|
|
Joined:
May 2011
Posts: 101
Location: USA | So a couple days ago I posted about a 1989 Ovation 1756 Legend that I purchased on CL that was deemed Mint by the seller. She even sent me pictures which you can see in my last post that looked great. I even asked her several times what she concidered the definition of Mint to be.
So I recieved the guitar today and it is in very far from Mint condition. The Rosette is cracking and might have been re-glued down (Badley), the top has some strange bubling in a 3 by 3 area. that looks like the finish was heat damaged or something, I can't realy tell. Or possibly had some shoddy repair work done.
The button that checks the battery level is broke. The head stock has a small peal at the top.
I filed a complaint with Paypal but she has already taken the money out and I doubt it will get resolved. I have contacted her but she is giving me the run around. So to make a long story short if I send this into Ovation can they repair the top & rosette or possibly just slap a new top on? How much will I be looking at in cost to do this? I bought this not only to play but to collect. I am so dissapointed! She did not even send it in a box she just shoved the case in the mail!
Is it worth fixing it? I some opinions and suggestions. Thanks :confused:
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2010
Posts: 1227
Location: Connersville, Indiana | I'm not sure how buying things on e bay or CL works, but it you send it to mother and it cost x amount of dollars to fix, I guess you could document everything like you did and file a small claims suit against her. Not sure how far she lives from you, but it you file the claim in your county, she will get served notice and must appear. If she does not appear then the court sets a judgement, then you have the court cost, and cost of repairs, and the initial cost of the guitar garnished, if she doesn't have a job have a lien placed on her home or car. An Attorney in you state can give you all the details. I would think it could be fixed, but at what cost? And if it's the guitar you really want, it would be worth fixing. Just my suggestion, I'm sure there are other here with a better answer.
Kit |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15676
Location: SoCal | File a complaint with paypal and leave her a negative rating. Not much else you can do unless you know somebody named Guido who lives in her area.
The factory can fix it, but nobody here can tell you what the cost would be. Give them a call or shoot them an email. They work miracles for a good price.... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | CL should be for Face to Face only... no matter how tempting. It's just too easy to get scammed.
Ebay, though Fee heavy, at least has some protections. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Kit, you shouldn't give legal advice. You were wrong on a couple of points. Moody is much closer to the mark. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Here is some good advice (after the fact) when using paypal.
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS pay by credit card.
Then if this happens, file the dispute with your cc and with proper documentation watch how fast they refund your money.
Paypal may whine but you get your money and paypal will put a negative balance on the account that caused the problems (and believe me if anybody sends her money in the future paypal will grab it). |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2010
Posts: 1227
Location: Connersville, Indiana | Your right Mark I shouldn't give legal advise, that's why I added to contact an attorney. It's just the way I would do it, and every state has their own laws pertaining to civil liability. Sorry Steve. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | What Stephen said...if you paid via cash transfer I am afraid this is a "live and learn" moment. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2011
Posts: 101
Location: USA | I have a pending case through PayPal. I think they froze the money. She has 10 to respond. I truly believe she knew she was taking me for a ride. I asked very specific questions.
Live and learn |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2011
Posts: 101
Location: USA | How hard would it be for me to strip the top myself? Any advise. Trying to avoid paying 500 or more sending to Mother.
Thanks |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | PayPal has a little protection. Most credit cards have better protection. Neither is foolproof, there is still risk, and seeking relief becomes the injured party's burden to pursue. This is very conflictive for me because on the one hand, I teach how trust is the foundation of good leadership in my classes, but then I see countless examples of fraud, misrepresentation and deceit everyday in my primary line of work. One method of establishing congruence between the two is to follow the slogan, "trust, but verify." Of course, this is particularly difficult in blind transactions. Best of luck to you in seeking a resolution. It isn't much consolation, but you can be thankful it involves a loss only in the hundreds. I see it in the millions. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 28
Location: Rochester, NY | I must echo what "stephent28" said. When using Paypal always pay using Credit Card and never have it connect to your bank account. I have experience with this as well. That way if your in a bad situation you only lose "credit" which you can fight back for instead of liquid cash from your bank account:) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Bellevue, Washington | Originally posted by Steveomatic:
How hard would it be for me to strip the top myself? Any advise. Trying to avoid paying 500 or more sending to Mother.
Thanks From my own experience gained the hard way, unless you know what you're doing stripping the top on an acoustic will be impossible. The tops are already very thin as it is and you don't realize how much you're taking off the top until its too late!
