Has anyone tried selling a guitar on consignment?

Started by Fergy07, July 26, 2006, 07:11:48 PM

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I am interested in trying to get a higher price then what I might be able to get for a guitar on Ebay and was considering trying to sell it on consignment at the store I purchased it.

Has anyone had any experiences with selling by consignment? Other than having to be patient are there benefits to doing that over using Ebay? Are you able to get a better price?

Andy
Larrivee OM9
Larrivee PO-09 Koa
Breedlove SN20
Webber 000 Cedar/Maple

There are many variables: the store to which you consign, the quality, desirability, a value of the instrument, your patience in waiting out a sale, and your notion of how much the guitar is worth.  Short answer: quick sale = ebay.  No rush = consign.  Sometimes you get more on ebay that you think you will.  Either way, August isn't a good month to sell anything.  People are on vacation.

E. Shoaf

I asked once at a shop.  25% charge at the shop I went to.  So unless you can get Ebay price PLUS 26% or more...
"Sometimes you wear stretchy pants, in your room...  Is for fun..."  Nacho


I've got at least 8 guitars on consignment right now,80/20 split.I myself am kinda tired of guitars getting devalued on ebay.Consign it and be patient.All the people who have there stuff in my shop are understanding of this.Most would get less then half on ebay.
A REPAIRPERSON,Barefoot Rob gone to a better place
OM03PA.98 L10 Koa
Favorite saying
 OB LA DE OB LA DA,LIFE GOES ON---BRA,It is what it is,You just gotta deal it,
One By One The Penguins Steal My Sanity, Keith and Barefoot Rob on youtube
Still unclrob
#19
12 people ignoring me,so cool
rpjguitarworks
Call PM me I may be able to help

I dunno, I don't think ebay is all that bad.  I always at least break even...if you want to sell at a good price, you need to make an awesome description, answer questions promptly...basically just bend over backwards for the people that are interested...Start your price at a price you are willing to see it go at, then any bids above that are just an added bonus.  Usually if you buy used, you can at least break even when you turn it around...that's why I buy used.   Or if you get a really good deal on a new guitar.

Breedlove SD-25 Custom
1973  Martin Sigma DM-5

I sold some expensive guitars on consignment through Elderly - it was before ebay era.
If you are patient enough and can forget it until actual selling, consignment is a good way.
Jiyang Kang (내가그린)

Larrivee L-03, Guild D-40, Taylor Big Baby, Tacoma CC-10 Nylon, Takamine CP-132SC Classical, PRS Hollowbody I
(Past) Goodall RCJC, Goodall AKCJ, Taylor 814CE, Leach Sierra, PRS Custom 22, Gibson Chet Atkins CEC, Fender Strat 1997 Collector's Edition

Quote from: LawDogStrgsAttach on July 26, 2006, 08:55:18 PM
Is it the Webber you want to sell?   :wacko:

You wish...it's a Webber 00 that I would like to fund. I am considering selling my OM9 with the Flutist headstock inlay and nicely bear clawed top. The store I use is very high end with a median price for the guitars in his store between $1500 and $6k, so I am hoping it would get a decent price, but (and no offense to any forum members past or present) I don't want to embaress myself by asking a high price on the forum, as I've seen the flaming wars that can get started when a guitar is listed for more than what the forum deems appropiate. I'm not in a hurry though, especially since it takes 6 months to get one built.

Andy
Larrivee OM9
Larrivee PO-09 Koa
Breedlove SN20
Webber 000 Cedar/Maple

Quote from: roknroll on July 26, 2006, 09:35:17 PM
I dunno, I don't think ebay is all that bad.  I always at least break even...if you want to sell at a good price, you need to make an awesome description, answer questions promptly...basically just bend over backwards for the people that are interested...Start your price at a price you are willing to see it go at, then any bids above that are just an added bonus.  Usually if you buy used, you can at least break even when you turn it around...that's why I buy used.   Or if you get a really good deal on a new guitar.

I've always broke even as well, but with Ebay they really seem to be getting yo lately with all the hidden charges just to get your money. If you allow someone to use paypal now, and the sale is over the 1k limit, they may spread their payments to you out over a couple of months. I'm never quite certain if I actually am making money.

Andy
Larrivee OM9
Larrivee PO-09 Koa
Breedlove SN20
Webber 000 Cedar/Maple

Just edited a post that I thought I'd posted in the thread about Web site downtime but it ended up here . . . sorry. . . . please ignore.

I'd like to consign my OM-50 but I'm afraid someone will put a ding or scratch on it which will either devalue it or it won't sell and I now have a guitar that someone else had dinged.
Anyone else afraid of that?
Happily married to the woman of my dreams and looking forward to growing old together.<br />Truly,God has smiled upon this simple man.

It depends.

I consigned a Beneteau through the 12th Fret a couple years back,
'cause folks frequenting that establishment would be more familiar
with Marc's work.  I could barely give it away on eBay.  Dave told
me what a fair price would be, and 2-3 months later, it sold for
that.  Worth the wait and the commission.

On the other hand, I sold a Manzer for what I thought was a fair price on eBay,
tho' I *might've* received more had I gone through (say) dreamGuitars.
But on the other hand, I object to what I consider to be the inflated prices
that (IMHO) such boutique instrument stores have given rise to.
(Note - I don't include the 12th Fret in this description -- my experience
has been that David & Grant have always been helpful, realistic & reasonable.)


Also depends on the commission.  15-20% is not unreasonable.  A high-end
store in my neck of the woods wants 30%, which I find offensive.

