Does This Pickup Seem Like Anything Other than a Music Man?

[FunkHead]

It's an important detail whether the seller described the instrument as all original or not. If it was specifically described as all original equipment and is not, the buyer has a point. Otherwise, a reasonable person should assume that a used instrument may have had some work done, and ask about that before the sale if it concerns them.

Listing doesn't seem to say all original and if you look closely you can see the "N" for Norstrand in one Pic. But it still makes no sense to fight Reverb/buyer on this one.
I believe this is the Sold listing: If I am wrong please let me know and I will edit this post.
Music Man Stingray 4 with piezo bridge Tobacco Burst

 

[Ostie]

This is why I don't sell on Reverb or eBay any longer. Too much hassle. I have a hometown brick and mortar store that will consign sell for 10%. That's cheaper than what I can ship for. I take it in, they hang it on the wall, and I forget about it until they call me to come and get a check when it sells.

 

[BobKos]

My experience with Ernie Ball Musicman is that they will sell you any part that was original to that instrument, based on it's serial number. I seriously doubt the piezo was a mod. EBMM would not sell that to someone as a part if it was not original to the instrument. By the same token, with a provided serial number they would sell him an official Stingray pup. Offer him a refund on what that would cost, and have him send the replacement pup back to you.

As far as I know, this is not correct. EBMM will sell you a part on an exchange basis. IOW if your preamp, pickup, neck, etc goes bad they will sell you a replacement contingent on returning the broken original to them. They do not sell parts outright as other manufacturers do. So in this case the original PUP is long gone and EBMM will not likely help. In the old days I could understand that they were protecting their proprietary market. Nowadays there is so much great MM upgrade equipment available that I think EBMM is doing a disservice to collectors and faithful owners with this policy. Maybe it has changed recently but last time I checked that's how it was.

 

[JoeWPgh]

As far as I know, this is not correct. EBMM will sell you a part on an exchange basis. IOW if your preamp, pickup, neck, etc goes bad they will sell you a replacement contingent on returning the broken original to them. They do not sell parts outright as other manufacturers do. So in this case the original PUP is long gone and EBMM will not likely help. In the old days I could understand that they were protecting their proprietary market. Nowadays there is so much great MM upgrade equipment available that I think EBMM is doing a disservice to collectors and faithful owners with this policy. Maybe it has changed recently but last time I checked that's how it was.

I don't have extensive experience with them. But with a serial number they were more than happy to sell me a compensated nut and a control plate

 

[Kro]

I don't have extensive experience with them. But with a serial number they were more than happy to sell me a compensated nut and a control plate

From what I've read, they're much more protective of their pickups.

 

[India_Sierra]

If there's an N on the pickup, then it's probably a Nordstrand. If it is, then it's no longer exactly that bass.

MM is very protective of their pickups, and I've heard won't sell a replacement without having an original shipped back. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but stock MM pickups mean a great deal to many. It's not the same as with some other popular manufacturers where the proper pickup is easy to acquire.

Crazy but I had heard the same. That said, there aren't many pickups that would fit the MM routing that I wouldnt consider an upgrade over the stock Musicman item. Bartolini, Nordstrand, Lane Poor, Kent Armstrong etc etc - gimme one of those upgrades any day!

 

[bovinehost]

If the buyer stops being an idiot, I have an original MM pickup available for him at no charge. And no, the original listing did not claim it was 100% stock, although between us I thought it was. As to Armybass, no problem, I didn't care at the time if it was a Nordy or not.

I guess what bugs me is he sent me messages after getting the bass and playing it for a few days, telling me what a killer instrument it was and he loved the strings and so on. Everyone was happy as could be. But as I said, if he'll just stop insisting I scammed him - and I've been around long enough that I have to assume you guys know I'm no such thing - I'll get him the OEM pickup.

If not, he can pound sand and I'll spend his money on hookers and blow.

 

[Rabidhamster]

Just tell Reverb let them handle It

 

[alaskaleftybass]

If the buyer stops being an idiot, I have an original MM pickup available for him at no charge. And no, the original listing did not claim it was 100% stock, although between us I thought it was. As to Armybass, no problem, I didn't care at the time if it was a Nordy or not.

I guess what bugs me is he sent me messages after getting the bass and playing it for a few days, telling me what a killer instrument it was and he loved the strings and so on. Everyone was happy as could be. But as I said, if he'll just stop insisting I scammed him - and I've been around long enough that I have to assume you guys know I'm no such thing - I'll get him the OEM pickup.

If not, he can pound sand and I'll spend his money on hookers and blow.

It's not about his attitude. You sold him a non-original bass. Even if it was not mentioned in the listing, you should have disclosed the changes in the ad. Not siding against you sir, it about your own integrity. Good luck, hoping the best for your outcome.

