consignment or ebay or ?

[MaryAnn]

As some of you know, I'm getting rid of my miraphone 184 cc and my MW 182 F. There isn't much market in Tucson, and I'm not really up to the whole ship-and-playtest thing. My options that I've thought of are paying someone to put them on ebay (but the way he operates is to just lower the price every few days until it sells, even if it sells for a ridiculously low price, and then I have to pay 30% commission on top of that) and consignment. So I'm leaning towards the consignment because at least they should sell for more reasonable prices than the local ebay option.

If consignment, I'd only have to pack and ship once rather than possible multiple times. So I have two questions:
1. if you were selling these two tubas on consignment, what would be your preference as to seller, given that the starting point is Tucson for shipping?
2. any other ideas?

The F is actually out locally on playtest but I still have the miraphone, the "world's best quintet tuba."

MA

[MikeMason]

Good experience w Baltimore brass and selling on tubenet...

[TMurphy]

You could try selling them here

I'm not really up to the whole ship-and-playtest thing.

Clearly not what she's looking for. I'd go with consignment at a major shop, unless you need the cash ASAP. It may take a little while, but they'll get you a good price.

[PMeuph]

You could try selling them here

I'm not really up to the whole ship-and-playtest thing.

Clearly not what she's looking for.

I wouldn't be so dismissive of trying to sell it on Tubenet... It is a free resource after all.

I am sure that some people buy horns without trying them first. (I have done so several times, mostly because the customs and the shipping is a big hassle)

I don't know much about AZ, but how big is the potential tuba market in Phoenix? Might be worth the hassle to try to list it on craigslist for a couple weeks before looking for consignment.

[cjk]

It really depends what BBC or Dillons (or whoever) charges for the consignment sale.

They may work on a percentage or fixed rate or some combination of the two.

You really need to figure out which shops charge what, then do the math.

For example, if the shop charges 10% for a consignment sale, then sells your tuba for $3500 (pretty much the top end of what a nice 5v 184cc goes for but you'll wait months to get it), you'll get maybe $3150 out of the deal, but you would have to pay to have your tuba shipped to the shop. Shipping could easily eat up another $150 or so even on the cheap. So you'd be looking at getting maybe plus or minus $3k.

If the shop wants 15%, then you're looking at more like $28xx.

Just because you sell something on Tubenet does not mean that you're obligated to provide an evaluation period for the instrument you are selling. I have sold a couple of instruments via Tubenet. I did not offer an evaluation period with either one.

I suggest you email me pictures so I might make you an offer. I am interested in having a 184 CC again.

[MackBrass]

I would start with selling them here on this site. Next would be to sell them on Ebay. If you sell them on Ebay you should do this yourself and not have anyone list it for you. To charge what you say for someone else to sell it on their ebay store is crazy. I would list it for you for nothing but you sould do this yourself as it is very easy to do. Next option is to sell it at a Baltimore, Dillon or at Oberloh's shop as they will treat you right.

I recommned that you stay as far away from the ebay person who takes 30% and lowers the price until it sells, that is just BS.

Good luck

[MaryAnn]

The problem with ebay is that someone can say it did not meet the description, and then they can send it back scott free, poorly packed, and dented into oblivion. And, I'm not an ebay seller and don't want to be. You can't control who buys it off of ebay, although these tubas are not going to attract Joe Blow from the used car lot. I'd much rather sell them on consignment and let the major store deal with all that. I'd also be happy to sell them on this site, but once again, no back-and-forth.

I'll have pictures in the works for the Miraphone in the new few days, but the MW is out on local trial to someone I trust not to beat it up.

If I have to ship *anywhere,* whether to a major store on consignment or as a done-deal sale off of this site, I still have to find a way to pack them, and that is just about beyond me right now. My reasons for selling are health related and there are quite a few things I can't do any more in addition to actually playing the tubas.

MA

[Michael Bush]

With a tuba of this caliber, if you put it on eBay with a long, detailed description, a bunch of pictures, a 99 cent opening bid and a reserve of the smallest amount you'd let it go for, you will almost certainly get what the market will bear. Time the auction to end about 9:00 Eastern, so most people in the US are off work and haven't gone to bed yet and have an easy shot at it at the last moment. Put a link on the eBay sub forum here, and many of the best potential buyers will see it. Once in a great while the result is disappointing for me, but not often.

(And block bidders who don't have a Paypal account. That will eliminate some potential buyers, some of whom will be mad about it, but with high dollar items, the chance of not getting paid is very high, and this cuts that chance way down.)

FWIW.

