NGD - Dean Zero - With sad eBay experience

[Sicarius]

Tax Season is upon us all, and like any nerd I got my taxes done early, and with the refund, I was able to get a guitar I've been after.

Korean Dean Zero, I'm not a fan of Megadeth, or Dave Mustaine, but I am a fan of the specs of this guitar:

Mahogany body and set neck
25.5" scale
24 fret
Explorer-esque shape.

pics:
Sparkles:

Streaky Ebony:

Headstock:

So the ebay story:

I watched this guitar for a while on the 'bay, it went initially at 650, and watched it get down to 550 when I decided to buy it.

Transaction went well, shipping was even better as it arrived a day early.

The only problem I found on the guitar was the neck flush mount strap lock was lose. The sleeve was slipping out of the body a little and I didn't think much of it, just tightened it down a bit, and it didn't do anything.

I made a note to let the seller know, to see what happened when they owned it, but before I could get to it, I installed the locks on my strap, and locked it in place and began tuning. Lo and behold, the screw breaks and now I'm left with a guitar I can't really play because Explorers are awkward when your chair has arms.


So I let the seller know what happened, and she says it was a gift to her husband from Christmas last year, and that she'd talk to the Guitar Center tech at their local store.

She gets back to me today with this:

Hi. I spoke with the repair tech at our local store. He said this is something easily fixed yourself with a little bit of wood glue, take a toothpick dip it in and rub it on the hole. He said he wouldn't pay someone to fix it. At the most they would charge $15 dollars if you couldn't do it yourself.

And I send her these pictures back, explaining that I would need a screw extractor, or a small enough pair of pliers to get into the hole, and try to manually back the screw out.

3/8" hole

parts:

I've already located a better wood screw that will fit in the strap lock, but the smallest pair of needle nose I have don't have teeth, they're flat, and they keep rolling off the screw.

And my Grabit set is at the office, and I'm not sure the small one in the set will be small enough.

I'm guessing she's not going to give me even a small refund, either. This sucks, I don't want to just glue it in, I want it to be secured like it's supposed to be.

 

[Noxon]

You could try drilling the broken screw out...

Sorry to hear about the eBay troubles... Otherwise, HNGD!

 

[Sicarius]

Drilling it out is the last option I want to do, because I'd have to find a shop to do it.

 

[redlol]

just relocate the strap button somewhere else.

 

[marcwormjim]

I'll use my first post to say that I hope you haven't given this woman a hard time - As someone who regularly sells on ebay, a buyer feeling entitled to a partial refund for a strap-button screw they broke after the fact, then complaining that they "can't really play" the guitar because they're unwilling to use a chair without armrests is something I would give them negative feedback for.

That said, I hope your grabit can do the job. Even if it chews up the wood around the screw hole a bit and you need to dowel it, the base of the strap button should cover it.

 

[jrstinkfish]

I'll use my first post to say that I hope you haven't given this woman a hard time - As someone who regularly sells on ebay, a buyer feeling entitled to a partial refund for a strap-button screw they broke after the fact, then complaining that they "can't really play" the guitar because they're unwilling to use a chair without armrests is something I would give them negative feedback for.

He didn't break it himself, per se -- the screw was apparently close to breaking when he received it, and the weight of the guitar once he hung it around his neck made it break completely. Though I have an Explorer and regularly play on my chair with arms -- just have to sit forward on the seat a little bit, but it's not an impossible task.

Also, I don' t think sellers can leave negative feedback any more on eBay.

 

[Sicarius]

I haven't asked them to pay for my tools. I haven't asked them to pay for my time I've spent trying to fix the issue myself.

I left it as an option for her to choose in the emails we've been exchanging.

The options she's given me are: Fix it yourself, have guitar center fix it "because it shouldn't cost more than $15", or pay for shipping the guitar back for a refund.

That's pretty ....ed up. They pretty obviously tried to pull the strap lock off the guitar because they didn't know about the button. Or they did know about the button, and bent the screw trying to back it out or put it back in. I don't know. All I know is that I tried to screw it back down, and when I put a strap on the guitar, the screw broke.


You say I broke it, and it's my fault, and I should get negative feedback because I feel entitled to a partial refund? I'm not asking for hundreds back. If anything I just want to be reimbursed for the tools, $26? $30? Is that really too much to ask for?

