Just grabbed my first D1

[benhutcherson]

I've been wanting a D1 mount for a while, but haven't had the opportunity for the right one to come along.

So, I spied the following auction on Ebay earlier this evening that was ending very soon.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=290297173564

Although the seller describes it as rough, it doesn't look all that bad to me. Plus, it has an E-1 handset, of which I don't yet have an example. So, given the low shipping cost, I figured that I would reasonably pay $50 for it(before shipping).

A $50 snipe later, and it was mine, for $47.99.

So, what do you all think? Did I overpay? I can't see enough of the handset to determine whether or not it's seamless. I'm hoping that it will have an E-1 handset.

So, overall, I don't personally think that I did that badly.

[Dennis Markham]

Ben, I think you did good.  I saw that one too and wondered how the seller could ship it to me for $5.  It would be an even greater deal if it has a #4 dial inside.  But with original cloth cords and an E1 for $50 is a good price.  You'll be surprised how nice the paint will shine if you hit it with some Novus or other polish.

[benhutcherson]

Dennis,
Thanks for the comments.

A lot of sellers these days are offering shipping for less than the actual cost.

As you may or may not know, Ebay now factors the detailed seller ratings(DSRs) very heavily into the seller performance. I believe that an average of 4.2 stars out of 5 in any one category is enough to get a seller kicked off.

Since Ebay never bothered to really educate the buyers w about DSRs, many automatically assume that 4 stars are good, and thus will give 4 stars for actual cost shipping, for example.

At the same time, many buyers will give a 3 star "neither good nor bad" rating for free shipping, and sellers who offer free shipping often see their DSRs drop.

So, many sellers are finding these days that charging below the actual cost for shipping is the safest guaranteed way of getting 5 stars for shipping.

Just as a message to everyone on the board: when leaving feedback, you should always leave 5 stars unless you have a good reason to do otherwise. If the transaction went as expected with no problems, you should automatically give the sellers 5 stars across the board. Doing otherwise can really hurt the seller(especially if they're a small volume seller) in more ways than one.

If you have a problem that the seller doesn't correct, by all means mark them down. Otherwise, leave 5 and go along.

[BDM]

Good catch Ben. It looks like it will clean up nicely. Don't worry about the finger wheel. It may actually clean up with a little automotive rubbing compound, and then a little wax & shine. It's an even bigger plus if it has a #4 dial. Looks like an E1 handset. Make sure you ask the seller to properly wrap the handset and phone for proper shipping. Won't be worth beans if it arrives smashed up by United Package Slingers.

[Dennis Markham]

Before the new system, I gave a seller a neutral.  It was the only time I gave anything but positive.  I did that because of extremely slow shipping.  He zinged me with a negative.  Fortunately eBay has since removed that with their new policy, removing all negatives after one year (I think is their policy now).  But this system has helped eliminate retaliatory feedback such as I got from that *#&%#$

[bingster]

Just as a message to everyone on the board: when leaving feedback, you should always leave 5 stars unless you have a good reason to do otherwise. If the transaction went as expected with no problems, you should automatically give the sellers 5 stars across the board. Doing otherwise can really hurt the seller(especially if they're a small volume seller) in more ways than one.

I never bothered with filling out the stars one way or the other, until I ran across an auction in which the seller actually explained what the stars do to a seller's rating.  I had absolutely no idea they were important, and felt really bad for not filling them out before.  Now everybody gets 5s unless there has been a problem.

Ebay could have done a better job explaining it to buyers.  If I hadn't read about it in a seller's description, I'd never have known.


About the phone, I saw that one, too.  The price is low, and I'm sure you'll be pleased with it after just a little bit of refurb.  Just remember our prattling about subsets.  Hooking it up for testing purposes is okay, but for regular use you'll need a subset, a 302 base, or just hook it up to a loose 101 coil (which is what I did before I got a subset).

[benhutcherson]

Brian,
Thanks for the reminder on shipping instructions. I normally put that in the "instructions to seller" box on the Paypal payment, but forgot this time. I just sent the seller an e-mail requesting this.

I'm not too worried about the fingerwheel, as I have pretty nice spares, both in steel and brass. I'll try to clean that one up, but it's no big deal if it doesn't.

Bingster,

Don't worry, I've got a couple of junky 302s just waiting to be converted into subsets. I sure don't want to kill a perfectly good handset

[benhutcherson]

By the way, bingster, if you simply left the stars blank, they don't effect the seller one way or the other.

If a transaction is so-so but the seller isn't bad enough that you think they need to go, leaving the stars blank is probably the best option. That doesn't help the seller any, but it also doesn't (potentially) penalize them either.

[BDM]

Ben, I forget to tell sellers myself on occasion. We should ALL remind each other this important fact when posting our latest wins

[Sargeguy]

Nice!  I was bidding on that one as well, but I already spent my phone budget for the day so I couldn't do it.  Plus I have enough 202s already and not enough subsets.  The junker 302s I keep trying to buy to use as subsets keep turning out to be keepers (matching date 1949 w/cloth feet, matching date 1945, 251 with 5HD dial etc).  I paid $50 a couple weeks back for one of these that was spray-painted blue. This was one that I had my eye on.  That phone has 4H dial written all over it.  My guess:  III 37 dated housing with converted #2 dial.  LMK if I am right.

[benhutcherson]

Well, I just got it today.

It has a 2/3 seamless E1 and a bullet transmitter. The only seam is on the receiver cap.

Also a 4H dial, and it's dated I-32 throughout. I think that the plate may be celluloid, but I haven't taken the fingerwheel off yet to double check.

The mounting cord is 3-conductor, and in the neighborhood of 24 feet long-I don't think that I'll bother replacing it with a 4-conductor, given the length.

Pictures will follow when I get a chance.

[Dennis Markham]

Looks like a good buy Ben.  The #4 is worth that much these days.  I went back to look at the listing.  I got a kick out of the person that asked if they'd take $20-25 if it had the bell box.  That was generous.

[Dan/Panther]

Ben;
You did great.
That handset will cost you the purchase price by itself.
D/P

[Sargeguy]

I went back to look at the listing.  I got a kick out of the person that asked if they'd take $20-25 if it had the bell box.  That was generous.

Some people are shameless.   I can see asking if a person would accept a BIN if it was something you really wanted, but you should offer fair market value rather than trying to screw somebody over.  I saw a recent auction that featured a number of WECO parts.  They were not super valuable, but the parts would've moved 3 stalled projects forward.  I offered the guy $25 and he balked, rather rudely.  The auction ended and the items sold for $11.99 listing price.  To me.

[McHeath]

Nice buy on this phone.  I don't have anything older than 1951 in my phone collection, gonna have to do that someday.