Tag: projector line

Cashout #1: 2018 d’Angelico Deluxe Brighton guitar

2018 d’Angelico Deluxe Brighton guitar

As my time in California winds down, I’m trying to be strategic about my trades and the items I have. I expect this project to continue in some form once I arrive in Michigan (oh, umm, I’m moving to Michigan), but I have some specific debt-related loose ends that I’d love to take care of before I leave. That means cashing out on some of these trade lines. I have about a month and a half to do that, and today was step 1.

Mike (not his real name) messaged me this morning. He asked me if I’d entertain cash offers for the guitar, which was listed for sale or trade. I said I would, and he told me he was a student, had been saving up for an electric guitar, and really, really wanted this model. We went back and forth a little bit on price, and eventually settled on something lower than what I’d listed the guitar for, but which still felt like a really fair price for it.

He wanted to buy right away, so we agreed to meet in the parking lot of the nearby Safeway (which checked two boxes for me: 1) public and safe; 2) I was overdue for some grocery shopping…).

Mike and his girlfriend met me and, reader, I wish you could have seen his face. When he opened that case he lit. up. She was really impressed, too. Lots of oooohs and aaaaaahs, especially over the deep hunter green gloss on the body and the detail on those abalone inlays. It felt great, too, because I knew I had a gorgeous instrument on my hands, and one in great condition, and I have absolutely no doubt that he’ll cherish and appreciate that guitar.

As for me, I have my first cashout that I’ll be putting toward my debts. In the grand scheme, it’s a drop in the bucket, but the method is effective, if inefficient. This trade line started with a movie projector that I had loved for many years and that I probably over-valued at $250, and after a handful of fair-but-uneven trades, I cashed out with $1,100.

Bigger things to come, but this feels like a win.

Digital movie projector line:
Original item value: $250
Number of trades to date: 7
Latest trade: SOLD 2018 d’Angelico Deluxe Brighton (listed at $1350) for $1100
Total line value dollar increase: $850
Total line value percent increase: 340%

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Trade #25: 2010 Gibson SG for 2018 d’Angelico Deluxe Brighton

2018 d’Angelico Deluxe Brighton in hunter green

Look. at. that. color. 😍

The 2010 Gibson SG was, as I’d hoped, in relatively high demand. For those following along, I’d taken a risk by trading down for that guitar. The amp and case I traded away was worth a little more, but I thought the SG would be easy to move, both literally (it’s much smaller and lighter than a giant amp and heavy duty road case) and figuratively (bigger market for a guitar than for an amp and case).

And after a few different offers, Tony (not his real name) sent along this offer. It’s the prettiest guitar I’ve seen in a while.

He explained that he’d purchased it brand new last year but was looking for a guitar with a Bigsby (those, I’m finding, are fiercely divisive features — some seek them out, others really hate them, few seem to fall between these poles). He didn’t mind that the pick guard was different from the original shape, for which I was thankful, because various would-be traders were turned off by that.

Something I liked about the d’Angelico, beyond its immaculate condition and gorgeous aesthetics, is its boutique nature. Fenders and Gibsons are the big names with huge draw, but smaller shops (like Carvin, which I previously traded) have a desirability for collectors, and while there may be a smaller market, it’s often a more fertile one. I’m betting on that, and it’s already bearing out; eight minutes after posting the d’Angelico on Facebook Marketplace, I had an offer.

I’m also heartened by the success this line seems to be having now. This one started as a digital movie projector, and after a few quick trades, it really languished for a bit. I’m glad to see it moving and growing!

Looking forward to seeing what’s next!

Digital movie projector line:
Original item value: $250
Number of trades to date: 7
Latest trade: 2010 Gibson SG with hard case ($1200) for 2018 d’Angelico Deluxe Brighton ($1350)
Total line value dollar increase: $1100
Total line value percent increase: 440%

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Trade #23: Vintage 1976 Fender Twin Reverb with custom road case for 2010 Gibson SG

2010 Gibson SG in faded brown

This one feels a little strategic. It might be my first trade down, and that’s purposeful.

