is enough to turn you off of the guitar, maybe just look at a different guitar? I don't understand why buyers complain about this stuff. There is a bottomless pit of gear for you to look at. If there's anything about the one you're looking at right now you don't like, toss it out and look at something else. It's a buyer's market.

Because it shows up in search results incorrectly and those of us that value our time don't like having to sort through listings when a computer can do it for us given the correct data, which OP didn't by listing the wrong condition. It's only a few seconds on my end, but y'know what? It's only a few seconds on his end to read the condition guide (or a few minutes to install a neck pickup and put the whole issue to rest) and list it correctly, therefore saving the potentially hundreds of buyers from having to navigate around the listing. There are those of us that are "shameless contrarians" and those of us that just want a smooth experience for everybody. I am the latter. If I have a piece of gear that needs a part or quick fix then I rectify the issue before I list to reduce the net level of ass-pain on everybody's part, even if it means 10 minutes of work on mine, because that's what people that value a functioning society do. They think of other people in addition to themselves, and then, if everybody does that, then everybody ends up having a nicer time than if they were all just a bunch of selfish assholes.

I don't mean to turn a petty debate into some weird quasi-socialist screed, but that's really what this boils down to in my opinion.

 

[Demiurge]

I think it's just helpful to err on the side of the notion that the vast majority of guitars are helpless babies when it comes to the maintenance of the instrument. They'll sink endless hours into practice, string tension calculators, online shopping, online posting, etc., but learning to a use a soldering iron, allen wrench, or screw driver is apparently beyond the pale.

 

[BlackMastodon]

I would've just put the pickup back in when you decided to sell it, but at least you fully disclosed that you would. Like Max said, the semantics are just an excuse to negotiate over the price.

"Get a guitar with better vibes"

 

[Aliascent]

And that's why I'm not fond of overall condition and I'd much prefer to split it different categories : structural (the wood and all) / electronics / hardware.

I had a prs that was mint for hardware and luthiery, but the electronics were utterly shagged. "I slapped all of my solder on the pots and used a blowtorch " levels of shagged.

 

[TedEH]

I'm sure it's been said already, but a missing pickup would throw a red flag for me, for sure. I don't know how good any random person is with their wiring. I don't know what else they've messed with. I've picked up some used instruments with the wiring completely butchered, and while it's not the end of the world, I don't want to have to take time out of my day to fix it, or spend time tracking down whatever might be missing. Assuming there are other options out there do I want - a) The guitar that has had previous owners pull bits out and put them back, or b) something that is in the same state it would be in if I had bought it new? I assume that's what people are annoyed about -> That extra layer of not really knowing what they're getting. And/or it's a bargaining tactic and annoying. But either way. I agree with the buyer that the condition isn't what I'd expect, but I agree with the seller that the semantic argument isn't worth it either. Nobody is really "right" in this case.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Nobody is really "right" in this case.

That seems to be the overarching issue in these "seller/buyer interaction" threads.

Absolutely no one wants to put in the least amount of effort to ensure a positive outcome, really to both parties loss.

 

[vilk]

gOD bLESS

 

[Drew]

It's not like it affects the guitar's functionality..

I mean, it's literally missing one of its pickups, which may not be a big deal to you but to most players that a LOT of functionality to be missing.

The buyer is being a dick here, sure, but it's not like he's entirely off base. And, it's not like you don't know how to use a soldering iron - I'd think your best bet here would be to simply put a neck pickup back into it before even listing it for sale.

 

[budda]

Is it sold yet?

 

[p0ke]

I'd think your best bet here would be to simply put a neck pickup back into it before even listing it for sale.

If you still have the pickup, I would just put it into the slot without even soldering while taking the picture... Then you can just write in the description that you'll give a small discount if someone buys it without the neck pickup.

 

[Drew]

If you still have the pickup, I would just put it into the slot without even soldering while taking the picture... Then you can just write in the description that you'll give a small discount if someone buys it without the neck pickup.

Unless it's a decent aftermarket pickup, I wouldn't even bother with that, I'd just wire it up and be done with it. I don't really understand why someone would prefer a guitar without a neck pickup installed as the OP does here, but it's also not like a Duncan Designed pickup or something has much in the way of aftermarket value outside of the guitar, and to be able to list the guitar as in excellent shape and perfect working order is probably worth more than the, what, $10-20 discount you would take for selling it without a pickup?

It's one of those kind of weird situations where a stock pickup is essentially worthless as a value add... but, unquestionably impacts the valuation of the guitar if it's taken out and nothing is put in in its place.

 

[mpexus]

I see people here complaining because they spot a grain of dust under the finish near the jack input or a rough cut under the pickguard, so send the guitar back because its unacceptable... but a guitar without a pickup is considered Mint

 

[p0ke]

it's also not like a Duncan Designed pickup or something has much in the way of aftermarket value outside of the guitar, and to be able to list the guitar as in excellent shape and perfect working order is probably worth more than the, what, $10-20 discount you would take for selling it without a pickup?

I was mostly thinking about avoiding the hassle of having to reinstall the pickup. I don't get why anyone would remove the pickup either (I do get that someone could want only a bridge pickup in the first place, but leaving an empty hole below the neck? Nope...), but since it's already removed ...

 

[Vyn]

I see people here complaining because they spot a grain of dust under the finish near the jack input or a rough cut under the pickguard, so send the guitar back because its unacceptable... but a guitar without a pickup is considered Mint

#JustSSOThings

 

[Hollowway]

I'm sure it's been said already, but a missing pickup would throw a red flag for me, for sure. I don't know how good any random person is with their wiring. I don't know what else they've messed with. I've picked up some used instruments with the wiring completely butchered, and while it's not the end of the world, I don't want to have to take time out of my day to fix it, or spend time tracking down whatever might be missing. Assuming there are other options out there do I want - a) The guitar that has had previous owners pull bits out and put them back, or b) something that is in the same state it would be in if I had bought it new? I assume that's what people are annoyed about -> That extra layer of not really knowing what they're getting. And/or it's a bargaining tactic and annoying. But either way. I agree with the buyer that the condition isn't what I'd expect, but I agree with the seller that the semantic argument isn't worth it either. Nobody is really "right" in this case.

This is my feeling too. If someone’s messed with a guitar I don’t know if they’re a luthier/tech or just some hack, and it immediately puts me on guard. And I don’t want to buy “homework” unless I get a substantial discount. For me, I’d probably put a guitar back to stock as much as I can, unless I know people are going to value the mods unanimously. Like, if someone changed the pick guard on a guitar to a different color, I’m not paying for it. But BKPs instead of Duncan designed? That’s a good upgrade.