Specifically, I need a trusted luthier to examine a guitar.

A month ago, I sold a decent bass to a guy in NYC. He claims there are problems with the neck and has attempted ministration under his own hand.

Now I know the condition when the guitar left my hands, but I have no idea of his skills and capabilities. He wants to return the bass for a refund. I think I need someone in NYC to examine the issues and give me an opinion.

Seems that Sadowsky has a shop there and several others that might be of help.

Can you help me find someone to evaluate the bass?

Thanks,

RMD

Did you sell it with a warranty or as-is? How long did he have it? Did he modified it in any way with his amateur work?

Basically, he can go piss up a rope.

While I agree with your assessment, after a month, I am tempted to tell him the same. However, I am trying to be a good guy here, but nearing my limits.

RMD

I totally understand you wanting to be a good guy, but if he has attempted any repairs on it I would not even consider refunds.

Attempting to be a good guy is often just a misguided direction.
As soon as you are sucked into getting "evaluations" it establishes an assumption that there is a reason for the evaluation, and that maybe there is something you should be responsible for.
But I have bought a lot of guitars, and when you buy used the assumption is always "as is" and "buyer beware", unless it came with an expressed guarantee or it was bought from a store that gave a guarantee.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Lemme guess...He messed with the truss rod without knowing anything about adjusting a truss rod, broke it, & wants you to eat his mistake. I'd tell him to kick rocks.

ask him what he did

but he's on the hook for it, not you

lots of places in NYC

Guitartech on W14th or TR Crandall on E 3rd

“As is”

I don't know much of anything about musical instruments, but I do sell a lot of expensive vintage car parts. If the buyer modified the part in ANY way without discussing the issue with me first, there is NO refund. Period. I would think any buyer can understand that policy.

Did he talk to you first and you agreed to let him make modifications? If not, I'd have to say he made the mistake in this situation. I imagine the buyer will understand you are not Dillon Precision Products, Inc.....

I agree with the above posters If the guy attempted an ameteur repair, he gets to keep it. A new truss rod will cost you plenty to have installed by a trained pro, let alone a neck. He should have contacted you immediately.

Evan Gluck is outstanding, maybe the best in town.

https://www.newyorkguitarrepair.com

And I've heard good things about Matt at 30th St Guitars (which is now on 27th street).

http://www.30thstreetguitars.com

Having absolutely no knowledge on the subject whatsoever, methinks that if he tried to fiddle with it before and without asking you, that sale became final, irreversible.

Just my uneducated opinion.

0-0

quote:

Originally posted by vinnybass:
Lemme guess...He messed with the truss rod without knowing anything about adjusting a truss rod, broke it, & wants you to eat his mistake. I'd tell him to kick rocks.

Well, he messed with the truss rod O.K. Didn't break it, at least has not admited to that so far.

I claimed there was a slight warp that he want to correct then said the rod was seized.

I sent him the bad news this morning. Awaiting his explosion.

Thanks, all.

RMD

If the buyer paid via PayPal, you're probably SOL. PayPal gives them SIX MONTHS to return the item and always sides with the buyer, never the seller. I buy and sell a lot of musical gear on eBay and Reverb. When a buyer opens a case, PayPal yanks that cash out of my account as fast as they can send me an email letting me know. I've never gotten totally screwed, but have had a few close calls. I'd just take the bass back for a refund minus shipping. That's what's going to happen anyway, if it's PayPal and the buyer wants out. Might as well save yourself the legwork of all the back and forth.

Sadowsky sounds expensive. But you'd get a definitive opinion.

I hate the uncertainty of selling instruments without the buyer playing/handling them. Big shops do it all the time, though.

A banjo I sold on the internet got delivered with a broken neck but the guy said it was no big deal, he just wanted parts off the instrument. And an 1860s fiddle was mailed to a guy who does complete restorations on Pre-War Martin guitars. He loved it, but it went cheap - $220.

If it is a one-way rod the guy may be adjusting the wrong direction. I'm not sure a truss rod would seize that easily but the threads can bottom out. I've cranked some 50-year old rods which have never been touched and they still worked.

The adjustable truss rod was invented by a Gibson employee, Thaddeus McHugh, and patented in 1921. This invention made it possible to straighten a minor neck curve with the twist of a nut. This first truss rod was a 1 /8″ steel rod that had one threaded end with a nut installed.

The only less than positive eBay feedback I ever got was on a guitar sale. I described it perfectly, buyer emailed to complain. I was on a business trip on my bike, so I wrote back I'd deal with it two days later when back home and we'd work something out. By then he left me neutral feedback with the comment, "Item as described, but not as expected." WTF?