MIJ 'Blue Sparkle' Jazzmaster ?

[jeff m.]

Hey all.
What does anyone know about a MIJ Jazzmaster.'.Blue Sparkle' finish ( which is the best way I can describe it..it's not a metallic LPB .).

Matching headstock, white pearloid 'guard..apparently 2007/2009-ish.

For sale locally ( for probably what is way too much ), but pretty intriguing nonetheless..I don't recall ever seeing another one.

Any info much appreciated !

Best to all,
Jeff.

[MrFingers]

Like this? It's a standard JM-66 model, but with a fancy paintjob, and quite rare, especially outside of Japan. I've seen one being sold for 1500$ (which is quite expensive in my ears, unless you REALLY want that sparkle finish).

[Larsongs]

Another really cool looking color! Congrats on that one.. Looks great!

[jeff m.]

Thanks guys.

The interwebz are indeed a small world, Mr.Fingers..the pic you posted is the ACTUAL guitar I'm looking at ! For Sale here in Oz at, yes, $ 1500.

As it happens, I know the seller ( a vintage dealer) quite well, & I think he's had the guitar in inventory for quite some time.

I've had a bunch of Jags -vintage & MIJ- over the years, but never actually owned a Jazzmaster..the 'oddness factor' of this one appeals to me..

Do the original MIJ Jazz pickups fare any better than the MIJ Jag pickups ? Didn't like the ones in my 2000-ish Jaguar at all, so if I'm factoring in a pickup swap ( that pearloid 'guard would have to go, too !), what do the members here think is a realistic offer to make ?

Many thanks for any opinions !
Best,
Jeff.

[bacca51]

I got my CIJ Old Lake Placid Blue JM with an upgraded US tremolo and Seymour Ant II's for $1000. Considering the upgrades, the fact that its CIJ, and also the fact that its a decently rare color, I'd say its probably worth a little more, but idk Im just basing that on the Reverb market. So I think based on the guitar you presented being MIJ and a color I've never seen before, I feel like $1,500 is a decently asking price. I would ask offer $1,400 because you need definitely need new pickups.

[Unicorn Warrior]

^ That's too close to asking price. Offer $1,100...at most $1200 then see where it goes from there. Especially if he's been sitting on it a long time.

[bacca51]

^ That's too close to asking price. Offer $1,100...at most $1200 then see where it goes from there. Especially if he's been sitting on it a long time.

For me, if I believe the asking price is fair, I try not to throw an offer too low, but maybe im naive. I just know as a seller, I price things closer to what I'd actually want to sell them for, and can get annoyed countering an $1,100 offer with $1,450. But by all means if its been on the market for months with no bites throw em a lower offer.

[Larsongs]

In the world of Buying & Selling.... I always thought the Rules were....

If you're a Seller, Start high. You can always come down.

If you're a Buyer, Start low. You can always come up.

If you get emotional, get pissed & won't sell, you lose.....

It's just a Game..

[rumfoord]

I once posted a pair of pickups for $100 on craigslist. Somebody offered $75 but I thought that was too low, so I offered $85. He wrote back, "How about we meet in the middle at $80."

This REALLY bugged me, but I played it cool and just told him wait I thought $87.50 was the middle. But he doubled down on acting like he didn't understand me. I couldn't tell if he was half-witted, overly entitled, or just scared to drop his facade (of not taking my point that I had already come down from my asking price). I'd expected him to say, "Haha, I guess you're right. I don't want to pay more than $80 though." I would have taken that.

After an increasingly frustrating exchange, I ended up asking if he thought this behavior was "alpha" or something and to knock it off (it struck me of MRA / pick-up artist / art of the deal bullshit). But that was probably unfair---I think went in with prejudicial views about people that would willingly buy an EMG 81/85 set.

The deal did not go through. I ended up trading them to someone else a couple days later for a mixer that I use in the living room with a Casio keyboard, a microphone, lots of delay, and my five-year-old daughter. So all's well that ends well.

[bacca51]

In the world of Buying & Selling.... I always thought the Rules were....

If you're a Seller, Start high. You can always come down.

If you're a Buyer, Start low. You can always come up.

If you get emotional, get pissed & won't sell, you lose.....

It's just a Game..

