A New Craigslist Experience

[Yamaki]

I had a new CL experience this week. I had advertised a McIntosh MX119 pre-amp on the local CL back in December. Had a few tire kickers, several insulting low ball offers and then, finally, a serious buyer. He made an initial offer and I counted with my one, last, best price which he said he'd pay if the unit was to his liking. Fair enough...

After a week of trading emails and trying to synch up our schedules, we finally met this past Monday night. He wanted to demo the unit, I was OK with that, so I set it up with a CD player using both optical and RCA inputs, ran the output to my old Yamaha CA-1010 integrated and into an older pair of JBL 2500 bookshelf speakers.

He was particularly interested in testing the XLR input connections. Silly me, I assumed he was going to hook up a DAC or other component with XLR outputs to it. I told him that unless he had a source with XLR outputs on it we would not be able to test it. Well, we could have but I wasn't going to spend an hour unbundling my main system to get the OPPO or D100 out for the demo.

He came over, he tried the digital and RCA inputs and then I asked him, "Did you bring your source to test the XLR inputs?"

"No", he said. "I forgot them." geeeezzzz.... But he was very interested in the MX so we agreed to meet again Tuesday night.

Tuesday night he brings over a small, portable mixer console. It was brand new to him so I let him fiddle with it a bit before we tested. He hooked up an iPhone to it, I connected the XLR's and gave it a go. It wasn't bad but between the volume, tone and sound field bias on his phone, coupled with the same issues on his mixer board, three volume ladders and the setup of the MX119; I thought it sounded terrible.

But he liked it!

So he said he'd take the unit, then pulled out a wad of cash saying, "I only brought $xxxx with me. Will you take that?"

I said, "I know you brought more and, no, I won't accept less. If you aren't willing to pay what you said you'd pay in our emails last week, you can leave now."

He pulled out the rest of the cash while I packed up the unit in it's double box with original remote, manual and power cord.

I pocketed the cash and as he toted the box out to his truck he said, "This will sound great in my karaoke setup!"

OMG! I almost stopped him, feeling like I was sending one of my kids away into white slavery. But I managed to let go, remembering that I had wanted to sell it, how he was going to use it was his choice and I felt that wad of cash in my pocket.

I bet that glass face will shatter within a week.

[Blueoak]

Congratulations on not getting shot. CL is scary sometimes. I even hate to sell stuff on Audiogon. I always demand to talk to them on the phone and I want to know they're an audiophile like me before making a sale.

[edkoz]

Good for you! I hate selling anything on CL. You just never know what kind of person you are dealing with.

[Doug Lax]

That I only brought XXX with me would have done it. You are more patient than me

[Yamaki]

My .45 was on my belt, concealed, and in Condition 1.

I expected the price reduction attempt and knew what to say as soon as it popped outta his mouth. I made it his decision to continue, or not, with the deal. I even thanked him when he handed me the full amount.

I'm armed, firm and polite...to a point.

I was leery of selling this on CL but shipping it would have been more nerve wracking. At least I know when he took delivery of it that it was in tip top condition.

[audioguy3107]

I wonder how many McIntosh components serve duty in karaoke setups?

- Buck

[mtroo]

So, you had this guy to your house? That would be a deal breaker for me. I guess I have issues.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by mtroo

So, you had this guy to your house? That would be a deal breaker for me. I guess I have issues.

Tim.......I'm on that same page. No stranger responding to a Craigslist ad will ever step foot in my home. Oh, wait. I don't use Craigslist. .

[Stahle]

Like Yamaki, I live in the Portland, OR area and find that Craigslist is very popular here. I've found great deals on audio equipment and have sold many household items with no issue at all. People are generally very friendly. It's really no different than posting a classified ad in the local paper which used to be the only way to sell things before the internet came along. Best thing about Craigslist is that it's free to use, you get paid immediately, and there is no shipping. To be safe though, weather permitting, I meet the buyer in my driveway or sell from my garage so that the buyer never enters my house.

[audioguy3107]

I had a friend held up at gunpoint from a Craigslist ad. Took his money and a laptop computer he had in his car. I'm with Dan on this as well, never used it and probably never will.

- Buck