I bought the guitar I use for gigs, most of the time, "blind" on eBay.

It's a Collings 000-2H from about '96.

I took the chance because:

1) I had played that model, and craved one.

2) I couldn't afford a new one, or an intact used one.

3) This one had a fairly visible ding in the top - typical dropping the case cover with the guitar not all the way in, and hitting the top with the latch, type of ding. This was in the finish only, and had no effect on the structural integrity or the sound, but people who buy Collings tend to be awfully picky, so I got this for about 2/3 of what it would have gone for if it were cosmeticly perfect. And the seller was very up-front about the ding - put a close-up of it in his add, etc.

4) I've never played a Collings that didn't sound good, and I've never heard of anyone else claiming he did, except one or two idiot rednecks with the knee-jerk claim no guitar that isn't a Martin is any good.

But I'm the first to admit that I gambled and was lucky.

Peter.