[The Big Ben]

If I have to ship *anywhere,* whether to a major store on consignment or as a done-deal sale off of this site, I still have to find a way to pack them, and that is just about beyond me right now. My reasons for selling are health related and there are quite a few things I can't do any more in addition to actually playing the tubas

Here is a thread on packing tubas complete with pictures:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=31654&hilit=shippin ... ng#p277419" target="_blank

Maybe someone could look at the pictures with you and help with the packing.

[Mark Horne]

MaryAnn,

I'm with you regarding ebay - I've purchased plenty of instruments there, but I'm not interested in selling through ebay - especially something that is a hassle to ship, not to mention expensive.

I've had excellent experience with brassark.com. Noah has sold three of my horns (french horns), each for more than I paid and more than I likely would have received through ebay, even after his low commission.

He's a pro musician in the LA area and very well connected with potential buyers. You can email him to see if he has anyone specifically looking for a 184.

Check his website to see the horns that he has sold and you will see that he gets top dollar for his customers.

Good luck, Mark

[Ken Herrick]

A listing in for sale here wouldn't be a bad idea. You have quality instruments which should fetch a fair price.
You could say - you can come try it and pick up. No trial periods, no returns, cash on the barrel. What you see is what you get. You should get a fair price. Set a price and if nobody bites, you can reduce it. If that doesn't work you can go EBay with the same sort of terms.
A full, honest description up front, your acceptable minimum as a reserve and buyer gets what they get.

A lot depends on how urgently you want or need to sell and how much you want or need to get for them.

You will only ever find out how much you can get in any period of time by trying. Don't panic sell unless you absolutely have to in which case one of the better, honest dealers who frequent these pages would probably still buy from you at a reasonable price upon which they could still make a profit at some point.

Darn, I could just about be tempted myself. Once Icook for two new orphans it might not take that much to feed two more.

Keep your cool and good luck.

By the way, there have been people advertising that they want to buy these sort of instruments - why don't you get in touch - you might make a good, mutually satisfactory deal.

[Bob Kolada]

Mary Ann, I like those 182's and shouldn't need a trial period. If you're interested in talking about selling and being done with it send me an email. It would involve shipping to Chicago but if we see eye to eye in emails it'd be a one way trip. I wouldn't ask for a trial just to try it out.

[Timswisstuba]

I wouldn't ask for a trial just to try it out.

Bob makes me laugh sometimes. His Logic is similar to Yogi Berra.

[Jack Denniston]

I've sold one tuba on consignment via Baltimore Brass and one via Tuba Exchange. In both cases I got the price I asked for and was satisfied with all aspects of the transaction.

[Tubachin]

Good luck to you,

I have sold several tubas on consignment with Dave Fedderly at Baltimore Brass. For me, I didn't need the cash immediately and discussed with Dave on a fair market price. This did require shipping the horn to Baltimore, but I did have a box and packing material from a tuba shipment from Dave to me (different tuba). It was a good option for me.

Shipping a horn is a hassle and expensive if you don't have all the materials, but consignment will ensure that you need to do that just once.

I do like the recommendation of talking with local universities and see if a student is interested.

Another thought might be to donate the horn to a school and take a large tax deduction. This is very different from getting a check, but might be a consideration.

Hope you find a solution that work for you...

[Bob Kolada]

I wouldn't ask for a trial just to try it out.

Bob makes me laugh sometimes. His Logic is similar to Yogi Berra.

How's that?

[Ken Herrick]

I wouldn't ask for a trial just to try it out.

Bob makes me laugh sometimes. His Logic is similar to Yogi Berra.

How's that?

Well, might be 'cause "a trial" is to TRY something.

I think I got your idea?? that you would order and the sale would be "final".

Ain't writting sumthin grate compaired to atlkin.???

[runngdog]

I'd start with Craigslist Tucson:

http://tucson.craigslist.org/

You can list, post all the pics you want, it costs nothing, and you hit the local market, so you don't have to worry about shipping. You might want to list with Craiglist in other cities as well - I just drove 250 miles from Chicago to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to pick up a Conn 14K listed in the Cedar Rapids Craigslist.

Next stop might be Ebay with the "Pickup Only" shipping option. Only a few bucks to list, commission isn't that big if you do sell, and again, you don't have to worry about the shipping.

PM me if you have questions.

[Alex F]

If you go the consignment route, check with Steve Ferguson at the Hornguys, http://www.hornguys.com" target="_blank. You may be able to drive the horns over there and spend a weekend in the LA area.

[Bob Kolada]

What I was referring to is people who ask for a trial just to putz around on it/use it for a gig/have never played that model before/... I've played them before (though just one I think), like it, and the only consistent gig I have doesn't like anything I bring in.