Seller wants his bass back?

[lbbc]

I have many basses but only 2 that I wish I had back. I have contacted both buyers and told them if they ever decide to sell...please offer it to me first. I think that's the best way to handle it.

If you love the bass and/or made modifications to suit you....keep it and let the seller know. If not, I'd ask for the cost bought plus the mods. Just my 2¢

 

[dalkowski]

Sell it back plus all your costs. That's fair and you'll make the universe smile pretty.

 

[nickpc]

I agree with those saying that you should come out of this whole - the time and effort you put into finding this bass, making the purchase and returning it to the as-sold state has value. I wouldn't charge an outrageous amount for your time (and personally I wouldn't include the time to do the mods in the first place, since that was work done for me). I do think $100 is low for that, probably more in the $200 range, but that's your call.

 

[akukulich]

If you're not attached to it t, sell the guy his bass back and take the extra $100 for your time. You can always find another one if you want. Of course you're not a obligated, but it seems like the decent thing to do.

 

[Bass Man Dan]

Put me in the camp of "sell it back, but factor in all of your expenses in the price." Unfortunately for him, it's not as easy as a swap-back at this point.

 

[west al]

Keep it. He didn't care enough for it, or he wouldn't have sold it to you in the first place. It's just the way it is.

 

[Bass Man Dan]

Sell it back plus all your costs. That's fair and you'll make the universe smile pretty.

AND, if the seller/buyer doesn't like this, then the decision is made for you and you tried ro appease the karma gods.

 

[truand85]

Up to you but if it were me I'd just swap back to stock and sell it back. Guy sounds reasonable and sure it's not your problem but you also don't seem particularly in love with the bass so why not help a guy out.

 

[LBS-bass]

and personally I wouldn't include the time to do the mods in the first place, since that was work done for me

I would quibble a little here. It was work the OP did for himself that he will not get any benefit from, so it was useless work if he sends it back.

Not saying you can't be more generous about it than that if you like, but the OP shouldn't feel bad about valuing that time.

 

[Mo cowbell]

Sell it back for what you paid + what you put into it and have him get it back to stock.

 

[JamesDeGrandis]

Yeah, it's not a sentimental thing, his son just found out and wasn't happy so he's trying to appease him.

I bet on this. If his son never found out, this wouldn't be happening.
I would keep it or offer double to send it back.

(Ok... this is a lie... I'm actually a softie and would probably be really understanding... but I gotta talk a big game sometimes.)

Do whatever your conscience will allow.

 

[mdogs]

I had a situation years ago where I traded a bass that I owned for a long time, but the grass is always greener. Anyway, the other guy wasn't unhappy with the trade, but it just wasn't what he wanted as it turned out. So, I told him that I would take it back and return his and pay the freight on both basses. He declined and sold the bass. He probably got more for it than he would have gotten for the bass he traded to me. I let it go at the time, what was I going to do. I hadn't really thought much about it for a few years, but then my bass came up for sale on here a few months ago. I really should have bought it back, but the original case was no longer with it (stupid, I know), it was a branded case and impossible to replace, so I passed on buying it. You should sell it back to him, not a moral issue, if I were you I just would not want that bass around, it's tainted.

 

[Ostie]

Take the neck off. One of you gets the neck, and one of you gets the body.

I'm joking of course. I don't know what I'd do. I did sell a bass to a guy once who wanted to return it. He had inspected it, paid me, took the bass, and then then two weeks later came up with some bogus reason to justify his buyers remorse. I just ignored him and he went away.

Another time I was on the other end. I sold a Tele to a friend and a few weeks later he bought one he liked better. He was going to sell mine so I bought it back from him for what he paid me, including a tort PG that he had swapped out. So I actually made money on the deal.

 

[Nev375]

I'd sell it back. We all make mistakes sometimes. If I had a bad case of seller's remorse I would pray the buyer had understanding and was kind.

Do unto others...

 

[roadyboy]

Here is a good one. I recently bought a '98 Fender Marcus Miller jazz off of Facebook. The seller was an older guy (older than me and I'm 58). A few weeks after the sale he runs another add on FB saying he sold it impulsively. His son gave it to him and it has sentimental value (like he forgot this fact). I like the bass and just installed new pups and an Audere preamp last night. I'm not sure what I am going to do. I'm not seriously attached I don't want to make any money off of this but it involves many hours to install/remove the electronics so I am reluctant to do that for nothing. I'm sure I can come up with a plan but I'm curious what others would do. ps I paid $1400 Cdn which I thought was a decent price (maybe not?)

It's your bass now, and he has $1400 dollars of your money. You are entitled to be paid a reasonable amount for your time, work, and parts. Sell it back if you feel like, but the original price plus $100 is an insult.

 

[Mvilmany]

He offered me $100 to put it back to stock.

That's fair and reasonable. I would definitely sell it back to him, as long as you're not losing anything on the electronics that you've installed. Personally, I'd sell it back without them offering the extra money, but I'd definitely accept the extra $100 to compensate for your time/effort.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Here is a good one. I recently bought a '98 Fender Marcus Miller jazz off of Facebook. The seller was an older guy (older than me and I'm 58). A few weeks after the sale he runs another add on FB saying he sold it impulsively. His son gave it to him and it has sentimental value (like he forgot this fact). I like the bass and just installed new pups and an Audere preamp last night. I'm not sure what I am going to do. I'm not seriously attached I don't want to make any money off of this but it involves many hours to install/remove the electronics so I am reluctant to do that for nothing. I'm sure I can come up with a plan but I'm curious what others would do. ps I paid $1400 Cdn which I thought was a decent price (maybe not?)

Dude needs to pay a financial price for being indecisive. That is only fair. That said, you have no obligation to sell the bass back to him.

 

[GTHintz]

If it's me I'd keep it unless he really makes you an offer you can't refuse. He's trying to appease his kid and the kid should have kept the bass if he really cared about it. That guy can go get a different jazz bass and be fine. It's not like it's a rarely seen unicorn rainbow bass. I understand if someone requests at the time of the sale that if the buyer ever decided to sell it that he get first dibs but he didn't do that in this case so too bad and go kick rocks. I've never sold anything that I wasn't prepared to never see again. When I sell something it's no longer mine and I detach myself from that. It's something people need to learn. Believe me I understand sentiment and value beyond money but that's the choice we make when we sell. I'm litterally just posting a bass right now. I'm happier knowing someone else is having fun on it than I am seeing it buried behind my 5 strings I play all the time.

 

[dave64o]

Up to about 10 years ago I would have sold it back to him, adding cost for my time to do the work I did and then to undo it, plus any amount needed to bring it up to current market value (if that could be reliably determined). But I've had enough situations where I tried to do the right thing for someone only to find out some time later that I was taken advantage of.

I'm not happy about having become "that guy", but I've become considerably less trusting over time. I don't think I'd agree to sell it back, especially after making mods to it. But I would still agree to contact him to offer it back to him before selling it, at current market rate or at my purchase price, whichever us higher. I've already offered gear I bought used back to the person I bought it from before posting a For Sale ad. I have no problem doing that.

 

[matti777]

Wow there has been lots of interesting and diverse opinions and ideas on this situation. I got the bass running with the a CS60 front pup and stock rear pup (cuz the CS60 rear was DOA) and the Audere pre and played for awhile. Its alright and sounds a lot nicer than my Deluxe. I can't say I must have or need an active bass. The problem is what else can you buy for $1200 these days that would be light, decent quality, have a nice neck and hold its value? There is not much around here. I'm going to take my time deciding and I don't feel any obligation to return it. I'll probably convert it to stock this weekend and try the preamp in the deluxe.