Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

[Number Of The Priest]

If this post, for any reason, is in the wrong forum, please feel free to move it to the appropriate place. Thanks!

On with the body of the message:

I am really jealous of you guys who purchase used USA Jacksons on E-bay and such at dirt cheap prices.

The thing is that I am deathly afraid to purchase anything online for the fear of being scammed. It's a reality. Someone from across the continent can take your money and not send you your guitar or whatever you purchase online.

I have had the internet in my house for almost five years now (I was 14 at the time), and from the start, my parents told me to watch out for scams.

The only thing I have bought online, with my parents' permission of course, was a concert ticket last spring.

We don't shop online at all. If it were up to me only, I would buy a lot of things online. I want CDs, posters, and guitar-related stuff. You know, items that are more expensive in stores than online.

I guess the main issue with my parents is the lack of trust they have for online sellers. I was only able to buy that concert ticket because it was from a reputable source, Admission.com, and because the friend I was going with had bought his ticket online there and received his ticket in the mail no problem.

I would think that reputable online sellers such as Amazon.com might be a little more easier for them to let go of their money, but stuff like E-bay is not so trustworthy in their eyes, because it's just some person on the other end who you have to TRUST.

How do you trust these people to deliver your guitar in great condition?

My parents won't even let me trust anyone on the JCF to sell me their items either, even though I know that most of you have wonderful reputations. I highly doubt I'll ever be able to purchase a nice new USA Jackson from Onlinestagegear.com, for example, unless I somehow convince them. I once wanted to buy a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone pedal from someone selling it cheaper than retail, but my parents wouldn't let me because they said I didn't know if the guy would scam me.

I appreciate them looking out for me, but holy crap, it really made me angry because I think they're so paranoid.

Any ideas on how I could get my parents to warm up to the idea of purchasing things online? Not just from strangers on E-bay, but even from online music stores. This Christmas, I just really want CDs and posters. But in the future, I want to be able to buy larger items ("riskier", "more scammable" items in the eyes of my parents) such as used Jacksons/Charvels.

Your help is very appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[charvel750]

Re: Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

Yes, I feel for you, as I am always afraid of fraud, but usually in the opposite way, that is, from getting fraudulent funds from a buyer when I'm the seller. I take it you're at least 18 years old, correct? If you're still living at home, you are in essence under your parents' rules but if you are your own man, consider this. On eBay there is a system of checks and balances. If a seller has high amounts of feedback (several hundred) without a single negative and his transactions include auctions for high dollar items, he should be generally trusted. There are avenues a buyer can take against fraud, namely, paying with a credit card. In the event you are burned, you can charge back the amount through your credit card provider. Paying with US Postal Money Orders involves the Feds if there's fraud, they make a vested interest in the criminal seller cause it was their money mode. In this day and age there is no perfect way to avoid fraud when dealing through the net. But there are many ways to minimize it. With 925 positive feedbacks on eBay, I pride myself on honesty, reliablility, and accuracy in all that I sell. I worked hard to establish that credibility, and if anyone questioned it then I wouldn't want them to buy from me anyway, right?

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

True, and thank you for your response about E-bay "feedback"!

But, if you're deemed a consistently fraudulent user, couldn't you just sign up a new username and "start over", thus "erasing history"?

Yes, I'm 19, but I'm still living at home because I attend a local university. I would love to purchase cheap stuff online, being the budget-oriented student that I am! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[SkateAxis]

Re: Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

I'm goin to help you, and I've even got freakin visual aids!

First you'll want to find the guitar you want on the bay. you will see a page like this



Click where it says to and a page like this will come up



You can look how the seller has done with people in the past. If his record looks good to you, I'd go for it. eBay is a pretty safe place, just check out
the sellers record first and you should be fine.

Hope That Helps,
Greg

[SkateAxis]

Re: Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

well I guess you cant put pictures from angelfire, so my whole post is shot! It was about feedback though.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

I right-clicked on your pictures, went to "Properties", copied the link, and pasted it into the Address Bar at the top of my browser. Thanks!

[nor]

Re: Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

A good way to get your feet wet is to do some business with fellow JCFers. There's been some serious, top-o-the-line gear listed through the Classifieds - stupid-cheap.

Don't be afraid to ask for references - it's your money. Anyone who buys/sells/trades with other Forum members has to answer to the unwashed JCF masses if they are not straight-shooters.

You'll frequently find Classified deals that are as good (if not better) than E-Bay. Heck, a lot of the 'sweet' Ebay deals are posted here first - before they are listed for auction.

The best part - you are not buying anything online.
[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
You're just using your computer and Net connections the same way you would use the Yellow Pages and a telephone - to connect with someone who wants to sell something that you want to buy.

