What the??

Alnus Rubra

Loving nature’s wonders
Joined
Oct 17, 2017
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Scotland
So after having a lovely conversation with @Simon Says who’s very kindly offered to send me some goodies from his company.

I started looking for a tube screamer pedal, amongst other things.

What the heck is going on with certain pedal prices ? I’m not talking about 80’s stuff, which is ridiculous, but used new stuff.

Example A:

Here’s my beat up tube screamer, that I’ve dragged along behind my car, twatted it with a bike chain, taken an angle grinder to it and I’ve lost the box and the power lead, but it’s basically mint, only used in my studio, for about 95% of new retail price. But basically you’re getting a piece of musical history at a bargain price

Example B:

Here’s my mint Boss DS1. Boxed, instruction manual, everything it came with new, for 45% of new retail. (A realistic deal).

I’m mean what the??

Is it just me, or has the world today gone absolutely mad?
 
Some stuff has gone absolutely crazy in price, in some people's minds. I just by new. The price is pretty much set and you can sometimes get some knocked off of the price. People will get that their stuff isn't worth those high prices when nobody shows interest in it. It will just take time to sink in.
 
Don't give up too quickly. I bought a TS808 for 75 kwid and got a Maxon OD9 (basically TS9 with true bypass) for 45. In fact, I got two OD9s as I was bidding in two auctions and managed to get both under 50 squid sterling. I will keep an eye on them for you. Not sure if you are on FB, but you can get sweet ass deals on used gear there. The only thing I miss about social media
 
I regularly find myself looking at ads and telling the unseen seller “screw you, thieving scalper of a worthless scumbucket!” I don’t even look at anything vintage anymore because the prices are always stupid. And by the way, TSoaWS (see above), your 3 year old pedal isn’t worth more because of the semiconductor shortage!

Yes, it is possible I am irritated by sellers in the used market.
 
Things are worth what people will pay for them. Simple as that.

I'm not going to sell my house for less than it's worth.

I mean, I know people need affordable housing...but I need to get every penny I can get for it.

Neither will that prevent ME from being patient, and looking for the best deal I can find when I go to buy something.
 
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Don't give up too quickly. I bought a TS808 for 75 kwid and got a Maxon OD9 (basically TS9 with true bypass) for 45. In fact, I got two OD9s as I was bidding in two auctions and managed to get both under 50 squid sterling. I will keep an eye on them for you. Not sure if you are on FB, but you can get sweet ass deals on used gear there. The only thing I miss about social media

Thanks Pav.

Yep I’m on FB and watch marketplace often.

I regularly find myself looking at ads and telling the unseen seller “screw you, thieving scalper of a worthless scumbucket!” I don’t even look at anything vintage anymore because the prices are always stupid. And by the way, TSoaWS (see above), your 3 year old pedal isn’t worth more because of the semiconductor shortage!

Yes, it is possible I am irritated by sellers in the used market.

Thanks Rick, I just don’t see why a TS that I owned about 40 years ago is suddenly worth just shy of a grand! Especially when it’s beat to sh!t. D@mn hipsters and their old stuff.

I thought I was just being a grumpy old man.
 
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You are right AR, prices are ridiculous.

In my experience, there are a few sellers who are more "realistic" in their pricing, just have patience.
The right deal will come along.


That’s how I ended up with my Santana. The guy priced it to sell and a deal was struck.

I see the same stuff up for sale for weeks/months/years and it doesn’t budge.

But pedals seem to be selling at crazy prices (hands up in the air emoji)
 
That’s how I ended up with my Santana. The guy priced it to sell and a deal was struck.

I see the same stuff up for sale for weeks/months/years and it doesn’t budge.

But pedals seem to be selling at crazy prices (hands up in the air emoji)
I know firsthand as well.
I have been looking at certain pedals to add and some of the prices are laughable.

In one instance, I have been looking for a specific configuration of an 80's boss super overdrive. And I realize its an 80's boss pedal and hard to find, but some of them have listed for $400+ and its been listed for a year. One would think after a month or so that maybe the price is a "little" high....:oops:
 
The stupid prices people will pay for used pedals turned out to be personally lucrative as a few old pedals basically financed my entire current board. But I price things fairly and to sell, and am aided by the fact that for many years I wouldn't get rid of ANYTHING. Mot of the sellers I see out there now must have pretty high opinions of themselves though, because the prices they ask would hardly be justified if they'd ripped the thing straight from EVH's pedal board.
 
Things are worth what people will pay for them. Simple as that.
... said every scalper ever. Not hammering on you personally, but I am tired of hearing that in defense of people overpricing things. I've said it myself when people are griping about paying for value. The "my Squier Strat was only $399, so why does a Silver Sky cost so much?" mentality. But what @Alnus Rubra is talking about is just ripping people off because you can.

I've no issue with people getting a fair price, even a modest bump in a hot market. That's not what you're seeing out there. It's intentionally putting the screws to your fellow musicians because there is a perceived shortage... kind of like "asking" $20 a gallon for gas in an evacuation.

I guess it's just disheartening to see the feeding on one another become so prevalent and accepted in the music community.
 
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