Potential problem with buyer; would like advice on how to proceed

[Just Wrong]

Hello,

I recently sold an amplifier, that, to the best of my knowledge, was in perfect working condition. This was a high-end solid-state boutique amp ($2,000) that I purchased new in the summer of 2024 and that has never left my studio, let alone the table on which I unpacked it.

Five days after I sold him the amp, the buyer says he believes there's a "cold solder." He says when you first start the amplifier, the first notes you play won't "pass through" or might even distort. He says that as the amplifier gets warmer, the problem goes away, but that it will get worse if not fixed.

I've never noticed this, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. So, I shot agedhorse a message, and he said: "The power module used in those amps has a short cycle power-up delay that will delay power-up for 10 seconds ... This is part of the safety regulatory compliance of the power supply on the power module. There may be additional signal muting done within the DSP preamp as well."

I told the buyer what agedhorse said, and now he says it's also happening when you stop playing for about 10 minutes. I have done this many times, and I've never had that happen to me.

How would you proceed from here if you were in my shoes?

Edit: Also possible worth mentioning is that I asked him if he wanted to try the amp before purchasing it, and he declined.

 

[RattleSnack]

Unless he is qualified technician, that is just his personal opinion.
If he believes HIS amp has problem, he should sent it to examined by pro. Only then you should discuss this further with him.

 

[Tassieviking]

If there is a problem and you are happy to resolve it with him let him know.
He just has to send it in to the authorized technician and have it checked out so he can tell you what the problem is, without a written report from the authorized technician there is no problem to be discussed.
If no fault is found he has to bear any cost of his imaginary problem that he incurs, hopefully agedhorse can get his hands on it and have a proper look, it sounds like AH is very familiar with this amp model so I am guessing he might have something to do with its design.(hopefully)

It sounds like a pile of horse fertilizer he is trying to sell you so he can get some money back or else he is not happy with his purchase and is trying to back out of the deal and get his money back, but I could be wrong and there might be a real problem.

A great tech will soon let you know.

 

[Geepers]

When you buy second-hand/no warranty you take the risk because you want the benefit of a lower price. Sometimes that bites you. It’s called life. I’ve been on the receiving end of it a number of times buying second-hand cars. You suck it up and carry on. The fact that you offered to let him try the amp before buying shows that you acted in good faith and clearly believed the unit to be in perfect working order. If it were me I would set my case out in detail (in writing) to him and enter into no further discussion. He needs to put on his big boy pants and get it sorted (if in fact there is even anything to sort).

 

[DanAdams]

Buying used is a gamble. They know that. You making an earnest post about it here pretty shows that you are honest.

I feel like that gamble is doubled when 'boutique' electronics are involved.

Side note, perhaps off-topic:
When I worked for a custom Theater / AV business, our service rack was mostly filled with equipment from weird expensive audio/videophile companies that most folks have never heard of, even though 90% of our sales were items from common companies. Is it the same for bass stuff? -used boutique = buyer beware???

 

[beaglesandbass]

Unless you specified that there was a return period or any kind of warranty, any future issues are on him assuming that you were 100% honest and acting in good faith.

 

[luckydawgg169]

When you buy second-hand/no warranty you take the risk because you want the benefit of a lower price. Sometimes that bites you. It’s called life. I’ve been on the receiving end of it a number of times buying second-hand cars. You suck it up and carry on. The fact that you offered to let him try the amp before buying shows that you acted in good faith and clearly believed the unit to be in perfect working order. If it were me I would set my case out in detail (in writing) to him and enter into no further discussion. He needs to put on his big boy pants and get it sorted (if in fact there is even anything to sort).

This is literally the best reply to this. Exactly what I would have said.

Also, does the person have buyers remorse and is looking for an excuse to be able to return it to you?

 

[Just Wrong]

If there is a problem and you are happy to resolve it with him let him know.
He just has to send it in to the authorized technician and have it checked out so he can tell you what the problem is, without a written report from the authorized technician there is no problem to be discussed.
If no fault is found he has to bear any cost of his imaginary problem that he incurs, hopefully agedhorse can get his hands on it and have a proper look, it sounds like AH is very familiar with this amp model so I am guessing he might have something to do with its design.(hopefully)

It sounds like a pile of horse fertilizer he is trying to sell you so he can get some money back or else he is not happy with his purchase and is trying to back out of the deal and get his money back, but I could be wrong and there might be a real problem.

A great tech will soon let you know.

Something I've just noticed now I missed in my first post:

I've actually proposed to work with him if it is defective (deal with warranty, etc.), but in his second message, he said he wasn't going to get it fixed if it is defective. He said he had a similar issue with a completely different amp before. He had the amp fixed, and it broke again shortly thereafter. On top of all that, he added that he bought the amp because he was going to use it on tour in a month and so time is of essence.

See, the thing is, I'm positive the amp was in perfect working condition when I sold it to him. I've had it for six months, and I would've noticed something so obvious as "no sound passing through after you stop playing for a bit."

Also, it's under warranty. I don't understand why would I bother selling an expensive broken amplifier just to deal with the possible ramifications of doing so when I could've just sent it in for repair? On top of all that, I asked him if he wanted to try the amp before buying it, showing, as @Geepers, pointed out, that 1) I acted in good faith and that 2) I was positive the amp was in perfect working condition.

