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Dilemma

MovingPitchers

MovingPitchers

Jun 9, 2013
8,501
12,004
Canada
#1
Long story short.

Bought P-bass off a friend in August 2013 for 740 (MIA with hard case)..paying him bit by bit.

December 2013, he says he really needs money badly so he wants to take the bass back and sell it and give the amount I Paid him back to me. (Paid him $300 so far out of a possible $740).


I WOULD'VE done that excep:

Problem 1: he wants the hard case too, thinking it'll attract more ppl on CL if he includes the hard shell case. I sold my soft shell case. I only use the HS case he sold me.

Problem 2: I grew to like the P-Bass, even though my username says jazzonlyjazz and I'm a jazz bass-first kind of guy. And it's a frigging American model for $740 (probably could get a Sterling for that price). I will never find a price like that on CL, especially someone who's willing to accept monthly/bit-by-bit payments.

Problem 3: I did some heavy maintenance and upgrades to it. New PG, new tone knobs, new strings, cleaned the bridge of all that yucky rust, StrapLoks, adjusted the neck back to normal because it was warped pretty badly. I know they're not a big deal of upgrades, but I did that assuming I would keep the bass as long as I kept paying.

I'm struggling to pay him because of school tuition and other crap that requires me to spend $$$.

Problem 4: He lives pretty far away from me, like other side of Vancouver and I have no car to drive there nor does transit go to his neighbourhood.

If I do return it, then:

1. I'd get $300 back...perfect to spend on a cheap MIM bass or smth.

2. American Fenders with the heel truss rod adjustment thing were always a PITA to adjust...I hated having to remove the pickguard/strings just to adjust the truss rod.

3. The neck on this MIA is ridiculously thick and fat...I mean.....wow....my friend's MIM P felt like a jazz bass to me and my MIM jazz felt like a thin stick. I got cramps everytime I played the MIA on stage and standing...:P

4. So much clutter in my house, and it'd be nice to get rid of a bass to free up space.

4 cons. 4 pros. I'm so stuck. Is an American Fender THAT Worth it? I heard these go up in value as years go by, but not the other models, like MIM, Squiers (duh...)

Why is that? I kinda want to keep it so I can sell it like ten years later for like $3000 or smth (jk)..I guess it kinda links to my thread about anyone selling their first bass and having some sentimental attachment to it?
 
#2
This is why you don't sell things to friends.

Anyway, as long as you are sticking to your end of the agreement to pay him back, I'd keep it myself. But it doesn't sound like a long term player for you - you don't like the neck and want to keep it just to sell it later, so maybe sell it back and work out something for the case and upgrades you did.
 
#4
You purchased the bass and as long as you keep your end of the agreed upon payment schedule by law you don't have to return it if you want to keep it.

Your friend is in the wrong asking you to give it back.

If you could I would try to borrow the other 440.00 off a family member and pay off the bass with your friend this way you don't mess up the friendship and your friend gets the cash he needs.
 
#7
DeadZeriousBass said:
You purchased the bass and as long as you keep your end of the agreed upon payment schedule by law you don't have to return it if you want to keep it.

Your friend is in the wrong asking you to give it back.

If you could I would try to borrow the other 440.00 off a family member and pay off the bass with your friend this way you don't mess up the friendship and your friend gets the cash he needs.
Click to expand...

Here's the thing - has he actually met the agreed upon payment schedule??? - he didn't actually say that he has...


- georgestrings
 
#9
This is why I don't like to buy in installments. When it comes to ownership, my thinking is much like paying off the financing of a car, it's not mine until I pay off the whole amount.

jazzonlyjazz, I'm gonna go out on a limb/take a wild guess here; I suspect your friend may have a buyer who's willing to pay more than the $740, not to mention the entire amount up-front. This is not to say your friend is a horrible person. If he needs the extra cash soon-ish AND you haven't paid off the full amount, I can see why he'd think about going to such measures.

Some further thoughts and questions for you;
  • Is it possible to put the original hardware back on and keep them for a future purchase's upgrade?
  • If so, will your friend still be willing to take it back or is it a conditional part of taking it back?
  • Ultimately, is the bass worth your friendship?

My last thought is more of a practical consideration, not related to the "will he/won't he/is he" aspects of your concern. As a nineteen-year-veteran massage therapist, don't stick with a bass that keeps causing cramps in your hand! It's one thing if it's an occasional occurrence or something you experienced and got over, but if it's a sure-fire, constant issue…DON'T!
 
#10
Malak the Mad said:
This is why I don't like to buy in installments. When it comes to ownership, my thinking is much like paying off the financing of a car, it's not mine until I pay off the whole amount.

jazzonlyjazz, I'm gonna go out on a limb/take a wild guess here; I suspect your friend may have a buyer who's willing to pay more than the $740, not to mention the entire amount up-front. This is not to say your friend is a horrible person. If he needs the extra cash soon-ish AND you haven't paid off the full amount, I can see why he'd think about going to such measures.

Some further thoughts and questions for you;
  • Is it possible to put the original hardware back on and keep them for a future purchase's upgrade?
  • If so, will your friend still be willing to take it back or is it a conditional part of taking it back?
  • Ultimately, is the bass worth your friendship?

My last thought is more of a practical consideration, not related to the "will he/won't he/is he" aspects of your concern. As a nineteen-year-veteran massage therapist, don't stick with a bass that keeps causing cramps in your hand! It's one thing if it's an occasional occurrence or something you experienced and got over, but if it's a sure-fire, constant issue…DON'T!
Click to expand...

