if the cause of the inoperable pickup isn't a loose wire, how could the OP have caused any damage? it would be easy to show the pickup was faulty before he got it.
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Deal gone bad: a reality check, please
- Thread starter megarat
- Start date
Leave negative feedback if you can't get the seller to accept a return. This is why I always do a video recording of anything I purchase online to demonstrate whether stuff was working or not when I got it.
So, it sounds like your opening it up wasn't invasive or damaging at all.
Assuming the seller is blaming UPS, and you want to stick to your guns it seems you have a simple choice.
1, if the bass is nice enough even after you pay for a repair, keep it.
2, if you don't want to keep it is up to the seller to deal with UPS.
Because if you contact UPS, they will likely only want to talk to the person used their services (entering into a contract).
So either way the seller needs to deal with it.
Assuming the seller is blaming UPS, and you want to stick to your guns it seems you have a simple choice.
1, if the bass is nice enough even after you pay for a repair, keep it.
2, if you don't want to keep it is up to the seller to deal with UPS.
Because if you contact UPS, they will likely only want to talk to the person used their services (entering into a contract).
So either way the seller needs to deal with it.
I don't know what your current state of negotiations is with the seller, but I get the impression he's not going to offer you any accommodation. In that case I'd just replace the pickup and chalk it up to experience. And my experience has led me to not use Ebay in over a decade.
You didn't say what kind of bass you bought or how much you paid. Maybe it is worth the price of a new pickup. Definitely contact eBay and file a complaint. They tend to favor the buyer in most cases. Good luck and Happy New Year.
You are covered under eBay's buyer protection policy which is very favorable to the buyer. File a dispute and I'm sure you will get your money back. I've been using eBay since 2002 and I'm pretty up to date on their policies.
Removing a panel and testing with a multi-meter does not sound invasive to me. You did not use any other tools, so this seems reasonable.
Keep it and fix, or file complaint and return. The bass was not working when you got it, and you performed some minor diagnostics to see if you could resolve an issue.
Keep it and fix, or file complaint and return. The bass was not working when you got it, and you performed some minor diagnostics to see if you could resolve an issue.
As stated, if you don't want the bass, open a dispute with ebay and paypal. Ship the bass back to the seller. Provide ebay with the tracking number for shipping. Yes, you'll pay shipping, but you may get your shipping costs back if you win the case, and there's about a 99% chance you'll win.
2nd option. Keep the bass. Fix it.
Ebay almost always sides with the buyer.
2nd option. Keep the bass. Fix it.
Ebay almost always sides with the buyer.
Opening up the control cavity and testing it with a multimeter is not invasive. The seller is looking for any excuse to scam you and I'm not sure I would put up with it.
Taking the cavity cover off isn't invasive at all. For an active bass without a battery box it's necessary. If an active bass arrived to me DOA the FIRST THING I would do is swap the battery.
Checking wiring visually or with a meter isn't invasive at all. You're not taking anything apart.
Checking wiring visually or with a meter isn't invasive at all. You're not taking anything apart.
There's nothing like not getting what you pay for and for sellers to be dishonest and deceitful. I traded for a US Fender Jazz bass and when I received it, it did not have the original Fender branded tuners on it! They were replaced with US Hipshot vintage tuners so I wasn't too upset but the seller failed to mention anything about it.
You paid for a working bass, guess what you didn't get. You're in the right, the seller can go pound sand.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Look at it from his side, if he is not scamming. He sent something that was fine when he shipped it. You started monkeying around with it, and now is saying there is a problem.
My guess is it was damages when you got it. But you are admittedly not a professional. He has a reasonable argument, but I think you will win. But if there is an issue when you get something, unless you are a professional tech, you should not have opened it prior to reporting it. The people deciding these disputes are not experts in the field, and could guess that what you did contributed to/caused the problem.
My guess is it was damages when you got it. But you are admittedly not a professional. He has a reasonable argument, but I think you will win. But if there is an issue when you get something, unless you are a professional tech, you should not have opened it prior to reporting it. The people deciding these disputes are not experts in the field, and could guess that what you did contributed to/caused the problem.
Opening the control cavity isn't invasive as long as you don't disclose that bit of information as he thought it right not to disclose some information, lesson learned for the next time. Without knowing the type of p/u...can't it be rebuilt?
If there was a non DOA statement description file a claim ebay will most likely refund you but you will have to return it
I'm also confused by needing the pickup replaced? Could it be a simple grounding issue, bad solder joint? Something much easier. Could be that the transport did bounce it around enough to knock something loose, I've had it happen with pedals, although it's rare. I've also had things come in not working, walked away and test again later and they mysteriously work again. haha
You said you know someone who is a tech, can they diagnose the problem for you properly for free or minimal charge?
Also curious of the type of bass. Who knows. Maybe they have a history of this happening.
You said you know someone who is a tech, can they diagnose the problem for you properly for free or minimal charge?
Also curious of the type of bass. Who knows. Maybe they have a history of this happening.
Not saying this is like you, but there's always 2 sides. I recently sold something on eBay, not a bass, but was a 250 dollar rc helicopter. I only owned it for a few months, Made sure everything electronic was working fine, took my time to pack everything snug and appropriate. Didn't get any message or email from the guy about any problems or that he got it. But had to find out through negative feedback that he was unsatisfied the servo and gear was broken. I then contacted him saying I was sorry that this happened I made sure everything was working and could he send me some pics and explain alittle further and I will try to resolve. He then emails me a few days later back saying nah not worth it it's cool. I am fighting to get this feedback taken down with ebay right now too. Have had an account for over 10 years with no bad comments. So yea obviously it's sounds like you got a faulty item but people can be strange sometimes
I'm interested in what kind of pickup we are talking about here that needs replacing .Otherwise aforementioned you have done nothing invasive and you'd be well advised to nail this guy to the wall unless its a damn fine bass.As far as the seller,If he thinks he has a chance then I have a bridge to sell him
I don't see anything invasive or out of the ordinary about what you did.
There is no way to know, for certain, if it worked before it was shipped.
It's not likely that the seller would knowingly ship it without it working
and just expect you not to notice.
Shippers are way more interested in collecting shipping charges than
they are in delivering the goods.
I know a guitar player that works for one of them.
He tells me that everyday they have broken packages and paperwork
from them blowing away.
I can almost gaurantee that it went through more bouncing, vibration, etc.
during shipping than it would in a year of being gigged every night.
There is no way to know, for certain, if it worked before it was shipped.
It's not likely that the seller would knowingly ship it without it working
and just expect you not to notice.
Shippers are way more interested in collecting shipping charges than
they are in delivering the goods.
I know a guitar player that works for one of them.
He tells me that everyday they have broken packages and paperwork
from them blowing away.
I can almost gaurantee that it went through more bouncing, vibration, etc.
during shipping than it would in a year of being gigged every night.
