General Music Chat

Being in this recession... I'm really not doing too badly financially. I have a seemingly stable job, and the ends meet. I'm not doing great, but I seriously have no room to complain..

Anyways...
I started looking for some used gear (and a used car, as some of you know from my other thread), thinking, that in this recession, that with people stretched on budgets, would be eager to sell off unused or unwanted gear. The "flooding" in the market, along with no so many buyers should make things really inexpensive and basically be a "buyers market"

I couldn't be more wrong. I've been keeping my eye on fleaBay and Craigslist for several months now, and the prices are literally insane!

People are selling beat-to-hell goods that are priced higher than the value of the item it if were in good condition. Beat to hell used epiphones that sold new for $400 are being sold for $350 with cracked necks, rusted parts, etc. Same with cars, some that can't even pass inspection are listed higher than blue book and everyone is "firm, so don't bother trying to get a better price"... wtf?

Just curious if this is a regional thing or if anyone else has noticed this trend?

I havent really noticed, I'm too broke these days to buy anything..

kramer you're theory was right on collectible card games, but I haven't really been lookin at anything else (or that stuff lately really now that I think about it) think about it this way, if people have somethin they think might be worth money they are gonna try to get more then its really worth cuz they're desperate

kramer you're theory was right on collectible card games, but I haven't really been lookin at anything else (or that stuff lately really now that I think about it) think about it this way, if people have somethin they think might be worth money they are gonna try to get more then its really worth cuz they're desperate

Yep, which is kinda why I ain't buyin any gear now lol. I will wait til they get desperate enough to ask a fair price

Guitar Center is selling more used gear these days, due to their trade in trade up campaigns. I recently bought a used Ampeg bass amp for half the price of a new one, plus they give you thirty days to return it if you don't like it. Try that on E-Bay.

Guitar Center is selling more used gear these days, due to their trade in trade up campaigns. I recently bought a used Ampeg bass amp for half the price of a new one, plus they give you thirty days to return it if you don't like it. Try that on E-Bay.

Yeah.. Sam Ash is the most convenient store to me, and they pretty much give $10 for a used stompbox, then sell it as used for $10 less than MSRP of a new one. It's bullshit.

I know GC has better deals on used gear, I should make it a point to get up there more often.

I gave up on getting anything used, car-wise, & bought new. Evidently, no one's really hurting badly anough to give anything away for a candy bar yet. When it gets to that, I'll prolly be there, too.

Frankly, I'm wondering if things are really as bad as the media would have us all believe. I'm beginning to think it's all scare tactics for some reason, although it's getting harder to find work, but I think that's cuz the media & our fair gov't have us all running scared with their statistics, which will only make things worser.

It's a conspiracy, I tell ya!

Hello Kramer, times are indeed hard it just hit home for me my 28 year old son just got laid off last week.
After reading your post last week about needing a car in the $1000.00 range and being angry because no one would sell you their car for that amount of money I think (with all do respect) is unrealistic! and prolly insulting to anyone wanting to sell their resonably dependable ride Bro.

My son that just got laid off that is 28 worked for me the summer of 1998 and he saved his money with my advise and he purchased some c.d.'s and stuff he wanted, but he saved $1600.00 to buy a car. Well being his father it would be a cold day in hell before I would let someone sell him a clunker and I found a little old Lady who had a Honda Accord that was asking $2000.00 and I brought her down to $1450.00 I paid the insurance.

Anyway the moral of this story is that was 1998 and this is 2009.

I am an older guy (not used to this at all) but this is just the way it is bro. a hardware store I used to frequent back in 1978 had an old newspaper cliping (very old and yellow) in their glass case saying.

"I like the younger customers because they don't know what the prices used to be"

Anyway if you are comfortable that is a good thing good luck to you and keep your sites set high

It is not a regional thing. The recession has not overridden the basic greed factor. I have people who have been laid off or not working for some other reason every day bring in the worst old worn out crap they can find (or steal) and want more than I can buy it new for, as a loan. Then are insulted when I tell them its worn out, broken or has someone else's name on it..
What did you expect from a people who want the government to pay their bills for them.
They are all upset because they cant afford cigs and beer. How is it a man who has been laid off and needs "gas" money can come in our shop so drunk and or high. They have no concept of priority. Just wait till they havent eaten in a week. Hold on to your ass. The worst is yet to come!

