Sad story with a Happy ending

otto B · #1 08-08-2009, 01:34 PM

I had a Roscoe SKB5 that I decided to trade because just because I wanted to check another bass that I was offer, but I was also in the works to save some money to order a new Roscoe Bass. Well the deal came down in a 3 way trade. I would send my bass to Mexico, the person in Mexico would send his bass to my friend and then my friend would send me his bass. well everything when ok the guy in Mexico received the roscoe, I received the bass from my friend but the guy in Mexico started to come with different excuses about were was the bass that he was suppose to send. After 30 days still no sign of the bass or any cash. luckily my friend had some friends in Mexico and they when to this guy house and took the Roscoe away from him. . Well the happy ending is that the Roscoe is at my house. I will tell you that I will never, ever again I will put this baby for sale or trade. You don’t realize what you had until you don’t have it any more. This bass is unique because there were only two ever build like this one and secondly it's a 34" scale and that is really hard to find a roscoe with that scale unless it's custom made. I am extremely full of joy that I could have my beloved bass back. As to the guy in Mexico he still asking why we took the bass away from him. He almost stole it and got away with it. He also have several you tube videos. (if you go to youtube and put "Roscoe SKB" in the search you will the guy playing my bass). Be in the look out, I just found out this guy is a scam artist. Sad story with a Happy ending

JOME77 · #2 08-08-2009, 03:37 PM

So Otto, does this mean that you've got the sapwood ebony topped Roscoe back?

Sounds like you were fortunate to get it back. I guess that I've always been very fortunate in the many high end bass trades that I've made. I make it a point to always try to keep it within the TB family (with regular posters).

Welcome back to the Roscoehead club!

**Ryan L.** · #3 08-08-2009, 04:09 PM

Glad to hear you got it back.

Just checked out his video on Youtube with it. Funny how after it's been taken away from him, he's saying that it's "the worst sounding bass he's ever played".

otto B · #4 08-08-2009, 06:49 PM

That guy is mad because he wasn't successful on this scam. I'm just happy that it came to a happy end.

**Ryan L.** · #5 08-08-2009, 08:12 PM

Yeah, I'm sure he thought he had screwed you out of the bass. I bet it was a rude awakening for him when your people showed up to claim it for you!!

Anyway, that's awesome that you got it back!! It's not often that stories like this end up with happy endings.

Now, hang onto that thing!!

Alphaman · #6 08-08-2009, 08:28 PM

I'm glad you got the bass back! I know I try to stick with dealing with folks on the board who have a decent amount of excellent feedback!

otto B · #7 08-09-2009, 08:46 AM

One thing for sure I would never make a deal again outside the U.S. again. At least in the U.S. it can be track, but once it leave to another country you just hope everything goes well. I am sure that not everyone is like this guy, but I was just left with a bad taste. The other good thing is that the bass was in the same condition that it was, Perfect. The only bad part of all this is that I lost a few hundred dollars in the shipping to Mexico. but I guess I will be ok since at the End I got it back.

Darkstrike · #8 08-09-2009, 08:50 AM

Wow....

Danny R. · #9 08-09-2009, 09:23 AM

Yep.
I'm the "other victim" here

Over a month ago Otto offered me his Roscoe plus $1000 for a Smith that I had up for sale, I said no thanks. Fast forward abot 1 or 2 weeks. I guy I know on youtube asked me about Roscoe basses, he wanted to buy one but he had to sell a Smith Elite he owns. I've known this guy for like a year but only on youtube and he's asked me before about Roscoe basses. Anyway, long story short, we agreed in a 3 way deal. I sent the Smith (5 string BSR5GN) To Otto (Otto don't play 6 string basses), Otto sent the Roscoe plus $700 (and $300 for the shipping) to this thief and he was supposed to send me his Smith (a 6 string BSR6EG).
I sent the tracking # to Otto, Otto sent the tracking # to this thief and he didn't sent crap!! It's been over a month and so far no Roscoe or Smith......
Anyway, the good news. I'm from Mexico City and I have some friends in Cancun, I called them up and told them everything. They paid him a visit to his work place (he plays in a bar), he was scared.... They got the Roscoe back last monday and Otto got it Wednesday!!!!
This thief had the nerve to upload a vid of the Roscoe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lg3reH9kq4

Oh yeah.
And to add insult to injury (or is it injury to insult?) when he got the Roscoe he told me that he did not like it. That it sounded like a piece of $h!t, sure, it looks beautiful but it sounds like a dog in heat, The dumbasses @ Roscoe don't know how to build basses (his words). Man, I wanted him to be in front of me to punch him in the face.....

