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.