Guitar sale problem (asking opinions)

[metale]

Hope this is the most appropriate forum.

Today I sold my MIJ RG7420 for 350 euros, with a case. It had 225 to 250 in upgrades (BKP, tremol-no, strap-locks, etc).

The buyer asked me to take the guitar to him, which I did for free on my car. It was a total 230km, 4 hours trip (to there and back). He checked the guitar, I handed it to him with all stock parts on a bag, he paid me and parted ways.

Late afternoon, the buyer drops me an e-mail, saying that one of the trem anchor bolts is somehow coming loose or bent and asking how I planned to make things right. I feel I've already lost too much money on this sale, so I said I would do the trip again, take the guitar back and refund all the money. Sent another e-mail and sms, but haven't heard since.

I want to make things right, but how far should I go?

[juansolo]

Two options.

As a private seller, items are sold as seen. He inspected the guitar on pickup and accepted it. Anything beyond that is his problem. This is the sensible option. Do not engage him any more beyond re-iterating this. But you could also give him option two: If he wants to return the guitar. He'll need to personally deliver it in the condition it was dropped off, and cover your expenses for your delivery and re-listing. Then you'll give a refund.

You'll have been more than reasonable with either option as legally you could just ignore him at this point. His only way out of this is if the guitar was not as advertised. But with you dropping it off and him accepting it, the onus was then on him to inspect it. Which actually works in your favour.

He sounds like he's changed his mind and is looking for ways to weasel out of the deal he's made without it costing him a penny. Tough titty.

Can you tell I do a lot of ebaying and occasionally come across tw@ts like this?

[richard]

Did you ever have an issue with the trem anchor bolt ? If not would it seem that he's managed to damage it himself?
I don't think you owe him anything but, if you wanted to be kind, you could give him the option of bringing it to you if he's prepared for you to inspect it and reject the return if it's not in the same condition as when you sold it. That's the best offer I would be prepared to make.

[Philly Q]

It's a tricky one, I think it all depends on whether there really was a problem (were you aware of anything?) or whether he's just coming up with excuses to return the guitar.

As John says, the fact that he had a chance to inspect it goes in your favour, although a problem may not have been immediately apparent from a quick inspection.

If it is something that needs repairing, it's probably not worth you paying for the repair, it just adds to your losses.  Probably better to refund, get the guitar back then decide what to do.  At least then you've only suffered the transport costs.

I have a pretty similar situation myself at the moment - I sold a guitar on eBay and took an SG copy in part exchange.  I didn't want the SG, but in conjunction with the cash it was the best offer I'd had.  So, I had a very quick look at it, made sure it worked OK then immediately listed it on eBay (pointing out that it was a bit tatty and had a couple of sharp fret ends) and sold it.

When the buyer received it, he found that a fret had fallen out in transit!  I had absolutely no idea there was a loose fret, but I had to accept it wasn't as described so I said I'd pay for the repair or take the guitar back and refund his money.  He was quoted £50 for the repair, and since I'd only sold it for £80 I said I'd do the refund.  Still waiting for it to come back, god knows what I'll do with it now.

Lessons learned:

1. I'll never take a part exchange again!
2. If I sell anything else I haven't already owned for a while myself, I'll be sure to examine it a lot more carefully before selling it!
2. If I ever sell anything which does (or may) have issues, I'll be sure to describe it as a project/repair and sold "as is".

You didn't mention whether or not it's an eBay sale - there's always the side issue of not wanting negative feedback.  :?

[metale]

Thank you for your input, guys.

It was listed on a classified site, like ebay (olx) but without feedback ratings.

As for the guitar: I once realized that one of the posts wasn't perfectly vertical. Made nothing of it as the guitar felt solid, and tuning and intonation were always right. The guitar was at a luthier for checking out, making the pickguard and installing the BKP, and he didn't warn me of anything. It always worked perfectly for me.

As for the buyer, he replied to the e-mail late this last night, saying that he toke it to a luthier who quoted him 30 euros to "reinforce the area".

