A local TB'er ripped me off!!

[Antisyzygy]

Oh, then where did you get the mat?

I'm not sure. My wife got it for me. Amazon maybe? She buys me tool-stuff as gifts sometimes because I enjoy doing my own bass work.

It's an X-acto self-healing cutting mat.

 

[Double E]

Pictures are provided. An explanation has been given. It seems real obvious that this isn't the case.

Pictures cannot tell you that the nut is really bottoming out and they definitely don't show the condition of the threads.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

The osha safety shoes I wear at work are within the FOD guidelines where I work, which include static discharge.

Static electricity was killing aviation boatswain mates, until they came up with the idea of discharging the helicopter's frame to the ship's deck, before anyone touched the aircraft or tried to get out.
I guess anti-static boots is a good idea.

 

[4string4ever]

I'm a bit confused by all the posts in this thread but the money quote in the TB sale ad is "fully functional bass". Last I checked you need to have an intact truss rod to be fully functional. So that claim alone is enough to void the deal in my book.
Now the part I find confusing is...
Was the rod intact with nut installed when the buyer bought the bass? If yes, then the seller and buyer should split the repair cost since it's a matter of opinion on how functional that bass was with its current setup.
Or...
Was the rod already snapped and the nut just free spinning on the threads? If yes, then the seller should pay for the fix or provide a total refund since the truss was not functional.
Or...
Did the rod snap as the buyer was making an adjustment on it? If yes, then the buyer may completely own the bass and any repair costs. If the action was way too high (I assume way out of spec) and the buyer attempted to tighten the rod to create some back bow and he did it with the strings attached and under tension then it's the buyers fault the truss rod snapped (which may have been weakened by corrosion possibly hidden from the sellers view).

The rod had been previously snapped, and the nut attached onto the broken end, as there were done threads left on the rod. As the bass came into my possession, the nut was crazy tight and, out of concern that it might break, not adjustable in my opinion.

 

[JackANSI]

This is complete speculation...it is not a foregone conclusion that the seller is lying any more than it is that the OP is telling the truth. Just because one is screaming louder than the other doesn't make their position more credible.

The seller himself said he messed with he truss rod... unless he is somehow a pro at doing setups all of a sudden, when the seller did that, the pro setup was removed from the equation.

To quote the seller himself from his own post in this thread:

First and foremost Im sorry this has happened. When I sell a bass guitar I clean it play it make any adjustments then deliver it locally or ship it out. I inspected this one everything looked ok. So as normal I turn the truss rod to test it. I used an allen wrench for this adjustment which I did give to the buyer. I tightened it with ¼ inch x 2 it buzzed so I then loosened it a few small turns. I found no problems, I found nothing broken. I cleaned the bass guitar a little more then left to locally deliver it.

To quote the seller himself in the for sale thread which happened well before the comment above:

Lakland DJ4
Very new looking Skyline Darryl Jones Jazz, I'd like to sell my 2003 DJ4. $750 plus ship fee, no trade for sale only. It has low action pro set up, no buzz, straight neck, Pearloid pickguard, , Pickups are Areo model, Pearl White body with matching painted head stock, Rosewood fretboard with white pearl block inlays, and white binding, Swamp Ash body, String thru body or thru bridge. It's Very well made, fully functional and sounds amazing. Has 19mm string spacing. Weight is 10lbs. Ships in Fender hard case. Has a nick in the paint on the front of the headstock below the "L" of Lakland; a few light scratches (see pic).

So tell me... who really made up this "pro setup" stuff? Even you espouse that a truss rod should only be messed with by someone who "knows what they are doing". Does the actions described by the seller sound anything like the actions of someone who knows what they are doing? Especially within the context of that video you posted?

 

[4string4ever]

Static electricity was killing aviation boatswain mates, until they came up with the idea of discharging the helicopter's frame to the ship's deck, before anyone touched the aircraft or tried to get out.
I guess anti-static boots is a good idea.

Static kills electronics/avionics where I work, so we take it very seriously.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

The seller himself said he messed with he truss rod.

Yeah, I remember reading that post, and "willy nilly" came to mind from the description of his actions.

 

[oatsoda]

I have been on both sides of this dilemma myself, and neither is an enviable position. I encourage you both to exercise honour and integrity in your resolution.

However this resolves, or doesn't, the real lesson in this for the rest of us, is be darn cautious with Korean Lakland truss rods.

 

[guy n. cognito]

You can usually fix that by using some washers, not always, but usually. You take the nut off then stack the washers around the rod. Then, tighten the nut back down.

A competent guitar tech (not even a luthier) might be able to fix that without replacing the entire truss rod.

Although, I am unsure what kind of truss rod Laklands have. That works on many Fender style heel or neck rods. Fender actually sells a part for doing that so you can fix their old vintage guitar necks that have bowed a bunch.

Not if the threads are broken off....

 

[Double E]

The rod had been previously snapped, and the nut attached onto the broken end, as there were done threads left on the rod.

That is what you are speculating. How does the truss rod snap and leave remaining threads? I have broken many bolts in my life and they don't usually break inside the nut but rather at some point beyond the nut especially not 1/4" into the nut. Unless there is some kind of spacer that's been removed, there should be no available threads.

 

[Antisyzygy]

Not if the threads are broken off....

I thought he said it screws on, but just not deep enough?

The washer-around-the-rod trick gives the truss rod nut more push with less threading.

