Arrh...my first Reverb.com purchase is terrible

[ThuzzleFump]

TBH, the nicks would not bother me, but you are right, it's not MINT. I bought a Jazz once that was described as MINT, but it had minor wear marks...light swirling on the pickguard and chips on the pickguard from adjusting the truss rod without loosening the neck or protecting the guard. IIRC I pinged the seller and he gave me a partial refund. It was enough to replace the pickguard...which I did not do because I figured it would get some playwear anyway.

Based on the MINT description he does owe you a bit of money. I'd ask for $50-100 off or send it back if I felt the dings were something I could not live with. I could live with them, but I'm not you.

 

[mcnach]

The seller in all honesty probably didn't even realize they were there. They are so small....even I had to look twice.

I guess "attention to detail" is not mentioned in your references

 

[Member8675309]

The seller in all honesty probably didn't even realize they were there. They are so small....even I had to look twice. Hardly terrible and hardly worth the fuss of this entire 'terrible' thread. unwatch button is now activated......

I have to agree with this statement. Not the unwatch portion, but with classifying this as a “terrible” transaction.

 

[Axstar]

I came here expecting something... well.... terrible. Counterfeit bass, broken bass, thrashed and flood-damaged bass. Not a bass with a couple of teeny tiny wee dents in the back of the neck.

Honestly, stuff like this makes me wary about selling gear online, as I feel that there is a sand timer out there counting down slowly. One day the sand will run out and I will have to deal with the histrionics of somebody whose new gear experience was ruined by some pin-head dents in the finish I neglected to break out the microscope and capture first.

"Mint" is such a misused phrase that I ignore it. You can go back into the annals of history to a time when it meant 'from the mint' or whatever, but those times have passed. It is the 'plays like butter' of optimistic but uncreative sellers; a banal platitude repeated ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

In OP's case I think they are overreacting to some very minor cosmetic marks. I would drop-fill the dents with superglue and either buff out the satin finish on the neck or make it properly satin again with a light sanding pad. It seems that this was a factory finish on the neck. Maybe it became glossier over time due to the previous player? After a couple of years the back of the neck on my Telecaster is glossy whereas it was satin when I first had it.

 

[GreyBeard]

Most New basses at guitar center have worse dings than that
I agree he mis-described the item and it should be reconciled.
If you like the bass the dings won't be a big deal.
If you don't like the bass the dings are a way for you to get free return shipping

Yes, most demo basses that have been hanging around in music stores can get pretty nicked up. However, I bought a scratch and dent Fender Am Pro p-bass 5 from them this Christmas from Sweetwater. They showed pics of some scratches in the paint. When I got the bass, the scratches were too small to bother with buffing out.

 

[RustyAxe]

mint = unopened box as received from the manufacturer, unplayed, untouched = new

You can buy mint instruments from authorized dealers. ANY used instrument, no matter how good the condition, is NOT mint. As a buyer you should equate "mint" with "excellent condition". And that bass is just that.

 

[GreyBeard]

mint = unopened box as received from the manufacturer, unplayed, untouched = new

You can buy mint instruments from authorized dealers. ANY used instrument, no matter how good the condition, is NOT mint. As a buyer you should equate "mint" with "excellent condition". And that bass is just that.

I look at the word "used" first and then the condition. "Used Mint or Like New" means just that. You could compare this bass to a new bass and there would be no difference. But, when I'm buying used online, I expect, as should all of us, clear and well exposed pictures that show every square inch of the instrument. Not a blurry cell phone picture of the bass on a stand in the bathroom.

 

[RustyAxe]

"Used Mint or Like New" means just that.

I maintain that a used guitar cannot, by definition, be "mint". That word means absolutely nothing to me when describing ANYTHING that has been used, regardless of condition. Buyers should beware of such meaningless descriptions!

 

[GreyBeard]

I maintain that a used guitar cannot, by definition, be "mint". That word means absolutely nothing to me when describing ANYTHING that has been used, regardless of condition. Buyers should beware of such meaningless descriptions!

What term would you use to describe a used bass that was "like new" meaning you could compare it to a brand new instrument and find no differences?

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

What term would you use to describe a used bass that was "like new" meaning you could compare it to a brand new instrument and find no differences?

I'd used the term, "Used, Like New".

 

[GreyBeard]

I'd used the term, "Used, Like New".

Fair enough

 

[RustyAxe]

What term would you use to describe a used bass that was "like new" meaning you could compare it to a brand new instrument and find no differences?

I might try "excellent condition". Maybe even "like new" ... but not "mint".

