[Boatanchors] Re: [R-390] Ebay Prices

[Eugene Hertz]

Of course, many ebay proponents will tell you that the feedback mechanism actually provides better theoretical protection than the hamfest situation that Grant just described.  If the seller has a good reputation as denoted in his feedback, it is much less likely that the seller is out to screw you when you buy from him.  If only every hamfester had a better business bureau rating at his table!

I think the feedback mechanism, while not perfect, gives me some level of confidence (or risk taking) than the blind hamfest deal.  And there is no substitute for buying from a known vendor/friend.

my 2c


>-----Original Message-----
>From: Grant Youngman [mailto:nq5t at tx.rr.com]
>Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 10:48 AM
>To: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: RE: [Boatanchors] Re: [R-390] Ebay Prices
>
> 
>> 
>> True, but you have a much better chance of seeing deception in person 
>> than via a photo. 
> 
>I'm still burning over the beautiful (physically) and "perfect working 
>condition" Drake L-4B I bought some years ago at a local fest. 
> 
>Now you could say I should have had my toolkit and taken the covers off, and 
>examined, even tested the tubes, and checked the power supply components, or 
>maybe had the seller haul it to the "test table" and run it up on 20M for 
>me. You could say that. And I certainly should have gotten the seller's 
>call sign (if he even had one) and the name and location of his first born. 
>No question. 
> 
>One of the tubes had a grid anode short, several RFC's were fricasseed, the 
>other tube had a dead filament, and the power supply was cooked. Still, it 
>sure did look good. The fellow I ended up selling it to a year later got a 
>fully renovated L4-B, all fixed up, new tubes, rebuilt power supply and 
>several $100 in free parts plus labor, since he also expected a "hamfest" 
>price, and wasn't interested in paying any kind of premium -- he just wanted 
>an L4-B. At least it was out of my sight ... 
> 
>Ebay, hamfests, or craigslist -- unless you're buying from a long standing 
>friend or someone you know or at least know of by reputation, your goose can 
>be just as cooked. 
> 
>To be honest, I've only been "taken" a couple of other times out of too many 
>transactions to remember. But the record is 2 - hamfest, and 1- eBay :-) 
> 
>Grant/NQ5T 
> 
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