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

[Chuck M]

I have bought several basses off Reverb and the only thing that was a surprise is one bass arrived in a hard case when no case was mentioned in the Reverb ad.

I have tried to avoid situations like this by asking "please describe in detail any damage or wear to the bass". I have seen many instruments described as pristine or mint that had obvious dings or wear. To me..mint and pristine mean perfect...absolutely like new in all respects.

As stated above, the necks on these bases are made with the satin finish on the back of the neck. You can easily raise those small dents with a wet washcloth and a steam iron. Just put the wet cloth over the dent and heat it with the steam iron. The steam will usually completely raise the dents. The back of the neck will then need to be carefully sanded with very fine sandpaper (I use 400 grit) and then a very thin coat of Birchwood Casey Tru Oil (available at gun or sporting goods stores) should be rubbed in to the back of the neck. After the oil has completely dried you can go over it lightly with 0000 steel wool and the finish will be smoother than the original finish.

Buying online is a blessing and a curse. We are able to locate that equipment that is not available locally but we are subject to the honesty (or lack of it) of the seller.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I was looking for a fretless MIA J Bass a long time ago. I saw one on CL and called and asked about it. The price was on the low side, but not ridiculous so I said, "This is an MIA, right?" He said it was and when I got out there it was MIM. I asked him why he lied and he just shrugged his shoulders.

Same thing happened to me, with a Telecaster, but the guy answered Yes when I asked if it was from Korea. Right on the back of the neck it clearly had Indonesia printed. I was livid, but had only driven 40 minutes out of my way.
Now I ask for photos to verify.

 

[EricMordus]

On most recently made genuine Musicman Stingrays the necks are left unfinished beneath the nut by the factory because it facilitates easier movement of the hand across the back the neck. I'm not sure if the same thing is true of Sterling's Ray series but it's very likely that your Ray 34 was issued that way straight from the factory. I would definitely keep that in mind if you ever plan to get another Musicman or Sterling brand bass in the future.

This is correct, the finish is fine on your neck, the nicks, not so much.... but they really dont look all that bad

 

[scowboy]

Having sold a ton of stuff on Reverb I am always very cautious to almost never use MINT. If you read through their guidelines they basically say if an item is in new condition (basically no sign of use) but cannot be sold as new it's mint. If it's not MINT then it must fall to lower ratings.

Sellers should be honest about their items for sale and if they are not then they need to be prepared for troubled waters. They've gone the extra mile to make sure sellers know how to rate the items listed. Reverb also patrols their listings for duplicate photos and other things that may not bode well with a buyer. I believe they are a great resource and stand behind both the buyers and sellers.

Regarding the OP's bass, I agree with many if you don't want it send it back and eat the shipping, otherwise the seller owes you something back for the inaccurate description.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I have owned several USA stingrays. All of mine came from the factory with that same line under the nut. FWIW.

But if you're not happy, the bass will never make you happy. Eat the $50 and get your refund.

On most recently made genuine Musicman Stingrays the necks are left unfinished beneath the nut by the factory because it facilitates easier movement of the hand across the back the neck. I'm not sure if the same thing is true of Sterling's Ray series but it's very likely that your Ray 34 was issued that way straight from the factory. I would definitely keep that in mind if you ever plan to get another Musicman or Sterling brand bass in the future.

 

[Paulabass]

Strategically placed nicks. And someone tried to degloss the neck behind the nut?

View attachment 2872637

Every stingray neck I've seen has a gloss headstock-oiled neck like in the pic. Am I missing something? It's kind of a MM trademark.

 

[Member8675309]

Those are nicks that are very light, probably from the bass being leaned against something. My nicks are bad, not an issue to me though. But, I look at them like a badge of honor.

But, I put them there. I understand your frustration. The seller listed it as “Mint”. Those small dents would bust it down to “Excellent”. Honestly, after learning more, I wouldn’t worry about it. But, hey, it’s your life.

 

[jd56hawk]

Man, it cracks me up how some of you folks freak out over the tiniest cosmetic imperfections... like, do you actually PLAY your basses? Do you transport and gig with them? They're going to get dinged, scratched, and worn. Buying something used means that SOMEONE HAS USED IT BEFORE YOU, since that's apparently unclear.

I'd rather have a few minor imperfections in my bass than in my playing.

 

[dan1952]

Contact PayPal. From my experience, Reverb will defer to PayPal anyway.

However - something else to consider...

The "dings" you show in the photo posted seem to be extremely minor, and the de-glossed neck may actually feel great.

Play the bass, and see how it feels and sounds. You bought the bass to play it, and not stare at it. If you like it, KEEP it. It's a tool, not a priceless painting. If the photo shows the "worst" parts, ask the seller to refund $50 if you think that will be satisfactory.

Your call, but something to consider!

Nixdad is exactly right, IMHO. The only people I know who are that anal retentive about their gear are the people who can't play, and buy gear so they can stare at it and pretend to be musicians. Sorry to be so harsh, but I've been getting paid to play for 50 years, and I've never had a club owner, audience member, or anyone else for that matter, compliment me or complain to me about the condition of my bass. Granted, the seller shouldn't have have used the term "mint," but many people don't know what it means to begin with. New, completely untouched since it left the factory - that's mint. anything else is not.

 

[bassstrangler]

Saw a Ray 34 described as excellent. I emailed the seller whether there were dings or scratches on the neck. He wrote me it was in MINT condition.

