Am I the jerk here? Reverb return

[MultiScaleMale]

I can see both sides, but in the end you would not have made the offer if you knew it was 11 lbs. You’re fine and he’s fine because of an issue that isn’t important to him.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Bottom line: Ask questions BEFORE you buy. I even put that in my listings. IMHO, you are the one who messed up and the seller is not, even though they gave the wrong weight AFTER you bought it.

 

[fhm555]

I'm not understanding something. The listing says it weighs 11 pounds, but you asked her anyway and she said 9 pounds, but then when it got to you it weighed what the listing said? I'm not certain how it's not as described or why you asked her, unless I'm missing something about the listing. It seems weird that Reverb would agree with this being not as described if I'm understanding this correctly.

Would you have not bought it otherwise, even though you've been searching for a while?

I’m wondering the same thing. If you had to ask the weight, how could it be considered “not as described”? I get the difference in weight, but as already mentioned, a bathroom scale can’t be counted on if accuracy better than a couple~three pounds is needed. Maybe a digital bathroom scale, but a spring scale that might be 20 years old?
Thankfully I don’t have any issues with bass weight, but if I got one that was unacceptably heavy, unless the weight was incorrect in the listing, i’d sell it on if I couldn’t use it.
Given that weight is not something most casual sellers would be equipped to accurately obtain, if it was not mentioned in the listing I’d move on the next listing.
Fortunately I’ve got a postal scale that can handle 30 pounds so I can supply a good number if asked, but I don’t list weight as a matter of course because I’ve never had anyone ask for it, or even mention or wonder aloud about what my listing weighed.

 

[Grinderman]

The buyer should have asked the question before making the offer.

If the seller didn't actually weight the bass with a scale they should have made it clear to the seller it was just an estimate, not weighed using a scale. Saying “about 9lbs, very comfortable!” is misleading.

Whatever Reverb's TOS stipulate, if the terms are sufficiently specific, decide the correct resolution to the dispute.

 

[gidbass]

This is an ongoing matter here but let’s see what TB says


I’ve been looking for a early 80s Fullerton STD P with rosewood board… found one! Placed a lower but still fair offer. Accepted!

my first very first question before payment and checkout (and perhaps out of order here and my one and only error in the process)

“what’s the weight?”

“about 9lbs, very comfortable!”


Great! bass arrives as described except it weighs 11lbs. From the listings I’ve researched, and the other maple necked Fullertons I’ve put my hands on, 9lbs is actually on the heavy side. 11lbs feels like an anomaly, yes body is original.

Reverb agrees this is an issue of not as described.

Here’s where the karma gets tricky. Listing mentions “raising money for a woman who lost her husband last year”

He was the original owner and was a veteran. Bass is in great player-grade shape actually considering (maybe because it’s 11lbs and tended to sit in the case!”)

seller is pissed and thinks it’s “absurd” that I’m wanting to kill a deal “because of 2lbs” and I acknowledged the bad reverb karma on my end.

arguably this bass plays and sounds better than the other 83s I’ve played… and maybe the heavy body has something to do with that. Idk it just isn’t sitting well with me either way.


Am I the ******* here?

is anybody here interested in a boat anchor? Could be showing up in the classifieds later today.

Yeah, you should have asked that question before placing an offer. If a weight isn't listed it is always my first question.

I say this will respect since you asked: you are the jerk here.

Good Luck!

 

[bmusic]

You're not a jerk, but yeah, I'm gonna side with those who are saying you shoulda asked the weight before submitting the offer. The seller would have been within his rights to reply "I don't know the weight, sorry—and it's already packed up" and ship it off to you. End of transaction.

And that's speaking as someone who, like you, would never buy and 11lb. bass. Does Reverb consider post-purchase communications binding? Should they? I don't have the answer to that.

It sucks, but bottom line is: you purchased a bass before fully vetting it.

 

[bikeplate]

Bad information. You have every right to return it if you ask me

 

[Lesfunk]

It sucks, but bottom line is: you purchased a bass before fully vetting it.

All stated opinions aside, this is the bottom line truth.

 

[FunkHead]

I don't see what's so wrong with being the guy who serves Soda.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

You're not a jerk, but yeah, I'm gonna side with those who are saying you shoulda asked the weight before submitting the offer. The seller would have been within his rights to reply "I don't know the weight, sorry—and it's already packed up" and ship it off to you. End of transaction.

And that's speaking as someone who, like you, would never buy and 11lb. bass. Does Reverb consider post-purchase communications binding? Should they? I don't have the answer to that.

It sucks, but bottom line is: you purchased a bass before fully vetting it.

It happened before payment, so it should be binding. But I agree that questions should have been made prior to the offer.

 

[SirMjac28]

Link Removed

 

[doran.dragic]

Maybe the bass gained 2 pounds on the road. Happened to me as well.

 

[Herrick]

11 pounds is way too heavy for Herrick but if I was a buyer in this situation, I would not return the bass.

 

[J Wilson]

Most people who aren't bassheads like us don't have a postal scale around that will properly weigh a bass.

So they use the bathroom-scale method which can be innaccurate.

So probably no ill intent, just bad luck.

When I get "surprises" on Reverb, I usually ask for a partial refund, just because nobody wants the hassle of sending things back.

Can you come to a compromise with the seller on a partial refund?

Well, I'm a 'bathroom scale guy', what is the right way to do it ?

 

[DwaynieAD]

And we’re rounding why? Maybe you should let it go. 16%. OP didn’t ask what the weight was rounded to the nearest 10. In which case almost all basses would be “10.” Guess they didn’t teach common sense in your kindergarten.

love,
Mom

Guess you lack the ability to read your own post which I quoted?

 

[Lowbrow]

Return without guilt. 11 lbs is a damn heavy instrument. Of course the seller is going to think it’s not an issue to return over. Ignore their complaints — they simply want the money, not the bass.

 

[JimmyM]

Why waste a sellers time like that. If you have to know the weight and every small detail about a purchase on a used instrument, either buy new or look locally for a used bass so you can go put your hands on it.

Weight is not a small detail by any means.

 

[JimmyM]

I can’t blame you for returning it at all. Those types of questions should be asked before you hit the Buy button, though.

 

[lermgalieu]

Guess you lack the ability to read your own post which I quoted?

Not at all. You are lacking in your analysis, is all. The question at hand, which the OP asked, was: "What's the weight?" The seller replied: "About 9 lbs." If the seller was rounding to 10's, you would have think they would have said "About 10lbs." Ah, but they didn't. That's because it is ridiculous for you to start rounding to 10's to try to prove a point here. Who would round bass weights to 10's? And why? So that literally ZERO meaningful information would be communicated? Because that's the net result of your "math," which I submit is sub-kindergarten. You might round 9lbs 9oz to 10. In fact, one would assume that the bass weighed anywhere from 8lbs 9oz to 9lbs 8oz based on the answer. But you're just being silly.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

A lot of pages and it's probably already covered, but if you're worried about Karma just don't hose the guy on return shipping costs ( I assume you paid for initial shipping).