The 1976 Fender Twin Reverb was probably worth about $1200-$1250, given its well-travelled condition and its immaculate heavy-duty road case. It was a bit limiting, though: it was heavy, and it was big. I’m a strong guy, and I can manage moving it around on my own (I’m very mindful of lifting with my legs). And the wheels and casters are smooth and make it about as mobile as something of that shape and weight could be.

But it didn’t fit in my car. Lol.

Having a small two-seater is really fun at times but deeply impractical. Of course, I knew this when I got it. (Minor update on the car: I’ve had lots of offers on it, and a few test drives and close calls, but haven’t yet found the right mutual fit. Alas, I persevere. I’d trade it tomorrow if I found the right fit.) Perhaps needless to say, this giant amp does not fit in an Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce.

So I was limited in my ability to trade it, given that I couldn’t easily bring it to someone, at least not without borrowing or renting a vehicle, which I try to avoid when I can. I also don’t love meeting people from Craigslist at or near my house. So, the amp had me in a less-than-ideal situation.

When Josh (not his real name) wrote me with the SG offer plus a little cash to balance the values, I was listening. He estimated the guitar to be worth around $1100. I think that’s probably roughly right, though with the case and the upgrades, I think the upper end of the value range is closer to $1200.

It’s a beautiful guitar, a style that I haven’t had yet. SG models have those sharp customary horns, and just ooze this aggressive feel about their design.

And it has a Bigsby tremolo and some special Seymore Duncan P-Rails pickups, both professionally installed in Oakland. Not a lot of SGs come with these, so that helps to make this one special.

So here is a beautiful guitar, in very good shape, in a style that is popular and sought-after, from a brand that is widely respected and desired. This is a good trading item to have.

Josh and I met up, outdoors, masked, and carefully distanced. I plugged in the amp and he played the guitar on it. I heard the guitar, he heard the amp. we were both sold. He liked the trading project idea and was happy to support. We also traded band info, and who knows. Maybe one day post-pandemic we’ll meet again.

Walker giving the SG that beautiful demo treatment

He loaded the amp into his van (much more practical than a 2-seat convertible) and I took the SG inside. Even as guitars go, this one is light. I’ve said this before and been wrong, but I think it’s right this time: I think this guitar will move pretty quickly, and I think will breathe some life and momentum back into this project.

Digital movie projector line:
Original item value: $250
Number of trades to date: 6
Latest trade: 1976 Fender Twin Reverb amp with custom road case ($1200) for 2010 Gibson SG with hard case ($1200)
Total line value dollar increase: $950
Total line value percent increase: 380%

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Trade #12: DeWalt 20v Brushless power drill for iPad Mini 2

iPad Mini 2 with Lightning cable, charging brick, and two cases.

Fastest trade yet. Last Sunday I got a Facebook message as a response to the ad for the power drill I’d posted.

“Trade for iPad?”

Very interested. Tell me more.

“iPad mini 2. 16GB. Perfect condition. Not a scratch or dent, always in case.”

He sent some pictures and it looked sharp.

“I had someone picking it up today for $225,” he told me, “but I need a drill so this would be perfect!”

I had listed the drill for $150. This is exactly the way this project is designed to work.

He was free nearby in 2 hours. We met (surprise!) in a nearby strip mall.

We were both masked up and we kept our distance. I set the drill on the trunk of my car and brought the iPad over to the hood. I turned it on to find it had been factory reset and was booting up perfectly. He connected the drill’s battery and gave it a little zvvv-zvvv and we were happy. He’s building an at-home gym in his basement and is getting very tired of screwing things in by hand. This will help.

No muss, no fuss. We were probably in each other’s presence for a total of 3 1/2 minutes. It was easily the most efficient trade I’ve done yet, I don’t expect to beat it, and hey now I have a fresh, clean iPad to trade.

