Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel eBay

Subject: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Sep 09 - 05:33 AM

Just seen this on Ebay.

I don't know if anybody is missing one of these or that its a genuine sale, but thought it would be right to post it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Taylor-Guitars-XXV-GA-25th-Anniversary-Model_W0QQitemZ320423941545QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instrument

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 18 Sep 09 - 06:40 AM

Good idea to raise that cautionary note.

Looking at the photos, he has the warranty as well as the instrument, which probably makes it a genuine sale.

Still worth checking carefully, though, and before I parted with a penny, I would want to see the limited edition certificate. They are more difficult to forge.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Sep 09 - 07:22 AM

I cant afford it Don, but the guy lives not far from me, but I don't recognise the name of the person and I thought I might. Especially if they can afford a guitar like that. :-)

I will ask the question about the limited edition certificate.

Chers
Les

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: SharonA
Date: 18 Sep 09 - 06:52 PM

BIG FAT CAUTIONARY NOTE:

Look closely at the pictures. The straight-on view of the inlay on the fingerboard (the next-to-last picture) shows the Roman numerals XXV in the design, but the 3/4 view (the last picture) shows the Roman numerals XX as well as a completely different inlay around the soundhole.

Seems a bit fishy to me that the seller would post photos of two different guitars... It also seems fishy that the seller says he'd prefer "cash on collection" -- I have NEVER seen that in an ebay listing before -- buyer beware!

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: SharonA
Date: 18 Sep 09 - 07:23 PM

The next-to-last picture in the ebay listing -- the "straight-on" view of the inlay on the fingerboard -- wasn't a photo of the instrument for sale taken by the seller. It was taken FROM the Elderly Instruments site:

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/images/20U/20U-9520_inlays.jpg

As you see, the angle, background and cropping of the seller's image are all exactly the same as Elderly's pic. The seller didn't even bother to recrop the image or recolor it in Photoshop.

Like I said, buyer beware!

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Rasener
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 01:26 AM

Thanks Sharon. I have sent report. Does look suspicious.

>>It was taken FROM the Elderly Instruments site:

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/images/20U/20U-9520_inlays.jpg
<<

How the hell did you find and notice that Sherlock?

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: GUEST,ebayer
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 01:35 AM

just stop for one second before interfering and reporting,
and causing problems for a possibly genuine seller;
Its not at all uncommon practise to use best available photos
of a similar product
from any available web source to enhance sales prospects,
if one does not have the photographic skill or equipment to best present a valuable item.

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Rasener
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 01:38 AM

Then you shouldn't be mis representing

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Rasener
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 01:57 AM

May I also add guest and as pointed out by Sharon, is that one picture shows a guitar with XXV on the fretboard and the other shows XX.

I would never have noticed that. Why would the sellar do that?

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: GUEST,ebayer
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 02:10 AM

Why not just ask the seller for a reasonable explanation ?
and at least give him/her a chance to consider positive amendments
to the sales copy and photo spread.
There is still an even possibility that its a genuine item
in the good condition as described.

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Rasener
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 04:43 AM

For an item that costs so much, you would think the seller would make sure all photo's were authentic.

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 05:59 AM

taking photos from another site isn't in itself suspicious, as long as the photo is an accurate representation of what is up for sale. I have done it many times myself, with no adverse results (although somebody will probably now start bleating about breach of copyright ...)

my gut feeling is that this sale is genuine, although it does seem strange, as Sharon pointed out, that there is a photo of a different guitar among the uploaded pics.

a reasonable explanation is that the guy selling it has many pictures of other guitars in his database, and simply clicked on the wrong picture. I have done this occasionally myself, although I have always noticed and rectified the error.

Les, there are many people owning expensive Taylors who never go anywhere near a folk club, the fact that you don't know him is not really a concern.

as far as the cash on collection is concerned, I would assume that the guy is just worried about entrusting such a valuable instrument to the hazards of the postal or courier services, and would prefer to do a personal hand-over. Also, packaging a guitar for transport purposes is quite a daunting undertaking if you are totally unused to it. FTR, the security concerns are unjustified, I have sent more expensive instruments than this by courier, with no ill-effects, but I can understand the concerns of someone with no experience of guitar trading.

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 01:51 AM

this is from the seller of above mentioned guitar. it is a genuine sale and I am not out to screw anyone though my stupid mistake with the pictures does look a bit iffy. I had downloaded them from a different site because I didn't have a camera of my own (have now and have also got the invoice for that) and thought I could use these pictures instead, the one picture got put in ebay because they are all in the same folder on my computer. A bit careless of me I know, I didn't even notice they had different roman numerals.

Anyway just to let you know it's all genuine and above board

LN6 0PX

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 02:01 AM

Well thats OK then

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 03:21 AM

just to confirm that the sale is kosher, I contacted the seller via Ebay and he sent me this reply:

  
  Hi, thanks for letting me know about this thread and I am very
 concerned, first for my stupidity in not realising what I've done
 (yes it is a picture from another site which was done by mistake, at
 the time of downloading it I didn't have a picture of MY guitar)
 and because I didn't notice the difference in the Roman numerals.
 I can supply the name of the person I bought it from who has a permanent web site.
 I will try to remove this mistake from ebay,
 please be assured this is a genuine sale and could you put this reply in the the thread
 for all the budding detectives that were more observant than me please?

  Many thanks  John
  

Subject: RE: Taylor GuitarXXV-GA 25th AnnivModel Ebay
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 04:13 AM

Thats fine Murray. I will make contact with him through ebay.