 

[Tigerclaw_x]

My experience with reverb has been positive. With paypal - not so much. Reverb stood behiind me in two purchases where seller lied about "no buzz" and "electronics work fine". Paypal I have few problems with - they barely speak English, they do NOT read each other's notes on account, and most of all - they do understand YOU completely. Most paypal is in China or Phillippines, some are in India, in many cases their accent is just atrocious and their understanding of English is spotty, as is their communication with each other. Having said that - there are plenty of SOB sellers. Do not let them get away with it. Nail them with negative reviews if they give you ANY hassle at all...

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Regardless of whether or not we think the OP overrated and may be a bit nit-picky vs. did the seller misrepresent the bass, the one thing that many of us are missing here is you really have to read between the lines and take the way someone describes a piece of gear with a grain of salt. I've seen craigslist listings where it's described as "like new" but then you read on and/or look at the photos and and it's telling you a different story.

If you're naive enough to just go with the category the seller has chosen and leave it at that, I'm sorry to say that you almost deserve what you get. If you're someone who's super worried about little nicks on the back of the neck like the OP, then do yourself a favor and SPECIFICALLY ask the seller something like, "Are there ANY dings, no matter how small on the back of the neck, because that would be a deal breaker for me", and also ask for additional pictures showing this. If the seller says nope, there aren't any, but you receive the bass and it has dings in it, you now have absolute recourse. If you ask the seller, "Has the bass been modded in any way, pickups or electronics modded/swapped, etc?" and they say no but the bass arrives and you remove the pickguard and it's a rat's nest under there, you have absolute recourse.

If you're someone who is REALLY picky and absolutely MINT, untouched, not even a smudge or scuff you really shouldn't be buying any used bass that you dont have the opportunity to put your hands on the instrument in person, or the place your buying from has a return policy that will allow you to return the instrument for any reason.

I have my own things that keep me from buying something off line from Reverb. Usually I steer clear of buying ANY guitar or bass sight unseen because I've learned my lesson. I know what to look for and what questions to ask because of both good and bad experiences and from learning about what questions to ask and what to look for. Still, this doesn't guarantee 100% success every time, but it puts the odds in your favor from getting burned next time. Like I said, I usually just steer clear of buying anything, even with basses in the Classified section on this site. I've corresponded with some sellers and ask specific questions, and if my gut isn't feeling it, I pass.

It shouldn't be this tough, but if you're naive enough to know that there aren't people out there who are going to fudge on the condition and hope you wont notice, or wont go through the hassle of filing a claim and hopefully getting a return, then dare I say you're probably gonna get burned at some point.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I maintain that a used guitar cannot, by definition, be "mint". That word means absolutely nothing to me when describing ANYTHING that has been used, regardless of condition. Buyers should beware of such meaningless descriptions!

Mint, in various areas of collecting, has not meant unused for a good while, about 30 years ago, in colloquial usage. Yes, it may not be the textbook definition, but it is how it is used. To me mint would mean with no signs of wear, and indistinguishable from new, apart from perhaps the sticky plastic on the tort pickguard removed, but there are people who would use the term mint to mean excellent. In the world of collecting, many shops do keep to using mint to mean its textbook definition, or avoid the term entirely, but that is because, at least in the UK, you could easily return an item to a shop if it was not mint, had it been described as mint, but you would have little recourse with a private sale.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Regardless of whether or not we think the OP overrated and may be a bit nit-picky vs. did the seller misrepresent the bass, the one thing that many of us are missing here is you really have to read between the lines and take the way someone describes a piece of gear with a grain of salt. I've seen craigslist listings where it's described as "like new" but then you read on and/or look at the photos and and it's telling you a different story.

If you're naive enough to just go with the category the seller has chosen and leave it at that, I'm sorry to say that you almost deserve what you get. If you're someone who's super worried about little nicks on the back of the neck like the OP, then do yourself a favor and SPECIFICALLY ask the seller something like, "Are there ANY dings, no matter how small on the back of the neck, because that would be a deal breaker for me", and also ask for additional pictures showing this. If the seller says nope, there aren't any, but you receive the bass and it has dings in it, you now have absolute recourse. If you ask the seller, "Has the bass been modded in any way, pickups or electronics modded/swapped, etc?" and they say no but the bass arrives and you remove the pickguard and it's a rat's nest under there, you have absolute recourse.

If you're someone who is REALLY picky and absolutely MINT, untouched, not even a smudge or scuff you really shouldn't be buying any used bass that you dont have the opportunity to put your hands on the instrument in person, or the place your buying from has a return policy that will allow you to return the instrument for any reason.

