I hate it when people do this

Basvarken · December 03, 2018, 01:29:33 PM

doombass · December 03, 2018, 02:06:44 PM

Yes that's too bad. The parts from that bass adds up to ~2460$ including the bridge which is sold by now.

Granny Gremlin · December 03, 2018, 03:58:30 PM

Make more money that way so def not stupid. Short sighted; selfish; dick move? Sure. ..... then again, if you need some spare parts.... aw frick $200 for the wiring harness and 400 for a pickup ( without mountng ringing!). Dude be maaaaaaaaaad.

The tuners will sell. The only somewhat reasonably priced bit i seen so far ( not looked at it all).

gearHed289 · December 04, 2018, 08:40:49 AM

This guy has been doing that for years. I think I've seen him referred to as "the New Jersey butcher" or something like that. It's within anyone's right to do this, but it sucks when they do things like separate a Rickenbacker jack plate (where the serial number is stamped) from the original instrument.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sofindtype=0&_byseller=1&_nkw=&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=&_sacat=0&_udlo=&_udhi=&_ftrt=901&_ftrv=1&_sabdlo=&_sabdhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=15&_stpos=60191-2600&_sargn=-1%26saslc%3D1&_salic=1&_fss=1&_fsradio=%26LH_SpecificSeller%3D1&_saslop=1&_sasl=gibsondependable&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_fosrp=1

planetgaffnet · December 05, 2018, 04:36:14 AM

The Stratosphere have been operating on this basis for yonks; I suppose what hurts here is that it was likely the bass was a) Vintage and b) perfectly usable as was. The seller obviously feels he's hit paydirt.

Alanko · December 05, 2018, 04:48:59 AM

Quote from: planetgaffnet on December 05, 2018, 04:36:14 AM
The Stratosphere have been operating on this basis for yonks; I suppose what hurts here is that it was likely the bass was a) Vintage and b) perfectly usable as was. The seller obviously feels he's hit paydirt.

I saw a thread on Talkbass last week. The OP was looking for a set of pickups from a PJ Mustang bass, and Fender pointed them in the direction of the Stratosphere!! Fender know and acknowledge this guy, though I doubt they have any sort of contract in place.

I've never really 'dug' the Stratosphere, as the guy chops instruments and then used to list everything twice; once with a high BIN price and once with a low opening bid price. You get lured in with the attraction of a $150 body that he seriously wants $300 for. By the time you've collected enough parts to make a full instrument you've paid well over the odds. Luckily the Stratosphere limits their destruction to modern, off-the-shelf instruments.

A few guys, like the Butcher here, tend to pick up horribly modified vintage gear and then simply recover everything of value and hock them on Ebay. It does sometimes seem that largely complete instruments fall victim to the screwdriver though.

My least favourite is Eddie Vegas. He charges stupid money for banal stuff like vintage Fender brass grounding/shielding plates, or the rubber grommets used to stance pickups in pre-CBS Stratocasters, or whatever. He also tries to promote this celebrity personality online, and can't play guitar very well at all (a common theme with a lot of luthiers, techs and breakers). I don't like being given a lecture on the importance of pre-CBS pickups from somebody who knows three stock blues phrases and hasn't grasped the concept of vibrato.

Granny Gremlin · December 05, 2018, 07:59:12 AM

Quote from: planetgaffnet on December 05, 2018, 04:36:14 AM
The Stratosphere have been operating on this basis for yonks; I suppose what hurts here is that it was likely the bass was a) Vintage and b) perfectly usable as was. The seller obviously feels he's hit paydirt.

To me that is VERY different. Vintage irreplacable (as in there is now one less of them and no more will be made) instrument vs new current production. My only issue with Stratosphere (as well as Gibson Dependable - same sort of thing) is that their prices are whack. Occasionally some good deals on the odd part, but generally it's a 3x relister before someone finally gives in because of impatience.

Basvarken · December 05, 2018, 08:15:24 AM

A perfectly good Gibson Triumph bass is not a car wreck that is being dismantled in the scrapyard as a donor for parts.

The only reason to part this bass out is money, money money.
It spells greed and ignorance.
And I'm not okay with that.

Grog · December 05, 2018, 08:36:35 AM

It's always a shame to see somebody butcher up a repairable or perfectly good guitar for the sum of it's parts. Remarkably, there are still NOS parts showing up at a fair price after all of these years if you watch for them.
I just scored a NOS Les Paul Signature pickup complete with mounting ring for $100.00. He was asking $179, dropped the price to $150 in less than five days. I offered him $100 & he accepted it. Rarer than hens teeth!

Dave W · December 05, 2018, 01:47:54 PM

I'm not all right with parting out vintage gear, but nothing can be done about it.

The Stratosphere is different. Not vintage parts. As I understand it, it's just a guy, with his wife and maybe an assistant. He buys new dealer overstock and mint recent gear, AFAIK he's not authorized by Fender or Gibson.

westen44 · December 05, 2018, 04:09:26 PM

Quote from: Basvarken on December 05, 2018, 08:15:24 AM
A perfectly good Gibson Triumph bass is not a car wreck that is being dismantled in the scrapyard as a donor for parts.

The only reason to part this bass out is money, money money.
It spells greed and ignorance.
And I'm not okay with that.

The saying goes that nothing is certain but death and taxes. But I think we could easily add greed and ignorance to that.

amptech · December 05, 2018, 11:18:32 PM

Gibsondependable hacks up EB0/3's, Rippers etc without anyone lifting an eyebrow?

westen44 · December 06, 2018, 02:01:52 AM

Quote from: amptech on December 05, 2018, 11:18:32 PM
Gibsondependable hacks up EB0/3's, Rippers etc without anyone lifting an eyebrow?

A few people have lifted some eyebrows at the Gear Page.

Basvarken · December 06, 2018, 06:50:34 AM

Quote from: westen44 on December 05, 2018, 04:09:26 PM
The saying goes that nothing is certain but death and taxes. But I think we could easily add greed and ignorance to that.

I'm not okay with death and taxes either

westen44 · December 06, 2018, 11:04:46 AM

Quote from: Basvarken on December 06, 2018, 06:50:34 AM
I'm not okay with death and taxes either

Not a fan of either, and new taxes are becoming more of a pain than ever before.