Proper used gear sales etiquette.

[Tommybro]

I just sold a proper working and sounding BBC 212 "The Tank" cabinet to a gentleman through a Craig's List ad. It was a parking lot sale, he did not try it out, he did his homework and knew what these were all about. He gets back in touch with me after getting it to his home and tried it out. He says it rattles at certain frequencies and will break up hitting certain notes. He did A/B comparisons with other cabinets and amp heads and the BBC is not holding up the the others.

I have been using this cabinet for months at a weekly gig (Fender Rumble 500 head) with no issues. The last gig was a week ago. I bought this cabinet used on Reverb.com months ago. I have another BBC 112 that suites me better.

He said he will try it out at a band rehearsal tonight and let me know how it did. If he doesn't like it he said we will "have a conversation". The BBC line is not for everyone. A friend of mine bought a 1015 and returned it.

I don't mean to be harsh saying "Buyer Beware" but that is the way I feel. I'm not feeling the return if that "conversation" goes that way. Is that bad etiquette?

 

[Jim C]

If you say it didn't have any ratlle problems before, and, the new owner didn't check it out after your offer, I would say it's on him.
You could have him bring it back to demosntrate this problem although it could be that the driver(s) were hurt by too much power, or that he is using unreasonable EQ.

 

[DWBass]

Block his number.

 

[FunkHead]

I would just take it back but before he beats the crap out of it during band rehearsal.
Sounds like maybe he just needed a free rental.

 

[micguy]

A new owner will almost always use a piece of gear differently than you did. As such, no rattles for you, rattles for him is entirely possible. Yes, he should have tried it before he bought it, but you might have to bend a bit here as well - I'm not sure there's a completely right or wrong stance on either side of this kind of thing.

 

[voided3]

When I shop for used speaker cabinets, it's usually with the intention of buying something at a discount that I intend to modify. Therefore, I am ok with not trying out the cabinet first as anything that's wrong with it can be fixed or was getting replaced, anyway. For example, I bought a used Ampeg 410HE on Craigslist with the intention of swapping for neo Basslite speakers and removing the crossover and horn. Everything worked on the cabinet, but it had a few odd rattles from the grille velcro not being perfectly aligned from the factory and foam gaskets on the OEM drivers that had become partially unglued. I fixed the issues, no problem, and even gigged it stock a few times. For the low price I paid, I certainly was not disappointed.

If I am shopping for something used from someone I don't know that I expect to work 100%, or at least would be expensive to repair if less than 100%, I would insist on trying it out first, which perhaps this buyer should have done. This is why I often look for B-stock or store demo items on Reverb as they are being sold by a store with a return policy. I have bought two Quilter guitar amp heads used from Chicago Music Exchange, for example, and was happy with both sales (not to mention free shipping; most individuals cannot afford to ship larger items at their cost, unlike a store with a UPS business account).

 

[gln1955]

People confuse buying off CL with buying from GC.

My take is a buyer can try something out as much as they like as long as they like, but once it's out the door, it's theirs. He might have dropped it on the way home. Who knows?

 

[drpepper]

Man, that's a tough one for a person of conscience...

If it were me (and I'm someone who has a hard time telling people they can pound sand), I'd try to do right, but any and all hassles would be on the buyer. I would tell him that because I had no issues with the cabinet, accepting a "return" as if I were a retailer was not even contemplated. I'd potentially be willing to take it back but only after determining that it was exactly as it was when it left my hands, because I don't know what happened to it after that. He'd need to bring the cabinet back to me and allow me to thoroughly inspect it. Any guff over those conditions and I wouldn't have such a hard time telling him to get lost.

You never know what's up with people...totally different situation but I had someone try to return a rim that I sold on ebay. It was a real head scratcher as to what this person could be up to, but with ebay/paypal, there are processes that protect buyers, and I was informally advised to accept the return. I mulled it over and decided that I would decline and go through the process. I won the dispute and was fine with my decision.

Good luck

 

[-Stingray]

IF you sold this in good conscience and it was working perfectly at the time of sale, then I would simply block his number. If you have doubts that the cab was 100% at the time of sale, then you at least owe him a "conversation" about it.

 

[BasturdBlaster]

Seems like the OP will now be the one "trying out" his own cab (to determine that it still as it was when it left his hands). What a shame.

 

[Mister Boh]

The best thing to do is get a burner phone number from Google voice. Use this for any Craigslist transactions because there is too much personal info available from your phone number. This way when Craigslist McNutbag decides that he doesn't like the way the cab produces sound at 100-120hz when he faces north between 2 and 5 pm he can't get ahold of you.

 

[Adhesive_X]

That’s why I hate giving my cell number to craigslist people and always try to meet at a guitar center parking lot

 

[birminghambass]

If it has issues then i would definitely take it back. Surprised at the people here who are in favor of blocking the guy's number. At the very least I'd have him reproduce the issues for me to her before passing judgement.

 

[And I]

I sold someone a video card recently. I wrote up a bill of sale with a return clause if he found it not to be in working order. Since you didn't specify, you're under no obligation to offer a refund.

 

[Mister Boh]

If it has issues then i would definitely take it back. Surprised at the people here who are in favor of blocking the guy's number. At the very least I'd have him reproduce the issues for me to her before passing judgement.

I hear you, but it's Craigslist. Cash only, no shipping, no refunds. The buyer should have tried it out.

 

[flojob]

Im short on patience with people sometimes. As soon as I heard the "we'll have a conversation" line, the conversation would be over.
If it's distorting like he says, why would he even consider seeing how it plays in a mix? That doesn't make any sense.
Sounds strange, and I don't have any time for people who aren't strange like me. Especially if you acted in good faith.

 

[mmbongo]

Here is your reply:

"Thanks for letting me know! Enjoy your new cab!"

 

[Ellery]

I just sold a proper working and sounding BBC 212 "The Tank" cabinet to a gentleman through a Craig's List ad. It was a parking lot sale, he did not try it out, he did his homework and knew what these were all about. He gets back in touch with me after getting it to his home and tried it out. He says it rattles at certain frequencies and will break up hitting certain notes. He did A/B comparisons with other cabinets and amp heads and the BBC is not holding up the the others.

I have been using this cabinet for months at a weekly gig (Fender Rumble 500 head) with no issues. The last gig was a week ago. I bought this cabinet used on Reverb.com months ago. I have another BBC 112 that suites me better.

He said he will try it out at a band rehearsal tonight and let me know how it did. If he doesn't like it he said we will "have a conversation". The BBC line is not for everyone. A friend of mine bought a 1015 and returned it.

I don't mean to be harsh saying "Buyer Beware" but that is the way I feel. I'm not feeling the return if that "conversation" goes that way. Is that bad etiquette?

I don't think denying a return would be bad etiquette, given that you made no efforts to deceive and he made no efforts to try it out. I believe you'd be doing him a huge favor (and yourself a disservice) if you did take it back.

 

[gln1955]

If it has issues then i would definitely take it back. Surprised at the people here who are in favor of blocking the guy's number. At the very least I'd have him reproduce the issues for me to her before passing judgement.

Why? If he sold it in good faith then that's that. Like I said before, anything could have happened to it once he got it. He might have overpowered it. It might have fell four feet onto concrete. GC can take a certain number of things back that may have been abused. It's in their business model. A seller on CL doesn't have that luxury. If the OP starts a conversation with this guy, it won't end well.

 

[Ellery]

And ask yourself, how likely would this guy give you your money back if the tables were turned?