Lurkers

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:42 am

It has been mentioned in the past but very evident to me as of lately,we post something on the forum here that might be on ebay,after a couple of oohs, and wow, threads the bidding goes through the roof or we might provide info the ordinary Jo, doesn't know.Somebody said it before ,I will say it again we are,are own worst enemy's.I wish this forum was private,and these lurkers, would at least have to register.

rob · Post by **rob** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:48 am

This forum is private. We had to register to post.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:52 am

I was a lurker once, but I got better.

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:56 am

Robert, to post, yes, to lurk no.

I just posted about a V good 73' BIN in the UK and it went soon after. I don't know to whom, but it may have been a lurker..?

What can we do though?

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:19 am

Bob,thats what i was refering to that 73, went pretty fast,Ive seen others in the past month...

Lurkers are like spam on your computer.

relayer · Post by **relayer** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:25 am

I *think* I've been to forums where you do have to register to even read posts (but I'm not positive about that), so that might be something in investigate.

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:34 am

I know thats what im talking of, this one you dont have to register to read the posts anyone can read this at anytime.

4005player · Post by **4005player** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:37 am

I lurked for a little bit before I joined, just to check this place out, but I never poached!!

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:46 am

I don't think this Forum should be closed to non-members. I Lurked for a while, until I was relaxed enough to post.

I think the mention of an Ebay auction is nothing secret. However the info given here can make or break someone’s auction.

Perhaps, as a least, we should keep our max. bids to ourselves.

I know I am guilty of my max bid announcements.

relayer · Post by **relayer** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:52 am

I guess I can see both sides of the argument (gawd, I'm so wishy washy :p). OTOH, I think those that have lurked and then registered/posted are probably rabid enough Rick fans that they would've registered even without having had the ability to check things out first.

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:53 am

I'm talking of the people who just log on to get info. of what our take is of something thats on ebay,perfect example is the v63 I'm bidding on [Guaranteed] the guy thats also bidding on it went hog wild with the bid after someone posted its got an original horseshoe [which it doesn't]The more we hype something up, the higher the bid goes.look at the so called 68 4001[v63]the bid has not moved,if everyone thinks its a 68 the bid should be at least 2-3k by now???

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:14 am

You are right Ken.

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:41 am

There are no real surprises on E Bay anymore I think. As I mentioned in a post last week you have to play a poker hand sometimes, or get lucky with a BIN.

Many lurk here, watching and learning, and on many occasions will be beating us to a deal with a bass, or bidding against members for instruments. Unless Peter goes to a totally private/protected forum it will be that way and we'll have to get used to it.

Prices continue to increase. Some members here, who have really wanted certain instruments have made occasionally market prices appear expensive in the last year. Generally though, the whole Rickenbacker bass price guide has had to be rewritten in the last 6 months to keep up with the prices being paid, all of which is not our own doing.

Of course, it could be argued that with our knowledge and enthusiasm we are our own worst enemies sometimes...

throw_this_away · Post by **throw_this_away** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 10:00 am

hahaha... the trick is to sell a bass under a different ebay account... and then come here and praise the hell out of it. Make yourself some money. ;P

"Experts" throw a lot of weight around when talking about auctions. Other people are obviously taking note... I don't doubt it. The rising prices of checkerboard 4001's and especially 4005's are great examples. If one of you says 7500$ is a good price for a 4005... sellers will ask 8000$ and based on your advice buyers will think it is a good deal. two years ago a seller might have been lucky to get one for 2000$. But the 4005 now has an "aura" to it... people posting pictures... and then everyone else ooh'ing and ahhhh'ing. Makes other people want them more, pushes up prices.

But then that is part of life and buying/selling.

4005player · Post by **4005player** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 10:24 am

....just like the securities markets - driven entirely by human emotion! (I know, as I was in that biz for two years and got out after the "crash" of '87....talk about emotionally driven BS?!!)

Two years ago, I bought TWO '67 4005s for $7000 total...which is still a LOT of money. Now, seeing the $7000 4005 that Marc just bought from CME illustrates what we're talking about.

I mentioned previously that nearly 2 years ago, CME had a '67 4005/6 for $7K, and now the one everyone here knows about at Southworth Guitars costs $12,600, up from the original price of $10,600 (which was raised after I showed possible interest in it!)

It's human emotion (greed & desire) inflating the prices....though unlike real estate, I don't think the prices on true vintage instruments will drop, unless the whole economy collapses....and even then, I don't see the prices coming down much.

(By contrast, I think real estate prices will fall, but that's another topic!)