Shop "Lost" Amp on Consignment

[MoSlevin]

First off, let me say, I'm an idiot.

I'm not one to usually do consignment, but after buying my SVT-3 rig last year I decided to get rid of my old Peavey head. Not wanting to go through ebay or the pawn shops, I decided to take it to a vintage shop in town, where they were looking for some bass gear.

This particular shop used to be pretty cool - my brother and I had both bought our first electric guitars from him when we were teenagers, and they had tons of rare, GAS inducing gear. The owner just seemed like a cool old hippie, and his prices were on the level.

Anywho, the fool I am, I left him my amp and forgot about it for a little too long - about a year. Anyways, I drop in on him a couple of weeks ago since I was in that part of the city, and asked whether or not he had sold that amp or if he still had it. After rummaging through his shop for half an hour, I didn't find anything, and he had hardly remembered the amp in the first place. I left my name and number with him then, and he said he'd figure the whole thing out and give me a call. Now, two weeks later, he hasn't phoned me back, and won't return my phone calls or messages.

To make matters worse, I can't find the consignment stub (although his consignment book has duplicates, as well as a photocopy of my driver's license).

From how he's acting it sounds like he either sold it, gave it away, loaned it to somebody else, or just plain lost it.

Not that it's a particularly valuable amp (I could maybe get ~$150 for it), but I'm disappointed and frustrated (with myself, mostly) that I really don't have any leverage or recourse to get it back, or get paid out.

Anyone have any advice, or similar stories of shifty hippies misplacing gear?

[staindbass]

if he did not give you a receit saying you dropped off an amp for consignment, then he had you from the beginning. sorry about the loss. johnny a

[LowBSix]

Request credit or another item...

[MoD_Scotty]

Go down there and demand compensation. If he has the records of you dropping the amp off, you're golden.

[IanStephenson]

Originally Posted by MoSlevin

To make matters worse, I can't find the consignment stub (although his consignment book has duplicates, as well as a photocopy of my driver's license).

Get a copy of his paperwork ASAP.

If you've got the paperwork, then you can demand your cash. Without the paperwork then the amp never existed. If things are still on good terms then get the new paperwork BEFORE getting nasty.

[winston]

Where I've consigned items (one of the most highly-regarded stores in the SF Bay Area) the agreement said up front that the item became their property after a certain amount of time (90 days or so) and that they are not responsible for loss, theft, or damage. Even most repair places I've frequented have similar terms for items left past a certain time, usually 30 days. Does his copy of the consignment info list the terms?

Maybe you'll get lucky but as Tom Waits said, "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away".