uncle psychosis

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1360593742' post='1972930'] Uncle Psychosis's point about a seller's enforced need to realise a good price - sickness, bills, personal circumstances etc., is a good one and shows him to have a considerate nature, IMO. [/quote] Thanks. I think the point I was trying to make initially was that I don't think its very fair to assume that someone is out to "screw" the community based on a one-off sale. Its not very community spirited to jump to negative conclusions about your fellow bass chatters, IMO.

[quote name='Dr M' timestamp='1360590427' post='1972821'] There's a lot of strange behaviour on ebay. I was selling a something a while ago - someone places a high bid. The next day they contact ebay and have the bid removed citing 'made the bid by mistake' or something. They then re-bid just before the item ended with an even higher amount. Seriously bizarre. [/quote] That could be an attempt to see the maximum bids of other buyers, or an attempt to work out your reserve price (if you had one). Or it may just have been someone being weird---eBay definitely attracts some weirdos!

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1360588830' post='1972772'] Be interesting to see how this turns out bearing in mind the experience of the performers, session musicians, studio crew in there today compared withe The Beatles of yesteryear. [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21408897"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...t-arts-21408897[/url] [/quote] I remember reading a review of an album of R&B covers of Phil Collins tunes that was only one line long---"worse than anything imaginable by the undrugged human mind". I suspect that line might be reusable in this case.

[quote name='Johngh' timestamp='1360586280' post='1972655'] The only time I think it's acceptable to sell a bass on for more that a member paid for it is if new strings have been added or if a bass has been bought and then had some luthier work done on it to make it straight. [/quote] Is that really what you think or do you mean [quote name='Johngh' timestamp='1360586280' post='1972655'] The only time I think it's acceptable to sell a bass on for more that a member paid for it is if new strings have been added or if a bass has been bought and then had some luthier work done on it to make it straight. [/quote] ...because if you mean it as you wrote it then this thread is about to get even longer and even more heated!

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1360582291' post='1972544'] In my business I get this all the time, my usual answer is "No problem, go and buy it from them" Steve [/quote] I used to work in a large newsagent chain when I was a student. My branch was open 24 hours so stuff was more expensive than normal, as is usual with small 24 hour shops. People would come in during the day (when other shops were open), pick up a pint of milk from the fridge (where the price was clearly marked), bring it to the counter, and then complain about the price saying things like "the small shop across the road sells this for 20p less". And then they'd buy it anyway. Weirdos. Or they'd come in at 4 in the morning, drunk, and say things like "I can't believe your sandwiches are so expensive". Well, go somewhere else thats open at 4am and buy a cheaper sandwich from them, then

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1360578638' post='1972461'] As I said, I think it was an "in theory" question. It wanted an answer - presumably "in principle". [/quote] Great, so we've been arguing over something that isn't even happening? Apologies for being a bit grumpy Stu, I've not been sleeping very well recently and its far too easy to take out your frustrations on strangers on the internet. I'd just like to say that I really do appreciate the basschat "community" (even if I do disagree with some of the regulars on what that means) and don't condone people taking advantage of each other here (not that its actually happening )

I like The Beatles, but I've never quite understood the fuss over the Abbey Road record. It has some genius moments but some absolutely stinking ones too---"Maxwell's Silver Hammer" demonstrates perfectly why the Beatles were doomed.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1360577942' post='1972446'] Just for the record I didn't accuse YOU of anything; though if by your argument in defence of it you are aligning yourself with those that are then again, that's your look-out. [/quote] I described this specific scenario as "a little off". Hardly a resolute defence of flipping. [quote]And - again - and as clarified, I was talking, as I believe the OP was too, about people who make a habit of it, ie. "trade" (by the demarkation of BC). AFAIK it was rhetorical question & not accusing anyone. [/quote] [b]Is there anyone on the forum who is making a habit of it[/b]? I've not noticed. Hardly anything is selling consistently at the moment, I'd be genuinely flabbergasted if someone is able to consistently turn a profit buying stuff on the forum and selling it for more money a short time later.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1360577380' post='1972433'] Then either you haven't listened properly or you don't understand Eliot - or both - but it really doesnt matter. [/quote] I'm afraid it will take a lot more than TS Eliot to convince me that LZ were good

