I am done selling on Reverb: PRS Tremonti MT-15 saga

[MoggyMel]

Sorry you had to go through this experience. Fortunately, you did not take a financial hit in the end, but it did cause a lot of grief.

There are sucky people who intend to defraud and take advantage of others. Others get buyer's remorse and look for a reason to return a purchase. Reverb, being a business, is factoring in the cost of returns and refunds into their business model. They may take the easiest path (i.e., less costly and buyer friendly) rather the "right" path. A number of business such as Target and Walmart are not requiring some items purchased on-line to be returned when the buyer wanted to return it. It is less costly to allow the buyer to keep it rather than process an actual physical return. This cost is factored into the prices we all pay.

I have experienced one bad selling experience out of over 100 sales through Reverb and it cost me about $500. The buyer switched a cable from a Neumann mic claiming the one I sent was bad - the timing made it obvious this was their intent from the start. Fortunately, I had picture evidence the buyer returned a different and defective cable. Reverb treated it as a full return instead of holding the buyer accountable (they could have claimed I switched the cables before shipping) and refunded me the amount ($299) to buy a replacement cable. This seemed like a good solution until after getting a replacement cable and discovering the mic did not work. The bad cable shorted out the mic, thus a repair costing about $500 was needed. Being it was a month past the return and the case was closed, I was stuck with the repair bill. All of my other 100+ sales have not been a problem, but this bad one was painful.

 

[JasonE]

I have seen the partial refund scam many times and it started well over a decade ago on eBay. I am not sure I agree with this being that situation though. I just read through this thread and here are some of my observations. I am not trying to start a fight over this. I am just offering a different view of the situation from someone looking at only the facts listed here.

There was a lot of emotion in the conversation with Reverb. There were only trying to help You needed the pictures of what the buyer is claiming to determine what is going on. Refusing to work with them is not in your best interest on this.

Once the picture was received from the buyer it is pretty easy to see that it was either done on purpose or something hit the board. If I were the buyer and I opened the amp up and found this, I would not be happy either. It was stated here that someone with the same amp has noticed on theirs that they took out a couple of traces on purpose at the factory. If you never opened the amp, this could have been done at the factory and you would never have known it. If that is actually the case, which it seems it could be, you are both justified in being upset. Who is right in this situation? Both of you.

I would not rag on Reverb for this. They paid out of their pocket to keep both of you happy. They didn't have to do that. This speaks more in favor of Reverb than against them in my opinion. Again, this is all just from the facts in this thread. I am not involved in the transaction so I am not emotional at all about it and am just looking at the facts of the situation from both sides. I think it was unfortunate that it happened but I don't think the guy was trying to scam you. My money is on this being a factory modification of the board, which customer service may be able to verify.

 

[MusiquedeReve]

I have seen the partial refund scam many times and it started well over a decade ago on eBay. I am not sure I agree with this being that situation though. I just read through this thread and here are some of my observations. I am not trying to start a fight over this. I am just offering a different view of the situation from someone looking at only the facts listed here.

There was a lot of emotion in the conversation with Reverb. There were only trying to help You needed the pictures of what the buyer is claiming to determine what is going on. Refusing to work with them is not in your best interest on this.

Once the picture was received from the buyer it is pretty easy to see that it was either done on purpose or something hit the board. If I were the buyer and I opened the amp up and found this, I would not be happy either. It was stated here that someone with the same amp has noticed on theirs that they took out a couple of traces on purpose at the factory. If you never opened the amp, this could have been done at the factory and you would never have known it. If that is actually the case, which it seems it could be, you are both justified in being upset. Who is right in this situation? Both of you.

I would not rag on Reverb for this. They paid out of their pocket to keep both of you happy. They didn't have to do that. This speaks more in favor of Reverb than against them in my opinion. Again, this is all just from the facts in this thread. I am not involved in the transaction so I am not emotional at all about it and am just looking at the facts of the situation from both sides. I think it was unfortunate that it happened but I don't think the guy was trying to scam you. My money is on this being a factory modification of the board, which customer service may be able to verify.

