Shipping Damage: Lost For Words

[joker820]

I get wanting a serial number picture, it’s a reasonable thing to want and it is suspicious that the buyer won’t provide them, but how exactly would the buyer get the back of the headstock and all the damage on the sides in one photo?

if he does have multiple Basses, it could be as easy as just taking a photo of two different Basses and passing it off as one.

Video would definitely be best.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

If the buyer swapped the pick guard, the pattern of the screws would be different. I only can see two screws on the buyer's pics and they match up.

 

[Stevorebob]

If the buyer swapped the pick guard, the pattern of the screws would be different. I only can see two screws on the buyer's pics and they match up.

I saw this as well.

 

[Stevorebob]

Either the bass was dropped by the buyer, or there was something in the case the seller did not see. Pretty much doesn’t matter now what happened. It’s up to Reverb to make good with their insurance.

 

[bbh]

I wonder if sending this post to Reverb would help. Nobody likes bad press, well maybe the sex pistols but...

 

[Tewest86]

So now I’m waiting to get the bass back. Reverb told me don’t refund anything until I get the bass back and check it out.

 

[BurningSkies]

I'm guessing the guy had the same model/color that was beat and wanted a nice clean one? buy it, switch out instruments, make a claim? If he's really on the ball switch out the necks so the serial number make it look like your bass was damaged?

Good argument to make, or take pictures of an identifying mark in the neck pocket or control cavity in future online sales like this. A small something with a sharpie in the neck pocket would certainly work.

 

[Low Class]

Refuse the package

If Reverb's policy is like PayPal and eBay, refusing the package will trigger an automatic refund to the buyer and the seller will also no longer have the package. Bad advice!

 

[JIO]

Sort of. Seller has pictures of a bass in good condition. Not saying that the seller would have any motivation to use pictures of a different bass or the same bass in previous condition, but it would be hard to prove the pictures really are of the shipped bass at the time of shipping. It weakens the seller's case a bit.

I'm literally making this up as I say it, but seems like it might be a good idea to take condition pictures of stuff like this before we ship it with verifiable info in the picture, like a copy of the actual shipping label with the shipping date and tracking ID in the pic. Much harder to fake.

I will do just this from now on after reading about this questionable damage claim. From reading every post and studying the pictures I feel something is going on that isn't the result of shipping. Did you research the buyer to see if you can see anything related that would create a red flag? I have had something similar happen and I had the buyer take detailed pics if the shipping box at the location of the damage and detailed pictures of the case at the same location. If the buyer is reluctant to work with you to get to the bottom of this he is suspect.

 

[Quadzilla]

@Tewest86 , keep us posted!

 

[Tewest86]

UPDATE:

I got the bass back. There is no damage to the packing material. There is nothing inside the case to cause the damage. I’m convinced the buyer opened the bass in a rush because we all love NBD and dinged it on something. The reason I believe this is because the bass came back in tune. I shipped it with all strings loosened. I also put all the tags back on. They were removed when I just got the bass back a few minutes ago. You have to remove them to play the bass.

Oh well. Nothing I can do now. I will be tame the bass to a local shop to get a repair estimate. I will then give that to reverb and see if they stand by their word.

 

[96Brigadier]

Main thing I'm taking from this thread is

UPDATE:

I got the bass back. There is no damage to the packing material. There is nothing inside the case to cause the damage. I’m convinced the buyer opened the bass in a rush because we all love NBD and dinged it on something. The reason I believe this is because the bass came back in tune. I shipped it with all strings loosened. I also put all the tags back on. They were removed when I just got the bass back a few minutes ago. You have to remove them to play the bass.

Oh well. Nothing I can do now. I will be tame the bass to a local shop to get a repair estimate. I will then give that to reverb and see if they stand by their word.

Absolutely brutal. I've sold two basses here without a problem, I won't ever take the risk of listing a bass on Reverb.

 

[Iofflight]

Yeah this whole thing stinks. I'm truly sorry. I'm curious to see how reverb handles it ultimately because this could have happened to any one of us.

 

[gustobassman]

UPDATE:

I got the bass back. There is no damage to the packing material. There is nothing inside the case to cause the damage. I’m convinced the buyer opened the bass in a rush because we all love NBD and dinged it on something. The reason I believe this is because the bass came back in tune. I shipped it with all strings loosened. I also put all the tags back on. They were removed when I just got the bass back a few minutes ago. You have to remove them to play the bass.

Oh well. Nothing I can do now. I will be tame the bass to a local shop to get a repair estimate. I will then give that to reverb and see if they stand by their word.

Ugh. Painful to read.

This may be a d**k move to most, but if it was me I would out the buyer. I do understand it's not the best idea, but his name would be everywhere if that was my bass.

 

[Auspuff]

Out the Buyer, lest someone here end up dealing with them.

I would.

 

[organworthyplayer337]

UPDATE:

I got the bass back. There is no damage to the packing material. There is nothing inside the case to cause the damage. I’m convinced the buyer opened the bass in a rush because we all love NBD and dinged it on something. The reason I believe this is because the bass came back in tune. I shipped it with all strings loosened. I also put all the tags back on. They were removed when I just got the bass back a few minutes ago. You have to remove them to play the bass.

Oh well. Nothing I can do now. I will be tame the bass to a local shop to get a repair estimate. I will then give that to reverb and see if they stand by their word.

Gosh, I hate that for you man. From what it looks like; buyer's a grade-A butt hat

 

[gln1955]

Ugh. Painful to read.

This may be a d**k move to most, but if it was me I would out the buyer. I do understand it's not the best idea, but his name would be everywhere if that was my bass.

Not before Reverb pays for the repair. Don't give them a reason to squirm out of it.

 

[organworthyplayer337]

UPDATE:

I got the bass back. There is no damage to the packing material. There is nothing inside the case to cause the damage. I’m convinced the buyer opened the bass in a rush because we all love NBD and dinged it on something. The reason I believe this is because the bass came back in tune. I shipped it with all strings loosened. I also put all the tags back on. They were removed when I just got the bass back a few minutes ago. You have to remove them to play the bass.

Oh well. Nothing I can do now. I will be tame the bass to a local shop to get a repair estimate. I will then give that to reverb and see if they stand by their word.

Ugh. Painful to read.

This may be a d**k move to most, but if it was me I would out the buyer. I do understand it's not the best idea, but his name would be everywhere if that was my bass.

Out the Buyer, lest someone here end up dealing with them.

I would.

+100000000000000

 

[Quadzilla]

Out the Buyer, lest someone here end up dealing with them.

I would.

^^^ THIS!!!

 

[simongpaez]

Painful experience, good luck with the outcome, hope it works out.