I have my own things that keep me from buying something off line from Reverb. Usually I steer clear of buying ANY guitar or bass sight unseen because I've learned my lesson. I know what to look for and what questions to ask because of both good and bad experiences and from learning about what questions to ask and what to look for. Still, this doesn't guarantee 100% success every time, but it puts the odds in your favor from getting burned next time. Like I said, I usually just steer clear of buying anything, even with basses in the Classified section on this site. I've corresponded with some sellers and ask specific questions, and if my gut isn't feeling it, I pass.

It shouldn't be this tough, but if you're naive enough to know that there aren't people out there who are going to fudge on the condition and hope you wont notice, or wont go through the hassle of filing a claim and hopefully getting a return, then dare I say you're probably gonna get burned at some point.

I would say 'any dings, nicks. scratches, or other blemishes' as a ding doesn't have a good definition. Someone may interpret (and maybe they did in this case) ding as dent or divot, in which case there aren't any dings on the neck by that definition, but scratches, yes. I personally wouldn't characterise what is on the bass as a ding either, but again, I would say it was a scratch.

 

[Bigbri]

What term would you use to describe a used bass that was "like new" meaning you could compare it to a brand new instrument and find no differences?

Mint.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

I would say 'any dings, nicks. scratches, or other blemishes' as a ding doesn't have a good definition. Someone may interpret (and maybe they did in this case) ding as dent or divot, in which case there aren't any dings on the neck by that definition, but scratches, yes. I personally wouldn't characterise what is on the bass as a ding either, but again, I would say it was a scratch.

That's why people also put pictures in their listings. If there is something that you're not comfortable with, you should email the seller asking for an explanation or for them to elaborate on what they describe as a dent or ding and as for photographic proof. A sellers definition of a tiny, minuscule dent may look like the Grand Canyon to you. Get it in writing and get better pics. if they refuse to, or are unwilling to do so, then you move on and keep looking.

Whenever I've sold anything on Reverb I put up a TON of pictures and usually over-describe it. I disclose all wear and usually describe it to be worse than it actually is so there are no surprises. Also though, if I get a weird vibe from a buyer and think they are just way to critical and suspect that they have unrealistic expectations I wont sell it to them. Whenever I've sold gear it wasn't because I was desperate to sell, hard up for cash, or needed to get rid of something to fund another instrument I've already bought but really couldn't afford, which gives me the luxury to be patient as a seller.

If the instrument isn't from a known retailer, and just a random person on Reverb and they're selling something as "MINT" or "LIKE NEW" I'll shoot them an email and ask, "Are there any dents , dings, scratches, blemishes or issues with the bass?" And if they write back and tell me it's perfect, then you have recourse if it arrives otherwise. If you dont do that, then you're kind of at their mercy so to speak, unless it's something glaring. This thread is a perfect explanation of that.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

That's why people also put pictures in their listings. If there is something that you're not comfortable with, you should email the seller asking for an explanation or for them to elaborate on what they describe as a dent or ding and as for photographic proof. A sellers definition of a tiny, minuscule dent may look like the Grand Canyon to you. Get it in writing and get better pics. if they refuse to, or are unwilling to do so, then you move on and keep looking.

Whenever I've sold anything on Reverb I put up a TON of pictures and usually over-describe it. I disclose all wear and usually describe it to be worse than it actually is so there are no surprises. Also though, if I get a weird vibe from a buyer and think they are just way to critical and suspect that they have unrealistic expectations I wont sell it to them. Whenever I've sold gear it wasn't because I was desperate to sell, hard up for cash, or needed to get rid of something to fund another instrument I've already bought but really couldn't afford, which gives me the luxury to be patient as a seller.

If the instrument isn't from a known retailer, and just a random person on Reverb and they're selling something as "MINT" or "LIKE NEW" I'll shoot them an email and ask, "Are there any dents , dings, scratches, blemishes or issues with the bass?" And if they write back and tell me it's perfect, then you have recourse if it arrives otherwise. If you dont do that, then you're kind of at their mercy so to speak, unless it's something glaring. This thread is a perfect explanation of that.

You're a responsible seller, thank goodness.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

You're a responsible seller, thank goodness.

First off, I have zero intentions of misleading anyone. This is a BIG reason why whenever I've sold a guitar or bass on Reverb, I've only listed it for local pickup only. If someone persists and basically begs me to ship it, I tell them everything I know about the instrument and ask them what else they'd like to know about it. Second my intentions aren't to rip someone off. When I sold a bunch of stuff last year it was because of a major downsizing. Basically liquidating most of my gear and only keeping a few instruments that I play often. I want the buyer to get what they are expecting to get, and not be disappointed.

Being super transparent and descriptive on my end also covers my butt in the case of selling to someone super critical and anal with unrealistic expectations!