The use of the word "Mint Condition"

[David]

I'm seeing everyone is using it. That, would be rather misleading, and I think it's wa-a-a-y over used. Probably 3/4ths of the gear in our For Sale forums say it's like new and mint condition.

New: cosmetically perfect, and it's barely been used.
Like-new: comseticlally perfect, works fine but has some use.
Mint Condition: Brand new, still in the box, never been played, straight from the factory.


sorry bout this... just had to get that off my chest.

 

[nyck]

There is definetly a difference between the three ratings.

 

[bostjan]

"Newsed" - adj. Used, but respresented as new, sold as is, with no warranty, but often sold with a voided or fraudulent warranty.

 

[Kagami]

Originally, the phrase comes from the way collectors describe the condition of coins. As the name given to a coin factory is a 'mint', then mint condition is the condition a coin is in as it leaves the mint.

 

[zimbloth]

Well, guitars at stores are "new", but they might not be in new condition. I agree it can be misleading though.

 

[Chris]

^ What Zimb said. My "new" RG already has wear on the low bridge saddle. Guitars sit in stores, they get played. It sucks, but hey.

 

[David]

yeah, that's why I call guitars in stores "new," because they've been played a little, and are usually cosmetically perfect or else marked down.


My 1527 was *mint*, when I got it, because it was just out of the box from the Ibanez factory.

Right now, my 1527 would be "like-new w/ heavy use." It is cosmetically perfect (I baby it), and works perfectly.


Shannon's 7321, would be New.

 

[Mark. A]

That's two words

 

[Toshiro]

You can't call an item "new" in a for sale ad, IMO, unless it's never been sold and you are a dealer. Mint is the classification for 'new' in a used context.

 

[David]

Mint is the classification for 'new' in a used context.

huh? Mint is not used, ever... not even touched.

 

[Toshiro]

huh? Mint is not used, ever... not even touched.

David, anything that has left the store it was originally purchased from its no longer NEW, period. This whole New is "lightly used" thing is total bullshit.

Used is a term for pre-owned in this industry, anything already sold to someone is pre-owned, therefore used.

Mint is a pre-owned item with no wear, "like new". It can not be sold as new unless you are the original dealer who got it from the factory, IMO.

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/abbreviations.html
Notice the tag over the grading. You do not need to grade new items, bcause they're new. If you buy a new item with wear you got ripped the fuck off.

 

[The Dark Wolf]

huh? Mint is not used, ever... not even touched.

Nope. Mint just means in perfect condition.

(As a long time comic book collector, I've long been familiar with this and related terms. It generally relates to all collectables, musical instruments included.)

 

[Naren]

Nope. Mint just means in perfect condition.

(As a long time comic book collector, I've long been familiar with this and related terms. It generally relates to all collectables, musical instruments included.)

Exactly, Bob. Agree with you 100%.

I also used to be a big comic collector, as well as my uncle, who has over 30 huge boxes with "mint" comics from the 60s, 70s, and the 80s. They look like they were just bought today. Pretty amazing stuff. Many first issues and momental issues.

 

[The Dark Wolf]

^ I appreciate the agreement, Eric, but there's nothing really to agree about. The fact of the term's meaning is in no (reasonable) dispute. "The sky is blue." "I agree with you." Great, but irrelevant.

From dictionary.com -

mint

adj : as if new; "in mint condition"

 

[Naren]

^ I appreciate the agreement, Eric, but there's nothing really to agree about. The fact of the term's meaning is in no (reasonable) dispute. "The sky is blue." "I agree with you." Great, but irrelevant.

From dictionary.com -

mint

adj : as if new; "in mint condition"

Ha ha. Indeed. I was agreeing with you just because it seemed that there was someone who was disagreeing. Not so much that I believed there was a (reasonable) dispute.

Glad that dictionary.com substantiates the idea.

 

[darren]

You guys should go pick up a copy of the Blue Book of Electric Guitars. Their grading system is pretty well explained. Elderly has simplified it a bit, but it covers the basics.

A guitar can be "new" and also not be in "mint" condition. When it comes to grading, "new" or "like new" really mean nothing, because there's no real standard for what condition an instrument may be in when it's first sold. "New" could be "mint", but it's not guaranteed, because as we've all seen, "new" in many big-box guitar stores can mean "abused".

That's why "mint" means truly "mint"... like it's fresh from the factory... no wear, no blemishes, no oxidation, no modifications, zero playing time. It should have the protective coverings, factory decals and inspection stickers, original strings and all the case candy and hang tags. (Even a guitar fresh from its factory shipping carton can have damage that also makes it less than "mint".)

If a guitar has been played any appreciable amount and/or is missing any of the above, it is very likely not "mint", and it should be described in terms of either "Excellent", "Very Good", "Good", "Fair", "Poor", etc., or graded on a scale out of 10 or out of 100.

 

[noodles]

^ What Zimb said. My "new" RG already has wear on the low bridge saddle. Guitars sit in stores, they get played. It sucks, but hey.

When I was shopping for my Martin D-28, I had the guy dragging guitars out of the back storeroom. I walked home with a guitar that still had the factory strings and moisture packs inside.

 

[Chris]

When I was shopping for my Martin D-28, I had the guy dragging guitars out of the back storeroom. I walked home with a guitar that still had the factory strings and moisture packs inside.

Hm, I wish I thought of that. I ended up wheedling $50 off plus a free Dimarzio cliplock strap, two packs of strings and this Planet Waves Guitar Toolkit out of the guy because of it.

 

[eaeolian]

Hm, I wish I thought of that. I ended up wheedling $50 off plus a free Dimarzio cliplock strap, two packs of strings and this Planet Waves Guitar Toolkit out of the guy because of it.

Damn, there must be some serious margin on those things, then...

 

[noodles]

Hm, I wish I thought of that. I ended up wheedling $50 off plus a free Dimarzio cliplock strap, two packs of strings and this Planet Waves Guitar Toolkit out of the guy because of it.

It was a local-only store (Venneman's Music) on a weekday morning, which is the best way to get service like that. Good luck getting a Guitar Center sales droid to help you like that.

The cool thing is that I played four D-28's that day--one on the wall, three in the back. When the salesman picked up number three, he tried to tell me I didn't want it, it sucked. I asked for it, strummed one chord, and said, "This is the one." He said, "Fuck, I knew it! Fuck!"