Met my first Craigslist crazy!

[savage8190]

As I mentioned earlier, I sold my Epi Les Paul. I had it up on craigslist, and while Ive had my share of scam emails and no-shows, Ive never actually met a nut like a lot of people warn about.

So this dude emails me, says he's really interested in the LP and wants to come take a look. All is good, he comes by and proceeds to sit and play the thing for like a half hour...I mean, I don't mind and all, but its an Epiphone and I have other things to do...but whatever, I just sit and wait patiently. Anyway, after his little marathon he says, "alright, its great, I'll take it". Sweet, I'm glad the guys at least buying it, I start packing it up and he says, "oh but I have no money". What?! He then goes on with this tale, the jist is he wants it in two weeks and will pay me an extra 50 bucks to hold it...nothing down, no REAL incentive for me (actually, he said he just spent his last 100 bucks on booze on his way over...that was the red flag right there). I tell him that I'm leaving it posted, and if no one buys it in the next couple days Ill contact him when I get back from vacation...I thought that was reasonable enough.

So 2 hours later, someone comes and buys it for my asking price, good, done with it. As a courtesy, I give this other dude a call and let him know that its gone, and at that point it gets weird. He starts in on this interrogation of who the guy was, how much I sold it for, why I sold it to him, why didn't I hold it....blah blah blah. After being polite for awhile I finally get fed up and tell him, look its gone, he had cash, you didn't. Guy hangs up.

10 minutes later he calls back and starts in on me again..."so did the guy just show up and offer you more", "why would you take less than $600, I already offered $550", "its unfair", blah blah blah...I just say, dude, its gone, deal with it, I cant do anything for you...end of call.

Buddy phones me again like 20 minutes later and goes on this verbal assault calling me like every name in the book for a few minutes while Im sitting there eating dinner with my family...so I tell him to F off and get a life. At least it has stopped there...

Oh yeah, and the guy was like 50 something....I wonder how does someone like this get through life...Like I said, nutter.

Anyone else have some craigslist horror stories?

[mre1208]

I once had a woman in her 60's come by to buy that red Ovation in my signature picture. She was a little kooky, but a surprisingly talented finger-picker. But, much like you said, it was only a $250 guitar, and she spent over an hour playing it before saying she wanted to buy it, but tried to low-ball me....finally, she did just agree to the price, but still, a bit much for a low-end piece.

[baytamusic]

I'm more curious who's pay $550 for an Epiphone Les Paul? I sold my 90s Epi Custom for like $300 or something.

[savage8190]

I'm more curious who's pay $550 for an Epiphone Les Paul? I sold my 90s Epi Custom for like $300 or something.

I knew someone would wonder that . It had some significant upgrades (basically everything), and a hard case.

[pages plexitone]

Man, yeah, that's scary. Inviting strangers to your home is always a mixed bag I guess. I have encountered some Aholes selling guitar stuff but usually just kids with no money wanting me to take payments or guys that lowball you or never show etc. The undisputed king of insanity was a guy that wanted to buy a super glide Harley I had for sale. He was certifiably insane. Like no fooling, out of his gourd. I kept waiting for him to pull a knife

Glad your epi got sold, hopefully that guy is over it by now.

[Wendigo]

And now he knows where you live....keep your eyes open.

[indianDYsummer]

That's a really bizarre exchange. I'd make sure your door is locked when you're home. What a weirdo. Also, I know you didn't know he's a nutjob but it wasn't a great idea telling him you were going on vacation. When I have people over from craigslist I put my expensive stuff in my bedroom and am vague about my personal life/work hours, etc. if it comes up.

I had a guy come over and play my Fender Champ for an hour, then asked if I was willing to negotiate on price. I was just like "maybe a little" and then he told me he didn't have any money but was trying to sell his twin for something smaller. He also asked me about 15 times if I liked his guitar and wanted to play it (american strat with texas special pickups). I was just like, that's ok, seems like a nice strat though.

Anyways a day later I hadn't heard from him and decided to take my champ off craigslist so I just emailed him and said i sold it to someone else.

Not nearly as weird as your experience though.

[savage8190]

That's a really bizarre exchange. I'd make sure your door is locked when you're home. What a weirdo. Also, I know you didn't know he's a nutjob but it wasn't a great idea telling him you were going on vacation. When I have people over from craigslist I put my expensive stuff in my bedroom and am vague about my personal life/work hours, etc. if it comes up.

