What's My Reverb Refund Chances?

Anxiety Serum

Anxiety Serum

Well-known member
Ordered a near 30 year old guitar on Reverb. It was one of those sold as is unless condition listed is different than described. So I asked a lot a question. Told everything is great, frets a good, guitars a dream. It was listed in excellent condition. But that's not how it came.

I get it and can see with my untrained eye the frets are full of divots. Luthier says it needs a full re-fret ($500-$600), and the neck has too much relief (fixable but not guaranteed until he gets in there and sees).

I figure its not worth the hassle, and try to return it. Buyer seems dumbfounded, played great for him, at his last setup the luthier never mentioned anything. He tried describe as best he could ect. ect.

So not sure how hard he's gonna push back on this. If the buyer pushes back what happens? If I get the return who pays return shipping? How long will this drag out?
 
I'll refrain from linking the posting. I don't want to splash this around if he is willing to work it out. Just curious if this has happened to anyone and how it went.
 
What you are describing is a case where the item is “Not as described”. That is pretty straight forward. If you can show that the seller did not accurately describe issues with the instrument it is a pretty straightforward thing. Reverb will push the issue if the seller does not work with you.

With that said, look at the pics and listing. Make sure that the seller did not disclose the issue(s).

As for divots, I was shocked to learn how quickly divots can be created on a cased guitar given the right conditions. Even on stainless frets. That is why Suhr ships their instruments with a fretboard protector. It is possible (if unlikely) that fret divoting can happen in shipping.

This is John Suhr himself talking about it:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/i...ons-about-suhr-t-style.2352051/#post-34542350
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/i...-stainless-steel-frets.1214864/#post-14881166
I have seen many posts on different forums and John is consistent with his message on this.
 
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Thanks. Nothing about the frets in the listing but I asked/answered this

No breaks or repairs I take it? Also what's the fret wear like? --Frets are nice lots of life still, no damage anywhere! It’s a real treasure.

He did ship it with bubble wrap between the neck and strings. So I doubt it was during the shipping.
 
Anxiety Serum said:
Thanks. Nothing about the frets in the listing but I asked/answered this

No breaks or repairs I take it? Also what's the fret wear like? --Frets are nice lots of life still, no damage anywhere! It’s a real treasure.

He did ship it with bubble wrap between the neck and strings. So I doubt it was during the shipping.
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I have hundreds of transactions. I am not a business or reseller. Just boughtba lot of gear and moved a lot of that out.

As a seller, I don’t do returns/refunds. I am meticulous in documenting what I sell. I don’t sell crap and if an item has an issue I clearly point it out both in pics and the description. So if something arrives with “new” issues and the buyer can show it in a pic, I immediately offer a return.

I will NOT do partial refunds or pay for repairs. If the instrument is so bad that someone is unhappy and wants some money back, and they can show me something that is not in my shipping video… I don’t want to sell someone an item that is not in the condition I sent it in (and I want to see it to assess what is going on). I offer a return including shipping, no partial refunds. Reverb backed me both times I offered this. Shit happens and I am not going to leave a buyer holding the bag for shipping damage.

In other words, if you feel he wasn’t straight with his listing tell him you want a return. Wash your hands of it and find another guitar to buy.
 
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Fret divots/wear do not equal a refret. I’ve had many guitars that had fret wear that played like a dream after I set them up proper.

I’m still baffled by how many long time players can’t assess a guitar on their own. For me, there has to be a real issue with a guitar to take it to someone else to sort out.
 
gtrwun said:
Fret divots/wear do not equal a refret. I’ve had many guitars that had fret wear that played like a dream after I set them up proper.

I’m still baffled by how many long time players can’t assess a guitar on their own. For me, there has to be a real issue with a guitar to take it to someone else to sort out.
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I'm still new at this. Still learning. Wanted an experienced opinion before I ask for refund.
 
gtrwun said:
Fret divots/wear do not equal a refret. I’ve had many guitars that had fret wear that played like a dream after I set them up proper.
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Yes, this ^

Fret wear and divots start to happen a few months in on a guitar you play a lot. All of my favorite guitars I'm sure have fret wear and divots. I don't look for it. I just play them. They play great until the fret wear gets to the point that they no longer play great. Then they need the frets dressed. and then the cycle starts all over again. I normally can get 4 or 5 fret dresses out of frets before I need a refret.

I know nothing about the repairman who checked the guitar over. But guitar repairmen are like mechanics. Some you can really trust.
 
Chubtone said:
But guitar repairmen are like mechanics. Some you can really trust.
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I actually took it to two shops. One said definitely needs fret work, but ask a luthier if it needs a refret or if there is room for a fret dressing. So I took it to another shop with a luthier in house. Two of them looked at it and said refret.




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Anxiety Serum said:
I actually took it to two shops. One said definitely needs fret work, but ask a luthier if it needs a refret or if there is room for a fret dressing. So I took it to another shop with a luthier in house. Two of them looked at it and said refret.




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Holy shit. That’s really bad. A fret dress would basically bring those down to nothing.
 
I kicking myself for not asking for a close up of the fret. But he seemed on the up and up and at least I got his declaration in writing to show its not as described. Looking back, the headstock photos he sent were strategically blocking any frets. On purpose, maybe not, but maybe.
 
The seller was dumbfounded by that guitar needing a re-fret? Yikes.
I would hate to see what they think is acceptable.
As pointed out above, these pics should have been part of what was presented.
Just seeing those pics alone, if you were to dress the frets, you simply would not have enough left to do a proper job or keep the fret at a consistent height for a good crown.

Send it back!
 
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