Grrrr, lamenting of frustrations (or the Amp Blues)

[Red43j]

Man-
What a pain in the ass. So, I really wasn't liking the sound that my Peavey XXX Combo was giving me (it was okay, but I really wanted something more geared towards that Van Halen sound-DUH! LOL). After some cool airbrushing (see the pics below)




and toying with it for about 2 years, I decided I needed to throw it up on Ebay. It sold, and as always, I never seem to get price I'd like to get outta stuff I sell there (yes, I set it at the lowest I'd take but always hope it will go for more-don't you?). The plan was to buy a 5150 combo off the 'bay and move on. Well, a bill came up and I needed the $$, so the funds from the XXX went to bills. Watched Ebay, and I really wasn't seeing '50 combos at the right price. Went over to the Guitar Center here near Pittsburgh (not the Monroeville one, the Robinson one) and low and behold, a 5150 combo! I plugged it, sounded great. Looked at the wear and tear, it looked rough. Dots on the metal plate where the controls are (dots were to show who had owned before where he liked his settings), some tears in the Toltex, you get the idea. GC wanted $799, BEFORE taxes.
I found a salesman, and after he told me a minute, a half hour later, he tells me they can't budge off the price. I tell him how I could buy it off Ebay for cheaper, he tells me that new (get this) they go for @ grand. I kept my composure and said thanks but no thanks.

Went down the street to Hollowwood guitars. They sold Peavey. I told him about my experience, and he told me he'd look up the price of the 6505 combo. He told me he could do it for $999. Not bad, so I put $100 bucks from my Credit Card down on layaway. Thank god I did that too. I went back a month later, and the store was CLOSED! WTF? Yes, I called my CC up and told them what had happened. The CC company told me no problem, it will take 60 to 90 days and you will get the money put back on your card. Damn, out of this amp again.

In a nutshell, I need this amp. I love the tone. I keep getting close to the price I want on Ebay, but I keep getting outbid. I don't want to spend the money at the Guitar center on it because they want WAY TOO MUCH for something that is beat up and they WON'T budge on the price! Damn, this sucks! GRRRRR! -Red43j

[homeunit]

Bro, sometime you just have to spend what it takes to get what you want.

I just dropped $4500.00(can) on a new bogner xtc, and I couldn't be happier with it. Sure it hurt dropping that much cash on one amp, but it does exaclty what I want it to do, and it in turn it inspires me play better.

My advice is find what you want, make sure you want it, then drop the hammer and be done with it.
John

[AT]

I've found with eBay you just need to exercise patience. If it's an item there are a lot of (like the 5150/6505 combo), decide what you want to pay, check the auctions a few times a day (including misspellings--"Peavy"), and bid accordingly. It might take a few months, but you'll get it. Also, keep your eye on Craig's List.

I scored off eBay a 5150 combo in pristine condition a few months ago for $330 local pickup. The guy didn't want to worry about packing and shipping it, but he was about an hour north of the Twin Cities. (I ended up meeting him about halfway--didn't even have to drive the whole way!) It was just the right combination of circumstances, and I got an amazing deal.

[mk5]

Dude, there are several 5150 combo's on eBay right now. One ends in 3 hours and the price might be right if you get lucky.