Bass arrived broken.

[mattbass6945]

I had never order a bass online and was nervous about having it shipped. It showed up with a broken headstock. What should be my course of action? Complain to UPS or just get a refund (minus shipping and restocking fees) from the seller?

 

[Snakeman1066]

Yep contact seller...Get a refund or a replacement and let them deal with the carrier...

 

[Slater]

Yep contact seller...Get a refund or a replacement and let them deal with the carrier...

This.

It’s the seller’s packing, carrier choice, and therefore, the seller’s responsibility to resolve the issue.

 

[mattbass6945]

Thanks, guys. I messaged the seller that it arrived broken and supplied pictures. I'll see what happens. Wish me luck.

 

[Bass V]

ouch, that sucks, nothing worse than a new bass day down the toilet. I live in the same fear and always have the neck popped off for safer shipping and a much cheaper rate. what kind of Epi did you almost get?

 

[themarshall]

I think I read Allen Woody.

Bummer.

 

[LinusKarlsson]

One just wonders what the hell happened to that box for the bass to arrive in that shape...

 

[NoBueno]

 

[KohanMike]

Same thing happened to me last week, but I buy online all the time. It's an acoustic bass uke from Aquila in Italy and it went through a month long trek all around Italy until it ended up back at Aquila. They sent it again, but when I opened the partly squished box, I found the top was cracked in three placed from the tail to the bridge, the binding was broken at the strap button and the ABS bowl body was cracked to the side of the strap button. Someone obviously dropped it from up high onto the end of the box. In all honestly, it was not packed all that well, in a gig bag in a cardboard box, no padding.

I sent Aquila photos of everything and later that day they said they would send out another with more packing, and not bother to return the broken one, not worth the expense.

 

[mattbass6945]

Epiphone Rumblekat b stock from a reverb store. The bass was repackaged in the original epiphone box using Christmas wrapping paper in place of what should have been bubble wrap.

 

[Old Blastard]

Epiphone Rumblekat b stock from a reverb store. The bass was repackaged in the original epiphone box using Christmas wrapping paper in place of what should have been bubble wrap.

Hmm.
I can't imagine how anything went wrong.

 

[mattbass6945]

Hmm.
I can't imagine how anything went wrong.

Exactly. I hope the seller is reasonable, but I suppose if they were reasonable, then they wouldn't have used wrapping paper. Might as well used saran wrap and bricks.

 

[pedroims]

Epiphone Rumblekat b stock from a reverb store. The bass was repackaged in the original epiphone box using Christmas wrapping paper in place of what should have been bubble wrap.

Contact the seller and request a refund or another bass. It will be way easier for them to deal with UPS. I have have very bad experiences with UPS and FEDEX when trying to fill a claim for damaged goods, avoid this pain at all costs.

 

[TNCreature]

Sorry this happened.
Amazing that people who sell for a living try to cheap out on the packaging. This could be avoided.
Good luck!

 

[Element Zero]

Epiphone Rumblekat b stock from a reverb store. The bass was repackaged in the original epiphone box using Christmas wrapping paper in place of what should have been bubble wrap.

Lol. Merry Christmas!!!

 

[Ghook]

Reverb should be in your court on this.

 

[Rib 13]

successful shipping far outweighs unsuccessful shipping -- sorry this happened to you on your first online go......

 

[Thornton Davis]

I feel your anger and frustration as this happened to me about 15 years ago with a vintage acoustic guitar. I believe the seller pulled the old " bait and switch" on me. The headstock wasn't damaged but the body of the instrument had a hole and multiple cracks in it when it arrived. The photos of the instrument that I thought I had purchased was in perfect condition when I bought it. The seller had sent the instrument in a hardshell case via USPS, when I told him that the instrument was destroyed he told me that he filed an insurance claim but after months of waiting nothing became of it. Ultimately I ended up parting out the instrument in order to get my money back.

I hope that the seller will step up and do the right thing to resolve this for the OP.

TD

 

[Acoop]

Seller hires shipper so, it's up to those two to duke it out. ... What did Oswald say, "I'm just a patsy." ... Stay on top of it every week till you get your money.

 

[Dave W]

I had never order a bass online and was nervous about having it shipped. It showed up with a broken headstock. What should be my course of action? Complain to UPS or just get a refund (minus shipping and restocking fees) from the seller?

Even if you were to get a refund, why would you be responsible for shipping and a restock fee? It's not like you got cold feet and decided not to keep a fully functioning instrument.