[conzertino]

I'm looking for a reasonably priced Suttner A4 or a place on his waiting list!?!

[tombilly]

Now why didn't I think of that!! A bit of queue jumping.. One of the downsides, methinks of having non returnable deposits is that you just end up with people on a waiting list who are not really waiting anymore. So they are sort of obliged to buy the instrument or lose deposit. So, they sell it on at a profit. Hmm.. not a great system - but I suppose makers have to guard someway against people ordering and then pulling out. Personally I think that the deposit should be returnable up to the point that work starts on the instrument. But hey, I'm just a punter

[conzertino]

tombilly, on Jul 3 2009, 02:07 PM, said:

Now why didn't I think of that!! A bit of queue jumping.. One of the downsides, methinks of having non returnable deposits is that you just end up with people on a waiting list who are not really waiting anymore. So they are sort of obliged to buy the instrument or lose deposit. So, they sell it on at a profit. Hmm.. not a great system - but I suppose makers have to guard someway against people ordering and then pulling out. Personally I think that the deposit should be returnable up to the point that work starts on the instrument. But hey, I'm just a punter

Knowing Jürgen Suttner he wouldn't mind to change the name on his waitung list and I would be more than pleased to pay the deposit back to the unfortunate person, who changed his/ her mind

[Lawrence Reeves]

I suppose there are a few schools of thought on this subject. The maker needs to know what the expected work load is, and gauge realistic lead times based on their history. Many players place the deposit, calculate the amount to save away based on the wait time etc. I think that it becomes a controlled way to save, earn any minimal amount of interest, and lock in to a sale price based on the date of order. Now, the ability to just pay for something in one amount is nothing new to the buyer of a vintage or second hand instrument. There are many of us out there capable of purchasing a new instrument if it were on the shelf, but that would mean the makers would be be making spec instruments. Now think about this scenario. I am a concertina maker, a good one. I prefer a Jeffries layout with wooden ends. I make six a t once as a batch. My inventory and holding costs of materials and my labor are set. Joe customer calls me and says I have cash in hand. Sell me a metal ended Wheatstone layout,and oh yeah I forgot. I need it in Bb/F. Sorry sir, I only have Jeffries metal ended style today.
The fact is that Suttners, and Carrolls are a true bargain if compared to the purchase of a known top condition antique. Example of a new Suttner or Carroll costing approximately half of a vintage instrument. The knowledge that some hack hasn't destroyed the reeds in an effort to improve the thing is another plus. I have a lot of trust with purchasing a used vintage instrument from the few reputable brokers out there, and even enjoy the risk and thrill of ebay. However a new instrument is guaranteed, and should hold value if not even appreciate.

[conzertino]

Often posts here on c-net end without an end... I.e. who bought that box or how much did it fetch eventually...

So I want to put a happy end to this one: a regular here let me have his place on Jürgens waiting list and I should be the proud owner of an A4 within a few months!!!

Thanks!!!


PS: I'm still looking for an Aeola Bass

[Warcorrespondent]

conzertino, on Jul 6 2009, 03:21 PM, said:

Often posts here on c-net end without an end... I.e. who bought that box or how much did it fetch eventually...

So I want to put a happy end to this one: a regular here let me have his place on Jürgens waiting list and I should be the proud owner of an A4 within a few months!!!

Thanks!!!


PS: I'm still looking for an Aeola Bass

You lucky &&&&&&&&, but good result, wish I had have thought of that.

[tombilly]

Warcorrespondent, on Jul 9 2009, 04:41 PM, said:

You lucky &&&&&&&&, but good result, wish I had have thought of that.

Ditto and good luck to you! But I don't think it's very 'ethical' Jurgen should allow people to change by all means but put them to the back of the list!! Look at it this way - it's open to abuse. You don't have to go very far down this road till people will join waiting lists and then farm them off on eBay or elsewhere. I'm surprised

[JimLucas]

tombilly, on Jul 11 2009, 04:18 PM, said:

Warcorrespondent, on Jul 9 2009, 04:41 PM, said:

You lucky &&&&&&&&, but good result, wish I had have thought of that.

Ditto and good luck to you! But I don't think it's very 'ethical' Jurgen should allow people to change by all means but put them to the back of the list!! Look at it this way - it's open to abuse. You don't have to go very far down this road till people will join waiting lists and then farm them off on eBay or elsewhere. I'm surprised

Ah, we've had these discussions before. Different people have different ideas of what's "ethical", but in the end noone has the right to impose their ethics on the individual craftsman/seller.

But in a case like this, there's really no way to stop someone from doing what you suggest, though in a slightly roundabout manner. E.g., I could get my name on the Suttner waiting list, then agree to sell my "place" to someone else... but not tell Jürgen. Then when I reach the top of the queue, I take delivery of what "my" customer wants and pass the instrument on to them, or just have it delivered to their address. (If you think your suggestion is open to abuse, mine is far worse, since a scammer could "sell" their "place" several times over, maybe without actually having one to sell. )

[conzertino]

Ok, I was lucky and I'm really grateful!

There was a lot of discussion at another post about lost deposits and the "usual" procedure to buy the instruments and sell them with a serious profit!!!

I wouldn't be surprised to find "investment"-orders on concertina-waiting-lists...

I've been on Steve Dickensen's waiting-list for a piccolo for over 12 years with a substantial deposit. Thanks to this forum and Steve Chambers I managed to find "my" vintage Aeola-piccolo a few months ago...

Personal conditions and requirements change over years of waiting. So its perfectly ok to pass on waiting-list positions within the community...

And if it happens its as just or unjust as finding a bargain-concertina in a junk-shop...