Scott,
Your comments here hit the nail right on the head. Reading through this thread, I was thinking the same things...
I for one got into this as a "supplement" to my income out of necessity. I got laid off my manufacturing management job and now make half of what I used to! BUT it is something I really ENJOY doing, so if you love your job, you're not at "work," right?
I have found that working with vintage drums has led me to a market I hadn't even thought of 2 years ago: schools! And I've found that rebuilding/refurbishing/restoring (whatever you'd like to call it!) marching drums is just as enjoyable!
And not only that, but there IS a market for the entry-level drums as well, as just this summer I've moved 3 of those types: 1 no-name MIJ, 1 Verve (MIT), and 1 Ludwig Accent (MIT), all of which got just as much attention as the vintage sets I've worked on. Got some similar projects lined up as well.
So, sorry if this is offensive to some, but I'm a proud RESELLER. I don't try to gouge anyone, just try to get enough to keep things going...
BTW -- scroll to the bottom of this post, and I've attached a photo of our local HS's drum line that I recently finished. This has led to another similar job at one of our state's 2 year colleges, and hopefully will lead to more!
Bill
This is an interesting thread and the comments here range from logical to passionate. I think as buyers we often expect too much from sellers, specifically on CL. Many of those items are just things people are moving to avoid throwing out. A case in point would be the $40 tom in Tennessee. While that drum meant something importnat to our VDF friend, to the seller, it was probably just an item that needed to go away for the cost of half of a tank of gas. Probably not very high on their radar. By the time you have the husband and wife both involved there is bound to be miscommunication. Most of these people are not professional resellers. (If they were, they should be charging sales tax when applicable). For many people, cash in hand is better than turning away someone on the hope that the guy on the phone earlier will honor his word. For my part, I try very hard to keep track of who called first, who said what and then honoring my word. Interestingly enough that can be difficult with people leaving limited information in messages. Again, this is not a full time job for most people. As to the Christian way to do things, my Bible says "simply let your yes be a yes and your no be a no.". Not so hard really. Offer me an extra Benjamin after I have already agreed to a deal and I say no. My fault for not asking enough. One thing I at least try to do is get a pending deal with a buyer. Basically I ask him to agree that he/she will purchase at the agreed price pending inspection. I don't want a buyer to feel obligated once they see the item, but I am not running a showroom either. Lastly, there seems to be a lot of antagonism at the thought that one might purchase an item at a low price with the plan to sell it at a higher price. I understand that this is a passion for us, but for some, they have turned their passion into a career, or at least supplemental income. Instead of vilifying them, let's consider applauding someone who found something they loved to do and figured out how to get paid doing it. That is the beautiful part of capitalism. Personnally I say congratulations to all of you who do so. For those of you who don't agree, just buy somewhere else but please do no berate the entrepreneurial spirit. ...on the other hand there is Pooder, but that just comes with the territory. As always, vote with your dollars.
