Tips and Guides for Parents
String Care and Maintenance
Tips for Beginning Band
Basic Instrument Care
A Warning About "Bargain" Instruments from Online Auctions
What's Wrong with Instruments at Online Auctions?
With the growth of eBay and other major online auction houses over the past few years, many people are finding some "great" deals on musical instruments. We're sure you've seen the offers: "L@@K - New Bb Silver Trumpet - under $100" or "80+ year old German violin with bow & case!!!" Unfortunately, it is not until after the transaction when you find out what the true costs of purchasing these instruments are.
1) Risk of Fraud:While online auction houses look to have the best deals on many items--including musical instruments, they cannot control the reliability of sellers who use their services. Unfortunately, certain unscrupulous people will take advantage of this fact and defraud their victims with promises they never intend to keep.
According to the National Fraud Information Center (www.fraud.org), total losses due to fraud over the internet totaled over $7 million for the first half of 2002 alone. That corresponds to an average loss of nearly $500 per claim! Of all fraud cases reported to the Internet Fraud Watch organization, online auctions accounted for 87% of all internet scams.
"Musical instruments" happens to be one of the Ebay categories with the highest complaints of fraud associated with the popular auction site.
The rule for online bidding, especially when it's on major investments like musical instruments, follows a similar one you may have heard on gambling: "Don't bid any more than you are willing to lose."
2) Risk of WYSINWYG (What You See Is Not What You Get)Even if you end up "winning" the auction and receiving your instrument, there is no guarantee it will meet your expectations.
Sellers will do everything they can to put the best possible face on whatever they are selling, so you see and hear a mostly one-sided story when bidding. If somebody advertises a horn as being in "excellent" condition, just what does that mean? If a trumpet has a "small" dent, just how small is it? Is it in a place that would affect the valves, slides, or overall performance of the trumpet?
You are at a disadvantage when you purchase sight unseen. At Quinlan & Fabish, we encourage anyone interested in purchasing an instrument to try out several models before making an investment. That way, you know for sure that you see what you get, and you get what you expect.
3) Risk of getting EXACTLY what you pay for.If you just purchased a new saxophone for $200, congratulations! You just found an amazing deal and will be enjoying your new instrument for years to come, right?
Wrong.
More and more these days, we are seeing an influx of instruments that do not meet minimum quality manufacturing standards. These instruments are new and shiny just like any other instrument, yet they are made of metals that melt at low temperatures, brass or keys that bend or break easily, or other poor-quality materials that prevent them from being repaired adequately. More often then not, these instrument quickly become a source of frustration for young students (and subsequently, for their parents).
More often than not, many "low-cost" instruments available on eBay and other online auction houses are going to be poor-quality. If the brand is not specified or is unfamiliar to you, it is probably not worth your time, much less your money.
Our customer service staff would also be more than happy to help answer any questions you may have regarding purchasing an instrument. Simply use the SOUSA-phone and call us at 1-800-37-SOUSA!