TubeNet

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mirafone-Tuba-M ... 2064925150

the seller of this horn says that they traded for the horn, and discovered that the rotors were bad, they said that the rotors may not even be the right rotors for that horn, would anyone see this as worth buying, its super cheap, but rotors, especially those of a nice German brand like mirafone are not.

Naw. It's not worth bidding on. I'm buying it for parts!

That being said.... I wonder how the seller knows for a fact that the rotors are bad. They could just have the stop arms switched or something stupid like that.

bloke wrote:I would be afraid to bid on it.

You?
Afraid?
You ain't kiddin' me, you ain't afraid of nothing.

the seller wrote: My tech can play them, they just sound "stuffy" and off key

My Mahillon was like that- turned out someone had gotten a trumpet mute stuck in it. Just sayin' ....................

TubaTinker wrote:Naw. It's not worth bidding on. I'm buying it for parts!

That being said.... I wonder how the seller knows for a fact that the rotors are bad. They could just have the stop arms switched or something stupid like that.

I wondered the same thing. The body looks good.

I think for some people, online auctions are a form of entertainment, and they don't get the value out of it if they wait to the end. So sometimes they lose (i.e., "win") and have to pay, but it's worth it.

goodgigs wrote:The question in my mind is why would any body ever bid in anything with six days to go ?

oh oh oh I got it ! WE WANT TO RUN THE PRICE UP AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE FOR RESALE PURPOSE .

Well, it all depends on how disciplined of a bidder you are. If you establish in your mind the maximum amount you'll pay for something and will absolutely not - no matter what - exceed that amount, then WHEN you bid makes no difference...you've bid once and bid your maximum. You can bid right away and if someone comes along at any point willing to pay more, it becomes a case of "oh well..." This strategy is for the folks that don't really care if they win the item or not, but will gladly pay for it if they happen to be the highest bidder when the clock runs out.

But, if your purpose is to score the item for the lowest possible price or your goal is to win the auction at any price, then the clock can be used to your advantage on ebay. Just as you're saying, the earlier your bid goes in, the longer your fellow bidders have to make competing bids which can drive the price up. Bidding at the last possible moment makes it harder for others to raise the bid price, but can also mean that you run out of time to rebid if you've been outbid.

Personal strategy is wait until the final moments, bid what I'm willing to pay and let it ride. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Tom wrote:Personal strategy is wait until the final moments, bid what I'm willing to pay and let it ride. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

That's the way to go, if you aren't just doing it as some sort of entertainment. There are quite a number of services that will set something up for you, if the final moments are not convenient.
Among the reasons for waiting until the end, sometimes we suspect that the seller uses a "shill" bidder as artificial competition to raise the actual bid; I don't think that's as easy to do at the end.

goodgigs wrote:The question in my mind is why would any body ever bid in anything with six days to go ?

oh oh oh I got it ! WE WANT TO RUN THE PRICE UP AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE FOR RESALE PURPOSE .

I bid once early in many auctions just to 'mark' the item. You won't see me post another bid.... but you'll know at the end of the auction if I did! I don't play games.

There are several reasons for bidding early that don't involve playing games. Dan has mentioned one and Joe another. A third is to get rid of a Buy It Now button and eliminate the risk that it won't be there at all to snipe at the end. I always snipe what I really want. Some things I place an early bid on and forget it. If I win, fine, and if not, fine too. Others already want this tuba more than I do.

Bid early or late but I think the real issue on this horn is that it is missing the back bearing plates. (not the valve caps).

Michael Bush wrote:...to get rid of a Buy It Now button

^ This. Although, it depends on what the BIN price is. More than a few times, I've used this strategy, only to find that the final high-bid winner (not me) paid more than the BIN price. So it kind of backfired.

Donn wrote:

Tom wrote:Personal strategy is wait until the final moments, bid what I'm willing to pay and let it ride. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

That's the way to go, if you aren't just doing it as some sort of entertainment. There are quite a number of services that will set something up for you, if the final moments are not convenient.

And software you can load on your computer or phone. E-bay can send you a text message with a few moments left in the auction, too.

bort wrote:

Michael Bush wrote:...to get rid of a Buy It Now button

^ This. Although, it depends on what the BIN price is. More than a few times, I've used this strategy, only to find that the final high-bid winner (not me) paid more than the BIN price. So it kind of backfired.

BIN pricing is also useful on smaller value items. If you see an item you need and want and the price is what you are willing to pay, you can BIN, pay it immediately and, a couple of days later, it arrives at your door.

Timswisstuba wrote:Bid early or late but I think the real issue on this horn is that it is missing the back bearing plates. (not the valve caps).

I think you have it right. One of the photos shows the valve caps. Another photo has the valve caps off and it is obvious that the bearing plates are missing. Depending on one's access to bearing plates at reasonable cost, it might be a deal. Or not.

The Big Ben wrote:

Timswisstuba wrote:Bid early or late but I think the real issue on this horn is that it is missing the back bearing plates. (not the valve caps).

I think you have it right. One of the photos shows the valve caps. Another photo has the valve caps off and it is obvious that the bearing plates are missing. Depending on one's access to bearing plates at reasonable cost, it might be a deal. Or not.

Yes, without the bearing plates is would sound like *&$% if it played at all. Wonder what 4 would cost?

Timswisstuba wrote:Bid early or late but I think the real issue on this horn is that it is missing the back bearing plates. (not the valve caps).

Seller says the bearing plates are there in the asked questions section. Those do not show in some apps.

Minkrott wrote:

Timswisstuba wrote:Bid early or late but I think the real issue on this horn is that it is missing the back bearing plates. (not the valve caps).

Seller says the bearing plates are there in the asked questions section. Those do not show in some apps.

Hmmm... Well, then... Maybe it just needs someone who knows how to fit rotary valves. 'Tain't me... Who wants to roll the dice?

The Big Ben wrote:

Minkrott wrote:

Timswisstuba wrote:Bid early or late but I think the real issue on this horn is that it is missing the back bearing plates. (not the valve caps).

Seller says the bearing plates are there in the asked questions section. Those do not show in some apps.

Hmmm... Well, then... Maybe it just needs someone who knows how to fit rotary valves. 'Tain't me... Who wants to roll the dice?

Probably not me. Looks like it's gonna need a bell, too!

bort wrote:

Michael Bush wrote:...to get rid of a Buy It Now button

^ This. Although, it depends on what the BIN price is. More than a few times, I've used this strategy, only to find that the final high-bid winner (not me) paid more than the BIN price. So it kind of backfired.

Sure, that happens quite a bit. But if I wasn't willing to pay the BIN price, I'm sure not willing to pay what it would take to snipe it beyond that level, so from my perspective it's a wash. Getting rid of the button that was at a price point I wasn't willing to pay gives me a chance to get it at a price I am, even if that chance doesn't work out in my favor in the end.