The selling of my first Western Electric 300B tube on eBay - beware the "generous offer"

Want to see an audiophile drool?

"Gather around, kids!  And let me tell you the story about how I sold my first 300B on eBay!"

(First of all, this post is not about me bragging.  It's more a gentle warning for anyone out there selling on eBay who at any time has considered ending an auction early to make a quick sale.)

About a month prior to listing this 300B on eBay, I got ahold of a box of old tubes (valves to you people across the pond).  Most were junk, but at the bottom were some nice old Western Electric tubes that, based on some very quick research, turned out to be potentially valuable.  Good, like-new 300B tubes can easily go for $700 or more, and prices around the $1200 range for a single tube are not unheard of.  


But note the word "potentially".  I had no way of knowing if the tubes even worked, and if they did, how good they were.

Tubes are a lot like cars:

• they all start out new
• over time they can wear out
• with some love and care they can last virtually forever
• someone who knows them can tell you how much life you have left in it.

...and it's pretty much the same with tubes.  Except with tubes, you can't repair them.

But I didn't know anyone who could test this tube.  So...I listed one on eBay.  I made it quite clear that I was listing an untested tube.  It could be a gem, it could be a doorstop.  So basically it was a "buyer beware" offering.

So, I was hoping for a couple of hundred. Hoping...not expecting...hoping.

When I put the listing out, one potential buyer told me that he'd give me $25 for the tube I had.  He thought it was "fair and generous" considering that I had no idea of the tube's condition.  I told him I appreciated the offer, but I don't typically end auctions early.

Good thing, too.

It sold for $405.

Again, I'm not bragging (OK,  maybe a wee bit).  But I'm really posting this as a quick lesson for anyone selling on eBay.  Requests to end a listing early can come attached with fair, reasonable offers, or they can turn into you basically giving your merchandise away.

So, please...if you accept an offer, make sure you've done all you can to determine the value of your item.  Don't jump on the first offer you get, unless you're certain it's a fair offer.

Oh...and if you've stumbled upon this post, hoping to see if I have other 300B tubes available, I do.  Hopefully, I'll be listing another one soon.



UPDATE:  I did finally list another one.  Here it is!!