I've always wondered, how do these trades work? You guys have any advice on a newbie willing to try one some day? I'm guessing much of it is just basic trusting each other? thanks!
i've been selling, trading, buying for about 5 years now. i've sent $3000 guitars cross country without knowing the person, and with no payment. I used to just tell folks, "wait till you get it, make sure its what you want, then send me the $". I still do business that way pretty much. I don't think i've ever requested $ up front. To me its a feeling of trust and belief in the human. I have declined selling on two occasions due to a gut check feeling-and later found out my feeling was correct.
i usually will email back and forth a few times, maybe get a phone number and talk to the person-that goes a long way with the "gut check". if you are a regular on the forums-here and the AGF, you may see the persons name and posts and already have a feel for who/how they are.
I think thats pretty much where Gutch and i were at, he sent an email and told me he had the GT6 and said he could get pics out if i was interested, i declined the pics as he told me the condition was nice in play and build. i don't think he asked me any further questions on the 12 fret other than reading my ad. we both told each other we could get them out last thurs/friday. i thought overnite and did more research on the baritone as i know nothing about them-sounded like a fun thing to try so i responded next morning and told him to send me his address-mailed the GC that day. i think he shipped the following day.
we didn't discuss returns or much anything else. it was kinda one of those spontaneous things to do-like driving by a bridge in mid July thats about 30 feet high. pulling off the side of the road and taking a look, thinking about it, then just jumping in(thats very cool if you've never done it).
one day i'll probably get rednecked, but i haven't yet.
if you get serious and its your first time trading long distance i would do the same things you might do as if buying long distance:
1)ask about a return option-if one of you do want to return how to handle that
2)shipping method-make sure you are getting the guitar shipped in a quick and good way and by the shipper you like to use
3)definitely ask for pictures before hand, and if possible a soundclip(didn't do either this time)
4)trial time-how long of a trial period(i would think 48 hours is plenty-i usually know in 10 minutes if a guitar suits me right off)
thats all i can think of at the moment-others might chime in to help
d
