Flipping basses for profit – fair game or not cool?

[stewblack]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I still feel guilty about getting a Thunder 1 at a knockout price from @stewblack. I see them being advertised (not sure about sold) for twice the price or more.

 

But as I'm congeitally incapable if selling a bass...

It was a fair price. If it's worth anything more now, that's down to the hard work you've put into its restoration.

[Burns-bass]

28 minutes ago, Machines said:

I am late to the party here, but definitely consider myself an opportunistic flipper.

 

My most recent was a Cort A6 listed as faulty for £200. I had it repaired within 30 minutes at home (new pot and switch) and then PX'd  for £350 a couple of weeks later. The buyer even said in person it was worth more repaired, but they didn't want the hassle. I felt no guilt here. 

 

I have calmed down recently, as the continual carousel is tiring (maybe I could play what I have?!), as well as the market drying up as people are more aware of what things are worth. I also know in the past certain well known shops have acquired stock privately on FB etc.

 

Again, what you're doing is taking something unplayable and making it playable. Your time and the skill to fix it have value, so that's not necessarily the same thing. It means someone can now enjoy the instrument. 

 

I've heard that lots of shops buy stock online. 

[Machines]

2 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

 

Again, what you're doing is taking something unplayable and making it playable. Your time and the skill to fix it have value, so that's not necessarily the same thing. It means someone can now enjoy the instrument. 

 

I've heard that lots of shops buy stock online. 

 

That said, i've also many times bought something because I know it was underpriced and I could definitely at least break even. I've always played them for a bit to see if it works for me (with maybe 1 or 2 exceptions), but as I look at the rack, none of them are still here.

[Dan Dare]

Odd that nobody would bat an eyelid at buying and selling shoes (to cite a random and completely unrelated example) for profit. Why should basses be any different?

 

Perhaps I'm missing something.

[TimR]

Is there a shoe forum I'm missing where people with no shoes who want to learn how to walk go? 

[Lozz196]

Shoechat!

[fretmeister]

20 minutes ago, TimR said:

Is there a shoe forum I'm missing where people with no shoes who want to learn how to walk go? 

 

There is something called "Feet Finder" but I'm not sure shoes are involved much!

[Skinnyman]

13 hours ago, Misdee said:

Providing no one has cheated anyone or been intentionally dishonest, that's it. Once the bass is sold it's someone else's property. They can do as they please.

Exactly this. 
 

My key reason for buying and selling here is that the feedback system allows me - and my potential seller/customer - to determine a degree of trust between us that I could never get from FB marketplace or Fleabay. 

 

Every transaction is caveat emptor but BC gives me some confidence in the person I’m dealing with and, hopefully, gives them some reassurance about me. 

[binky_bass]

1 hour ago, Machines said:

I am late to the party here, but definitely consider myself an opportunistic flipper.

 

My most recent was a Cort A6 listed as faulty for £200. I had it repaired within 30 minutes at home (new pot and switch) and then PX'd  for £350 a couple of weeks later. The buyer even said in person it was worth more repaired, but they didn't want the hassle. I felt no guilt here. 

 

I have calmed down recently, as the continual carousel is tiring (maybe I could play what I have?!), as well as the market drying up as people are more aware of what things are worth. I also know in the past certain well known shops have acquired stock privately on FB etc.

£350 for a Cort A6 is a bit of a steal anyway! 

[bassbiscuits]

I tend to think that as long as no one has been ripped off (either the original seller, or a subsequent buyer) then there's no harm done. If both sides are satisfied with the asking price, then its a deal.

 

If you're lucky enough to pick up a genuine bargain, which you sell down the line at a profit, then that's fine too. 

 

I've never had the money to buy, sell or own masses of gear anyway. I could probably count on one hand the number of real bargains I've had in donkey's years of playing. Most of them I've kept, and some I've sold on because I needed funds more than I needed that bit of gear.

 

Most of the time I'm just aiming to avoid making too much of a loss on something I no longer need (which isn't always successful either!). But what happens to it after that, and how much someone else might want to sell it for in future etc is not in my control and none of my business really. 