I transfered him 30 euros today, adding to my loss. I did it, not because I felt I was at fault, but because I want this deal behind me as soon as possible, as to not think about it anymore. I regret selling the guitar, but did and now want to forget about it. Not the best way to deal with it, I know, but now it's done.

Since I offered to go get the guitar back and the buyer didn't go for it, I:
a) know that the guitar isn't all that bad after all...
b) won't be answering any further contacts from the buyer.  :shock:
c) I don't think I will be selling another guitar.

Time to move on, and ansiously wait for my new BKP Abraxas.

[Philly Q]

Since I offered to go get the guitar back and the buyer didn't go for it, I:
a) know that the guitar isn't all that bad after all...

Yeah, that may be the key point!

I transfered him 30 euros today, adding to my loss. I did it, not because I felt I was at fault, but because I want this deal behind me as soon as possible, as to not think about it anymore. I regret selling the guitar, but did and now want to forget about it. Not the best way to deal with it, I know, but now it's done.

I can relate to that, too.  I had another sale where the guy said one of the pickups wasn't working.  There'd never been a problem when I owned the guitar (a Strat, and I'd never even taken the scratchplate off), but I agreed to refund £20 so he could get it checked out by a luthier.  The luthier found nothing wrong at all, but I couldn't be bothered arguing about the £20.

[juansolo]

This is the problem, there are some proper arseholes out there on eBay who will chance it. I have a banned bidder list that's epic...

The fact you saved the $%&#er delivery though, I'd have said that covered the cost of the 'repair' easily.

Glad it's behind you though.

[Dave Sloven]

Why did you sell it?  Just to pay for an Abraxas set?

I don't tend to sell things, just buy them, but I've encountered good and bad in terms of sellers, and I suspect the same is true of buyers.

I would have told the guy to shove it when the whole idea of delivering it to him free of charge was raised.  Sounds like you have lost a heap of money  :?

[metale]

Why did you sell it?  Just to pay for an Abraxas set?

That too, but also trying to downsize: I had 8 guitars and barely time to play one. Sold another one (went smoothly) and this one.

I would have told the guy to shove it when the whole idea of delivering it to him free of charge was raised.  Sounds like you have lost a heap of money  :?

I did (bought the guitar as is minus 250 in mods for 350 a year and a half ago, and now sold it basically for 320 delivered, plus an unnopened set of strings).

I sometimes help people when I feel it's right to do so. Sometimes, they deserve it, but always comes at a loss to me.
One Sunday morning I did 150km to pick up a kid and another 200 to take him to see a bmw E30 that he wanted to buy (and back to droping him at home, and back to my town). I only knew him from an internet forum, and I don't regreat doing it. He was from a poor family and had to other way of having it happen.

PS- he did buy the old E30 a week later, and nowdays lives abroad with a schoolarship, studying to become a car designer :)

[Lew]

Well, firstly you shouldn't have been so bleedin kind! You should've atleast charged the cheeky tw@t fuel cost.

Secondly, he had a chance to try it and give it a good look over before he handed the cash over so tough tits.

Tell him to go $%&# a bag of dicks. (I haven't read the other replies yet).

[metale]

(I haven't read the other replies yet).

When you do, you will call me a name or two ;) but you are right.

[Lew]

haha glad its all sorted. Let us know next time you want to sell a guitar!  8)

[Dave Sloven]

Given the amount of money you lost, I can't work out why someone local didn't just snap it up.  Sounds like a bargain to me.

[metale]

It was a bargain, IMO. The explanation to that is mainly:

• 7 string guitars aren't the most popular guitars in Portugal, they just haven't caught much momentum.
• Economics aren't that great around here.
• A superstrat-type black guitar with a white pickguard and green pickup + pot isn't everybody's cup of tea (go figure :D)

[Toe-Knee]

It was a bargain, IMO. The explanation to that is mainly:

• 7 string guitars aren't the most popular guitars in Portugal, they just haven't caught much momentum.
• Economics aren't that great around here.
• A superstrat-type black guitar with a white pickguard and green pickup + pot isn't everybody's cup of tea (go figure :D)

That looks awesome. I'd buy it!