Is this a genuine sale

[Riccardo]

Commenting only on my memorable experiences in the wonderful world of accordions and accordionists in the 40s-60s.. Some - not all -names mentioned in thread titled Sources for Classical Accordion music...... and several others over past several months.

 

[dak]

It's because of the modern technologies we get to discuss about these scams. Technology doesn't make people want to do things. It enabled them to do whatever they want to do in a more effective way

Well, technology may have increased the reach of scammers but it also increased the reach of legitimate transactions. How would you have connected with accordion sellers across the country or further away?

 

[Riccardo]

Telephone, letters, telegrams, gigs, concerts, competitions, especially word of mouth contacts which in those days were really important since reputations were important, travel and of course we didn't have the amount of money to look at all the possibilities and options available to people today with this higher standard of living and evident increase of commercialism....
Not attempting to be patronizing but all I'm suggesting in view of the threads I've read so far, there seem to be increased negative experiences as a result of what I see re modern technology. Obviously criminal events are greater in number and severity today in comparison to my era since the technology didn't exist or was in its infancy.
Must apologize for going beyond the topic of accordions. but was asked....no more will be added.
Good luck to all accordionists who respect, appreciate and love the instrument..

 

[Rosie C]

Obviously criminal events are greater in number and severity today in comparison to my era since the technology didn't exist or was in its infancy.

Not even as far as criminal, while I've found some excellent accordion dealers I've also experience sharp practice. I think maybe in that way technology doesn't help - I would not risk naming the dealer on a public forum but would have shared in an old school accordion club meeting.

 

[Ffingers]

Normal human behaviour!
" 't was ever thus."
...on the other hand, losing a thousand or so dollars to some cheap fraudster is chicken feed to the unending shennaneghans of our politicians, merchandisers, financiers and religious leaders alike.
While "Take care of the Pennies and the Pounds/Dollars will take care of themselves." has validity, the perpetual bleeding of our communities 'common weal' by those for whom 'equinamity' is a dirty word is in need of a great deal more attention by the general public.
If you believe that politics, religions and Wall Street are not your personal concern, then you need to look at them much more closely: They are the ultimate scams.

 

[debra]

Not even as far as criminal, while I've found some excellent accordion dealers I've also experience sharp practice. I think maybe in that way technology doesn't help - I would not risk naming the dealer on a public forum but would have shared in an old school accordion club meeting.

That is a sad reality indeed. I try not to name dealers here, especially since in my area (say within two hours drive in a densely populated region) I can only recommend less than half of the accordion dealers I know. In private conversation I do mention which places to go to and which to avoid. But even with the worst dealers around here, when you buy an accordion and pay your money you do end up having an accordion. It's only online that you pay and get nothing.

 

[dak]

It seems likely that just down from the porticullis there were sketchy lute vendors in abundance back in the 14th century- and those used chariot salesmen in the shadows of the forum; "seasoned oak wheels well broken in for maximum smoothness" and "hand trimmed" pegwork for the body...

I see none of the unfortunate chicanery involved in human interaction as anything new- or anything worsening these days quite frankly.

Cutting corners is a core part of engineering. Modern engineering aims for lifetimes (and maintainability) safely beyond the legal warranty date, with highly reputed manufacturers aiming for a decade under rated use. The more the cut corners and durability choices disagree with what a customer would choose themselves or at least expect, the more we move to "cheap" and then to "scam" perceptions of the deal. This particularly depends when the asking price correlates with higher expectations.

What I am saying here is that there is no hard dividing line between honest craftsmen and scammers: there is sloped terrain between the two, and market and price do a lot for making the slope slippery. There is a lot of muddy middle ground between "good people" and "bad people".

 

[Dingo40]

Cutting corners is a core part of engineering.

Hence the old saying: anybody can build a bridge that stands up, but it takes an engineer to build one that only just stands up!