Resale of BJFEs and used pedals in general....

[JKoeth]

Well, I just read the other thread. I can definitely see both sides.

I just put the raffle thread up on the Buy/Sell page. If your interested, head over there.

Not to get all sentimental on y'all but this is a truly special place. It really is a privilege to be a part of the Customshop stuff and kudos to BJ and Donner for that.

Rock on fellas!

[EyeFly]

For what it's worth...likely less than .02...

- I understand it's America and supply and demand drives the economy. The supply, especially of Custom Shop stuff is, by nature, low. The demand is high and will get higher as the news spreads about how great these products really are. That's reality.

- Donner will go crazy if he is saddled with trying to track who sells what and where. Keep in mind that anyone can have a friend sell a pedal or sell it locally only to have it wind up on Ebay later.....

- if I understand correctly, the purpose of the Custom Shop stuff is, in large part, R&D for future improvements and ideas on new creations. It will be difficult to get much needed feedback on the Forum if pedals go to non-Forum members.

- many of us live in places where we can only "buy to try". You may occasionally find something that just doesn't jibe with your rig. So, sell it. I got my Model R this way. The owner told Donner it wasn't his cup o' tea (no offense Teahead), Donner told me, hooked us up via email, and we made the transaction. You can bet it won't leave my board!!

- so, if you need to sell a BJFE pedal, especially a Custom Shop, I'd recommend this Forum. If you need to make a profit to finance a new amp, guitar, pedal, appendectomy, or whatever, say so. I'm not averse to paying a bit more, especially for Custom Shop stuff, so long as its not clearly egregious. The lottery is a good idea as well. Let your conscience be your guide.

- I spent 25 years in the military and learned that loyalty, although having no real monetary value, is priceless!!

Let's all be smart, remember what a good deal both this Forum and the Custom Shop are, and do what we can to keep Bjorn and Donner building, improving, and distributing these tonal temptations...

Some of you are charter members of the Forum, others have been so for a good long while, so chime in with your sage advice!!

JKoeth, you did the right thing!!

cork

[I am Incinerator]

This is awesome. I can feel the best coming out of people here in the forum .

[fugot]

I erased three replies already.
I am not sure of the real resentment I have noticed from some. Is it because you don't have the chance to buy these pedals or because you might have to pay more then you think is fair? Honestly.

This price police mentality bothers me A LOT. It is closer to censorship, then to community. I find it hypercritical. If you wait on a list, give a review as requested Before you bought the pedal, there are no more strings attached. (BUT THERE IS ALWAYS KARMA).
These pedals are not just for the 30 members who post here regularly. This is not a shared item. If you want to list your pedal here for what you paid (and hence a loss), that is cool. If you don't that is cool too.
If you want a pedal (like I do), get on a list (like I have been for over a year). But please don't give others a hard time because they won't sell you the pedal they LEGITIMATELY waited for and sell it to you for a loss on top of it.

Another point-I understand the R and D issue. Hence my views on reviews (GIVE 'um up), but also there are only so many regulars here. It is not so easy always to sell bjf pedals here. Sort of like preaching to the choir. We all have some already or we wouldn't be here.
I am not kidding-how's that model R in the emporium going? I tried to sell some bjfe pedals here, after giving discounts to everyone who asked,(which is very normal for me) I still could not sell them. They sold on ebay within a day.

I have bought 2 custom shop pedals off ebay. I have been happy to have the chance to buy them. I wonder how many other people would feel the same way if you just let them.....

If I miss the point I am sorry. I really dig effects pedals, and bjf's in particular. I also really like this forum. It's respectful and knowledgeable.

BE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE-NOT UPSET ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT.

END OF MY RANT. I AM PUTTING ON MY FLAME SuiT NOW.

[Eskimo_Joe]

Hi everybody,

I feel very lucky to be able to try these pedals and afford the ones that I can. Anyway, in general, my feelings are if a person is selling a pedal because they can't use it or it just isn't right for them, I don't evaluate how or where they sell it that much. It's a honest sale. With a Customshop, given the purpose behind it, it makes sense to specifically keep it in the family.

On the other hand, if someone is watching forums constantly and snatching up BJFs to simply flip them (as a couple of people consistently did in the past...not sure if it is still occuring), then that is what I have a problem with. That essentially robs someone new or a family member from having the chance to buy the pedal as a normal (albeit expensive) price. An example of this is buying a BBOD off of TGP for $400 and posting it on ebay for $500.