Anyway, just trying to help. Not saying I envy the guy for having this problem.

 

[4string4ever]

I have been on both sides of this dilemma myself, and neither is an enviable position. I encourage you both to exercise honour and integrity in your resolution.

However this resolves, or doesn't, the real lesson in this for the rest of us, is be darn cautious with Korean Lakland truss rods.

That being said, I still think it's a great bass, which is why I bought it. The 2002/03's are by all accountsthst I've seen, the best of the Skylines ever made.

Any bass can suffer a truss rod dilemma.

 

[4string4ever]

That is what you are speculating. How does the truss rod snap and leave remaining threads? I have broken many bolts in my life and they don't usually break inside the nut but rather at some point beyond the nut especially 1/4" into the nut. Unless there is some kind of spacer that's been removed, there should be no available threads.

That I cannot speak on, I can only say that the end is visibly damage and rusty.

 

[4string4ever]

I thought he said it screws on, but just not deep enough?

The washer-around-the-rod trick gives the truss rod nut more push with less threading.

Anyway, just trying to help. Not saying I envy the guy for having this problem.

You are correct, it does screw on, but only 3 turns.

 

[gln1955]

I took it to The Guitar Factory in Wibter Park. There isn't s better place in town.

OK, so just to be clear, did a qualified tech at this place actually look at this neck and say this truss rod couldn't be made useable and that you need a new rod or new neck?

(Sorry, but your revealing little bits and pieces of the story throughout this thread make sit hard to know what really has transpired.)

 

[alaskaleftybass]

First and foremost Im sorry this has happened. When I sell a bass guitar I clean it play it make any adjustments then deliver it locally or ship it out. I inspected this one everything looked ok. So as normal I turn the truss rod to test it. I used an allen wrench for this adjustment which I did give to the buyer. I tightened it with ¼ inch x 2 it buzzed so I then loosened it a few small turns. I found no problems, I found nothing broken. I cleaned the bass guitar a little more then left to locally deliver it.

I met the buyer opened up the case handed him the bass, he said it looks good. I made it back home.I text him because Reverb.com said he had to mark the item as being received. At 3:15pm he text me to say thank you for refunding the shipping cost which I did. Also in that text he said he had been setting the string height and intonation and that he was ”very happy with the bass and thanked me”. Later he said the truss rod was frozen. He said he called Lakland but no worries everything is fine. I recommended 3 guitar shops that would inspect it for free. Later he calls saying the truss rod and nut are broken. I think the buyer should have stopped when he thought it was frozen. Youtube has videos on truss rod adjustments, they always say take it to a music store for this unless you are very experienced. I was not there when he worked on it. All I know is it worked when I gave it to him.
I contacted the guy I bought it from off ebayhere is his reply:

Dear mkave09,

I know the bass you bought from me. I honestly have no knowledge of a problem with the truss rod. But I never needed to use it as I found the adjustment to my liking. To the best of my knowledge there was not an issue with the truss rod.

Sincerely


Dear Sir
I bought a bass from you here on ebay in July. Lakland DJ 4 White. I didn't use it and put it up for sale. Today I sold it and the buyer says the truss rod is broke and was repaired before, I think he said the nut broke off. Do you have any knowledge of this nut or truss rod being broken or repaired. I told him I turned the nut here before I delivered it to him it adjusted fine? This has no bearing on my purchase from you. Its between this buyer and me. I would appreciate your help please.
Mike

This sounds like a reasonable person trying to work with the situation. He got hung out to dry and smeared pretty good well into a dozen pages.
I don't know where this stands right now but I think the buyer needs to continue to have a dialog with the seller.

I think what I learned from this is-- even if we live in the same city, I'm still going to follow whatever protocol the selling medium requires, in this case, must be shipped and received. With postal evidence.

Good luck to both of you, by the looks of this, both the buyer and seller have been stung by this one.

 

[4string4ever]

OK, so just to be clear, did a qualified tech at this place actually look at this neck and say this truss rod couldn't be made useable and that you need a new rod or new neck?

(Sorry, but your revealing little bits and pieces of the story throughout this thread make sit hard to know what really has transpired.)

Apologies, but in trying to keep up with the thread, work and tend wifey's texts all at once. The tech said that yes it was broken and that it could be repaired or the neck replaced.

 

[4string4ever]

This sounds like a reasonable person trying to work with the situation. He got hung out to dry and smeared pretty good well into a dozen pages.
I don't know where this stands right now but I think the buyer needs to continue to have a dialog with the seller.

I think what I learned from this is-- even if we live in the same city, I'm still going to follow whatever protocol the selling medium requires, in this case, must be shipped and received. With postal evidence.

Good luck to both of you, by the looks of this, both the buyer and seller have been stung by this one.

Yes, have your purchase shipped, or else PayPal will consider your buyer protection null and void.

 

[guy n. cognito]

That is what you are speculating. How does the truss rod snap and leave remaining threads? I have broken many bolts in my life and they don't usually break inside the nut but rather at some point beyond the nut especially not 1/4" into the nut. Unless there is some kind of spacer that's been removed, there should be no available threads.

Happens all the time. A rod can break any place, and it's only logical to break where it's the thinnest and sees the most stress.

 

[BigBadaBoom]

Why not just allow us TB'ers to donate a small amount of $ into a fund till you can get it fixed properly?