 

[Steve Browning]

I think it boils down to how we see the membership. Are we mates, colleagues or just a resource.

 

I was interested to read about a mates rate being offered when there is hidden pricing - something is up for a certain price but the seller will sell to certain folk at a lower price. I hate haggling and only make an offer when one is invited. I would not be aware such a price was available.

 

Naturally, anyone can sell their own stuff at whatever price they like. Like I said, I have a mental list of people (which this thread is expanding) to whom I wouldn't want to sell, because I feel their subsequent sale is again my own view of this place. As with sellers, that is my perogative. 

[Burns-bass]

4 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

I think it boils down to how we see the membership. Are we mates, colleagues or just a resource.

 

I was interested to read about a mates rate being offered when there is hidden pricing - something is up for a certain price but the seller will sell to certain folk at a lower price. I hate haggling and only make an offer when one is invited. I would not be aware such a price was available.

 

Naturally, anyone can sell their own stuff at whatever price they like. Like I said, I have a mental list of people (which this thread is expanding) to whom I wouldn't want to sell, because I feel their subsequent sale is again my own view of this place. As with sellers, that is my perogative. 

 

I think this distills it really well. It's also why I prefer (when possible) to meet people and hand over or collect basses in person. The last bass I sold (pre-EB Stingary) we met up and had a lovely coffee and a fantastic chat in the sun.

[neepheid]

Some of us are mates, some of us are online acquaintances, and some of us are total strangers.  I do think there's a degree of rough etiquette which exists here, which I'm not going to lie took me a while to appreciate.  Not so much the manners thing, but more "rules of engagement" - particularly when it comes to commerce.  When I was greener, I saw it as a bit overbearing maybe, a bit busybody like?  But I have come to accept and even appreciate it as I've stopped being such a bloody contrarian about it.  Because of this, it does give me the feeling of a safe(r) place to do business, and lessens (but does not eliminate) the chances that what you've sold is merely being used as an investment opportunity. 

 

Not that I have a problem with that - the few times it has happened to me, I've kicked my own backside for letting it go so cheaply and misreading the market!  It's maybe a bit grubby feeling - especially if you've fallen for a made up sob story, but them's the breaks.

[Geek99]

@neepheid reads my mind once more.

I have an additional perspective; if I use household money to buy something for a song (stupid end-time on eBay, grubby but polishes up etc) and I like it, I keep it. I’d never treat myself to something at market rates . Management is aware of that. 

 

I have an understanding with management that if I make money on shifting something I bought cheaper (but don’t like) then I give back the purchase price plus the profit for the general good. I’d never knowingly sell for more than a “basschat price” however. 
I feel fairly comfortable with the morals of this. 

[neepheid]

Also - buy my bass.  Please.

 

LOL

[LukeFRC]

37 minutes ago, neepheid said:

Also - buy my bass.  Please.

 

LOL

knock £150 or so off and I'll take it? 

[Dad3353]

54 minutes ago, neepheid said:

Also - buy my bass.  Please.

 

LOL

 

Please allow me to add that, from my own experience, this fellow ^^ is a Good Egg. That is all; carry on, folk. 

[tegs07]

On 28/10/2025 at 06:46, Beedster said:

we never know what a person is dealing with in life, quite a few members have lost their jobs recently, or have other financial problems (divorce/increased cost of living etc), and while I've historically tended to flip basses for a loss here, if I were in a difficult situation financially and struggling to pay the bills/put food on the table, I'd have no problem doing it for a profit.

Very true. In my mid 50s I finally find myself in a position where I can buy a relatively expensive bass. I have a couple now and honestly they have added little to my playing ability or overall enjoyment than the used Squire CV which was my first enjoyable bass to own. If they needed to go I would not lose sleep over them.

 

I tend to sell things if they are no longer needed or working out for whatever reason. I would far prefer to sell at a loss than keep something that has no utility for me. If someone makes money off my loss then I wouldn’t be too concerned. I’ve been there where side hustles and extra jobs were unavoidable. I can understand why some people find it objectionable but I guess we never know about other people’s motivations or personal circumstances.

Edited 3 hours ago by tegs07