Evil Bay (eBay) Bye~ I don't buy guitars on eBay. But if you see a guitar there which you must have, here are some of the things you can do to lessen the degree of risk involved in dealing with sellers on eBay. First, e-mail the seller and ask him/her all the questions you have. Here are some sample questions: 1. What year is the guitar? 2. Is the guitar all original with original hardshell case (OHSC) and all original case goodies? Can you list all the case goodies? 3. Does the guitar have any cracks, dents, dings, nicks, and scratches? If yes, where are they located? Please send me close-ups of them. 4. Does the case have any tears and wears? 5. How much is the shipping to Taiwan via FedEx (or UPS, USPS, DHL, whatever you want)? 6. If the guitar has a tremolo bridge, ask whether the tremolo arm is included if you don't see it in the photos and if the seller doesn't say anything about it. 7. Can I have your phone number? I would like to call you and talk about the guitar. Second, you give the seller a ring after he/she answers your questions like the ones above. The purpose of calling the seller is to get a feeling whether he/she is a decent, honest folk. It's easier for the seller to lie on eBay and in e-mail than over the phone. It's great to have a pleasant conversation with the seller, esp. if she's a hot chick, and talk about the guitars heroes and the kinds of music you both like, but don't forget the real purpose of your call, that is to make an accessment of the seller and the instrument. Watch out for sellers who beat around the bush~ Then you can make your final decision based on your evaluation of the guitar and the seller. Happy Playin'~ ys2113@columbia.edu