The higher than expected price for used gear is a sign that RAMPANT inflation is on the way. When the government starts flooding our economy with worthless printed money inflation is most assuredly on the way. Coupled that with higher unemployment, people need to get as much as possible for whatever they can sell. Just a sign of the times...

If you don't think the recession is for real, just look around. A year ago I was working pretty steady as a subcontractor with an uncle, now we can't get any work, it's been 3 weeks since we picked up our tools. The paper mill here in town shut down several months ago, another local operation is talking about shutting down. The paper mill flooded town with 550 people looking for jobs, and they don't know anything but paper mill. The other place will lay off around 1000 I think, and that's not the end of it.

A number of banks have already closed, more are on the way. Property values here went way down when the paper mill closed, and a number of them moved out of town and their houses are now up for sale but nobody is buying.

It's bad and getting worse, I don't see it recovering for a couple of years at least...

Hello Kramer, times are indeed hard it just hit home for me my 28 year old son just got laid off last week.
After reading your post last week about needing a car in the $1000.00 range and being angry because no one would sell you their car for that amount of money I think (with all do respect) is unrealistic! and prolly insulting to anyone wanting to sell their resonably dependable ride Bro.

My son that just got laid off that is 28 worked for me the summer of 1998 and he saved his money with my advise and he purchased some c.d.'s and stuff he wanted, but he saved $1600.00 to buy a car. Well being his father it would be a cold day in hell before I would let someone sell him a clunker and I found a little old Lady who had a Honda Accord that was asking $2000.00 and I brought her down to $1450.00 I paid the insurance.

Anyway the moral of this story is that was 1998 and this is 2009.

I am an older guy (not used to this at all) but this is just the way it is bro. a hardware store I used to frequent back in 1978 had an old newspaper cliping (very old and yellow) in their glass case saying.

"I like the younger customers because they don't know what the prices used to be"

Anyway if you are comfortable that is a good thing good luck to you and keep your sites set high

I'd agree with you about the car thing, but there's variables in there that you aren't accounting for. There's TONS of cars that are a 10-15 years old that fall into the $700-$1400 price range, using kelley blue book as a guide. They are still the de-facto authority on used car values. I should know, I just bought ANOTHER used car from a dealer, at the KBB listed value.

My issue is that people are asking MORE than KBB for a car with problems, or in some cases, asking double the KBB for a car just because it just happens to be well maintained, or just not broke down at the moment.

KBB actually breaks down values based on condition of the cars now, so there's not much argument against selling a car in poor condition for the KBB value of an 'excellent condition' car.

It's unrealistic to think there's no such thing as a $1000 car, simply because, IN GOOD CONDITION, no mid-sized standard model sedan with over 175k miles, more than a decade old Is really worth more than $800-1400. Maybe a few LE models go a little higher, but not most standard models. Get into luxury cars, etc... that's a different story. The simplicity of it is that people are being greedy in their desperation.

Not just with cars, but look on ebay and craigslist right now, check music gear, cars, whatever. You will find people are asking for 75%+ of MSRP (what they paid new) for items, many in total crap condition. That's all I was sayin.

The higher than expected price for used gear is a sign that RAMPANT inflation is on the way. When the government starts flooding our economy with worthless printed money inflation is most assuredly on the way. Coupled that with higher unemployment, people need to get as much as possible for whatever they can sell. Just a sign of the times...

I think you might be right. Even food went up, elusively. Most products stayed the same price, but all the containers/boxes are smaller now. Check out the previous 13.5oz boxes of cereal.. now most are 10.5oz at the same price.

I have noticed this selling of used gear issue here in Maine for several years now.
Music gear, computers etc
I don't know what it is, but folks have no idea about depreciation up here..
I'm always entertained by the folks who fire back on craigslist & lambaste those who try & resell for close to retail..

cheers lads,
Rich

Up until 2 years ago I never paid over $2000 for a car in my life.
Most were $1000 and under. They work just fine for a few years, then you find something else.
Even for 12 hour road trips and such Ive never had a problem. Maybe just lucky... but anyone should be able to get a pretty decent car for $2000 -- So... $1000 shouldnt be jalopy territory.

Anyone looking for a cheap 'good' car, I would recommend early 90's Oldsmobile or something with that GM 3.8 liter V6 (or maybe it was 3.6 liter.. ). Anyways, they get about 25mpg or better on the highway probably 20 in town. Great in the snow. Great for long trips. And you can fit a half stack cabinet in the trunk no problem.