Always glad to listen to an opposing viewpoint

However, from what I have seen via photos and videos of the PRS MT-15 amp online, I have never seen such a "mod" from the factory

This video shows the whole board

 

[Birdsofprey]

Not quite up to speed on Reverb policy or add on‘s. Did you the seller have to pay extra for Safe Shipping?

 

[MusiquedeReve]

Not quite up to speed on Reverb policy or add on‘s. Did you the seller have to pay extra for Safe Shipping?

Yes - it is optional on items below $1,500 but required on items from $1,500 to $10,000 but NOT available on items sold over $10,000

It is a percentage of the item's sold price

 

[60s Pop Man]

I'll add my echo of concern for your situation.

My Reverb "store" with 30+ sales is highly rated. It began as a way to declutter my home studio. Later, I found myself buying new gear and guitars and then flipping them months later when it became clear that the shiney new thing was no longer being use. This supported my newly imposed declutter rule to sell something to buy something new. Overall this has worked well for me with no sellers remorse for items no longer in my possesion.

In recent times, increased Reverb fees started taking a bigger bite out of the sale. It was something I just put up with.

Two recent situations have increased awareness of my risk as a seller. The first involved sale of a Jamstix Studio MIDI guitar listed as in excenllent condtion. Soon after the sale, the buyer sends me a video showing a voltmeter or similar and test probes indicating some circuit board malfunction. After some back and both regarding setup and charging the battery, I offered a refund and ate the return shipping cost as a sign of a reputable seller. Soon after the return and after ongoing contact with Jamstix tech support, it was determined that the unit had failed. So in this case not a buyer issue, but equipment malfunction.

During this time, I reflected on the range of items I sold - new and old tech devices (UAD, TC Powercore among many others) and vintage and run of the mill guitars (Ibanez Randy Scruggs with vine inlay, faded SG, American Performer Strat, etc.) - that never resulted in a sales issue.

The second situation involved sale of a Quilter Mach 3 amp. I purchased it from Sweetwater, loved it and used it for three months and then sold it four months ago. Three weeks ago, the buyer contacts me with news that that amp died and emitted smoke during a gig. My heart sank and my mind began to swirl. How can this be??? While being concerned for the buyer, questions of the duration of my after-sale responsibility was doing a number on me. After I restored focus, I sent the buyer the Quilter support link and the Sweetwater sales email. Again, I had no reason to be suspicious of the buyer but my risk of liability and reputation as a seller gave a long pause...

So, seller beware!

 

[JasonE]

Always glad to listen to an opposing viewpoint

However, from what I have seen via photos and videos of the PRS MT-15 amp online, I have never seen such a "mod" from the factory

This video shows the whole board

Don't focus on this video. This may be before they started doing whatever they are doing more recently. You have an owner on this thread that said his was modified at the factory due to grounding issues. The whole point of my post is that it could have been done at the factory and you would never have known it because you didn't open the amp and look. The buyer did and found it. You are correct in stating the amp has not been modified because you bought it new and never opened it. He is correct in saying that the PC board has been modified and proved with a picture. You are both right. That is what I am saying.

 

[DISTORT6]

Absolutely bizarre.

 

[MusiquedeReve]

Don't focus on this video. This may be before they started doing whatever they are doing more recently. You have an owner on this thread that said his was modified at the factory due to grounding issues. The whole point of my post is that it could have been done at the factory and you would never have known it because you didn't open the amp and look. The buyer did and found it. You are correct in stating the amp has not been modified because you bought it new and never opened it. He is correct in saying that the PC board has been modified and proved with a picture. You are both right. That is what I am saying.

