1920's K-4 on London (UK) CL

[Greg Stec]

http://london.craigslist.co.uk/msd/4106943765.html

The price is 2100 UK pounds.
That's like $3350 USD today (11/1/2013).
Unless the owner typed the wrong price, that's a steal!

[Eddie Sheehy]

Looks like some pillock had strung it as a guitar...

[Nat]

I believe those pictures were the same pictures used in a 2012 ebay auction. I strongly suspect a scam.

Take a look here (sales price was $12,100):

http://www.greatestcollectibles.com/.../#.UnQXafmko5g

For those of you who don't know, you can search any image on google (hit the images link in the upper right of the google front page, then drag a copy of the image where indicated). That is an incredible tool for finding people who are recycling images for their own nefarious purposes.

[houseworker]

Certainly a scam. Hardly worth the time and effort of complaining, it's so obvious.

[barney 59]

http://london.craigslist.co.uk/msd/4106943765.html

The price is 2100 UK pounds.
That's like $3350 USD today (11/1/2013).
Unless the owner typed the wrong price, that's a steal!

Yep that is a steal only it's the seller doing the stealing. This has all the look of that guy from London (if that is even where he is) that has been doing this for along time now. Stolen images and at hard to resist prices brings out all the suckers. I went after an F5 that was offered at a great price and the deal was going really smoothly up until I said that I had someone on the ground (and I did as my son was in London at the time) who would come to him check it out and pay him cash on the spot. I never heard from him again.

[Eddie Sheehy]

If it's too good to be true...it is too good to be true...

[Eddie Sheehy]

Except I contacted him and I've been invited to come see it... Unfortunately it's in Irvine, Scotland... anyone in the vicinity?

[mrmando]

It's all part of the con, Eddie. If you were to tell him, "As luck would have it, I'm passing through Irvine next week," all of a sudden the cello would be somewhere else. And anyhow, you live in Irvine...

[Eddie Sheehy]

Wrong Irvine... but he did give me a real name and address in Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland... I'll see if I can get a friend in Glasgow to drive down and have a look... it's not far.

[mrmando]

Well, keep us posted, but if he knows you're in California it's pretty easy to give you an address in Irvine. See what he says about your Glaswegian chum coming by. You might want to advise said chum to fetch along a kebbie, if not a daga.

[houseworker]

Did he give you a (landline) phone number by any chance?

[houseworker]

Here's the eBay listing at which it sold for $12,100. The auction finished on 26 August 2012, and the buyer left positive feedback on 11 September.

If the buyer were by any chance in the UK, they would have paid somewhere in the region of £2,500 import duty on this (depending on shipping cost), and would certainly be aware of the market value of the instrument.

The scammer is unlikely to be in the UK - Nigeria, Vietnam, Thailand and obscure Eastern European states are the common locations from which such schemes operate.

If you arrange to view, you will then be told (probably in the last 24 hours before you visit) that they have a firm offer to buy from someone else, but that if you wire them a deposit immediately they'll hold the instrument for you. That's how it normally works.

There's no instrument, just an old eBay listing being recycled (text as well as photos) in the hope of relieving a mug or two of some money.

[Eddie Sheehy]

He thinks I'm in Ireland and visiting in Scotland. I'm not out anything so far - and won't be unless I end up with a K4 in my hands, your concern is touching Houseworker... He wouldn't be the first person to post other peoples pics if it was inconvenient to take some. Caveat Emptor... I'll let you know if I can get someone to check it out physically...

[mrmando]

You can always ask for a serial number. The photos belong to SN#83272.

[noah finn]

http://www.greatestcollectibles.com/...n-mando-cello/

http://www.mandolinarchive.com/gibson/serial/83272

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...-Virzi-on-Ebay

[Eddie Sheehy]

Excellent idea Martin. At least if it turns out to be a scam it will give us insight in this "new" presentation

[Eddie Sheehy]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm... Anyone up for a trip to Irvine in Ayr? It's near Troon, just south of Glasgow...

"
Hi Eddie,
SERIAL # 83272

Regards Gareth



On , Alx Ring <ringalx@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

Hi Eddie,
The address is: 8 Howat Cres , Irvine , KA12 0LQ
Let me know when you can come.
Regards Gareth

[barney 59]

But the serial # is in the auction listing that he stole the photo from. Of course he knew what the serial # is, we all know! It could have been that he stole the photo of a K4 because he had a K4 but just not that one -but it was a good photo and he didn't have a photo of his...but that isn't the case. He gave you a serial # that is from a fairly recent auction where the instrument sold for more than 3 times what he is asking. The possibility that this is real...well, actually---- there is no possibility! Can you Google map --street view that address? Do they do that there?
I did not know about that image tool with Google --what a cool thing and one more way to help rout out a fake!

[Eddie Sheehy]

Barney59, where are you? See how confusing it is when you don't show where you are or even a name. You're not helping...

[barney 59]

Nope, don't see it! I'm in Northern California - does that help not confuse you? Nowhere near Glasgow--but not far from Inverness. Those types of listings are so common on ebay and Craig's list and not just on musical instruments but on all sorts of large ticket items. Ran into one about a car the other day, I liked the car and the price was better than alright but then of course there was no car. It might be a fun exercise to sleuth this out -I've done it a couple of times myself because the items and the prices are just so compelling ....."it's too good to be true ...but what if ?...." If I was in the proper Irvine I wouldn't cross the street to see if this is real because if they let you get that close it would be to take your wallet ,which by the way seems to be happening quite a bit and which puts a new slant on "Caveat Emptor" !

[Leverman61]

This listing isn't the only one on the cl page. Start today and scan on down thru the ads. 1938 gibson f4 1700 , Collins MF5 2200 , 1942 Martin OOO-18 2550 , 1924 Gibson F4 1700 , 1982 Monteleone Grand Artist 3100 , and a "real" Derrington signed F5 1600 and the bargains go on but I can't.

[houseworker]

I spoke to a neighbour living pretty much next door to 8 Howat Crescent on the phone last week. There's no Gareth at that address and definitely no mandocello.

I'd have been amazed if I'd been told any different, but wanted to put Eddie out of his misery.