Author |
Message |
thedavidkeith
New Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 1 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 8:32 am: | |
Hey folks, I am planning to sell my prized Series 2 Custom guitar soon. Hate to part with it, but recent circumstances require the sacrifice. I bought it from the original owner, who traveled personally to Alembic twice to pick out the woods and work on the design. You will probably agree with me that he did an outstanding job, it is perhaps the best looking guitar I have ever seen. I would prefer it to go to someone on the list rather than the general Ebay population, so I am informing my Alembic friends first. Pictures and discussion can be found here: http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/37064.html?1181266578 Feel free to contact me for more pictures, to ask questions, or to set up a time to speak by phone. Thanks and have a great weekend! David |
barryr1
Member Username: barryr1
Post Number: 84 Registered: 10-2007
| Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 8:42 am: | |
Hey David. Let's hear the bad news. How much? |
olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver
Post Number: 2023 Registered: 2-2006
| Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 8:52 am: | |
GEEZ, that's a nice guitar, 'eh Bill. OO |
lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq
Post Number: 3510 Registered: 7-2004
| Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 11:25 am: | |
Sure is, Olie! David: email sent. Bill, tgo |
thedavidkeith
New Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 2 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 11:36 am: | |
Well as near as I can figure, the list prices go like this: Series 2 17,700 Burl Redwood 1,500 This wood isn't available Quilt back 1,100 Case 350 Custom Shape ?? ================== Approx 21,000 I was thinking of starting the bidding on Ebay around $8500, as I saw a custom that is NOT a Series 2 (and not as pretty as this) just sell for $8,000 recently. A Tribute (around half the price of this guitar) just sold for $7,000 recently. So anyone wanting to make an offer above that will be seriously considered before I make a decision on what to do. *sniff sniff* I hate having to do this!!! David |
thedavidkeith
New Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 3 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2009 - 10:35 am: | |
A couple of people have inquired about the price, my rationale is as follows: Recently a Tribute went for $7000, it was this guitar that sold for $8k. It is not a Series 2, nor does it have the goodies that mine does. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140296410778&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting I also have much better pix for anyone seriously considering this investment... the board does not allow me to post images over 150k in size. David |
thedavidkeith
New Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 4 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2009 - 10:35 am: | |
Several people have inquired about the price, my rationale is as follows: Recently a Tribute went for $7000, it was this guitar that sold for $8k. It is not a Series 2, nor does it have the goodies that mine does. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140296410778&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting I also have much better pix for anyone seriously considering this investment... the board does not allow me to post images over 150k in size. David |
jimmythesaint
Junior Username: jimmythesaint
Post Number: 24 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2009 - 9:38 pm: | |
Something funny went on with the Tribute and Custom auctions you're referring to. When I saw this Tribute auction list for $7000: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140296449079 I knew the price was too high, so I thought it was a good time to sell mine, which I was going to have to do within a few weeks. I listed mine for $5000 here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180323562958 My Tribute is three years newer than the other one, and is also in like new condition. The other guy says in both his auctions that "the guitar is in mint condition as has never been played." That's a strangely ambiguous phrasing, even though the rest of his auction listings show he's a native speaker of English. He's trying to imply his guitars are new, and he lists both a 2001 and 1998 guitar as new. The lie is so obvious that it's more a kind of wishful thinking than a deception. I've seen many auctions where people claim a guitar is new even though the rest of their honest description shows clearly it's not. Notice that he didn't use the word "new" in the auction title because eBay frequently catches and cancels auctions that misrepresent in the title, whereas you can get away with it in the listing's body until someone complains. Certain keywords, like "new" and "mint," in the title invoke eBay scrutiny. You can't even say "like new" in a title. I'm currently getting around that (when it's a truthful, accurate description) by writing "mintY" or "like newY" in titles until eBay clamps down tighter. A couple days after I listed my significantly better deal on the same guitar, both his auctions suddenly ended with Buy It Now's within six minutes of each other. See his other auction here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140296410778 And the buyers' id's were kept private, though that doesn't matter as much now that eBay anonymizes bidders to some degree. Considering all the circumstances, the two sales are really odd. I might have expected him to take down his Tribute until after mine sold at $5000 to then try to get $7000 on the same or less desirable guitar. My best guess, though, is that he got some kind of offer for a package deal on both, and they sold for *substantially* under the $7000 and $8000 that appear in the completed auctions, and he ate the higher eBay fees or somehow got them lowered by appealing to eBay that buyer and seller had agreed to a lower price. There's no way someone paid $7000 for a 2001 Tribute when my like new 2004 was available for $2000 less, unless they made a stupid and costly error. And in the last three months I saw an even newer Tribute, with the valuable upgrades of LED's and continuous wood back panels, go for $6600 on eBay, with one other bid at $6000. So if you're looking for a guide as to how to price your Series 2, there's some more information for you. |
bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee
Post Number: 2167 Registered: 3-2004
| Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 10:22 am: | |
Even without evidence of oddity in those two auctions, the market for higher end Alembics is always a bit of a crap shoot. The higher the price, the smaller the number of potentially interested parties. The fewer interested parties, the less likely it is for the price to be driven toward the higher end of the spectrum. The number of guitars in this class that have been publicly traded has to be under five a year, maybe not even as regular as one a year. With such a small sample, it is impossible to predict the market. Good luck with it! -bob |
lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq
Post Number: 3515 Registered: 7-2004
| Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 10:25 am: | |
Another anomaly: While both of the auctions ($7000 Tribute and $8000 custom) are listed as "sold" on the completed items list, when the "history" link is clicked, both state that no offers were made. Tis a puzzlement. Bill, tgo |
thedavidkeith
New Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 5 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 4:56 pm: | |
Thanks for the opinions, guys. I appreciate the input. I am not sure what might have happened with the two guitars I referenced, I only saw them on Ebay and took the "sold" signs at face value. In any event, I think the guitar is very lovely and rare indeed. For an instrument like this, the beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. I have several guitars I am proud to have gotten for a song, and then I have those that I paid top dollar for and have never regretted it. I am open to offers including partial trades, but am not inclined (at the moment) to let this one go at a bargain price. Regards, -David |
barryr1
Member Username: barryr1
Post Number: 85 Registered: 10-2007
| Posted on Monday, February 09, 2009 - 8:35 am: | |
I have a mint 04 skylark that I'd consider trading. Any interest? (See my profile). |
barryr1
Member Username: barryr1
Post Number: 86 Registered: 10-2007
| Posted on Monday, February 09, 2009 - 8:36 am: | |
I have a mint 04 skylark that I'd consider trading. Any interest? (See my profile). Oh yeah, It had the led's and all br |
pace
Advanced Member Username: pace
Post Number: 399 Registered: 4-2004
| Posted on Monday, February 09, 2009 - 11:27 am: | |
Dave, I can only imagine the e-mails that you're fielding from other club members, but that '97 SII is worth every (and any) penny that you're asking. IMHO This guitar is one of a kind, has no overtly personal inlays or anything of the like, AND I think Mica is quoted as saying that the Series electronics w/out dummy coil is something that her father won't do anymore. So even if you spec this guitar out new, it wouldnt be the same. |
thedavidkeith
New Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 6 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 11:24 am: | |
It appears the two guitars previously mentioned did sell to an ebayer named "stauffjw" from the looks of this feedback (they sold on Jan 28 so feedback posted on Feb 3 would be about right: Feedback From Buyer / Price Date / Time Positive feedback rating Great ebay seller! Would definitely buy from again. A+++++++++++++++++++++ stauffjw ( 44 [Feedback score is 10 to 49] ) Feb-03-09 05:42 -- -- Private Positive feedback rating As described, great communication, very helpful and very fast shipping stauffjw ( 44 [Feedback score is 10 to 49] ) Feb-03-09 05:39 -- -- Private |
thedavidkeith
Junior Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 14 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Monday, July 06, 2009 - 4:08 am: | |
Friends, I never did pull the trigger on posting this on ebay, have gotten some emails recently... (Message edited by davehouck on July 06, 2009) |
thedavidkeith
Junior Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 15 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Monday, July 06, 2009 - 4:11 am: | |
Also, sorry I neglected to post headstock photos when asked, here you go... (Message edited by davehouck on July 06, 2009) |
longhorncat
Advanced Member Username: longhorncat
Post Number: 328 Registered: 8-2005
| Posted on Monday, July 06, 2009 - 7:12 am: | |
OMG Absolutely Gawgous |
paulman
Advanced Member Username: paulman
Post Number: 378 Registered: 2-2005
| Posted on Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 11:56 am: | |
Yo David, that's a sweet axe!! I get lost in the wood pattern. Is it gone? |
thedavidkeith
Junior Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 17 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 - 4:37 am: | |
Sorry Paul, I don't check this board very often. I never listed my guitar on ebay, have recently gotten some questions about it. It is still available. Thanks folks! |
thedavidkeith
Junior Username: thedavidkeith
Post Number: 18 Registered: 2-2009
| Posted on Sunday, October 04, 2009 - 5:26 am: | |
Okay friends, the dreaded day has arrived. I am working on the auction listing for this guitar. If someone on the list wants it please contact me; I would rather it stay "in the family" Sadly, David Keith 502-643-2828 thedavidkeith at gmail.com |