I had a guy come over and play my Fender Champ for an hour, then asked if I was willing to negotiate on price. I was just like "maybe a little" and then he told me he didn't have any money but was trying to sell his twin for something smaller. He also asked me about 15 times if I liked his guitar and wanted to play it (american strat with texas special pickups). I was just like, that's ok, seems like a nice strat though.

Anyways a day later I hadn't heard from him and decided to take my champ off craigslist so I just emailed him and said i sold it to someone else.

Not nearly as weird as your experience though.

Ya, I probably wouldn't have mentioned it, but there is going to be people constantly at my house while I'm gone so I wasn't too worried. In fact we have family upstairs too, and having an in house sitter, I'm surprised when there isn't someone in my house (I wish they would all just go away sometimes ).

And yes, I do the same thing with my stuff...I put all my other guitars in the bedroom when someone comes to take a look at something.

Not to mention that, apparently, I am a not so friendly looking guy and am quite large (its funny actually because my kids wont listen to a damn word I say because they know I'm harmless, but anyone else will fill their pants when I get pissed off)...I don't think he'd be brave enough to come sniffing.

[jason41224]

Anyone else have some craigslist horror stories?

not me, but a good friend of mine had really good one. he was selling a newish (09) Toyota Tacoma for about $11,000. he put it on craigslist and this middle-aged (mid-late 50s) couple from San Francisco agreed to buy it. they arranged for them to meet around 5PM, and San Fran is maybe 5 hours from here with traffic. so, he gets a call at 4:45 saying they had just left San Fran, and they expected to be there at 8(impossible). around 10, they call and say they're in madera, which is another two hours away. finally around midnight they show up, only seven hours late.

they fit the perfect San Fran stereotype; total hippies, the wife had a bleached blonde mohawk, the guy was wearing short spandex shorts, and it turns out they had driven their little 3-wheeler mini electric car there. whatever, as long as they pay cash. turns out, they had only brought 10 grand, and were $1000 short. so my friend sent them on their way home then an hour later, they knock on the door had the extra $1000 for my friend...in a briefcase! when my friend asked them how they got the money on short notice, they ignored the question and awkwardly stammered and said goodbye.

[OrangePaul]

Anyone else have some craigslist horror stories?

not me, but a good friend of mine had really good one. he was selling a newish (09) Toyota Tacoma for about $11,000. he put it on craigslist and this middle-aged (mid-late 50s) couple from San Francisco agreed to buy it. they arranged for them to meet around 5PM, and San Fran is maybe 5 hours from here with traffic. so, he gets a call at 4:45 saying they had just left San Fran, and they expected to be there at 8(impossible). around 10, they call and say they're in madera, which is another two hours away. finally around midnight they show up, only seven hours late.

they fit the perfect San Fran stereotype; total hippies, the wife had a bleached blonde mohawk, the guy was wearing short spandex shorts, and it turns out they had driven their little 3-wheeler mini electric car there. whatever, as long as they pay cash. turns out, they had only brought 10 grand, and were $1000 short. so my friend sent them on their way home then an hour later, they knock on the door had the extra $1000 for my friend...in a briefcase! when my friend asked them how they got the money on short notice, they ignored the question and awkwardly stammered and said goodbye.

An 09 Toyota Hilux in this country would set you back £16,995 or around $27,300
Ah the joy of living in RIP OFF BRITAIN

[baytamusic]

Anyone else have some craigslist horror stories?

not me, but a good friend of mine had really good one. he was selling a newish (09) Toyota Tacoma for about $11,000. he put it on craigslist and this middle-aged (mid-late 50s) couple from San Francisco agreed to buy it. they arranged for them to meet around 5PM, and San Fran is maybe 5 hours from here with traffic. so, he gets a call at 4:45 saying they had just left San Fran, and they expected to be there at 8(impossible). around 10, they call and say they're in madera, which is another two hours away. finally around midnight they show up, only seven hours late.

they fit the perfect San Fran stereotype; total hippies, the wife had a bleached blonde mohawk, the guy was wearing short spandex shorts, and it turns out they had driven their little 3-wheeler mini electric car there. whatever, as long as they pay cash. turns out, they had only brought 10 grand, and were $1000 short. so my friend sent them on their way home then an hour later, they knock on the door had the extra $1000 for my friend...in a briefcase! when my friend asked them how they got the money on short notice, they ignored the question and awkwardly stammered and said goodbye.

