Morons & Educating Yourself on the Guitar You're Buying

AT · 04.01.07, 04:53 PM

Okay, it is fairly well known here that I am something of a Peavey Wolfgang guitar "expert." I own many of them, have assembled custom versions of them, taken them apart and put them back together, consulted Peavey about construction and assembly, researched serial numbers and models extensively, etc. (I'm a big fan of the Wolfgang.)

This auction ended a short while ago on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...9375&rd=1&rd=1

This is a Wolfgang Special EXP (Korean-made import). The original list price on this guitar when it was new was $899, and they sold new for anywhere between $450 and $650 (the case was optional). Though still a well-made guitar, it is inferior to the USA Wolfgangs, mostly due to cheaper wood, parts, and some quality-control issues with regard to construction. The "top" is just a 1/20" quilt veneer also. These morons bid this guitar up to a final price of $1,463!! It's used, has some scratches on the back, doesn't come with the fret protector (or any paperwork), and doesn't come with an original case! The seller just happened to take nice pictures that highlighted the fancy quilt "top." (The blue is in fact much darker than the pictures suggest.) Right now one can buy used off eBay a nice condition USA Standard flame top (the nicest production model made) for that kind of money! What the hell were these people thinking?! This guitar won't be worth what the winning bidder paid for it even ten years from now! (I hardly think the EXPs will ever be worth that much.) To top it all off, there was another Wolfgang Special EXP IDENTICAL to this one--with fret protector and soft shell case--that sat with a buy-it-now of $450 for days while these guys bid this one up past $1,000.

I am truly baffled.

Research and know what you're buying!! $1,463 is more than what I paid for all but one of my USA Wolfgangs!!

End of rant.

**mk5** · 04.01.07, 06:24 PM

Does that mean my original purple quilt standard will bring in $4k?

**homeunit** · 04.01.07, 08:05 PM

somebody should inform him that he got fucked.

**bjk** · 04.01.07, 08:28 PM

Damn, I'm selling my amber quilt Exp now! Seriously though, I really like my Exp. I've had it about 5 years now and it's playing better than ever. But the beauty of the EXP is that you're getting a pretty damn good guitar for $500-$700. But someone definately got hosed for $1450. I wouldn't pay that for a Standard. He must not have known the difference. By the way, I saw an EBMM Axis on Ebay for $800. Looks to be in pretty good shape too. I'd probably bid on it if I had any extra dough.

**Dance The Night Away** · 04.01.07, 09:39 PM

That person clearly didn't do his homework. American Specials usually only sell for $900. I know a few people on the links that have got Custom Wolfgang Specials for close to the same price as that Exp.

Hey Andrew I looked the Peavey site earlier today and there is a link for the HP Special Ex. It looks like it is going to retail for $450. Any interest in trying one of those at all? I may try to buy one used on Ebay sometime down the road depending on how cheap they get.

AT · 04.02.07, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by Dance The Night Away

That person clearly didn't do his homework. American Specials usually only sell for $900. I know a few people on the links that have got Custom Wolfgang Specials for close to the same price as that Exp.

Hey Andrew I looked the Peavey site earlier today and there is a link for the HP Special Ex. It looks like it is going to retail for $450. Any interest in trying one of those at all? I may try to buy one used on Ebay sometime down the road depending on how cheap they get.

That's ironic, because I was just on the Peavey website checking out what's currently in their line of guitars (I haven't done so in months). I was surprised to see the HP Special EX there, and I was also surprised at how many features it doesn't have compared to the USA version. They added the middle position single coil, but it doesn't have the coil taps, doesn't have the trem stop, and doesn't come with a veneer figured top (just solid basswood). It seems the plus to it is they've kept the cost WAY down, which is probably what they were thinking would be the main draw.

**willy4pres** · 04.02.07, 04:56 AM

I e-mailed the guy, hope he has a chance to back out of the auction. The seller never mentions that it's the import version. Some of you guys that know your shit should e-mail the seller, and rip him a good one.

**gproud5150** · 04.02.07, 05:17 AM

As much as it pains me to see uneducated people get taken for a ride, he started the auction at $200.00 with no Reserve. If someone is stupid enough to spend that kind of money on that guitar, he got what he deserved IMO. If people don't take the time to research what they're getting before they buy, well, you know, caveat emptor. The seller never deceived anyone. There's no rule stating he has to say where the guitar was made. If I was selling a Wolfgang I'd go under the assumption that the people bidding are at least marginally informed on the history of the guitar. If they're not, unfortunately, that's their problem.

**Charvel2** · 04.02.07, 05:25 AM

Problem is, when someone is selling/buying a misdescribed item and you try to point it out, as often as not you'll get nothing but abuse for your trouble. Two examples...

1) A guy was recently selling a regular 1990 Charvel 475 Deluxe with crackle finish on Ebay as a rare collector's item at an asking price of more than three times its actual value. I sent him a message saying he would stand a better chance of selling it to a Charvel collector if he got the model right and priced it realistically. I also included a couple of links where he could verify the info. He reported me to Ebay for spamming and I got an official warning!

2) A friend of mine say an Ebay auction for a book about Status Quo which had reprinted autographs on the inside cover, as every copy of that book had. The seller was saying they were genuine autographs and a bidder had gone to a price way above its value. My friend emailed the bidder to warn him, to which the bidder responded by accusing my friend of trying to put him just so he could bag it himself.

You can't fight stupidity.

**Otis5150** · 04.02.07, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by willy4pres

The seller never mentions that it's the import version.

Yeah, that's just wrong. It's not like it says "EXP" anywhere on the guitar and if you leave "EXP" out in the description, most people would assume it was ameican-made.

**gproud5150** · 04.02.07, 10:26 AM

Perhaps the seller didn't know it was an Import. Or knew there even was imports of this. A lot of times on Ebay the sellers aren't being deceptive, they're just dumber than buyers.

AT · 04.02.07, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by gproud5150

Perhaps the seller didn't know it was an Import. Or knew there even was imports of this. A lot of times on Ebay the sellers aren't being deceptive, they're just dumber than buyers.

And... eBay can really ignite the competitive aspects of some folks' personalities. If it becomes a race to outbid those one or two other people who are fighting you for it, well then practicality exits real fast.

**h*bunter** · 04.02.07, 01:09 PM

It could have been a trick by a buddy to bring the price up too....

**h*bunter** · 04.02.07, 01:10 PM

Especially since the winning bidder hasn't done shit since 2005....

**s6275** · 04.02.07, 01:16 PM

I actually watch a lot of EXP Wolfgang auctions when they crop up, just to see what they bring. I have a blue one similar to this, but with a USA Wolfgang Special "PAT PEND." neck and Floyd swapped onto it. I don't know if I'll ever sell it, but I guess if the price was right...

...and this auction almost had me thinking that "now is the time." Any idea how much my Wolf might bring? VERY nice condition (nothing more that some VERY minor polishing marks).