Historic movie theater seats trading line:
Original item value: $110
Number of trades to date: 3
Latest trade:DeWalt 20v Brushless power drill ($150) for iPad Mini 2 ($225)
Total line value dollar increase: $115
Total line value percent increase: 105%

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Trade #11: 1994 Specialized Stumpjumper Chromo Steel Mountain bike for $cash for 2019 Gretsch Streamliner electric guitar

2019 Gretsch G2657T Streamliner Center Block Jr. Double-Cut electric guitar with Bigsby in candy apple red

This is really two stories: selling the bicycle, and buying the guitar. “But Collin,” you’re saying, “I thought this was a trading project.” And indeed you’d be right, faithful reader. But I do reserve the right to bend the rules from time to time, and when an item languishes for too long without getting any good trade offers, I’m fine with selling it and purchasing something for that price that’s more tradeable.

I do have a steadfast rule: I won’t buy something for one price and sell it for more. I’m not here to flip things. I will sometimes buy something and trade it upward, but I won’t make a cash profit on an item. That’s something I’ll keep to.

The bicycle was sitting. I was getting offers but they were all for cash. Every time someone asked me what I was looking for in a trade, I’d tell them (“Oh I’m pretty open — musical instruments, electronics, home appliances, kitchen appliances, antiques, other bicycles… anything in good condition that I could trade onward”) and I just wouldn’t hear back. After a couple months of this bike taking up a good amount of space in my new apartment, I was ready to move on. That’s when John (not his real name) wrote me. His girlfriend’s bike had just been stolen, the first day she’d had it!, from inside her workplace’s parking garage. They were looking around for a replacement and wanted to try mine out.

For jumpin’ stumps..

They came by and she rode it around my street. They made some adjustments to the seat, explored the various gear settings, rode up and down the hill I’m on, and circled a nearby dead-end. It’s still surreal to be standing around and talking with people, whether strangers or friends, in masks. But there we were. And after maybe 15 or 20 minutes of really testing it out, they agreed to the cash ask.

And to be real, that money was burning a hole in my pocket. I want these trades to happen as fast as they can, though I also want them to be smart and strategic. Since the guitars and amps seem to move so well, I started immediately looking there for something I could pick up and trade. I was talking to a guy with a seriously metal-ass guitar, and to another with an amp head he was having trouble selling, but that I might be able to trade. Guitar guy was out in Concord, and it didn’t even come with a case, so I was less enthused, and the length of time that the amp had been posted without selling gave me some pause, too.

And lo, one weekday morning, this beauty showed up on Craigslist. A lunch break find.

This is an almost-new 2019 Gretsch G2657T Streamliner Center Block Jr. Double-Cut with Bigsby in candy apple red. The story is that the owner took up guitar in January, bought this as his first guitar (!!!), played it for a week or so, then bought a stratocaster (?!!!), decided he liked that WAY better, and let this one just sit. So he listed it for sale, practically untouched and brand new.

I didn’t even ask him for a video. I just wanted the guitar, and I just wanted it to remain as untouched as possible. We made plans and I made the drive down to glamorous Milpitas to meet him in a Starbucks parking lot. He was coming from San Mateo, so it was sort of in the middle. Anyway he showed up in a late-model Miata with the top down, so I guess that explains why a $550 guitar was his first.

We were masked up, did our wipe-down, keep-distance, Venmo ritual, and went our separate ways. I grabbed breakfast for the road and made my way home. (Stopped to pick up some new succculents on the way!)

The next day Walker was their gracious self and made me another dope video. This is a gorgeous guitar and Walker does a really impressive job pulling some beautiful sounds out of it. They seem to love playing these finds, and it absolutely makes it easier for me to trade them, so this feels win-win, too.

Best one yet.

Just posted it today and the offers are rolling. I’m having fun with this.

Digital movie projector line:
Original item value: $250
Number of trades to date: 2
Latest trade: 1994 Specialized Stumpjumper Chromo Steel Mountain Bike ($450) for $cash for 2019 Gretsch Streamliner ($550)
Total line value dollar increase: $300
Total line value percent increase: 120%

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