HELP! I've got an ebay problem!

[justinb515]

Ok, understanding that hindsight is 20/20 so to speak, I realize that I should not deal with buyers with no feedback. I recently sold my Warwick Thumb 4 BO to an ebay member with 0 feedback. He apparently joined in order to buy my bass. I put a new set of elixirs on the bass and set it up to have very low action, so of course it buzzes if some kid tries to dig in and "rock it like a hurricane." I have a feedback rating of 81, and have sold many basses on ebay without a hitch. Anyways, this guy bought the bass, paid quickly, and everything seemed fine. Today, a week later, I have a message from the buyer's FATHER, telling me that his son received the bass, and that "the strings buzzed." He told me that he took it to a guitar shop, who said that nothing could be done to fix it. He told me that if the problem can't be resolved, he is going to return it. I set that bass up myself, like I have done many times, and it was in perfect condition. Apparently this kid has no idea how to set up a bass, so now they are threatening me with a refund demand because the bass is "broken." I sent them a link to the gary willis setup page, what else should I do, and how responsible am I in this situation?

[ihateusernames]

hopefully they don't booger up the guitar trying to 'fix' it, then return it to you damaged. in all reality, it seems you've done your part, put it into ebay's hands and don't lose too much sleep. i got a negative feedback from a crook - it sucks - life goes on.

[The Craw]

Well, obviously whoever the father took it to is an imbecile. I suggest you find a repair shop in the area -- ask here on Talkbass for recommendations or at least find a shop that's authorized by some major manufacturers -- and offer to pay for a setup. That will be better than taking it back. If he won't agree to that, then it's just a case of buyer's remorse.

[bassman275]

My return policy on e-bay-"Please know what You are biding on as, ALL SALES ARE FINAL.".....

[tycobb73]

I can see how this can happen. I took a break from playing for years. My 2 basses had old strings on them and didn't buzz. I get my new one and it buzzes. I take it to my teacher to do a setup. He says he needs to put new strings on to do any setup properly. He thought the original setup was a little off but nothing too terrible. I get it back and it still buzzes, but I trust my teacher. I play it for a few days and the buzzing goes away. I felt like an idiot when I realized that I forgot the fact that I liked the sound of worn in strings.

On the other hand, the shop should have picked up on this point. Maybe you can give them a call and they can explain it to him.

[guy n. cognito]

Ask for the name of the guitar store and the name of the tech that gave them the diagnosis. Tell them you want to call him to discuss the issue. That should put an end to it.

[justinb515]

Ok, the father replied and said "hey great site (Gary willis setup site I referred him to), we will no doubt be able to handle it." I figured this is a victory, and I will never sell to a no-feedback buyer again. Thanks guys!

[guy n. cognito]

Here's another hint: never set up a bass you are selling with very low action. Personally, I always sell a bass with medium action, since most players don't like their setup too low. That will avoid these types of problems.

[spudmaster34]

that is probably good advice, I'm willing to bet that most of the people who are picky enough to have super-low action are willing to get it set-up once it comes

[Spector_Ray]

Another thing I like doing is speaking to the buyer personally. Whenever you talk over the phone, it's easier to keep things in context as far as mood and such. The few cents or bucks you spend on a phone call can really make a difference.

[Lobster11]

So how's this going? I'd like to hear how it turns out.