Making an offer at a pawn shop?

Sean Sullivan · Post by **Sean Sullivan** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:04 pm

A Cash America pawn shop by my house has a really nice Danelectro DC-59 bass, silver sparkle just like the U3 I have. I think they have it at like $299 or something.

I've never bought anything from a pawn shop, so is it appropriate to make an offer? I'd love to get it for $200, but might consider up to $250.

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:13 pm

What could it hurt? Not like they are guitar center and have enforced price points.

I enjoy bargaining. I'm never rude about it, but I like the ritual. It feels human rather than corporate, like the way marketplaces had been for most of human history up until recent standardized times.

Attempting to bargain at the dunkin donuts counter only gets you confusion, though.

ubertar · Post by **ubertar** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:16 pm

Dakota wrote:Attempting to bargain at the dunkin donuts counter only gets you confusion, though.

Sounds like a good subject for a "candid camera" type sketch.

beefy · Post by **beefy** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:29 pm

Pawn shops love to bargin its there favorite thing to do. Walk in there offer him the 200. If he will move at all on the price he will give a a counter offer of like 280. Don't let him you give you the run around like that and be prepared to walk out of there a lot of times they change there tune real quick.

JohnnyDemonic · Post by **JohnnyDemonic** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:06 pm

beefy wrote:Pawn shops love to bargin its there favorite thing to do. Walk in there offer him the 200. If he will move at all on the price he will give a a counter offer of like 280. Don't let him you give you the run around like that and be prepared to walk out of there a lot of times they change there tune real quick.

try $175 & work your way up... set a number & be prepared to walk if he wants more than that amount... good luck!

casey campbell · Post by **casey campbell** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:21 pm

you can get a brand new one for $349

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com ... sku=580358

dano bass that is...

DrummerMan · Post by **DrummerMan** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:44 pm

I've been thinking about this thing too the past couple of days. I'm not in my home town now and ran across a mic I've been thinking about getting for a while now at a little strip mall instrument shop that has, I'd say, 50% used gear. The price on the mic is near the mid-lower side of the range I've seen it go for used here and on ebay (If you must know, it's a SM-81 for $190). I don't need the mic, but I've kind of been jonesing for it for a bit now. It would kick ass set up as my standard acoustic guitar/banjo/mandolin mid mic with my 414 as a side for MS. I was thinking of going in and offering $150 and see what they'd say. Maybe even less, I dunno. That would at least make me feel like it was something I just COULDN'T PASS UP. It's not a pawn shop, though. Don't know how independent little music shops operate on used stuff. suggestions?

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:45 pm

I've done a bunch or bartering at pawn shops. That's the whole deal with a pawn shop from my experince. They buy people's stuff at low-ball rates and when they can't afford to pay it back, the resale for whatever they think it's worth. Now many of them deal on ebay, and their prices sometimes relfect the going rate....which as you well know will have insertion and listing fee's. Then there's paypals cut. You also have to factor in time spent actually listing the item, plus the hassle of buyers that flake out. So I see all this as an advatage, and I remind some pawn owners of this when they say "It's goes for (insert price here) on ebay." This ain't ebay, my friend.

If you can bring cash and try to get them to give you a cash out the door deal, that's usually your best bet. They will always give better deals when it's been sitting there for a long time. Always be friendly and courteous, and never go in thinking you can't leave without it. If they won't deal, than they don't need your business and you probably don't need another bass, anyway. haha!

Sean Sullivan · Post by **Sean Sullivan** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:54 pm

Cool, that makes sense.

This isn't a longhorn bass, like the musicians friend links shows, it like the DC guitars and it's no longer made. Here's a picture of a similar bass:

newfuturevintage · Post by **newfuturevintage** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:55 pm

JohnnyDemonic wrote:
beefy wrote:Pawn shops love to bargin its there favorite thing to do. Walk in there offer him the 200. If he will move at all on the price he will give a a counter offer of like 280. Don't let him you give you the run around like that and be prepared to walk out of there a lot of times they change there tune real quick.
try $175 & work your way up... set a number & be prepared to walk if he wants more than that amount... good luck!

Bring that set amount in cash too. pawn shops will give more latitude to cash than credit as they save on the credit card fees. Also, remember, the folks running pawn shops are one of the lowest forms of life. Do not feel any hesitation to lowball 'em.

Sean Sullivan · Post by **Sean Sullivan** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:59 pm

Haha, I wasn't sure if because Cash America was a chain their employees didn't have a lot of wiggle room.

I have this guitar, so they would look pretty cool together:

And I have this 12 string, I wish it were silver sparkle too.

Sean Sullivan · Post by **Sean Sullivan** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 4:01 pm

Or purple sparkle!

bantam · Post by **bantam** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:05 pm

i have that silver bass and like it a ton

visible cow · Post by **visible cow** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:05 pm

So how do you like that Dano 12 string? I've been looking at those recently.....can't afford a rickenbacker.

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:29 pm

Most pawn shops are very aware of teh value of everything they have in there. They are on ebay all the time. they know the msrp and street price. They practice playing dumb.
i usually start at half of what I want to pay.
If they have any wiggle room at all they will tell me something like 85% of the sticker. Then I whip out some cash and offer what I am willing to pay.
I dont like to dick around foerever. And honestly, pawn shop people have a lot more practice than I do.
About the only place you can win at a pawn shop is with gear that is old enough to be un-cool or obsolete, that hasnt hit vintage yet. Like Kurzweil and EMU synths or the cool peavey amps.
I got my Ovation Magnum for $200 at a pawn shop!

Message Board

Making an offer at a pawn shop?

Making an offer at a pawn shop?

Who is online