Since I re-discovered my guitar fetish about a year ago, I've bought a few guitars (the Squire doesn't count [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ).

The first was from Guitar Center (used Schecter C7+). I was recovering from a nasty pinkie-finger injury, and wanted a 7-string to help with the physical therapy. I'd always bought from stores, so this was fairly painless.

The second was my first-ever E-bay purchase (used Jackson '88 LE). I was pumped when I won, and the sellers' rating was very good. Then I noticed that he wasn't selling guitars - he was selling bootleg music videos! This was the only item over $25 he had offered for sale. That's when I realized I was sending cash (money-order) to someone I didn't know, in a city located clear across the country - to purchase a guitar based on a couple of low-res photographs...

I was very nervous, to say the least. Even once it was shipped, and I could track it - I still wasn't sure I was going to get what I payed for. Didn't find that out until I opened the case...

I found this Forum when looking for info on that guitar. Which leads me to...

...the third axe (import Jackson Roswell), which I purchased from jsully (now an all-powerful admin, heh). Smoothest deal of the bunch! He posted it in the Classifieds, I met his price and sent payment, he shipped it extremely well-packed (in his JCF01 box and bubble-wrap!). No fuss, No muss.

I never once worried about this transaction. But that's mostly because I hadn't seen a picture of him (and his shifty eyes), yet! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Then I bought another listed on da Bay ('99 Custom-Shop 7-String Death Angel). This stressed me out, because it was a one of a kind. I ended up paying almost $150 for insurance, packing and shipping because I insisted on third-party inspection, verification and documentation. But to get that required that the inspecting party (MailBoxes Etc.) pack, box, and ship it as well! Once again, I was not at ease until I opened the case.
======
If I hadn't gotten layed-off a few months ago, I probably have 5-6 additional axes! There have been a lot of great guitars offered by JCF'ers at screaming-stupid-low prices.
=====
Oops! Looks like another of my replies turmed into a short story... [img]graemlins/help.gif[/img] ...my bad [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Inazone]

Re: Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

The first time I ever did anything resembling an online purchase was back in 1994 or so, using a BBS (bulleting board system) instead of the Internet. I was looking for RAM for my smokin' hot 386, and the admin of the BBS was selling some...8MB for $200 or something like that. He lived in the area, so he drove over and installed it. My parents weren't too thrilled, as they'd heard that a lot of folks online were stalkers or scammers. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Anyway, I don't know that anyone has had 100% good luck with online buying. I've bought guitars from online dealers, bought gear from JCF members, and a few things on eBay. Honestly, eBay is great if you're looking for a bargain or something hard to find, but since you don't have a warranty to rely on, make sure you ask questions ahead of time. The used amp I just got was from a reputable eBay seller who was great to deal with, but the reverb and phaser didn't work. Before that, I bought a Jackson that arrived non-functional due to a faulty jacks. The seller had never plugged it in to see if it worked. Not a big deal in either case, but had been expecting a "mint" item in either situation, I'd have been mighty pissed.

Information is the most useful tool you can have when buying online. Make sure you know what you're looking for, and see what the going rate is on similar items.

[charvel750]

Re: Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

Brevity, gentlemen, succintness, come on, sheesh. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[drskrud]

Re: Cheap used Jacksons/Charvels

Hey Number of the Priest,

Granted there are plenty of scams online, but if you know who to buy from, then you won't run into much trouble. (Also since you purchased a concert ticket from Admission.com, I'll assume you're Canadian and live somewhere in Quebec like I do).

I bought my Jackson Warrior WRMG from Matt at OnlineStageGear.com before I knew of this forum... and of course I was a little worried at the prospect of purchasing from a store online that I knew very little about. However, after discussing with the people at Steve's Music Store, and realizing that the guitar would have cost me about $500 more if I bought it here, the Jewish blood in me took over and I decided what the hell, I'll get it from Matt.

It took a while but finally the guitar did arrive, in perfect condition with the hardshell case included. The final cost including duty and everything came out to about $980 Canadian dollars. (Steve's was asking for $1100 for the guitar alone, plus $190 for the case, plus tax).

And on a final note, since you want CDs and posters so badly (and I'm assuming by your nickname that you're into heavy metal), if you DO live in the Montreal area there's a store called Freeson Rock (www.freesonrock.com for more info) on Mont-Royal that specializes in Metal and has prices that are usually pretty decent. And although you CAN order online, you can also just walk into the actual store and avoid the risk.

-Skrud

P.S. Here's my guitar's listing on OnlineStageGear.com: http://www.onlinestagegear.com/pages-guitars/WRMG.html

P.P.S: Forgot to add: THANKS MATT! Guitar is awesome... [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ December 25, 2002, 06:23 PM: Message edited by: DrSkrud ]