Repair Estimate For PayPal Claim

[abelljo]

Hi guys, I don't post much as I'm not as involved in tube amp repair and mods as I would like to, but I need your help if at all possible.

I know this one is a little strange and not the typical topic. But I have a situation and perhaps one of you guys out there has a repair shop and can help me out.
I sold a perfectly good Vibrosonic from the early 70's on eBay. I know my Fender amps very well, so I serviced it and upgraded the following:

New baffle from mojo to replace old particle board one.
New Tung-sol tubes
New Jensen NEO 15"
Sprague Atoms for all electrolitics
Changes all 100k plate l resistors to eliminate snap crackle pops
Vibrato was not working so replace the optocoupler
etc, etc, etc.

The amp was like a tank, and working perfectly, but not as pretty as I'd like it to be. Not bad either, just honest use and scratches here and there.

To make the long story short, I sold the amp on ebay to a winy little *(*()))&( and when he received the amp he said he wanted the money back on a no returns auction that had a great description and 12 pictures including the inside of the amp. BTW I have 100% feedback for many, many years.
Well, he opened a case claiming the amp was not as described, that the vibrato did not work, the reverb was cutting in and out and that it distorted too much. A 100 watt amp, was not clean enough. LOL

Well after ebay and paypal sided with him, claiming that they must as he could put a hold on the funds from his CC anyway and taking my money from my account without much say from me. I received the amp back from the guy. He failed to pack it correctly and the amp came back with to busted knobs and pots. The reverb and Bass knobs were completely broken in pieces and the pot shafts destroyed.

I can easily fix and replace them, but I must teach this buyer that clearly suffer a case of buyers remorse a lesson. Not to mention Pay Pal and eBay too. BTW, the claims were all false, the vibrato and reverb were working properly upon arrival with the exception of the physical damage to the amp.


It has taken me a few week, just to get PayPal to understand that the damage was caused from the buyers poor packing skills and that it was not the original claim from the buyer. Also as we all know that if I were to want to make it back to original I would have to buy the appropriate dated pots and vintage knobs. Of course this amp is not a collector's grade amp or I couldn't care less, but it is just to make eBay understand that things are not that simple. Imagine if it were a 1950 all original bassman! Am I supposed to just swap the parts with new stuff and devalue it?

Well anyway, what they are wanting is a written estimate from an independent service center. So I need an estimate from one of you guys for a reasonable price. I can pay via PayPal. There is a company here in Miami that will charge 20, but they want to keep the amp for a few days and I don't want to haul it over there. I drive a Fiat! lol and it is a 100W amp with a 15"

Photobucket link

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[abelljo]

Don't know how to enter the photo bucket URL

[abelljo]

http://s753.beta.photobucket.com/user/a ... Vibrasonic

[selloutrr]

You are looking for an estimate?
CTS fender branded 1973 potentiometers 1neg,250k,500k
$35 each
NOS fender 70's silver face knobs $25 each
Labor billed at $60hr

Installation and circuit test 1.5hrs
Tube testing, bias and break in 1hr

30-day warranty against defective work

[abelljo]

You are looking for an estimate?
CTS fender branded 1973 potentiometers 1neg,250k,500k
$35 each
NOS fender 70's silver face knobs $25 each
Labor billed at $60hr

Installation and circuit test 1.5hrs
Tube testing, bias and break in 1hr

30-day warranty against defective work

Hi selloutrr, thank, the thing is that I need it in some kind of of invoice with a letterhead. That is why, I would pay you via paypal for the invoice. As I know it would take time and effort to get it done.

Thanks!

[selloutrr]

Wouldn't shipping damage be filed as a claim with the carrier used?

Sucks you got screwed over but the amp should have been insured for transit...it was right?!?

Nothing on eBay is a final sale. Best you can do is post polite negative feedback to warm others.

I'm guessing he found another amp for less and could afford both. Buyers remorse. Sellers problem.

[selloutrr]

Give me a minute ill call and see if I can get an estimate drafted and sent over.

[abelljo]

Wouldn't shipping damage be filed as a claim with the carrier used?

Sucks you got screwed over but the amp should have been insured for transit...it was right?!?

Nothing on eBay is a final sale. Best you can do is post polite negative feedback to warm others.

I'm guessing he found another amp for less and could afford both. Buyers remorse. Sellers problem.

The guy didn't insure it on the way back to me. Also, ebay now does not allow for negative feedback to be given to buyers only as a seller one can get negative feedback! It sucks. Although I don't remember ever giving anyone negative feedback anyway.

[selloutrr]

I sent you a PM I need personal info to create the estimate

[Blackburn]

Wouldn't shipping damage be filed as a claim with the carrier used?

Sucks you got screwed over but the amp should have been insured for transit...it was right?!?

Nothing on eBay is a final sale. Best you can do is post polite negative feedback to warm others.

I'm guessing he found another amp for less and could afford both. Buyers remorse. Sellers problem.

The guy didn't insure it on the way back to me. Also, ebay now does not allow for negative feedback to be given to buyers only as a seller one can get negative feedback! It sucks. Although I don't remember ever giving anyone negative feedback anyway.

Shotgun time!

[Tone Lover]

To bad were not rich enough to jump a plane and give an A%%hole like that a visit. Ive had few problems myself in the past you get screwed As a seller on fleabay.
Jerk buyers have all the rights and none of the responsabilty. and now you cant even give them negative feedback. Thats enough to make a guy mad.
Fleabay shure has went down hill.
Bill

[briane]

exactly the reason I refuse to use paypal anymore - they are a financial institution, not a legal one - and they need to pull their heads out of their asses and realize the difference.

Sorry you didnt realize that.

Send me a certified check or a stack of 100$ bills if you want what I got.

[JazzGuitarGimp]

I don't sell on ebay anymore. The last time I used ebay as a seller was about 2.5 years ago. Over the six or so months preceding that point, I sold a bunch of my guitars, some guitar amps, and some rack mount studio gear. It had been years since I had sold anything and I was quite shocked at how greedy both ebay and paypal had become with their commissions. Then ebay decided to add insult to injury by making it impossible to leave negative feedback for buyers. As a buyer, I like that policy As a seller, not so much. So now I am a buyer on ebay, and nothing more. In fact, 10 minutes ago I bought a quad of Sylvania 5881's.