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1360576162' post='1972402'] Yes, but you missed out 'good'. [/quote] No, I didn't

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1360576097' post='1972398'] We've already established that you have difficulty reading things before jumping in with inapprpriate diatribes. Apologies if that's down to dislexia or something, but if it's just down to inability or unwillingness to interpret from what you've read (you have read the whole thread haven't you by now?) then I don't see any point in going any further with this. [/quote] Oh dear. Again with the personal insults. If you'd "read the whole thread" you'd find that a few posts ago I actually said: [i]"[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][b]For the record---buying stuff cheap from the classifieds just to sell it on is a little off, yes. [/b]But if it was here, on the classifieds, for cheap, then its already been offered to the community. People on this site know their stuff, if its selling cheap its probably because the market is really, really slow, so selling it on for more will almost certainly be very hard" [/font][/color][/i] You chose to ignore that and instead you jump down my throat about "not looking out for each other" and accusing me of only being interested in money, when you know nothing about me. I ask again---which of these things shows more community spirit: 1. Wanting to believe that other basschatters are fundamentally good people, regardless of how much they sell stuff for 2. Assuming that someone who buys cheap and sells for more is out to screw the rest of us without any further information to go on ?

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1360575866' post='1972390'] 'Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different.' (T.S. Eliot) [/quote] LZ were immature, mature, and bad all at once?

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1360574862' post='1972370'] I'm sure the buyer, as or when it arises, on here would be most grateful for the favour you do them in letting them see how much they could have got it for if someone intent on a profit alone hadn't jumped in first. [/quote] How do you know the seller is purely out for a profit? There have been several threads recently where several forumites have mentioned struggling to make ends meet. Maybe a so-called "flipper" is someone who buys a bass and then gets an unexpected car bill the next day. [quote]It's OK, you're just one of those more in the £ camp, as opposed to those more in the forum out for each other if needed thing. That's your bag, it's OK, you're not alone. [/quote] What a load of nonsense. I've never "flipped" anything, on basschat or otherwise. And don't dare condescend to lecture me on looking out for each other when you've never met me or dealt with me in a trade. I recently held onto a bass I wanted to sell for several months---because I wanted it to go back to its original basschat owner---when I could probably have sold it to someone else for more money and quicker. The camp that I'm in is the one that refuses to vilify people for lack of "community spirit" when I know nothing of them. If anything, isn't it a sign of a lack of community spirit to assume the worst of people purely because of the price they ask for something? Are people only welcome in "the community" if they can afford to give away gear for cheap?

Lets not forget that a large part of led zeppelin's output was shamelessly "borrowed" from elsewhere in the first place!

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1360572920' post='1972341'] That's why the rest of us have read [i]all[/i] of the thread, and some of us queried for clarification, before jumping in with "I buy a bass on Ebay....." [/quote] I'm afraid I don't see any difference between buying something cheap on eBay and selling it here for more than I do with buying something cheap here and selling it here for more. If anything, buying it cheap on eBay is "worse"---if it was here in the first place people are more likely to know how much you bought it for!

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1360572209' post='1972330'] However many people have gone out of their way to assist others on this forum without seeking any remuneration in return, from organising bass bashes to loaning out amps. That's the nature of the community. Personally I shall find it a little sad if all our interactions are reduced to purely financial terms. [/quote] ...and thats brilliant. It really, genuinely, is. But accusing people of "bad form" and being "out to screw people for every penny" because they have chosen to sell something at its "market value" when you know nothing about their personal circumstances is just as sad a breach of community spirit as so-called "flipping" is.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1360571991' post='1972327'] The OP has made his position and question clear, as did I (twice) and as did Clarky and Skank. If you can't grasp that it's your look-out, no-one elses. To quote you He wasn't talking about Ebay, he wasn't talking about BC in general, he was talking about how is was taken if or when a BC-er bought something on BC with the sole intention of selling it on at a considerably greater price (which has now been construed as being a trader. So, again, I'm on the side of those who say it's bad form. [/quote] You might want to read the OP again and see if its actually "clear" at all. Nothing is mentioned other than "buying basses cheaply". No comment whatsoever on the source. [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][quote]...as in selling them quickly for profit.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]This issue arose on another thread a couple of weeks ago. A fellow forumite mentioned their dismay at someone buying basses cheaply and quickly turning them around for the BC marketplace at an inflated price. A few members chirped up and said 'this is the way of life', 'good luck to them' and then a few more, (me included), were surprised by this and mentioned that, whilst in no way against the rules, flipping basses on BC was poor etiquette and had previously been frowned upon by the community.[/quote][/font][/color]