Otto filed a paypal claim, they froze his account but I don't know if we'll get the money back.... I lost a lot in this deal. The $700, plus what I paid to ship the Smith to Otto plus the shipping from Mexico to Texas

I still don't have my Smith back, I need to pay Otto his money back. Come on guys! buy my Eden!!

otto B · #10 08-09-2009, 04:12 PM

I was holding the bass until I would get the money that I had lost, by receiving it either by PayPal or Danny sending me an reimburse, but I'm going to be nice with Danny, I will send him the Ken Smith but with a condition that, if PayPal don't reimburse the $700 that I send to the thief, He will have the obligation to repay $600 of it. My intent is not to keep the Ken Smith; I just had a really bad experience so I was holding the Smith for security, but I am a Christian person and I believe in honesty so he will soon get the Ken Smith, and I will continue to wait a little longer for the money. This turn out to be a big mess.

Danny R. · #11 08-09-2009, 04:33 PM

Hey Otto.
I don't blame you, I would've done the same

Thanks for trusting me!

Otto's been really helpfull in all this mess.........

Now, somebody please buy my amp!

JOME77 · #12 08-10-2009, 06:04 AM

Man! Really sad story guys!
It's hard to believe that there are guys out there willing to do things like that. I can't beliee that he had the nerve to post a video of him playing the bass. And then he slammed it on top of that! What a goober!

If anyones interested in Danny's Eden, I can certainly vouch for him. Great guy to deal with!

Otto - Count your blessings, stay off the for sale Forum and just play your Roscoe!

That's a sweet one!

chadds · #13 08-10-2009, 06:39 AM

It sure turned into a scam if it wasn't one to begin with. That bass is beautiful. Next time sell both kidneys and keep this thing. A lot of time folks get hurt in three ways

whoa! are we talking Roscoes here? Next time keep your deals clean and distinct.

Danny R. · #14 08-10-2009, 08:43 AM

Hey Joe.

Thanks! I'm over it now, but I learned my lesson. I will never do deals outside talkbass.com...... I've been trading, selling and buying basses for years (even before the feedback system, we used to have "feedback threads") and this is my very first bad experience......

Chadds.
Yep, no wonder 3 ways are a sin!!!!!

But yeah, it was a scam to begin with! This guy owns a nice 6 string Smith. I talked to one of his friends and he told me that he sold that Smith before at least 3 times and kept the money!!

He's got a bad rep, this is not the first time he scams somebody.
His friend told me that a week after he got the Roscoe he tried to sell it (mercadolibre.com) but thank God he couldn't sell it.
Anyway, like I said, I'm over it and I'm sure he'll get what he deserves in due time.

davecheng · #15 08-10-2009, 10:07 AM

I was seriously hoping for more vigilante justice, but I suppose the knowledge of severe karmic retribution is just as good.

Good luck on getting the money worked out.

CrashClint · #16 08-10-2009, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davecheng

I was seriously hoping for more vigilante justice, but I suppose the knowledge of severe karmic retribution is just as good.

Good luck on getting the money worked out.

Dave is a man after my own heart, lol.

I guess they could have ruffed him up a bit then posted it to YouTube labelled, don't mess with a Roscoehead!

otto B · #17 08-10-2009, 01:31 PM

That sounds good, crashclint but like Danny said. One day he will get something more than a scam. I do believe that someone needs to put a comment about this guy being a scam artist in YouTube so everyone knows that this guy is a thief, and a fake. About the Roscoe I'm keeping this baby, when I talk to Danny about returning either the roscoe or the Ken Smith to him, I quickly told him that I will send him the Ken Smith. There is nothing wrong about Ken Smith basses, I like them too but I prefer the Roscoe bass for several reasons. Everyone has different tastes of basses.

davecheng · #18 08-10-2009, 03:45 PM

The thief has since removed the video of him playing the Roscoe.

otto B · #19 08-10-2009, 06:38 PM

yep, I guess he's trying to clean up the last scam he tried.

**Freddels** · #20 08-10-2009, 06:51 PM

A local "health spa" was shut down a few weeks ago because apparently they were giving happy endings.

Not sure if you had to give a sad story first or not but I'm guessing it was strictly cash or credit card.