A surprising update from Paul Reed Smith technical support (I have notified Reverb as well):

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I know I've told this story here before, but my daughters husband is banned from ebay for life. He buys and repairs cell phones and sells them. Usually shattered screens. Anyway, I know that particular market is RAMPANT with thieves,idiots and scammers, but it was a freaking joke what he went through with Ebay. These assclowns would buy a perfectly functioning cell phone from him, claim the box was empty when it got to them and ebay would take the money back out of their bank account (that was tied to paypal)!!!

So I told him to have my daughter film him standing in the post office, with a phone showing the screen working fine, putting it in a box, taping it shut, putting the shipping label on it and HANDING IT TO THE CLERK!. He did this for 3 successful sales, but sure enough, on the fourth one some assclown claims he was shipped an empty box and wants his money back. After Pat disputed it with screwbay, he told them multiple times that he had been scammed so many times and they'd do nothing about it, that he filmed the whole process. Working cell phone, sealed in a shipping box and handed to the USPS clerk who took it behind the counter. With CLEAR video showing the shipping label! And after multiple times of sending them the video, they sided with the buyer, once again took the money out of their checking account to pay the seller back, seller kept the phone of course, and they banned him from ebay for life due to multiple complaints, and when he kept contacting them, they said they never watched the video (which also showed the shipping label, proving it was that particular package, seller, buyer, etc.) and that it was not "evidence" that could be used. What kind of idiot incompetence is that?

I was so mad I told him to get me the name of who he talked too, and I was going to have my attorney contact them. Doesn't matter. They're too big and don't care. In the end, the 4-5 times he got scammed cost him around $1000. And HE was banned from ebay. I have no use for thieves and scammers. I told him to give me the address of the buyer. Good thing he didn't.

 

[Birdsofprey]

After rereading this a few times it sounds like Reverb took the lazy way out sadly I’m not surprised. I reached out a few times to customer service on both the Verb and the Bay both agreed with me and took the opposite position when I came time to close the case. It’s tiring and I totally understand your frustration. There’s just no go answer on where to sell. I’m out with Craigslist as I don’t want that much cash exchange with someone I have very little traceability with. FB Marketplace is only a little better as it’s easy to create a fake profile or even a hacked name. About the only public place I would feel comfortable with is the Police station lol.

 

[ScottR]

Caveat Emptor my friends…it’s a sketchy world out there these days to say the least!

 

[Broseph]

You laugh but a lot of police stations have camera sections in their parking lot intended for public sales of items. I’ve bought a guitar before in one.

 

[SinSir]

You laugh but a lot of police stations have camera sections in their parking lot intended for public sales of items. I’ve bought a guitar before in one.

I have too. I even bought gear inside one. I think they call them safe zones or something like that.

For whatever reason my best transactions have been at Mc Ds... the happy deals

 

[aamefford]

I do a fair number of Craigslist exchanges in police or highway patrol station parking lots. If someone plans to steal your stuff, they probably won’t agree to meet there! You are still stuck with whatever you buy, and no tryout though.

 

[SinSir]

I do a fair number of Craigslist exchanges in police or highway patrol station parking lots. If someone plans to steal your stuff, they probably won’t agree to meet there! You are still stuck with whatever you buy, and no tryout though.

I also feel they won't meet at a cop shop to sell if it's stolen goods. I always try gear, no matter where.

 

[Broseph]

Bring a wireless amp to test guitars.
Now testing amps can be a pain. Kinda have to trust the person you’re going to. Such a pain to lug.

 

[Daryl Jones]

All the more reason I go through my brick and mortar dealer. I may pay a bit more in the long run, but they do look after me and appreciate my business. Plus if I ever need them they are there for me.
I've spent most of my working life in retail and I know full well how buyers can be and are liars, especially in my current position in a power-sports dealership. It's unfortunately the seedy side of human nature and it's is becoming more and more prevalent. Bummer

 

[Alnus Rubra]

This really sucks!

I have too. I even bought gear inside one. I think they call them safe zones or something like that.

For whatever reason my best transactions have been at Mc Ds... the happy deals

Is this a McTransaction?

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

This really sucks!



Is this a McTransaction?

I only go there for the MacCarty.