- Richard
oldWithoutMoney.com

Larrivee L-09 (w/ non-cutout iMix)
Larrivee 00-19
Larrivee OM-0312R

plus a few other treasures

I can't really speak for consignment, but I have found Craigslist to be far more to my liking than ebay.  Generally, buyers are local, deals can be done in person, and shipping is avoided.  The number of buyers is somewhat more limited that way, but it is free!  I've sold 2 guitars on Craigslist and came down in price a nominal amount because I hate to bargain and wanted the sale to happen.  Its also very easy to set up.  Might be worth a try while you are making up your mind.

jeff
Santa Cruz PJ
Martin om28v
Martin 0018vs
Bourgeois 'Alan Simpson' Slope Dread
Martin LXM (on loan)

I had one guitar on consignment (a Rhode Island Guild)  for a year without a sale. It sold in five days on eBay.
Haven't tried Graigslist for giutars yet but I did sell my canoe within a week.
Of course, even though  the ad now clearly states "SOLD" we keep getting calls and emails.
Some folks out there are DUMB!
The consignment deal was 15%.

Dan
"Time flies like an arrow..Fruit flies like a banana"
Townes Van Zandt

Quote from: dcarey on July 31, 2006, 08:14:23 PM
I had one guitar on consignment (a Rhode Island Guild)  for a year without a sale. It sold in five days on eBay.
Haven't tried Graigslist for giutars yet but I did sell my canoe within a week.
Of course, even though  the ad now clearly states "SOLD" we keep getting calls and emails.
Some folks out there are DUMB!
The consignment deal was 15%.

Dan

actually it's the responsibility of the seller to have the stuff removed off of craigslist.

Breedlove SD-25 Custom
1973  Martin Sigma DM-5

Quote from: roknroll on July 31, 2006, 08:52:20 PM
actually it's the responsibility of the seller to have the stuff removed off of craigslist.
That's why I clearly matked it "SOLD"
And still the idiots keep emailing.....

Dan
"Time flies like an arrow..Fruit flies like a banana"
Townes Van Zandt

I wouldn't consign anything just from the standpoint of the damage (great or small) that may occur while it's hanging on the wall.  As noted above, it's going to cost you 20-25% and you'll have to wait a LONG time in most cases because of extremely limited visibility compared to online modes.  Just an FYI as well.....I've found that the custom headstocks do very little to increase the value of used Larrivee's.  I've sold a few and it really didn't pull that much more.  The "beauty" of Ebay and the various forums is you may find that one person in Pocatello that just can't live without it......
Charis SJ Koa/Sitka
Mcknight/Poling GC Koa/Italian
Loriente Clarita EIR/Euro spruce




"One small heart, and a great big soul that's drivin"

The downside to ebay to me besides that its ebay,is paypal really is no protection.The fee's are getting out there and I've heard my share of horror stories.As for posting on forums as a soto dealer its just not right.
A REPAIRPERSON,Barefoot Rob gone to a better place
OM03PA.98 L10 Koa
Favorite saying
 OB LA DE OB LA DA,LIFE GOES ON---BRA,It is what it is,You just gotta deal it,
One By One The Penguins Steal My Sanity, Keith and Barefoot Rob on youtube
Still unclrob
#19
12 people ignoring me,so cool
rpjguitarworks
Call PM me I may be able to help

thanks everyone for their inputs.

Andy
Larrivee OM9
Larrivee PO-09 Koa
Breedlove SN20
Webber 000 Cedar/Maple

Just one more opinion if you need it.


Ebay is an expensive place to sell.  They get payment for the auction.  Then they get a cut of the selling price.  And then, if you receive over $500 through PayPal you become a prestigious member of the Premiere Account club where you are charged for EVERY transaction, buying or selling.   Ebay's a nice place to shop but I wouldn't sell a high ticket item there.

I sold three guitars on consignment: two Martins and one Taylor.  Anytime you hang your guitar in a store for tire-kickers to examine you take a chance.  Besides that, consignment is also expensive.   So you're paying a significant amount of money for the seller to risk damaging your guitar.  My experience with consignment arrangements was a financial mistake.

The better way to sell a guitar is through forums.  You can pass along the money you save from ebay-skimming or consignment charges on to your buyer by selling your guitar for less money - which, in turn, makes it look more appealing.   If it costs too much to sell, what do you really gain?

Here's an example where the math is not precise but it's close enough for a look:

I'm going to sell a Custom Martin J16C twelve string.  It's worth every bit of $2500.   A consignee will charge me 20% ($500); ebay would charge me at least $175 IF the bidding goes that high.  So I'm going to pocket either $2000 or $2325.  Why not just try to sell it for $21-2200 and forego the hassle & nonsense? (Unless I'd feel obligated to help a local store owner with my patronage).

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see where a consignee or ebay deserves that much money for something I can likely sell outright to a forum member online someplace.  There are no guarantees or meaningful transaction protection anyway you slice it.  Most of PayPal protection is smoke & mirrors designed to make people feel protected when, in fact, they're not. 

Quote. . . .I myself am kinda tired of guitars getting devalued on ebay. . . . Most would get less then half on ebay

I agree with that part of his post.  Ebay is not the place to sell a nice instrument.  (I "might" sell an exclusive, obscure quality instrument on consignment if there were no takers on the forums.)
Larrivee OM-03R-12 string + IMix external
Martin 000-15S + IMix internal
Martin OM-16GTE + Fishman Matrix
Gretch 5120
Fender Squires - Tele & Strat

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