TubeNet

I have purchased one instrument via ebay, and I think I got a decent deal. $80 (including S/H) for an old Yamaha beginner trombone (silver), including a mouthpiece and working case. There was a small ding in the inner slide and a small leak in the leadpipe, but works OK for a beginner (me). It is in pretty good shape for its age (~30 years).

Ross

I got my Yamaha Custom 842S off eBay for a steal of a price (sorry, not going to reveal exactly how much, I'm afraid of the potential of the hate mail). One year old, pristine condition, perfect. Great experience.

***

I have bought and sold many instruments on eBay over the past few years. There are fewer bargains than there were a few years ago because of the increase in users, but they're still out there. I have purchased a number of things that had their flaws minimized in the photos or descriptions, but still think that the prices I paid were reasonable for the condition. There have been a few instruments that I got for a real bargain, like a $300 York 4 valve monster eefer.

I have had a number of deadbeat bidders, but they only cost me my listing fee (the final value fee is credited), and in most cases I was able to re-list and sell for a profit.

Ebay prices, although occassionally way out of line due to a bidding war, seem to be between wholesale and retail.

I have bought and sold a few horns on Ebay. Often, folks sell on Ebay who don't have a clue what they are selling. This is expecially true of antique dealers and folks who sell items from estate auctions. It's strictly 'buyer beware'. Know who you are dealing with and ask lots of questions. I have was burned several times but it was because I failed to ask the pointed questions. There are good buys to be had but there are a lot of stinkers, too. The condition of the valves is a crap shoot unless the seller can offer good answers to your specific questions. Then again, what I consider to be 'good' might be quite different than someone else's criteria.

John Edens wrote:Dan, you emailed me a while back about a piston valve problem I had and offered to have me send it to you. Are you still available for the job?

Sure. Email me privately.

dschultz@evansville.net

I feel like I got a pretty good deal with my purchase of a Yamaha-641 euphonium 4 years ago. Not a great deal - but pretty good. I probably paid $200 more than I should have but I got caught up in all the bidding. My maximum bid was out-bid twice as two others were bidding against me. I finally timed my last bid with 30 seconds to go. My horn is silver and is in excellent shape. I paid $2700 for it.

I was a 'nervous nelly' until it arrived. It was shipped airfreight counter to counter on Delta Airlines with newspaper stuffing added inside the horn and inside the case. No damage to horn - but the molded styrofoam came loose from the case.

I bought an e-flat king top action bell front tuba off e-bay and got
real lucky.Nice old 1940 horn. Didn't take much to get it going. I
wonder why e-flat tubas are so much cheaper.
Also bought an OLds ambassador trumpet off e-bay.I am pleased
with that too.
The Fartman

Generally pretty good experiences.

First "learning" purchase was a King 2280 euphonium, that I got in a bidding war over and which I will not reveal what I paid for. (!) At least I have used it in a concert band.

Second purchase was a MW 49 rotary Bb Bariton...which I got for $1025, pretty much a steal. It is a very cool little instrument and I wish I could find a gig bag for it.

Recently I bid on and won a Reynolds french horn for a reasonable price...and it arrived and was unplayable due to a bent valve section. It also stunk so bad that I felt the need to wash my hands after touching it. After some back-and-forth with the seller (I always am courteous from the git-go, giving the seller a chance to be honest) the seller refunded not only all my money but the shipping too. So although the seller should have had it looked at before putting it up FS, he did turn out to be honest. Sanders enterprises.

MA

Generally pretty good experiences.

First "learning" purchase was a King 2280 euphonium, that I got in a bidding war over and which I will not reveal what I paid for. (!) At least I have used it in a concert band.

Second purchase was a MW 49 rotary Bb Bariton...which I got for $1025, pretty much a steal. It is a very cool little instrument and I wish I could find a gig bag for it.

Recently I bid on and won a Reynolds french horn for a reasonable price...and it arrived and was unplayable due to a bent valve section. It also stunk so bad that I felt the need to wash my hands after touching it. After some back-and-forth with the seller (I always am courteous from the git-go, giving the seller a chance to be honest) the seller refunded not only all my money but the shipping too. So although the seller should have had it looked at before putting it up FS, he did turn out to be honest. Sanders enterprises.

MA