Page 11 of 14
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:14 pm
by RIC_FACTORY
johnhall wrote:I don't mind sharing the irony that Ben was referring to.
Obviously Musician's Friend ordered more MID basses than demand warranted, as compared to other colors, and they stacked up in their warehouse. So they did what all retailers do, they had a sale to reduce inventory.
All reasonable so far.
But I pointed out to folks around here that their ordering system is for the most part automated and uses algorithms like a similar infamous IBM inventory system from the 1980's that caused rather large blips in orders for many large department stores. As such, I said watch for a new large order for MID instruments, because the computer will detect all these sales as increased demand, without understanding the link to sale conditions.
That order arrived Wednesday, right on schedule . . .
Not to mention the fact that they cancelled a ton of 4003 MID orders right BEFORE they announced this sale.
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:42 pm
by electrofaro
johnhall wrote:That order arrived Wednesday, right on schedule . . .
heh heh - got to love those systems
Getting automated orders for a product code that's a one offs is also highly indicative someone's not monitoring orders

Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:22 pm
by whoapower
Thanks for the info on the MIDs blacked out. I have all the gear, but black binding, I don't.
I also ordered a second MID, so that should be here... within weeks or months or sometime next year.
I'll be contacting Ric CS next week to see if I can return to the May 11 MID for finish issues. If they are removing all the paint, any chance I can have the color changed? Or even put in black binding instead of white? Or even pay for some custom color by the factory? Reviving some old color combos would be great to see, even at a premium.
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:45 pm
by sloop_john_b
whoapower wrote:
If they are removing all the paint, any chance I can have the color changed? Or even put in black binding instead of white? Or even pay for some custom color by the factory? Reviving some old color combos would be great to see, even at a premium.
No, no, no, no.

Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:02 pm
by cjj
Well, you can always ask, but...

Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:16 pm
by cassius987
RIC_FACTORY wrote:By the way, I'm not afraid to use a sarcastic smiley as well!

This makes my day... maybe even my year, at least as far as forums (fora?) go. Thank you.
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:50 pm
by ricaddic
Danotron wrote:I've seen at least 2 Midnight Blue Rick basses on eBay today in "unplayed mint condition", in the factory shipping cartons, and still with the packing materials in the case. "Only taken out of the box for pictures". Both for around $1,799.00.
I don't think it's that hard to figure out where they came from.
Let the flipping begin

Saw this comming as soon as I heard about the sale, so typical, I still go to the ebay site and look at Ric basses and assorted other things like knobs and stuff like that and get a good chuckle how the horders price the stuff they are peddling, saw this comming a mile away as I did when the 75th anni instruments started to ship, and oh surprise how they suddenly appereared on ebay extremely overpriced...lol
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 7:12 pm
by berth
johnhall wrote:That order arrived Wednesday, right on schedule . . .
I suspect another Sale once all these MID's arrived.

Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 7:25 pm
by cjj
ricaddic wrote:Danotron wrote:I've seen at least 2 Midnight Blue Rick basses on eBay today in "unplayed mint condition", in the factory shipping cartons, and still with the packing materials in the case. "Only taken out of the box for pictures". Both for around $1,799.00.
I don't think it's that hard to figure out where they came from.
Let the flipping begin

Saw this comming as soon as I heard about the sale, so typical...
Hey, I think my prediction of a week ago (on page 7) was right!
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=402131&start=90#p707212
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 8:42 pm
by nukebass
I am very happy with my bass. I don't understand why anyone would choose black over blue

I need to take some pictures to post up here and do a setup on it. It's not bad now, but there is a neck bow that is expected from sitting in the warehouse for a while.
If anybody is following the talkbass thread, you'll notice that MF is mostly honoring their 15% discount retroactively (the discount expires tonight). I got that deal by calling customer service a couple of times, but they couldn't directly sell me the bass for less than $1200. I effectively received around another $100 in store credit, so I am extremely happy with this sale.
The neck is pretty close to my 79 4001, at least much closer than my DCM. This one may turn into my primary bass.
Now I have to figure out what to do with my other basses. If anyone is interested in a slightly damaged DCM or a near mint BBR 4004, drop me a line and I might be willing to make a deal. I have way too many basses...

Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:34 pm
by qwezirider
nukebass wrote:If anyone is interested in a slightly damaged DCM ...
Well heck, if I'd know that bit of information before this sale...

Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 11:21 pm
by nukebass
qwezirider wrote:nukebass wrote:If anyone is interested in a slightly damaged DCM ...
Well heck, if I'd know that bit of information before this sale...

In all fairness, I'm hoping the market picks back up so I don't lose too much on that one. I think I paid the second or third highest price for one and then the prices dropped like a rock, RIC added full width inlays standard, and I dropped the pickup on it while removing the guard to try to get the noise out of it (oh yeah, that's an issue with it, too...)
So I'll probably have it a while
None of those issues with the MID, though!
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:47 am
by marc61
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:51 am
by Danotron
cjj wrote:ricaddic wrote:Danotron wrote:I've seen at least 2 Midnight Blue Rick basses on eBay today in "unplayed mint condition", in the factory shipping cartons, and still with the packing materials in the case. "Only taken out of the box for pictures". Both for around $1,799.00.
I don't think it's that hard to figure out where they came from.
Let the flipping begin

Saw this comming as soon as I heard about the sale, so typical...
Hey, I think my prediction of a week ago (on page 7) was right!
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=402131&start=90#p707212
Yup, you nailed it allright!
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 2:25 pm
by marc61
I counted 7 for sale right now. Lowest price offered $1749 (forgot how much shipping was). As far as sales, most sold in the $1700 range. One sold for $1575, another for $1950.We'll probably see some dumping done as dummies that charged them on their credit cards just for flipping purposes get nervous. It still doesn't seem like this is going to kill the market forever.