Personally speaking I'd only do a few numbers---get the bands to get a dep in, and you play on a few of your wife's favourite numbers. On your wedding day you should be spending time with your new wife/husband, not two hours playing bass with your mates. Between posing for photos, the speeches, catching up with your guests, and all the other demands that will be made of you you get precious little time with your other half as it is.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1360541366' post='1972200'] What has that do with [i]"the will of the forum"[/i], whatever that means! [/quote] It seems to be an arbitrary construct that roughly means "you must consider the needs of basschat users before you consider the needs of your own family".

I heard the last owner had to pay you to take this off their hands. Imagine taking the piss out of the community by asking for payment for it now. Shame on you!

[quote name='Shambo' timestamp='1360534452' post='1972059'] Nope, I'm not talking about ebay. Never mentioned it. I'm talking about Basschat only, buying and selling within the community. How much community is left? [/quote] At no point did you specify you were meaning solely on basschat. Your original post says "buying basses cheaply and flipping them". Is buying stuff cheap on eBay and selling it for its real value here ok? [quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1360534662' post='1972065'] You can stop there, you haven't. [/quote] Translation: you don't have a logical counter-argument [quote name='Shambo' timestamp='1360536454' post='1972093'] Clarky, if you wanted to buy something of mine I would sort you out an old school 'basschat' price.[i] Not try and screw you for every last penny[/i] like some other forum members would appear to gladly admit to. [/quote] Oh, please. Nobody is getting screwed. Nobody is being forced to buy anything. Nobody is talking about people doing anything other than selling stuff for its "true" value. If the free market says that something is worth £X then selling it for £X is not screwing anyone. I've sold a few things here for good prices. I've tried to pass on savings---because I can afford to. Its great that so many people see this as a community---but to pass judgement on people because of the price they ask for something, when you know little to nothing about them, is just silly. For the record---buying stuff cheap from the classifieds just to sell it on is a little off, yes. But if it was here, on the classifieds, for cheap, then its already been offered to the community. People on this site know their stuff, if its selling cheap its probably because the market is really, really slow, so selling it on for more will almost certainly be very hard.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1360518918' post='1971632'] I am ready to maim and kill having read that talkbass post. "Please complete this transaction as you are legally obligated" aieee [/quote] People who try and speak legalese when they don't really know how is a real bugbear of mine. It is an "interesting" situation---I'd say the only difference to normal is that the seller is being unusually honest about it!

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1360529631' post='1971942']If it has anything to do with current 'trends' I just aint interested. [/quote] Classical music is almost as bad as pop music for "trends"---baroque, romanticism, impressionism...

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1360528975' post='1971919'] But also if you're honest with yourself there will be a lot of music from your youth that really hasn't withstood the test of time, and new bands producing music that is similar but better. [/quote] Almost certainly. It just doesn't "speak to me" in the same way.

Personally I think it has very little to do with the music, and a lot to do with the emotions and experiences of the listener. I firmly believe that music you discover during your formative years touches us in a way that music we come to in later life can't. Bands you discovered when you were changing from a child into an adult---discovering love, the opposite sex, parties, having your own pay cheque in your pocket for the first time, etc etc etc, touch us in a way that others just can't. I think its the reason why older guys always grumble about all new music being rubbish, not the same as in their day, yadda yadda. And they're probably right---how can Blink 182 excite you as much as 70s punk when you first kissed your first girlfriend to a soundtrack of The Clash?