I received the bass today. At least 7 nicks on the neck. Two biggest nicks are behind the first fret, so my thumb feels them. Also, someone messed up with the neck finish behind the nut.

He told me that he would issue a return minus the $50 original shipping, and that return shipping would be on me. I wrote him, "Please issue me a full refund and return shipping because the item is not advertised. Otherwise, I'd have to escalate the issue." The seller got upset because I was threatening him(!!!) and wouldn't agree to issue a full refund.

I've contacted Reverb, but I'm not sure how so-called Reverb Protection works. I paid with Paypal. What is my option if the seller doesn't cover return shipping and doesn't issue a full refund?

As a former Sterling owner I know the back of the neck is supposed to be like that as far as the finish is concerned. The dings are not supposed to be there.

Be upset about the dings not the finish.

 

[Canadian APII]

Strategically placed nicks. And someone tried to degloss the neck behind the nut?

View attachment 2872637

This is an easy fix. I can fix this and you wouldn't feel the nick. Personally, If this is your only problem with it you are trying to screw the seller.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Get a refund take the 50 loss and give the seller a bad review. What bass was it, reason I ask is I'm always on Reverb, don't know why, I have enough Crap as it is..

 

[CapnSev]

For $575, you can get a USA made SUB somewhere, either here in the classifieds, or somewhere else. I can’t believe those import Rays are that much money!

 

[Maxdusty]

View attachment 2873048

This is how the seller misled me. I always wanted a Ray 34 (or a MIA Stingray), but I wouldn't want to keep the bass sold by "the guy with some attitude."

Well....this is your proof that the bass was not as advertised - you specifically asked if there were nicks or scratches on the neck. It's not mint. As one who has traded and sold numerous bass guitars on local sites (what can I say, I get GAS a lot), I understand there are bassists who are very particular about any imperfections on the neck - nothing wrong with that but it's one thing to be aware of if you're a seller. I NEVER list a bass as MINT, best I would describe it is EXCELLENT USED because that comes with expectations and understanding that even though it may be in spotless condition, it still is used. Even then, I rarely describe a bass as such. I'm very particular about disclosing any flaw or signs of use I see on the bass, better too much information than not at all.
Whenever as a buyer I see a posting listed as MINT, I am very, very wary...to me, MINT means you bought a bass brand new, maybe played it a few times to test it out, put it back in the box and sell it. I myself am not particular about signs of use, but I want the bass in the condition the price warrants.

To the op, I would research a fair price for a bass in this condition (very good to excellent on used sites) and ask for a partial refund for that difference. I'm thinking $50-80- I think the seller would be more amenable to this that having it returned and having to refund the whole transaction. Then, you have two options - have the neck dings filled or you could yourself post the bass for sale on your local site for that much and put it towards a brand new Sterling Ray 34.

 

[capnjim]

This is a tough one. The dings are small and easy to repair, but the buyer specifically asked about dings on the neck.
The seller did lie.
So, it becomes a matter of principal.
Is it worth it to you for the hassle to get your money back?? Probably lose a few bucks from shipping??
Or do you keep the bass and fix the dings with nail polish, which is easy to do. But you might always have a bad vibe from the bass.

I would probably just keep it and fix the dings. Ask the seller for 50-100$ refund for the repairs. You have proof he lied. This is probably the easiest for both of you.

Not that it helps, but I never list anything as "mint". Mint means its new from a store. As soon as its been in someones house and played, no matter how clean it is, its not "mint".

 

[SteveCS]

For $575, you can get a USA made SUB somewhere, either here in the classifieds, or somewhere else. I can’t believe those import Rays are that much money!

You wouldn't get a used Ray34 for the equivalent of $US575 (£420) here in the UK. New retail here is now close to £1000 ($1300).

 

[Member8675309]

“The guitar (bass)”

What? Just say bass.

 

[zenrad]

Strategically placed nicks. And someone tried to degloss the neck behind the nut?

View attachment 2872637

Those nicks will steam out with a wet rag and soldering iron in 15 minutes. I've done it more than a few times.

 

[electracoyote]

Having sold a ton of stuff on Reverb I am always very cautious to almost never use MINT.

Yeah, that word should trigger red flags and requires a healthy tablespoon of salt. Brand new basses on the rack at the music store usually aren't "mint." I've pulled guitars and basses out of the box from the factory that weren't "mint."

That being said, I've accidentally put tiny dents like those in the back of a neck with my fingernails a couple of times. Bass looks like it's in "VGC" or better to me, and if it was a player I'd sure be hanging on to it.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

I had a seller misrepresent a Gibson acoustic on Reverb. Said it was mint, and in perfect condition with low action. I got the guitar and the action was through the roof and it needed neck reset. I contacted the seller and he refused to do anything about it. I contacted Reverb's Customer Service and explained the issue with photos of measurements I took with a string action gauge. Reverb sided with me, they sent me a prepaid shipping label, I shipped the guitar back to the seller and I received a full refund and I didnt have to pay a penny for shipping.

With that said, I agree that if the seller described it as "mint", then he shouldn't have don't that. I would have described it as "excellent" and disclosed those little dents, but if I received it and wasn't aware of the dents but the bass played and sounded great and I really liked it otherwise, I'd most likely keep the bass and negotiate a small refund, like $50 or something, to entice the seller to not have to deal with getting it back and relisting it.

OP, I'm not saying you're not right here, but seems a bit over-dramatic with the thread title and what not. If that's your definition of a truly terrible experience, you may want to stick to always buying your basses brand new and in person.