Like others have said you will need to contact the mothership for an actual quote but it seems that a new top and bowl generally run between 400 and 1000 depending on what you want done.
Stephen has it exactly right, if PayPal isn't willing to work with you and you paid by credit card through the PayPal account, you can file a chargeback claim with your cc company and they'll refund the money to you, and then go after PayPal who in turn will go after the seller. This happened to me once while being scammed, and its ridiculous how effective it really is. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3650
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Boy, this really sours the milk of human kindness. Yeah, well, Caveat Emptor, I suppose.
But also, take no prisoners! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2007
Posts: 283
Location: Portland, OR | With ebay you at least can check the fdbk rating and actual fdbk comments for a seller. And you can check what they sell. Like you don't buy a car from a person who has 500 pos fdbk selling kewpie dolls. Craigs List works face to face, limit to your own area where you can go look/see. A judgment probably isn't worth pursuing even if she's local. Costs too much in terms of time, money and bile. What goes around comes around. Buying from people here is prpobably your best bet if you can't find what you want in your area. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2011
Posts: 101
Location: USA | I am not going to let this consume. I will let the PayPal investigation roll and see what happens. I learned a $600 lesson. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2011
Posts: 101
Location: USA | Here is the link the her posting on Craigslist. I also spoke with her live numerous times. I now know how I will purchase moving forward but she did a good job bamboozeling me.
http://swv.craigslist.org/msg/2516739157.html |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | Another red flag... They're from WV |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Jason?!? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2011
Posts: 119
Location: NH | Roadtrip ! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2011
Posts: 101
Location: USA | Instant Karma is going to get you. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7232
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Ok.. Here's a bright side.. It's not really a $600 lesson.. It's just a few hundred as you haven't said anything about how it plays... I'm gonna assume it plays just fine. So there is some value in that. It's just not mint, but it's still 1989 Ovation 1756 Legend. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Bellevue, Washington | Originally posted by Mr. Ovation:
Ok.. Here's a bright side.. It's not really a $600 lesson.. It's just a few hundred as you haven't said anything about how it plays... I'm gonna assume it plays just fine. So there is some value in that. It's just not mint, but it's still 1989 Ovation 1756 Legend. +1! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2011
Posts: 101
Location: USA | It does sound great and besides the issues with the top and Roseete it is in nice condition. It is just the point that she was not honest. If I thought it was a case of her just not understanding what she was selling I would not be near as upset. It is the fact that we spoke in great detail and she told me I could send it back if I was dissapointed. Now she wont even respond to me.
At this point I am over it. I am letting Paypal do their thing and whatever happens happens. If I end up keeping it I might get the top refinished. I just hate the thought of turning a $600 purchase into a $1000 purchase. The value of this model just does not warrant it. I am thinking months down the road I will only look at it as a $400 expense. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | What Miles said!!
Steve ....just play it and enjoy it.
And be wiser for the experience.
AJ |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Change out the strings and play it until it looks like Trigger. You'll come to love it all the more. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15676
Location: SoCal | You know, the story behind Nelson's guitar, Trigger, is that he wore a hole in it. But it sure looks more like somebody busted that section of the guitar out than wore it away...... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 387
Location: Whitecourt, Ab | Steve, what Aussie and Miles, and others said.
It certainly sucks that you got bamboozzled as you call it. If the physical appearance bothers you, there are a lot of well documented stories of 'Mother Magic' on this site. Well worth the $ if cosmetics are important to you.
However if it plays and sounds great like a 22 yr old aged top should on a legend, the marks and blemishes are simply character, and in a few yrs it will make great conversation. Maybe it will inspire you to write a song about it, and do the 'Legend' name proud. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2007
Posts: 283
Location: Portland, OR | Went and saw Willie and Trigger in Portland a few weeks ago. Both were incredible. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15676
Location: SoCal | Saw Willie a few years ago. He didn't so much sing his songs as talk them..... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2011
Posts: 101
Location: USA | VICTORY IS MINE! So Paypal has concluded that the guitar was not as described and through their buyers protection program I am getting my money back including shipping.
There is justice in the world.
Now the question is does anyone here have a 12 string they are selling? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | And once again the forces of good triumph over the forces of eeeevil.
I'm glad for you.
Next time, be more careful.
.
As long as your not trying to bottom feed, I'll bet that some kind of 12 will show up for sale around here soon. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Please send me $600 cash. I will find and send you a 12 string. No refund. |
|
| |
I was taken! what should I do?