Forsure, they're are definitely hidden rules, I'm just saying, if the guy thinks $1,500 is a fair price why try and lowball? I personally like to list my items closer to the price that I would like because I like to list things for a fair market price. No need to drive the market up by posting your $1,500 guitar for $1,700 making every shmuck on reverb think their guitar is worth the same.

Also for what its worth Rumfoord, I think once you counter offer, "meeting in the middle" refers to your new offer, not the original asking price.

[Larsongs]

In the world of Buying & Selling.... I always thought the Rules were....

If you're a Seller, Start high. You can always come down.

If you're a Buyer, Start low. You can always come up.

If you get emotional, get pissed & won't sell, you lose.....

It's just a Game..

Forsure, they're are definitely hidden rules, I'm just saying, if the guy thinks $1,500 is a fair price why try and lowball? I personally like to list my items closer to the price that I would like because I like to list things for a fair market price. No need to drive the market up by posting your $1,500 guitar for $1,700 making every shmuck on reverb think their guitar is worth the same.

Also for what its worth Rumfoord, I think once you counter offer, "meeting in the middle" refers to your new offer, not the original asking price.

Problem is most are asking over inflated prices already. Some are laughable they're so out of whack. Pretty easy to spot them. Just how it is.... If I see something priced too low I usually wonder what's wrong with it?

The value of something is determined when the Buyer & Seller agree to a value & close the deal....

[rumfoord]

Also for what its worth Rumfoord, I think once you counter offer, "meeting in the middle" refers to your new offer, not the original asking price.

Don't want to derail the thread, but that's not what bugged me. I knew what he meant. But using this move over a measly $5 when I had already attempted to meet more than halfway with the last offer was a power move, I think. It wasn't actually about compromise. That was what bugged me. I think he was trying to bully me for kicks.

Offering $1400 is one good way to show the seller you appreciate and notice that the original price is already a decent price. But it's not even the only way. I think you can still communicate that you appreciate and notice the seller's compromises even if you start lower. I agree it's basically a game. There are lots of ways to play the game as if you're dealing with someone you respect. But I'm not playing any games with people that get off on screwing people over.

[Larsongs]

Also for what its worth Rumfoord, I think once you counter offer, "meeting in the middle" refers to your new offer, not the original asking price.

Don't want to derail the thread, but that's not what bugged me. I knew what he meant. But using this move over a measly $5 when I had already attempted to meet more than halfway with the last offer was a power move, I think. It wasn't actually about compromise. That was what bugged me. I think he was trying to bully me for kicks.

Offering $1400 is one good way to show the seller you appreciate and notice that the original price is already a decent price. But it's not even the only way. I think you can still communicate that you appreciate and notice the seller's compromises even if you start lower. I agree it's basically a game. There are lots of ways to play the game as if you're dealing with someone you respect. But I'm not playing any games with people that get off on screwing people over.

In no way do I want to disrespect or insult anyone I buy or sell to. That said, I always want to make the most money I can when I sell something & save the most money I can when I buy something. It's just business.

[jeff m.]

Ooof !

I certainly -and most definitely unintentionally- opened a can of worms here, people !

As I mentioned, I know the seller..'offbeat' MIJ stuff I know very little about, so I was more just getting a 'feel' for what it was..

Have no intention of 'lowballing' at all ..he's a good guy & he'd just laugh at me anyway !

I was thinking more along the lines of $1300..but again, once you start factoring in a pickup swap ( I know there a many here that have no problem with the stock pickups..but,er..yeah..they don't do much for me, I'm afraid), a 'good price' becomes a 'so-so-ish' price.

Anyways, thank you all heaps for an interesting discussion ! Maybe my next post will be a NGD ! We'll see what pans out.

Cheers,
Jeff.

[gusgorman]

Do the original MIJ Jazz pickups fare any better than the MIJ Jag pickups ? Didn't like the ones in my 2000-ish Jaguar at all, so if I'm factoring in a pickup swap ( that pearloid 'guard would have to go, too !), what do the members here think is a realistic offer to make ?

I didn't like the pickups in my 2006 CIJ Jazzmaster. Neck pup was kinda ok, bridge pup was so harsh... I've swapped them for Novaks.