I think the going rate for a restored and upgraded Mellotron is $5,000.00 to $5,500.00. Right now, it might be somewhat less. If the machine has a significant provenance that makes it more value to someone, so be it. It might fetch more. I don't think setting a high price has anything to do with greed. I think it has more to do with not understanding the market. Right now, getting a good price, or even a fair price on eBay is difficult. It is a depressed economy and there are fewer people with sufficient disposable income to pay top dollar.
Fortunately, I don't need eBay sell a Mellotron.
The machine being discussed looks to have a cabinet in decent shape. It looks to me like is has been repainted at least once. Anyone who purchases an unrestored machine after looking at photos is stepping into the great unknown. There could be dozens of hours of work and a considerable investment after the purchase to make the machine play as it should.
There are probably a ton of Tron owners out there who think their machines are just great. They are, to them. Through the years that I have been working on them I always thought that they were just great. They all played well once worked on. But over time I have come to redefine when a Mellotron is really at its best. I have yet to see one come into my shop that was even close.
I was just amused by the price and description of the Tron on eBay now. Not upset or disturbed in the least. The market allows what the market allows. If someone pays the asking price it will be because that Mellotron is worth that much to them. So if the seller gets his or her price, that benefits anyone else trying to sell one.
I just don't think that there is a snowball's chance in hell that it will sell. The market sets the price... the reality becomes self evident.
Frank
In a message dated 6/14/2010 12:28:08 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, MAinPsych@aol.com writes:
In a message dated 6/14/2010 7:15:30 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, atm655@verizon. net writes:You don't have to buy the fucking thing!Can you blame the guy for wanting to maximize his price?TonyTony,With that logic, I should have gotten at least as much for my restored #908. I think this goes a bit beyond maximization, crossing over into fantasy and wishful thinking (and likely just plain greed). But who knows -- a guy recently wrote me to say he bought an ex-Pappalardi m/c (just how many of these DID he own?) for $5400. Barnum had it right; there's one born every minute. BTW, I have a bridge in Brooklyn that you might be interested in...Frank