Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Shipping Issue.. Venting, but would love some feedback as well.
- Thread starter DanBass
- Start date
So I had a bass for sale - gentleman reached out, and made me an offer I ultimately accepted. He was located in the same state as I was, as he had family about 4 hours from where I was located. I packed the bass up, it was in the case, and shipped it. I pack inside the case, tape the case, pack outside, the whole nine yards. I border on the neurotic when I pack. Again, it was single day transit and arrived the following day. The bass was shipped interstate, but the buyer was intending to make arrangements himself to ship said bass overseas to his home there. Cool, I didn't want to grapple with overseas shipping, so that worked for me.
Now, there was what I thought was a finish crack on the bass, near the nut. It never moved, the bass played beautifully and ALWAYS stayed in tune for the 6+ years I owned it. I never had it checked further, since the bass never gave me any issues. Ever. Heck, when I bought it, it traveled from coast to coast and arrived to me safe and sound. Prior to the sale, I took pics, sent and made mention of it. All was fine.
So I sell and ship the bass this past October. On the last day of December, I get a message complete with pictures. The neck cracked move severely near the small finish crack that I mentioned.
My heart sunk.
Now, the buyer has been nice, and wants $400 to fix the bass. Of course, that's better than the whole amount which I don't have. It is fixable and that is a blessing. But funds are low, below low, hence why I sold what in my eyes was a beyond treasured piece in the first place.
So I have been selling this that and the other thing to raise the funds. Kinda sucks. Adversity builds character I guess.
But wow, 2 months later? Any insurance (over $1000) I had on it is moot as it shipped and was received with nary a word almost 2 months ago. I wonder if this happened when he shipped it from my state to its overseas destination. I will probably never know.
If I was having an item shipped to me and I wasn't present, I would certainly have the box opened and inspected. Wouldn't you?
That said, I feel terrible. I am thrilled he is getting it fixed - it is an awesome bass and deserves it.
I dunno. But I'll make good regardless. Just bouncing my experience off you fine folks.
Kinda makes me never want to sell anything again. At least not a bass.
Thanks
NO! NO! NO!
You are too nice a guy.
I would have refunded his money, AFTER he sent me back the bass. I would not pay what is likely an exorbitant amount for a repair.
Am I right in the fact that you sent it to his relative, who then sent it on to him?
You insured it, the person, not the buyer should have opened it. How EXACTLY do you know that the second time it was shipped damaged the instrument?
Guessing the person YOU shipped it to, DIDN'T get insurance?
WHY or HOW do they know it was damaged in the first shipment, not the second?
What was the reason for waiting so long for him to report.
This smells, sorry you had this happen.
You are far too forgiving, Good Luck!
While I applaud your willingness to make it good, I'm in the "Two months out, it's not your responsibility" camp. Your end of the transaction and responsibility was over when the bass arrived at the address you shipped it to as far as I see it. The bass should have been open and inspected at that point.
This, coupled with late notice and it being shipped subsequent to the seller shipping it (that was confirmed to be true, correct?) makes me feel like this is the buyer's baby now.
Agree with the above - you shipped and insured for the CONUS leg; it was on the buyer to insure the bass on its trip to its final destination (and perhaps he did).
The only point of contention is what you and he corresponded about re the crack, ie did you warrant it or state that it was in the finish only?
As for the crack, it clearly extends to the corner of the fretboard...that is not a finish crack, ever, at that location. That neck was not sound.
The only point of contention is what you and he corresponded about re the crack, ie did you warrant it or state that it was in the finish only?
As for the crack, it clearly extends to the corner of the fretboard...that is not a finish crack, ever, at that location. That neck was not sound.
+1
That's not a minor crack that has been getting worse. That bass got dropped...
Until I saw the pictures I could sympathise but... that's between the person who shipped it and their chosen shipping company.
It also doesn't look like a $400 repair to me... unless they mean to refinish the whole neck?
You didn't even read my posts. I never said you shipped it overseas.Is the bass still in your home state?
I think it is you who is not reading his posts... the bass was shipped overseas, just not by the OP.
Not only that, when you consider the business side of things, the transaction was between you and the buyer in this country. It was his right and responsibility as the second party in the transaction to check the item upon receipt as it was covered by insurance with a narrow window of time to make any necessary claims if needed. That's the transaction you're responsible for, agreed to and have a part in. What happens between the buyer and his relative overseas and the shipping that occurs is between them, not you.
Agreed on this. Unless you were negligent in packing the bass, that neck did not get damaged in shipping. That was a pre-existing condition that was bound to happen. Bummer that it happened, but you should make good on the repair cost.
And all those talking about shipping insurance, clearly they have never filed a claim. No carrier will give you a red cent unless there is visible and extreme damage to the outer box. And they're right. It is automatically assumed that any box showing no damage was handled properly. Therefore it was the shipping client who is at fault.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
Looks like it took a hit at the scarf joint.
The first pic looks like a finish stress crack.
The other two after the fact, correct?
One thing.....that finish crack goes 180 degrees in the other direction.
To say they are related is a stretch, a really huge stretch.
If you think UPS will laugh at you because of how ridiculous this sounds; I guess you have your answer on your responsibility and how you might handle the situation with the buyer.
Those two cracks don't even look relatable. (Doesn't matter anyway.) As soon as he paid to ship it to another destination, any issues hidden within the box become his.
I can appreciate you wanting to spread good mojo around the world; I respect you for doing so. Honestly, I'd probably do the same but I also wouldn't be seeing the problem from the broad perspective that we all need during these types of times. This story (the buyer) is spinning a bad tale and incrementally derailing good individuals from resolving unfortunate problems in the future.
I don't like any of this one bit.
I rarely read all the way thru these kinds of threads, let alone chime in. However...
@DanBass you owe this person nothing, brother. You held up your end of the the deal, no doubt. Anything else is on the buyer. Don't let yourself be taken advantage of.
@DanBass you owe this person nothing, brother. You held up your end of the the deal, no doubt. Anything else is on the buyer. Don't let yourself be taken advantage of.
I'm no luthier, but it seems beyond any reasonable coincidence a new crack in the neck caused by the new owner would match up perfectly with the existing crack when the bass shipped.
Huh? Did you not read this?I think it is you who is not reading his posts... the bass was shipped overseas, just not by the OP.
Subsequent shipment means it was later shipped by someone else, not the OP. Back to school for you!
