Most common lies you see in local for sale ads

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matt300ZXT
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I always love it when they say "firm" and listed over market price, only to see that they sold it to GC after 30 days for 60 cents on the dollar (market value)
 
Seller list an item at a certain price, you communicate, and agree to buy at that price. Then the seller ghosts you, later you see them list the same item at a higher price.
 
I see enough something like "Never played, just taken out of the box for pics". Umm, so either you stole it or you're plain lying.
 
My favorite is, “it’s the best sounding guitar I’ve ever played.” I tend to think that if you found the best guitar you’ve ever heard you might keep it? (Unless you are me and a particularly serious and crippling episode of GAS strikes when you least expect and want it, but you’ve already seen that guitar you’ve been after for literally years at this point, and all rational thinking goes out the window, done deal)

Like someone else said, I don’t need to hear the explanation as to why you are selling it. Some common reasons being the vet, car, divorce, urgent repairs to home needed before a storm, etc. (all designed to be reasons most people know and sympathize with, I would say at least half the time these are underhanded sales techniques. Gear forums, Craigslist, and reverb are like a mysterious virtual ghetto where one must always read between the lines, stay alert, fend off psychos and undesirables, repel personal attacks and at times fight for dear life ) But on rigtalk I don’t worry about this because we know each other pretty well.

But, I have noticed that recently there has been a surge in people with wounded or sick dogs that need care. Who doesn’t feel bad for a sick or wounded dog? I believe this is a strategic tactic employed to pull at the heart strings of a potential buyer and give them that little push across the finish line of a gear purchase, and at the same time making the acquisition not just ok, but perhaps even a noble gesture or good deed in the buyers mind. Some underhanded sellers will stop at nothing!!! A wounded dog! I would have gone to any length to help my little dude! This is why it’s an effective sales technique.
 
sahlomonic said:
I've been victim to this more than once. Not necessarily in the ad, but during discussion/leading up to the transaction. Tire kicking sellers:

"Ok, let's meet at X location at Y time"

Sellers never show. Ignores my texts and calls. Then after constant hammering, a day or two later I get "sorry, it's been sold".

Then I see a new ad for the same item from the same seller next week.

I once drove an hour to buy a PRS Tremonti MT15. I text the guy that I'm at the location a few minutes ahead of schedule. Then I get a text "Sorry I got called in to work". Another time I had an appointment to go buy a car for my wife. Literally 5 blocks away from getting to the location, and the seller texts me "car has been sold".

People are scum.
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This happened to me. I drove to meet a guy and to get there I had to drive through a part of SF that’s all lights, and the traffic was horrible. We agreed on a time and place the night before. So that afternoon I go to meet him and after a half hour waiting I text him. No response so I assume he is driving and almost there. After about an hour of waiting he sends a text saying he sold the amp that morning. I could not believe it. He didn’t even say, “sorry man, amp sold and I forgot to let you know.” He just said, “sold amp this morning.” Some people are just oblivious and infantile in how they go about life.
 
“Brand new”. The. Goes on to tell you it’s only been used…..
 
Matt300ZXT said:
What do you guys see? My most common one is "one of the best playing (or sounding) guitars I've ever played". Ok, sir, if this Peavey guitar with the tip broken off the headstock is the best playing guitar you've ever played, then A: why is it for sale? Or B: have you never played anything besides Squire or Epiphones?

Another common one, "it's very versatile and sounds great". Ok, your ad mentions you've had the guitar a couple months and only played it a few times. How do you know it's versatile? You've never played multiple genres of music, done any shows or jams with friends, recorded with it, etc. How do you know?
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After propping it up with gobs of praise - the "reason(s) for selling" often humours me.
 
„Only used in a smoke and cat free studio“

I mean, who cares? As if an amp keeps the smell like years after the purchase. It’s not a piece of furniture.
All those old Marshalls were used in bars and rehearsal rooms over decades and everyone was smoking.
 
BesaMoogie said:
„Only used in a smoke and cat free studio“

I mean, who cares? As if an amp keeps the smell like years after the purchase. It’s not a piece of furniture.
All those old Marshalls were used in bars and rehearsal rooms over decades and everyone was smoking.
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Hahahaha I think that depends on how much of a chain smoker the seller was. I bought a Fulldrive 2 years back, when I was a smoker, that fucking REEKED like stale cigs. I didn’t smoke in my car or my house and the second I ripped the tape on the box open in my car I could smell it. Wiping the thing down there was yellow nicotine stains all over the rag like the dude just blew smoke at the damn thing every time he hauled off a cig.

And guitar cases, goddamn those things can take on an odor. I’m always nervous when i open the case of a used guitar, I never know if it’s going to smell like cigs, cat piss or both. I never plan on selling my own guitars, but I toss a couple sticks of nagchampa in my cases because the scent relaxes me. I miss the smell of 90’s Ibanez hardshell cases, though.
 
BesaMoogie said:
„Only used in a smoke and cat free studio“

I mean, who cares? As if an amp keeps the smell like years after the purchase. It’s not a piece of furniture.
All those old Marshalls were used in bars and rehearsal rooms over decades and everyone was smoking.
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I don't know... I once bought an amp from a guy who had it in his living room where he smoked a lot. My amp literally stank all over my apartment for months. Only a complete retolex helped. And I smoke myself.

I also spent about an hour cleaning the combo from the owner of the golden retrievers. Build-up of hair was everywhere inside the combo, including the speakers.
 
mcstinger said:
I don't know... I once bought an amp from a guy who had it in his living room where he smoked a lot. My amp literally stank all over my apartment for months. Only a complete retolex helped. And I smoke myself.

I also spent about an hour cleaning the combo from the owner of the golden retrievers. Build-up of hair was everywhere inside the combo, including the speakers.
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Boot to the Kool.
 
Devin said:
ORIGINAL OWNER ITEM
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Ah yes, it’s an old one but it checks out.

It’s not a lie but I also am bothered by the people who refer to guitars (or guns or cars or whatever) as “she” and talk like it’s the closest thing to an actual woman they have in their life.

“She’s a sexy one, and a real player once you get your hands on her” I get a little concerned your hands are not the only thing you’ve been getting on “her.”
 
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