Creaszy
I'm going to look at a second hand guitar in the next few days, and want to know what to look out for. What i've i've thought of so far is:
1. Obvious damage
2. Warped neck / action & intonation
3. Faulty electrics
4. Serious rust
It's a BC Rich Warlock Ice Series (Clear acrylic body), so i know it weighs a ton, but i absolutely love the look and sound. Are there any issues specific to this guitar that i should be weary of? Also, is there anything i've left off my little "check-list"?
kayDUB
I won't address the technical issue (cos others here are more informed), but on a side note..
Try not to get too excited about the guitar when viewing it (tough if its something u really like/want), the reason being that its easy to overlook things in that state of mind. Try to be objective and REALLY look at EVERYTHING, plus don't let the seller put you off.
Creaszy
Try not to get too excited... ?
I've been far too excited about this guitar for years now, but that is good good advice nonetheless.
CDee
Creaszy wrote
3. Faulty electrics
Make sure all the pots and pick-up selectors work as expected. Sometimes people "fix" the electronics themselves. (getting over-zealous with a soldering iron or duct tape)
?
AlanRatcliffe
If the action is set too high, try set it there, before you buy the guitar. Sometimes a high action can be hiding something... I don't know which this is, but the original Rich guitars (US made) were all very well made, the Eastern made instruments were very inconsistent.
Keira-WitherKay
and most importantly ... knock down the price....... most people who sell deliberately pad a sale so they still offer a cut but end up with what they originally bargained for.... you never mentioned the price..... but get it reduced by at least 25% if not 30 before you walk out the door.... unless of course you know it's a steal...like someone selling a USA strat for the price of a mex one.... but then if price is too low decide if it's ignorance on the sellers part..... like a mother selling her sons guitars while he's overseas ect.... but low prices could also mean 'stolen" gear ... so be weary of too good a deal too ..... and you are aware that if the guitar is stolen and the owner and police track it to you ... you won't be charged with the theft but they will take the guitar from you without compensation ....so be careful
and yeah most people selling are because they need the money be it for other gear ... but most sales except the real top end ones are normally wanted to be concluded hastily .... so arrive with the cash ... and if the asking price is say R4000 take out R3500 cash and say here i can give you this right now..... then if he still haggles or won't bite.... and most people do ...reluctantly offer another R100 or two
it's amazing how much one can save if ones willing to bargain.... and in SA we don't have the haggling culture hehehhe
on a side topic believe it or not when i was living in Thailand if i just bought anything at the offered price the seller would almost be angry cos there was not a "good haggling session" involved despite what they ofered being dirt cheap for me.....
so yeah look for flaws but haggle.... could buy yourself a pedal or two with money you save ....
oh and if you see the sale came up just before the end of a month ... assume they need the cash for bills ect so a lower cash sale and quickly is always accepted .....
this view might not be spot on all the time but i find mostly everyone negotiates.... depending on how hard you push is to how far they will go....
peace and light
Keira
Attila
We can see who the Indian traders are on this site...... follow my eyes ...hey Keira
I have a principle around "fair value" because sometimes you just want that something.... so paying an extra 100 or 2 is neither here nor there ( assuming that you have some to spare) as long as its reasonably priced .... you feel you got what you wanted and the seller does too.
a slightly dinged instrument might have the right pedigree and hardware to go with it
aja
A well used guitar (look at the fretboard) could indicate that all is well since it was played so often. Unless of course damage occured recently
Creaszy
Thanks for the input everyone. The guitar was in good condition, everything seemed great. The only problem a had was getting the price down, they were willing to give me a discount if i paid cash, but i didn't have enough. So i'm taking it at full price (R5000) on lay-by. Its from Cash Converters which is why they not too happy about haggling. I feel sorry for whoever sold it to them, with the markup they put on everything he/she couldn't have got more than R2000 for it. I'll be getting it in two weeks time, soon i'll do some customising on it, i'll post some pics when its done. I'm planning a fret inlay and some sandblasting on the edges of the body. I've got a friend who's a jewelery designer, i'm going to have her make a pentacle/pentagram of silver and onyx for the inlay.
Bob-Dubery
Keira WitherKay wrote
and most importantly ... knock down the price....... most people who sell deliberately pad a sale so they still offer a cut but end up with what they originally bargained for.... you never mentioned the price..... but get it reduced by at least 25% if not 30 before you walk out the door....
That's sometimes easier said than done. In some cases the guitar may be the shop's stock - then they can enter into horse trading. In some cases they're selling it on behalf of somebody else who will have stipulated a price - and then they can't bargain. Best you can do is tell them to go back to the seller with your offer - and hope he's keen to get rid of it.
When I bought my Morgan I was torn between that and a 9-series Larrivee. Both 2nd hand. Both at McGibbons. In the case of the Morgan it was now their stock and they could sharpen their pencil a little. In the case of the Larrivvee it was on consignment, thus not theirs (though they would get a commission), the seller had set the price and they could not negotiate on his behalf.
Gearhead
Creaszy wrote
I'm planning a fret inlay and some sandblasting on the edges of the body
I can understand you mean fretboard inlay but what is sandblasting the edges of a body??
bENDER
Wicked COOL Axe Creaszy,
I wouldn't mind getting one, but the clear look is not my style. I prefer the black Warlock.
Gearhead, that spesific Warlock is made of a clear acrylic material. So I think if you had to sandblast the edges it would look similar to a glass that has been sandblasted, you know, that faded semi see-through look. ???
Creaszy
Ja, i meant Fretboard, obviously i don't need frets inlayed, they come standard thankfully. ?
Same as you might sandblast a message or company logo on a glass. I'm going with ancient scandinavian runes, sort of like heiroglyphics. I geuss the whole ancient magic/wicca/evil curse type of theme isn't everyone's taste. It undoubtedly suites the guitar though, and might scare small children as much as they scare me.
bENDER
Whahahahaaaaa, with that axe you can get yourself a longboat, grow a wicked beard and re-terrorize Brittian...hehehe. ?
TomCat
bENDER wrote
Whahahahaaaaa, with that axe you can get yourself a longboat, grow a wicked beard and re-terrorize Brittian...hehehe. ?
...LOL....Bwahahahahaha.......Metinks Britain is overdue for an invasion...... ??? ???