Wow, this is the craziest CL story I've heard so far!

[DrAaron]

Bit of a hassle but it can be worth meeting in neutral territory? I bought an amp off Ebay when I lived in the UK and met the guy in a supermarket carpark at like 3pm rather than have him come to my house. I think some things are better conducted away from where you live just in case!!

[nguideau]

I've been pretty fortunate, no horror stories. But I have made it a rule to never do deals at my house. I've met some people at other guitar shops, things like that. Don't need them to know where I live, that way if the deal goes south and they end up pissed at me for some irrational reason, it's a little more difficult for them to track me down.

[ironlung40]

I had an amp on CS for a few weeks. A guy started texting me saying he was really interested in the amp, but he lived 4 hours away. He wanted me to meet him half way, but was offering me $200 less then my price. I would have easily taken 200 less for it, but only with a cash pickup, with me doing no driving. I stood firm and told him that he'd have to pick it up. So he says he'll think about it.

Then he texts and says that the amp is not worth what I'm asking, and that he buys and sells amps all the time, and would only want it for a price in which he could turn around and resell it easily. Still I stand firm. Then he decides he wants the amp and he's on his way, and to expect him in 4 hours. 1 hour later, he texts, and says he can't come, but will next week. Then he starts wanting to know how the amp sounds, and wants me to compare it to other amps he has played. I'm like WTF, you should know if you want this amp or not and do your own research before supposedly already decided your coming to get it.

He wants me to hold the amp, I say that I'll only hold it on the day he is coming for it, but it is for sale any other time. This peaves him off, but I'm like, dude, it's just business.

In the meantime, his friend who only lives 2 hours away, sees my amp and wants it. They do some talking behind the scenes, without my knowledge, so still no bites, so the amp goes on ebay........the second guy buys it now on ebay, but wants to give me extra to let him come and pick it up because he has a gig the next day and wants to use it.

The first guy calls me 2 minutes after the auction ends and says WTF? you put it on ebay?!!! We had agreed on me buying it. He knows his friend bought it, and then he starts telling me that his friend (the second guy) is flakey, and plans to not pay me until the following week, and wants to know if he can just come and buy it out from under his "friend".

I say no, ebay is a contract purchase, and the dude bought it. He then tries to get me to just sell it to him anyway, and and not worry about the ebay side of it....and that his friend is crazy and a shady dude, etc., etc.

Anyway, I say sorry, but if the other guy flakes out, I'll call you.

The second dude, which was supposedly a flake, showed up on time, with cash, and extra for me allowing him to pick it up, knew the amp was exactly what he wanted and with a hand shake and a smile was on his way home with a mint condition amp.

Maybe not as crazy as some stories, but the moral is, don't waste as much time as I did texting and talking with these people. A serious buyer will show up cash in hand with 0 hassles. Be accommodating to a degree, but as the seller, you're the one in control, so be in control.

[dbsens03]

I had a guy, not so much a crazy, but a real a**hole. I had a Gibson Firebird posted and he contacted me, offered $100 less than I was asking. I was alright with it, but he couldn't drive to me for one reason or another. So finally after a couple weeks of his saying he'd be able to make the trip soon I just said screw it and told him I could go to him. I had to go to that general area for something else anyway. So we agree on a time and I get there when I said I would. Once there, I texted him to see where he was and he said he'd be there in an hour. We were meeting at his photo studio. Finally he gets there and he's just a real oddball, not even apologizing for being late. so he checks the guitar out and sits and plays it a bit. Then he offers me $100 less than he had originally offered me. Saying it's not really his usual kind of guitar and he's a front man. The other guitar he had there was some G&L tele thing. I wasn't real sure about this offer since he was starting to lowball but at that point I kinda needed some extra cash. Finally after he plays it for a while longer. About an hour in all, he tells me he doesn't want it. F**king prick. So, on my way home I contacted another guy who had shown interest in it and agreed to meet him and he loved it and instead of selling it I made out with a real nice American Strat and Epi Sheraton.