Buying Crack on eBay

Aural Robert · 3887

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Offline Aural Robert

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on: July 10, 2013, 04:16:58 PM
I'm researching prices to sell off some of my gear as my new stuff comes on line and ran into this. Looks like a builder reseller thing happening. Doc are you ok with this? I thought I should point this out as to me it just does not feel right.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bottlehead-Crack-vacuum-tube-headphone-amplifier-with-Speedball-upgrade-/290943331876?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item43bd92ee24

Aural Robert.
... confusion will be my epitaph ...

Origin Live Calypso TT w String Theory arm & Shure V15VxMR, Eros or BH DAC -> BeePre -> MonAmor 2A3s w JJ's => Blumestein Bamboo Tritons on Blumenstein Bamboo stands, AND Enhanced SEX w Sexy spkrs and subs in the WAF zone. DIY Belden 89259 w Eichmann interconnects throughout


Offline Dr. Toobz

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Reply #1 on: July 10, 2013, 04:38:49 PM
That's funny - I ran across the same listing when doing as you were, e.g., trying to figure out how much a used Crack might fetch. (I'm hoping to fund a Mainline down the road....). Not sure the listing in question will sell at that price; most used Crack amps I've seen tend to sell at prices only slightly above the cost of an unassembled kit. I doubt there's much of a market for built-to-order Bottlehead amps, but who knows? Seems to defeat the whole point of buying a kit amp, in my opinion.



Offline John EH

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Reply #2 on: July 10, 2013, 04:53:21 PM
I don't see how he's making money.  Crack and Speedball are about $400 without shipping and he has some boutique parts in there.  Heck the one I built I feel like my labor would be worth more than $100 or $75 if you factor in shipping.

It's wrong though to buy the kits and build them for the sole purpose of reselling them unless of course you have the permission of the Bottleheads I would think.



Offline Dr. Toobz

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Reply #3 on: July 10, 2013, 04:59:39 PM
Ah, it does have the Speedball; my bad. Just looked at the auction again. So yes, that would be a pretty low overhead.

Does anybody feel kind of weird about selling their amps? So far, the Crack is the only one I've considered offloading, and I feel strangely guilty about even considering the option.



Offline earwaxxer

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Reply #4 on: July 10, 2013, 06:04:26 PM
China is WAY ahead of anyone trying to resell a kit for a profit. Anything that is good and can be made and sold for less has already been tried and done. It doesnt make much sense to try to sell a simple design for a profit (except for a kit), because it will be copied and duplicated. The money is in the complex designs. I'm not saying that there is no purpose for complex designs. I have a very complex class A/B amp that sounds very analog, pure and simple. People get paid for doing things, even complex things, in the right way. You are not going to find a Quickie out there selling for $1000 I dont care what's in it.

Eric
Emotiva XPA-2, Magnepan MMG (mod), Quickie (mod), JRiver, Wyrd4sound uLink, Schiit Gungnir, JPS Digital power cord, MIT power cord, JPS Labs ultraconductor wire throughout, HSU sub. powered by Crown.


Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #5 on: July 10, 2013, 06:28:23 PM
Anybody is welcome to buy a kit, build it, then sell it on eBay.  There's certainly no voilation of any of the rules, and the $500 price tag on that unit certainly shows that the builder won't be turning a profit. 

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline Doc B.

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Reply #6 on: July 11, 2013, 05:05:53 AM
To be crystal clear here - I did not ban him. There were some personality clashes and he decided to stop participating here. He requested that I remove all of his posts, which I did. Please check facts before posting this kind of thing.

Anyone can buy kits from us. What they do with them afterwards is none of our business. I don't see anything wrong with auction myself.

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
Bottlehead Corp.