The comment I made about the chair, never was said to the seller. That's none of their business. I made the comment here because there are others in the same situation I am. We have regular desk chairs that have arms, and use a guitar strap when playing in said chair.\


I don't want to be mean to you, but with your first post, you kind of seem like a prick.

 

[Swyse]

Sicarius, I don't think the seller is 100% at fault, you bought a used guitar and got a used guitar. It wasn't broken, just loose. I don't know how one would tell a screw was about to break, but from what I've seen from this woman I don't think she knows much about guitars. Sucks that it happened to you, and I have no doubt you'll be able to fix it. Try to not let this experience sour the guitar for you, I've had that happen when I get something and its not what I expected and I've moved otherwise great guitars because of it.

Good luck with the screw and HNGD.

You could try drilling the broken screw out...

Sorry to hear about the eBay troubles... Otherwise, HNGD!

I agree that it needs removed in some way, glueing in the insert would be a horrible idea, I assume (and hope) the GC employee didn't understand what the seller meant, or the seller didn't explain it well. Either way, the screw needs removed and replaced.

just relocate the strap button somewhere else.

Nice suggestion, drill another hole in the finish instead of fixing it.

He didn't break it himself, per se -- the screw was apparently close to breaking when he received it, and the weight of the guitar once he hung it around his neck made it break completely. Though I have an Explorer and regularly play on my chair with arms -- just have to sit forward on the seat a little bit, but it's not an impossible task.

Also, I don' t think sellers can leave negative feedback any more on eBay.

Lets be real, he did break it himself. It was probably on its way, but he adjusted it, then it later broke.

 

[Pav]

^ Not to pile it on, but I would have to agree. Loosening strap locks/buttons are an incredibly common thing on solid body guitars. Plus if the OP noticed it was loose and still tried to use it normally...you're just asking for trouble.

It really is an easy fix though. It may be a trick to get the screw out, but once you do, just refill the hole with wood glue and a dowel or toothpicks and let it set for a day. It will be as good as new and you won't see the repair behind the strap lock.

HNGD too, try not to let a minor inconvenience ruin the new guitar experience!

 

[Sicarius]

The strap lock is supposed to go into the hole, guys. It's a Flush Mount system.

I've never said that it wasn't my fault it broke, but I did have help in the endeavor.

Nothing with the seller has spoiled anything. I love the guitar, and it feels great. I don't have an amp anymore, because I cleared house a year or so ago, so I'll be looking into something soon.

Thanks guys.

 

[Jarmake]

Just get a screw extractor, pull out the broken screw, put the straplock in with another screw and play. I just bought a set of screw extractors (4 different size bits) and it cost like 3 euros.

 

[Sicarius]

Like I said before, I own a set, and they're at my job, I also said that I'm not sure the smallest one will fit as the screw is very small.

But hey, thanks for looking at the pictures.

The seller has said that their tech said it should only cost at maximum $15 and that I'm being unreasonable.

 

[Sicarius]

So, I've been going over things with the woman I bought the guitar from.

I'm sorry that you feel that way. But I have to assume you didn't explain what happened to the technician correctly if they said that I needed to "rub some wood glue into the hole" to fix a broken screw that needs to be extracted.

I also feel the need to remind you that this problem started when someone got a hold of the guitar and tried to forcibly remove the strap button causing it to come out of the body and damage the screw in the first place. All while it was in your possession.

Which means you incorrectly listed it as New.

I'd be willing to forgive all of this is you would just be reasonable, and offer to help pay for part of the repair, or reimburse me for the tools I've had to buy, a measly $27.

I'm perfectly happy with the guitar, with the exception of this issue, and do not want to return it. Please, work with me so that we can both be fully satisfied with the transaction.

There is no miscommunication. I read your ebay message directly over the phone to the tech. He told me it sounded like you probably swung the guitar around and damaged it. He said he rarely sees a guitar come in with that problem. And after reading your message and telling him the exact make and model of the guitar, he said maximum $15. So I don't know why you would take it upon yourself to go buy a tool you didn't need. That's on you. They would have fixed it for less than your $27. The offer stand to return the guitar in the exact condition in which it was received for a full refund. The guitar was brand new and unused when you received it. Nothing was damaged, and I have all the pictures to prove it. I would be happy to work with you, if I felt your claim was honest and accurate, but it seems you are trying to get money from us, which we do not owe you.
Return it if you like for a full refund.