 

[mdogs]

It's not about his attitude. You sold him a non-original bass. Even if it was not mentioned in the listing, you should have disclosed the changes in the ad. Not siding against you sir, it about your own integrity. Good luck, hoping the best for your outcome.

I am fairly certain that what you wrote is the essence of what every person who is against the OP wound say. So, by definition, you are against him. It's like saying "with all due respect" and then saying some slam against a person. Saying you aren't against him doesn't make it not so.

 

[Bass Man Dan]

If it were me, and exclusively because it's not me, I'd drive to the buyer's house, wash his car, pay him for return shipping that he might have incurred had I not made the trip, hand him his money back and take the bass with me to save him the trouble of sending it back.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

On the second picture, you can see the N on the pickup.

Music Man Stingray 4 with piezo bridge Tobacco Burst

But, you're probably going to lose any dispute. Do the return and chalk it up to lesson learned.

 

[Rabidhamster]

I didn't see this in the thread. Did you specifically state all original? It's not like you quietly swapped in a cheap part on the sly, so if it wasn't specifically stated all original it's a used instrument, who knows what's in there.
For all we know he looked at the pictures saw the N logo and bought the bass because of it.

It's an internet thing people do, they knowingly go into something and then try to get a discount because they think they can prove something was not as described. Actually it's not an internet thing it's just a people thing. People throw a fit trying to get things cheap or free all the time.

 

[Hundred proof]

Not a single piece of EBMM electronics in it .... would not have it any other way

I have a Nordstrand 4.2. The 'N' embossed on the front is very difficult to see but it is there. Does BH know there is an N or is that what the buyer is saying? I don't see it in the photos. I will say my EBMM basses all have tapered magnets but I don't own a standard Stingray. The magnets in the pic look square cut and I don't know if that is normal.

BH - as a moderator from the EBMM forums you know better than most of us how sacrelige modifying one of BPs treasures can be to some of the cult members. Sounds to me like you sold a bass to one.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I am fairly certain that what you wrote is the essence of what every person who is against the OP wound say. So, by definition, you are against him. It's like saying "with all due respect" and then saying some slam against a person. Saying you aren't against him doesn't make it not so.

You are clueless as to my intentions. If it was my sale, I would return it to preserve my own reputation. A seller has to stand behind his product and provide excellent customer support to continue to be a seller.

In actuality, I'm giving my opinion on BEHALF of the seller. I've sold and traded nearly a thousand items online. Buyers are not always gracious. Again, this is not about 'being for or against' the seller. He made a mistake and has a chance to make it right.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

If it were me, and exclusively because it's not me, I'd drive to the buyer's house, wash his car, pay him for return shipping that he might have incurred had I not made the trip, hand him his money back and take the bass with me to save him the trouble of sending it back.

On the second picture, you can see the N on the pickup.

Music Man Stingray 4 with piezo bridge Tobacco Burst

But, you're probably going to lose any dispute. Do the return and chalk it up to lesson learned.

Voices of reason. You said it better than me.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I didn't see this in the thread. Did you specifically state all original? It's not like you quietly swapped in a cheap part on the sly, so if it wasn't specifically stated all original it's a used instrument, who knows what's in there.
For all we know he looked at the pictures saw the N logo and bought the bass because of it.

It's an internet thing people do, they knowingly go into something and then try to get a discount because they think they can prove something was not as described. Actually it's not an internet thing it's just a people thing. People throw a fit trying to get things cheap or free all the time.

It mentions that the strap buttons were changed out, so the assumption that the electronics are original would be a reasonable assumption. The buyer probably has cold feet or wants to get some money back, but they will win any disputes.

 

[JoeWPgh]

If a used instrument is not listed as 'all original', there's a foolishness to assume it is. It is a used bass. It has a history, which may or may not include modifications. If the buyer was insistent that a used instrument be 'all original' he has the opportunity to ask before the transaction. There are 3 possible answers: Yes. No. I don't know. From there, it's on the buyer to make his decision. Do you get to return a used car because you forgot to look at the odometer and see it has 178,000 miles on it?

 

[Kro]

If a used instrument is not listed as 'all original', there's a foolishness to assume it is. It is a used bass. It has a history, which may or may not include modifications. If the buyer was insistent that a used instrument be 'all original' he has the opportunity to ask before the transaction. There are 3 possible answers: Yes. No. I don't know. From there, it's on the buyer to make his decision. Do you get to return a used car because you forgot to look at the odometer and see it has 178,000 miles on it?

A better analogy might be buying a car and finding a different, but similar looking engine in it.

 

[Hundred proof]

Years ago I sold a Lakland Skyline Jazz on the bay site, buyer contacted me claiming the pickups were not what he expected to be in it. I have/had no idea what normally comes in the Skyline series ... so I don't know what he was expecting anyway it all worked out he ended up keeping it, but I would have taken it back and given a refund if asked.