Oddball auction: 4v Martin

[Dan Schultz]

I've been trying to report that auction as 'fraudulent' but it won't stay on the page long enough. It keeps trying to redirect.

[bigtubby]

I've been trying to report that auction as 'fraudulent' but it won't stay on the page long enough. It keeps trying to redirect.

Someone has figured out how to game ebay ... and ebay hasn't figured out how they are doing it.

Like the Miraphone with the extension cord plugged into a wall socket. I've seen that used dozens if not hundreds of times. Looks like a phishing scheme to me - the graphic instructs people to email before bidding. Then fresh meat (your email addy) for the spammers.

[WilliamVance]

eBay customer service is a joke. You try to call and you get: yessir! That is all I can do. I can ask a supervisor and get back to you in 24-48 hrs.

I messaged the seller asking for more picture last night, but no reply as of yet.

I sent an email to the old "safeharbor" email address, and got this response:

Thank you for contacting eBay. To serve you in the best possible way, we would like to speak to you on the phone. Here's how to reach us:

1. Click the "Customer Support" link at the top right of most eBay pages.
2. Click the "Contact eBay" tab and sign in.
3. Select the topic that fits your question or concern. If your issue isn't resolved with the information provided, please click the "Call us" link. You'll see a phone number and a PIN to use. The PIN expires within 15 minutes, so if you're not able to call us within that timeframe, please click the "Call us" link again for a new PIN.

If you're deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired, please contact us through an IP relay service.

Our representatives are available 5:00 am-10:00 PST pm, 7 days a week. We look forward to helping you.

-- Please don't reply to this message. It was sent from an address that doesn't accept incoming email. --
Thanks,

eBay

If anyone wants to call and talk to a "real" person, they're still there for another 1-1/2 hours tonight.

[eupher61]

I do think something is up with this, given the locations involved, the shipping cost, and the inability to report.

But, I don't think the fact that a Martin is in Spain (or Ireland...) is a red flag, nor do the pictures make me think that. The price...well, it's not in perfect shape. It does seem a little low for a 4v, but it is top loaded, not front.

I like the pictures, although it would be nice to have one full frontal. The case doesn't look too good as far as securing the body, and it looks quite heavy.

I want this to be real. Not that I'm wanting to bid, but this is probably a very nice tuba, wherever it really is.

[Uncle Buck]

This seems like an odd thing: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Vintage-1930s-MA ... 1256441604

I can sort of accept the "pre-approved buyers" thing and the low BIN, but the other odd things include (A) a pretty rare American-made tuba being located in Spain; (B) a tuba from Spain being advertised on ebay Ireland; (C) only one picture of the horn and that from a fairly uninformative angle; (D) a picture of a wooden crate for holding the thing that's possibly even less informative than the picture of the horn; (E) $80 for international shipping.

Given that it's getting bids, apparently others are less confounded by this than me.

Is anybody really SURE this is a scam auction?

(A) - Sure, unusual. But not unheard of.
(B) - Where do you see this as being listed in eBay Ireland? I don't see any reference to Ireland.
(C) - There's lots of photos if you scroll down.
(D) - There's lots of photos if you scroll down.
(E) - Yeah, that seems low. Does that make this a scam?

I also don't see the BIN price as particularly low.

[Donn]

(B) - Where do you see this as being listed in eBay Ireland? I don't see any reference to Ireland.

I haven't tried to put this page on the bench and find where it's broken, but I believe the redirect mentioned above goes to www.ebay.ie. Depends on the browser what happens then - my usual browser gives me only a blank "Questions and Answers" page, but a different browser manages to show a whole auction page - with the wrong item number on it. If I abort the page load in time to avoid the redirect, I get the page with the right item number (251256441604).

This is all pretty whacked, but it doesn't imply fraud to me, nor does a poor case, nor non-local auction (demand for this thing has got to be very weak in Spain.)

[WilliamVance]

It does not have an orginal looking lead pipe and I think it was overhauled at some point. I wonder how this might affect it's actual playability. I wish I didn't have two 3-valvers with upright bells or I might use this as an excuse to buy another.

[Donn]

You're not talking about a real tuba...

You're discussing an image on your screen...zero's and ones.

Careful there, you're only ones and zeros as far as I'm concerned!

[Uncle Buck]

wow.

You're not talking about a real tuba...

You're discussing an image on your screen...zero's and ones.

It's a scam.

I one of the most skeptical guys I know, and I generally know how to spot a scam.

No question that this auction could be a scam. Definitely some factors that make it a higher-than-normal eBay risk. (All eBay purchases carry some risk, to a varying degree.)

However, with this particular auction, I haven't seen anything that leads me to conclude definitively that it is a scam. That's the kind of conclusion I don't like to draw unless I'm pretty damn sure.

But no, I have no interest in bidding on this auction. So why the hell am I bothering with this thread . . .

[EdFirth]

I'm just about certain that I bought this horn from Vince Giordano a couple years ago. The clues, the straight leadpipe and little curved brace going to the bell, the 26!!! inch bell, all of the ones here in town are 24 inches, ant the homemade cases.It's at Tom Treece's house now so I'll call him and have him take a look. Ed

[EdFirth]

Just got off the phone with Tom, it's the same horn. This has actually happened with this horn before. So It'll probably get pulled but if you win you might want to wait on sending the money.And by the way, it plays GREAT!.Ed