Always check when buying used gear
12-19-2004, 04:15 PM
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50 Watt CAFz'r
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 410
Well a buddy of mine here at work wants to put a stereo into his truck, nothing crazy just a nice little 10" sub and some good components up front. So I suggest trying to find a decent 4 channel amp that he can run the components with channels 1&2 and bridge 3&4 for the sub. Sounds like a great idea for him.
So I get checking some forums and come across a nice new series alpine 4 channel amp that fits the bill perfectly, get in touch with the guy and I ask about reciepts/box to which he replies that he just bought a car and the amp was in the rear and he has no use for it and is just trying to get rid of it thus no reciepts or box.
Sooooo... that worries me slightly but whatever the price is good so I tell him to meet up later and we will buy the amp. We meet up, check out the amp it's in nice shape everything is good and my buddy who wants to buy it who has no idea about stereo's is about to hand over the cash when I flip it over and notice the serial sticker has been removed.
Soooo... we have an amp that this guy is selling, he found it in the trunk with the spare tire of a car he just bought, and it has no box/reciept/serial number. Do you think it might be stolen perhaps?
So yeah, I told my buddy to put his money away and we walked on that one. Cause honestly the price was fair... if it was a legit used amp. But everything about it screams stolen and I personally don't support running stolen gear. And I can't really be pissed off at the guy for trying to sell it because perhaps he's telling the truth and he did just find it in his car. But he even said that he thought it was odd that the serial number had been removed so to me I figure he knows damn well it's stolen, and was just hoping we wouldn't have noticed.
So yeah, moral of the story if you're planning to buy used equipment always check for at least the serial number. If it wasn't for me doing so my buddy would've bought a "probably" stolen amp at legit price which is kindof like getting screwed twice.
[ December 19, 2004, 05:16 PM: Message edited by: Big Tom ]
So I get checking some forums and come across a nice new series alpine 4 channel amp that fits the bill perfectly, get in touch with the guy and I ask about reciepts/box to which he replies that he just bought a car and the amp was in the rear and he has no use for it and is just trying to get rid of it thus no reciepts or box.
Sooooo... that worries me slightly but whatever the price is good so I tell him to meet up later and we will buy the amp. We meet up, check out the amp it's in nice shape everything is good and my buddy who wants to buy it who has no idea about stereo's is about to hand over the cash when I flip it over and notice the serial sticker has been removed.
Soooo... we have an amp that this guy is selling, he found it in the trunk with the spare tire of a car he just bought, and it has no box/reciept/serial number. Do you think it might be stolen perhaps?
So yeah, I told my buddy to put his money away and we walked on that one. Cause honestly the price was fair... if it was a legit used amp. But everything about it screams stolen and I personally don't support running stolen gear. And I can't really be pissed off at the guy for trying to sell it because perhaps he's telling the truth and he did just find it in his car. But he even said that he thought it was odd that the serial number had been removed so to me I figure he knows damn well it's stolen, and was just hoping we wouldn't have noticed.
So yeah, moral of the story if you're planning to buy used equipment always check for at least the serial number. If it wasn't for me doing so my buddy would've bought a "probably" stolen amp at legit price which is kindof like getting screwed twice.
[ December 19, 2004, 05:16 PM: Message edited by: Big Tom ]
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