I did tell him I upgraded some stuff and I would ask for more if he wants it back the way j fixed it up. He didn't seem to mind because he knows how much i invested into beautifying it. I don't mind putting all the original stuff back if he doesn't care. I like my black pickguard and hopefully I can use it in another future bass.

Yeah I don't think it's worth risking my friendship with him but he said it's up to me ultimately.

I forgot to mention that if he does take it back, he can't give me my money back until he sells the bass to someone else and j doubt he has someone interested ATM. It's not like he's a pretty well off dude either. He's also in school and totally financially broke like me
 
#12
I say give it back. It seems like you like the bass, but you don't love the bass. Also seems what you like most about it is that it says Made in USA on it. $300 is a pretty good start to build a Frankenbass (P body and a Jazz neck).
 
#13
If you told him you would have it paid off in 4 months (now) then I could see him being pissed but if you didnt set a time period to pay it off then paying it off in reason (like a year) sounds fine to me and you have been paying on it, his problem. He made a agreement to take payments. I did a similar thing with a friend and it took me 26 months to get paid off, but like I said it was a friend and you do stuff like that for your friends. If you can maybe sell something and pay it off a littler quicker that would probably help.

He is winning from this as it sounds like it wasnt in great shape and $740 for a american P is high unless its in perfect shape. You can pick up american made P basses, yes standard ones for $600 pretty easy, thus for $740 I would expect a recent primo one.
 
#14
It's been 4 months and you still haven't paid for 1/2 the bass. These comments about what a bank does are irrelevant. This is a friend who needs the money.

Pay him the rest of the money, or let him have it back for what you've paid him so he can get the price he needs. Most of what you've called "upgrades" are cleaning and adjustments. Even the straplocks and the knobs are just personal preference. You can't expect to be paid for that. Put the thing back the way it was and let him have it back, or finish paying for it.
 
#15
I would sell it back, but one big thing concerns me.... he doesn't have the money yet to pay you back. The fact that you live so far away, by the time he sells it, he may then ask if he can pay you back at a later time- trust me, that's next.
Friendship is supposed to be mutual, you should pay him for the bass as agreed upon (which you have) and he's supposed to respect the fact that he sold the bass to you. It is because of your friendship that you're even considering giving him back the bass to sell as he's out some money. Sorry, but in my opinion, that's not all fair to you.

Now here's a suggestion that I think would solve things for both of you- YOU sell the bass in your area and give him the balance of the money owed, you keep the rest of the money to buy a new bass. Now, I don't know how much you can sell it for, but I think it's fair to say, you'll get more than $740, so keep the $300 you've paid so far, the cost of the upgrades, give him the $440 and if you sell it for more, perhaps split the profits between the two of you. Everyone happy.
Also as he lives so far away, wire him the money instead.
 
#16
Maxdusty said:
...by the time he sells it, he may then ask if he can pay you back at a later time- trust me, that's next.
Click to expand...

Agree.

Maxdusty said:
Now here's a suggestion that I think would solve things for both of you- YOU sell the bass in your area and give him the balance of the money owed, you keep the rest of the money to buy a new bass. Now, I don't know how much you can sell it for, but I think it's fair to say, you'll get more than $740, so keep the $300 you've paid so far, the cost of the upgrades, give him the $440 and if you sell it for more, perhaps split the profits between the two of you. Everyone happy.
Also as he lives so far away, wire him the money instead.
Click to expand...

Brilliant! I think this is absolutely the way to go. Because he's your friend, you'll help him try to sell it, but you'll also keep paying per agreement in the event that it doesn't sell. Ask him what he needs to get, though, bc your investment (cash paid+real value of upgrades) comes off the top. If he wants to drop the price for a quick sale, then, you might come up with a different option yourself.
 
#17
So far, Maxdusty's suggestion makes the most sense for you. Your friend can't pay you the equity in the bass until he sells it, you can't pay the balance on the bass. You have possession of the bass, so you should see it locally and send him the balance you owe. No driving the bass to him, no waiting on your money. If you do sell, of course, do the right thing and pay him the balance owed.

From what I've read no believes you really want to keep this bass in question anyway.

Geri O
 
#18
Maxdusty said:
Now here's a suggestion that I think would solve things for both of you- YOU sell the bass in your area and give him the balance of the money owed, you keep the rest of the money to buy a new bass. Now, I don't know how much you can sell it for, but I think it's fair to say, you'll get more than $740, so keep the $300 you've paid so far, the cost of the upgrades, give him the $440 and if you sell it for more, perhaps split the profits between the two of you. Everyone happy.
Also as he lives so far away, wire him the money instead.
Click to expand...

Great idea, Max! Bravo, sir!! :hyper:

Now, if only there was a place where a prospective seller of goods could reach out to others. Maybe through a network of interlinked computers. And maybe, just maybe, within said network there was a place…a forum, even…where like-minded individuals might be treated to pictures and advertising-copy of these goods with the intent of making some kind of deal that would be satisfactory to both parties.

…and yet they call me Mad! :D
 
#20
I think I would try to sell it myself for 850-900, then give him his $440. Maybe the buyer he has will see your ad ;) But I wouldn't simply give it back expecting that at some point in the future he would give you your $300. You know, a bird in the hand and all that.
 

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