[Donner]

Thats all helpful .... I really did start this because Ive flip flopped a couple times and could easily support either way.....

Bottom line the pedals are sold at full price, so the buyer is really under no further obligation after they have done the review cycle --- they could then just put it on the shelf and never play it again without selling it and we'd get no feedback that way too......


I think it started becasue originally with the Rs part of the deal was if people didnt like them I would give them the next persons name so they could get thier money back - no pressure no loss ...

Well now for various reasons resale has become almost gauranteed profit .... which is fine, that does ensure vlaue.... but it also encourages resales by people who might otherwise keep it .....

So how about this:

If you can just offer them up here on the emporium first even at whatever inflated price you like ( a reasonable profit for doing t he research is fine) and if no one needs it here then TGP/Ebay is a slamdunk anyway....... anymore suggestions/comments ??

[EyeFly]

Thats all helpful .... I really did start this because Ive flip flopped a couple times and could easily support either way.....

Bottom line the pedals are sold at full price, so the buyer is really under no further obligation after they have done the review cycle --- they could then just put it on the shelf and never play it again without selling it and we'd get no feedback that way too......


I think it started becasue originally with the Rs part of the deal was if people didnt like them I would give them the next persons name so they could get thier money back - no pressure no loss ...

Well now for various reasons resale has become almost gauranteed profit .... which is fine, that does ensure vlaue.... but it also encourages resales by people who might otherwise keep it .....

So how about this:

If you can just offer them up here on the emporium first even at whatever inflated price you like ( a reasonable profit for doing t he research is fine) and if no one needs it here then TGP/Ebay is a slamdunk anyway....... anymore suggestions/comments ??

Seems like a reasonable course of action to me.....thanks Donner.

cork

[thebot75]

I think it's a good way to go Donner.

I have sold stuff for way over what I paid for it, but I've also never bought something with the intention of reselling it, I've always bought to use and it just hasn't worked out with my rig. And I've always put it on starting with a low starting bid when I've used Ebay, it's just got crazy after that. I've also lost money on a lot of pedals when moving them on.

I think the thing that needs to be balanced here is the fact that people rarely get to try stuff before buying when it comes to pedals. You can do all the research but ultimately it will probably sound different to everyone else when played through your other gear with your hands. As such some selling on is inevitable.

[Teahead]

This is a tough call. I honestly believe that, above all else, people should be allowed to navigate with their own moral compass. Each particular reading of which is of course highly influenced by the pedal owner's current financial climate. Should he or she be encountering rough seas, the moral compass might give a different reading to the one it would give during calmer weather.

Having been married very recently and currently setting to move home, I know how easy it can be to look at those colourful little boxes and have them turn, cartoon style, into Dollar $igns right before your eyes! You justify for the umpteenth time between what you need and what you want, and do whatever you have to do.

I do agree very strongly with keeping the Customshop stuff in the family, however, how's that old saying go again? You can choose your friends, but ... I feel personally responsible for the (SYOD) Little Purple OD on ebay right now. As it happens I had returned a previous Customshop VCF to Bjorn, realising it wouldn't get the use it genuinely deserved in my hands. He sent the LPOD as a replacement and I enjoyed it, for quite a while.

After said while, it fell from my board as I went back to an Airbrake attenuator and using much more fuzz. I traded it, within the family with no cash adjustments, for a Candy Apple Fuzz that makes me much more happy than the LPOD ever could have. What happened to it after that, relatively speaking, was out of my hands, but that didn't stop me feeling guilty to see it attracting the inflated asking price it continues to command.

Bjorn and I have spoken about this and I feel that he understands my regret and is ultimately happy to know that the CAF at least found a grateful and deserving home. Nonetheless, the LPOD is still out there with that faint, winking tea cup on the bottom to remind me of the lesson learned. Like Bjorn, I just want to see it find a good home.

You folks do whatever you have to do, but be aware that you are likely to be judged on these actions. These judgements are in turn blended with existing perceptions based on previous encounters, so if you feel good enough about your contributions and patronage to BJFE then that's all that really matters I suppose.

Sorry for the long-winded post.