So I say this:

Tell you what. If you can provide a close up picture of the back strap button, and it shows that it's in perfect condition, and not coming out or the screw not pulled out, then I'll forgive everything, and assume it just happened during shipping.

Your ad has closeups of most everything else, so hopefully you took one of that, too?

Ma'am, I am not some insolent child that swings and destroys things. I installed the strap lock equipment onto my guitar strap, and locked them into the hardware on the guitar, and the screw snapped under the weight of the guitar as I was positioning it for tuning. The company that makes the equipment is known to use low quality screws.

I am not trying to extort you, and I assure you that the guitar tech was mistaken. There is no way gluing the sleeve back into the body would have made it secure enough for playing.

As I said, if you have a close up that shows no damage to the back strap pin location, and it is in perfect condition, then I will leave you be.

However, if you are unable to provide the evidence, I will return the guitar, and you will be in charge of getting the repair done, and I will file a complaint with ebay and Paypal stating that you misrepresented the item, and will take a full refund, including the cost of shipping the guitar back to you if that's possible.

and just got back:

Listen. Did you fix the guitar with your $27 tool? Provide me a copy of your receipt.

So, she listed the item as new, while knowing there was an issue with it, and still misrepresented the item, the listing had close up pictures of the fretboard, headstock (front and back), controls, and pickups, but not of the back of the body.

I guess she doesn't want to lose over $600 on the guitar. I'm going to keep it, because I like the guitar. Even though the lady was a bit shady.

 

[Sicarius]

I told her that I bought the pliers on Saturday, and that they'd arrive on Tuesday. So now I get:

Sir, really? We are finished. Return the guitar please. I have offered you a full refund. And ebay will see that in our email correspondence. I have always provided excellent service and as you can clearly see from my feedback, I have always had happy buyers. Your own feedback states "arrived in excellent condition." Please stop this nonsense and move on. Either return it for a full refund, or leave us alone. We are honest sellers.

I've now provided her with a screen shot of the amazon order confirmation, and a screen shot of my bank statement that shows the first purchase of pliers that weren't small enough, and the new screw.

I've asked that she still provide the picture that shows the part in perfect condition as she stated she had.

 

[downburst82]

So you have a screw extractor set...that you haven't even tried yet (its at the office..ok grab it Monday?) but you have ordered $27 in pliers to remove 1 broken screw and you expect her to pay for them? Is that correct?

 

[MoshJosh]

I'm sorry but I have to side with the seller on this one. It would seem that she isn't familiar with guitars, and even if she was how was she supposed to know the screw was going to break? It sucks that you will have to pay for the repair but hey she did offer a refund (though the repair will probably cost as much as shipping) so if you are that upset about it you can return it. . . though it would be a d!ck move to do so in my opinion.

Still a cool guitar one of my favorite deans for sure

 

[feraledge]

What's sad is that I read all of your posts. I'm 100% with the seller on this. And you're stating speculation as fact: that the only way this could be broken AFTER you messed with it is that someone tried to rip the straplock out of the guitar? Therefore it's "used"?
This is lunacy. I've had plenty of guitar where the first thing to go was the strap pins, that goes for my very first two guitars (both Squiers), so it's been ingrained ever since to look at.
Are we having to continue ignoring the fact that you tightened the screw before it broke, potentially over tightening and hence resulting in the breakage of what was probably a cheap screw?
I've had screws break in guitars. It sucks, but, seriously, stop taking your frustration out on this seller, they have every right to be done with you and absolutely no reason to give you a refund.
Get over it an enjoy the guitar!
I'm no fan of Dean in general, and certainly not Dave, but that D shape on these necks is 'Da shit.

 

[feraledge]

I'm sorry, having dealt with difficult people over ebay, this is hard to flush from the mind.
If I had a textbook image in mind of what it looks like when you over tighten a weight bearing screw holding metal to wood, this would pretty much be it:

 

[marcwormjim]

I apologize for contributing to this dogpile before it started. As with the above poster, I opened the thread and had bad ebay experiences flash through my mind. At least you love the guitar - Hopefully that's all that matters at the end of the day.

 

[electriceye]

Sorry, but this is an issue where it's "just one of those things" and the seller doesn't owe you anything. It broke under YOUR ownership and when YOU put on your strap locks. So, if I were her, I'd tell you to go fly a kite. This is a SIMPLE thing to fix.