Tabloids: On random buying habits on badly desired items
April 19th, 2009I was just looking at my Washburn Idol W166V the other day. The best guitar I’ve bought in my 12 years of playing guitar. Previous owner owned it for 6 months, abandoned it for a Gibson Les Paul Standard. Pimped it with Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II pickups and with a tone controller instead of the flimsy VCC controls. Today, the owner is in touch with me, in case I decide to sell the guitar back to him.
It feels really good to know that the guitar I have carries so much value in it. Washburn Idols have been long favourites for the good folks at Guitarist magazine and have been getting good reviews across guitar discussion boards worldwide. That purchase changed my buying habits on things I would really like to own as I have been always a mainstream buyer; things I buy must be from a commercially known supplier, and brand-spanking-new.
Firstly, most of the time I consume products from a designers point of view. Which can be a disease at times. It makes you spend on things you think are worth your taste and not your real requirements or needs. Causing probably a sense of regret rather than fulfilled desire. Oh yes, the logos. The beautiful logos and the nice typography has almost 75% effect on my buying behavior.
I also demand good service. But sometimes, I compromise if I want the item badly.
Yes, I have some achievements. But, I have even more disappointments.
However over the years, I learned that with proper attention and watchfulness, you might be able to get somethings that are worth your money and effort. That’s if you look hard enough.
Believe me, sometimes, more value can be found in second hand items that newer ones. I’ve learned that sourcing these items can be a really fun thing. Be it on E-bay or even local forums. Not every brand new guitar will sound good.
After all these years of buying vintage books at a junkyard sales to driving 30 kilometers to do a C.O.D for an VOX V810 Valve-Tone, I still find it hard to stop eying and buying these items which I like.
And my final point is, if you really want it badly, the condition of the material usually doesn’t really matter as much as the value of thing. And, mainstream markets are boring.
