vic
Hi All who are/were interested in the Gibson Lucille. Today, after about 4 days, I have received this response from the
seller :-\
Note he is not in Cape Town as indicated in the ad.
From: Ben Dlunge <
benlinder01@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:31:09
Subject: Re: Reply to your "Gibson USA 'BB King' Lucille" Ad on Gumtree
Hi,
Trying to cut down the collection to fund another project. since this 1 isn't being used.. it can go.
comes with the brown Gibson hardcase as pictured
(sorry.. the inside of the case is actually more of a pinkish shade.. came out more red on the camera under the downlights.)
This is a 1999 King Lucille. Gold hardware, TP-6 Tuner (yank out the fine tuners...they really catch). Double Humbuckers with tone and volume for each, varitone (6 way switch) and 3 way toggle (allowing 18 different sounds in theory, although the bleed on the varitone 6 is extreme). Mono and Stereo jacks allowing each pickup to go to an individual amp. Beautiful pearl inlay. This is basically the ES-355 (not 335) without the Bigsby Trem or the F-holes...I think it was called the ES-355 Custom before 1984. The neck is a 12" radius (no compound) with nice high frets... It's a gibson so a quality case was, of course, included!
Please below is my address to view or check it, if you're far delivery after payment.
Ben,
12 Beach Road,
Port Nolloth,
Northern Cape.
0783916969
[deleted]
So he's wanting payment first and he's supposedly in the most inaccessible town in South Africa so nobody could possibly view it in person? That sounds about right.
AlanRatcliffe
Yup.
Definite scam! Copied with picture and word for word from an ad on Australian Gumtree:
http://sydney.gumtree.com.au/c-Stuff-for-Sale-musical-instruments-Gibson-USA-BB-King-Lucille-W0QQAdIdZ212966274
I wonder if the SAP fraud unit would be interested in the details? Surely if it is identified as a definite scam, it will be easy for them to chase the guys down.
shaundtsl
and his email content was so copied and pasted from:
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Gibson/B.B.+King+Lucille/100/1
Maybe he wrote that review or maybe...... not, I dunno
shaundtsl
^ Quite far down the page, search for 'Submitted 09/20/2000 at 04:55am by JWP '
vic
+1's to our own Holmes and Columbo above.....great sniffing guys ! ? Definately a scam.
I must say I feel a bit sorry for MikeM and others who had their hopes on this sale. ☹
Wizard
Have you spotted his name is Bend & Lunge ?
?
Wizard
I also replied to the ad (just for fun) ... and also got the same reply.
I've just replied to him saying:
Hi, I think I may be in that area soon - can I come and have a look at it?
Let's see what response I get.
MikeM
Meh. I'll return to gassing for an ac15.
joel
MikeM wrote
Meh. I'll return to gassing for an ac15.
☹ ,.. I was hoping for you man !!
vic
Wizard wrote
I also replied to the ad (just for fun) ... and also got the same reply.
I've just replied to him saying:
Hi, I think I may be in that area soon - can I come and have a look at it?
Let's see what response I get.
You wont get any response I think...but ask him about payment for the guitar. He'll probably say that you need to pay into
someone's account who will only pay the money over to him once the client has received the guitar.
vic
The story behind Lucille (from Wikipedia)
In the winter of 1949, King played at a dance hall in Twist, Arkansas. In order to heat the hall, a barrel half-filled with kerosene was lit, a fairly common practice at the time. During a performance, two men began to fight, knocking over the burning barrel and sending burning fuel across the floor. The hall burst into flames, which triggered an evacuation. Once outside, King realized that he had left his guitar inside the burning building. He entered the blaze to retrieve his beloved $30 guitar, a Gibson acoustic. Two people died in the fire. The next day, King learned that the two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as well as every one he owned since that near-fatal experience, as a reminder never again to do something as stupid as run into a burning building or fight over women.
MikeM
Sadly I know that story all too well. I've been gassing for one, even the Epi model since a good 6 years ago. One day ?
singemonkey
Isn't there some way of getting these assholes busted?
[deleted]
You just have to look at the price to know its a scam...
Nobody who knows anything about guitars would sell that for less than R20k...
I hope the 'bloody agent' gets busted >☹
vic
It's very difficult to catch these scammers. They are sophisticated criminals, operating with stolen cell phones, ID's, etc. They are not your ordinary SA burglar and petty thief. They make use of agents such as Western Union for "transactions".
This particular case is identical to ones selling Harley Davidsons...these items are also in remote locations and one needs to pay into a Western Union or some agent's account who would release the money only after delivery of the item....ha ha.
singemonkey
Yeah. But as said. The price is a give-away. It's just so important to have some knowledge and know what the market is like. With an offer like that - far beyond a mere bargain - the seller really needs to demonstrate that it's not a scam. You have to start off assuming it's a scam and have it proved otherwise.
Let's face it, at R16K a Lucille would sell in a day.
aubs1
Exposing this type of scam makes me glad I am on this forum, where people can talk about, and see the scam for what it is.
I do believe that this type of "research", and exposure, before any of our members part with their hard-earned cash, will slowly but surely diminish the "chancers'" theft of guitars and money!
Viva GFSA, Viva................. ? ?
vic
singemonkey wrote
Yeah. But as said. The price is a give-away. It's just so important to have some knowledge and know what the market is like. With an offer like that - far beyond a mere bargain - the seller really needs to demonstrate that it's not a scam. You have to start off assuming it's a scam and have it proved otherwise.
Let's face it, at R16K a Lucille would sell in a day.
Exactly ! In this case the idiot wanted ONLY 12K . That's the secret...make it so attractive that it draws the attention of people...in this case guitar players who would die for a deal like that.
And there are so many other examples...just yesterday I read about an elderly couple who invested all their pension (lump sum) with a lady who use to be a hairdresser ! Of course they and many others were scammed out of millions. So sad indeed. ☹
Keira-WitherKay
mmmmmmm let me be the devils advocate here........ i have bought many guitars and other gear way below what they "should " sell for.............
the fact is people are desparate for cash at times............. and come on lets be honest how many people actually spend 20 K on a guitar regularly ..... not many... i can recall years ago i wanted to sell a USA deluxe strat with and stuggled even when retail at time for the "deluxe" was R16000 i was lucky to get R8000 ok that was a few years ago ....and i had bought it cheap overseas so i kinda made my money back................... but this is an example of what this could be............ just the fact that no one is buying at top prices..........
lets face it don't be naieve ( how do you spell that ) and send cash ... but if i saw a ramirez for R8 000 and i had seen pics and checked model number ........ i would travel to anywhere in country and do the deal.......... face to face.. so hey travel to where he is and do a bank transfer .. that way there's proof of payment and he needs to have proof of ID to access bank ............ so yes be careful ..... DONT SEND CASH AND CHECK THE GUITAR IS NOT A FAKE........ EVEN ARRANGE FOR IT TO BE AUTHENTICATED AT YOUR COST .......
BUT DON'T THINK IT'S A SCAM JUST COS PRICE IS CHEAP.......... COS REMEMBER THAT GUITAR IS NOW WORTH A FORTUNE .......... but i bought my 1st USA Fender for R800 brand new back in late 80's ......and a USA deluxe strat in a half price sale in dubai for R7500 ..... so yeah mybe he bought it cheap way back and 12k more than covers his cost/needs ...
anyway just my thoughts ........... as an avid bargain hunter