I gave him the benefit of the doubt when he first came to me with his initial problem — that there was no sound passing through the amp when you first power it. I asked AH, who said the amp was designed this way. (Just a note here: AH had nothing to do with the design of this amp. I contacted him for his infinite knowledge, availability and kindness. I've since contacted the builder who said, of course, that he can't diagnose the amp without it actually being in his possession, but that "It does seem a bit unusual that it was working fine for you and out of the gate not working properly for the buyer," and that he would be more than willing to work with a local tech of choice to try to resolve the issue if there is such one).

After I told the buyer what AH told me, he told me that in fact, the problem wasn't only happing when you first power amp, as he first told me, but also after you stop playing for a bit. That, I am convinced I would've noticed.

I'm not sure what do to here. Part of me says I should reiterate that I will work with him if he has a professional technician, with the help of the manufacturer, but I've already proposed to do so, and it seems he's not willing to do that.

I've asked a friend who's a lawyer what she'd do in my position and she said:

1) Tell him the amp was in perfect working condition when you sold it to him
2) that you offered him to test it and he refused, which suggests you acted in good faith and that you knew the amp wasn't defective
3) that you gave him the benefit of the doubt at first, concurred with a professional, who said it was most likely build that way
4) that he came back with a different problem
5) that if he's persuaded the amp is problematic to bring to contact the manufacture
6) Tell him you will no longer respond.

 

[Five or Six]

IF it was me, (and it's not) I'd tell him to return it and give him his money back. Life's too short to screw with crap like this. You were honest and he may not be? Buyers remorse??

 

[Shenron]

I don't know what laws you have where you live, but I think in most places unless the seller advertised some falsely, buying second hand items has no protection.

That said, if I sell something and the buyer is not happy, I would take it back and return the money ASAP, because that is probably what I wish they'd do with me if I was the unhappy buyer. Of course, within a reasonable amount of time like a few days.

I would definitely NOT want to have a discussion about repairs of partial refunds: either they keep it or return it, otherwise it can become a rabbit hole.

 

[Tassieviking]

Hmmmm, I agree with your lawyer friend except on one point, tell him you might consider buying it back at a very reduced price compared to what he paid you since he broke it.
You can still get it repaired under warranty and then sell it again at full price IF...there is a problem at all which I doubt.
Just kidding, I get a feeling it might come back with very deliberate damage if you went that way.
Another case closed.

EDIT: I wonder if there will be a perfectly working amp for sale very soon that looks just like yours did, no faults all all.

 

[yodedude2]

just wrong, your friend sounds very smart.

 

[dalkowski]

The crux for me is, he declined your offer to try it out. If I was in the buyer's shoes, I'd tell myself, "Self, you numbskull, that's what you get for not doing your due diligence," and suck it up like a good buttercup. That's just the way I'm (forgive me) wired.

But props to OP for good-faith effort to make it right.

 

[Peteyboy]

Wait, you mentioned that it's still under manufacturer's warranty. Is that transferable?

 

[Just Wrong]

IF it was me, (and it's not) I'd tell him to return it and give him his money back. Life's too short to screw with crap like this. You were honest and he may not be? Buyers remorse??

I don't know what laws you have where you live, but I think in most places unless the seller advertised some falsely, buying second hand items has no protection.

That said, if I sell something and the buyer is not happy, I would take it back and return the money ASAP, because that is probably what I wish they'd do with me if I was the unhappy buyer. Of course, within a reasonable amount of time like a few days.

I would definitely NOT want to have a discussion about repairs of partial refunds: either they keep it or return it, otherwise it can become a rabbit hole.

I mean, I thought about it, but it would most likely result in an additional waste of time and money on my part. It's rare that I sell gear locally. Putting the ad back up would probably mean I'd sell it on Reverb or here, meaning I would have to pay PayPal or Reverb fees, pack the amp, deal with shipping, etc. etc. There was another potential local (ish) buyer, but what would I tell him? The original buyer, a week later, ... changed his mind? It would also imply that I'm opened to returns, which could open another whole can of worms.

 

[KenSmithFan]

You asked a lawyer what to do and now you want a second opinion from complete strangers on the internet???

This is why I won’t sell something unless someone tries it out first. I’ve had to insist on more than one occasion.

You have no idea what has been done to that amp since it left your possession.

 

[Just Wrong]

You have no idea what has been done to that amp since it left your possession.

That is actually a really good point as to why I shouldn’t buy it back.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Caveat Emptor.

I'd say you've done and offered to do more than was obligatory for you.

 

[meisi]

Exchange of goods for an agreed price and terms in writing up front. Good faith measures taken to address questions and concerns after the sale.

People do stupid things with electronics all the time. Stuff happens fast. I would never take the amp back. Apple puts “it got wet” stickers everywhere because people are dishonest.

Unfortunately sometimes better to keep the guard up. I would write a very short and sweet along the lines of “I’m sorry I am not in a position to assist you here. The sale is final”

 

[J-Bass RMR]

I shot agedhorse a message

Can we assume then it's a Mesa? (IME, Mesa is incredibly reasonable)
EDIT: "$2000 Boutique amp" and your most recent classified ad leads me to believe otherwise. My response otherwise remains the same:

If it were me, I'd send him a shipping label, have him ship it to the manufacture for repair, and offer to split the repair cost.

I've actually proposed to work with him if it is defective (deal with warranty, etc.), but in his second message, he said he wasn't going to get it fixed if it is defective. On top of all that, he added that he bought the amp because he was going to use it on tour in a month and so time is of essence.

Then, on the other-hand, "I guess we're through here...." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


With every transaction like this, there is some degree of risk that both parties must assume.


EDIT (and I'd change your username)