New gear - am I being too anal?

[niceguyhomer]

I've just got home and found the Phil Jones Bass Buddy that I ordered last week waiting for me. First impressions weren't good, it was in its case, which was dusty, that was inside the original box, which was a bit bashed and that was in another cardboard box - clearly not original and packed out with bits of polystyrene.

The inside lining of the case was a bit of a mess and the casing of the BB itself had some small scratches on it indicating to me it was either used or ex-demo. Further evidence of my suspicions were provided by the lead which had been unravelled and was just shoved in the case.

I haven't plugged it in yet but I'm seriously considering sending it back cos these things aren't cheap.

Is that a bit anal?

What would you do?

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='1203996' date='Apr 18 2011, 07:33 PM']I've just got home and found the Phil Jones Bass Buddy that I ordered last week waiting for me. First impressions weren't good, it was in its case, which was dusty, that was inside the original box, which was a bit bashed and that was in another cardboard box - clearly not original and packed out with bits of polystyrene.

The inside lining of the case was a bit of a mess and the casing of the BB itself had some small scratches on it indicating to me it was either used or ex-demo. Further evidence of my suspicions were provided by the lead which had been unravelled and was just shoved in the case.

I haven't plugged it in yet but I'm seriously considering sending it back cos these things aren't cheap.

Is that a bit anal?

What would you do?[/quote]

Send it back.

[Beedster]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='1203998' date='Apr 18 2011, 07:35 PM']Send it back.[/quote]

Yep, straight back Alan. No telling what abuse it might have suffered as an ex-demo model

[BigRedX]

No not at all.

You wouldn't accept a new TV or some other bit of expensive hifi or home theatre kit that had been taken out of the box and used (even for a demo) without expecting and receiving a decent discount, so why should it be OK on a musical instrument amplifier?

Ask for serious money off or send it back for a refund.

[BassBunny]

Al, If you bought as a "New" Item, if you are not happy, sent it back. If you are happy to keep it at a reduced price, get on to the retailer and have a go at them for selling you an ex-demo item at a new price and try and get a partial refund.

[PURPOLARIS]

+1 to all the above.

If it was advertised as new, you should get new.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1204002' date='Apr 18 2011, 07:38 PM']No not at all.

You wouldn't accept a new TV or some other bit of expensive hifi or home theatre kit that had been taken out of the box and used (even for a demo) without expecting and receiving a decent discount, so why should it be OK on a musical instrument amplifier?

Ask for serious money off or send it back for a refund.[/quote]
Yep money off/exchange/refund IMO

[essexbasscat]

You're clearly an unhappy bunny here Homer. Sounds like one of those situations where you'll only regret it later on if you don't do something about in now.

FWIW I'd probably be a bit unhappy in that situation too if I'd expected a certain something to be new.

Good luck whatever happens

T

[Musicman20]

Definitely send it back. You pay more for new items and it should be perfect.

Where was it from?

[Platypus]

Agree with all the others here - send it back. There not exactly hard to get hold off, get a refund and go elsewhere if shop can't supply a [i]really [/i] new one

[Conan]

As they all said. If you bought it "new" then it should BE new. Ex-demo gear gets sold off more cheaply and states clearly that it has been used...

Demand a big reduction or send it back (at their expense of course).

[niceguyhomer]

Pretty unanimous methinks

Thanks fellas - I've put it back in it's box and I'll be calling them in the morning.

[waynepunkdude]

Hehe, 'Anal'

[Rayman]

No question....straight back

[BassBod]

And don't forget to name and and shame - we are a very forgiving community, but supplying "used" goods as new (and charging) deserves a special mention.

[steve-soar]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1204075' date='Apr 18 2011, 08:16 PM']Hehe, 'Anal'[/quote]Hehe, "Too Anal"

[yorks5stringer]

I bought a Bass once that was described as new and clearly was not. Had tell tale scratch marks from a stand, missing accessories, other accessories were scratched too. They denied it but I wrote to the head honcho and got a further reduction in price.
No names but they were German.....

Edited April 19, 2011 by yorks5stringer

[xilddx]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='1203996' date='Apr 18 2011, 07:33 PM']I've just got home and found the Phil Jones Bass Buddy that I ordered last week waiting for me. First impressions weren't good, it was in its case, which was dusty, that was inside the original box, which was a bit bashed and that was in another cardboard box - clearly not original and packed out with bits of polystyrene.

The inside lining of the case was a bit of a mess and the casing of the BB itself had some small scratches on it indicating to me it was either used or ex-demo. Further evidence of my suspicions were provided by the lead which had been unravelled and was just shoved in the case.

I haven't plugged it in yet but I'm seriously considering sending it back cos these things aren't cheap.

Is that a bit anal?

What would you do?[/quote]
That is NOT anal. That's like buying dinner and noticing someone's had a slurp of your hollandaise when it arrives at your table.

Call them, and tell them to arrange a courier to collect it. That is completely unacceptable if you were told it's new by the shop. I doubt I would ever do business with that shop again if it happened to me. Who was it?

[aldude]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='1204689' date='Apr 19 2011, 01:02 PM']I bought a Bass once that was described as new and clearly was not. Had tell tale scratch marks from a stand, missing accessories, other accessories were scratched too. They denied it but I wrote to the head honcho and got a further reduction in price.
No names but they were German.....[/quote]

I also bought a bass very recently from a German company, which will remain nameless, but let's give it a nickname, how's about "Tho". The bass looked like either a return or an ex-demo, as there were quite subtle signs on it (like a couple of scratch stripes on the pickup from the B string, for instance). However it was in a condition it would have been in after a couple of days anyway, so I kept it. I'd be interested if you also bought from "Tho".

Mind you, it was over £200 cheaper from there than anywhere else I could find so maybe they sold it at a return price even though it was described as new.

And as for the OP, good luck with getting a discount or refund!

[xilddx]

[quote name='aldude' post='1204702' date='Apr 19 2011, 01:08 PM']I also bought a bass very recently from a German company, which will remain nameless, but let's give it a nickname, how's about "Tho". The bass looked like either a return or an ex-demo, as there were quite subtle signs on it (like a couple of scratch stripes on the pickup from the B string, for instance). However it was in a condition it would have been in after a couple of days anyway, so I kept it. I'd be interested if you also bought from "Tho".

Mind you, it was over £200 cheaper from there than anywhere else I could find so maybe they sold it at a return price even though it was described as new.

And as for the OP, good luck with getting a discount or refund![/quote]
Sounds like B stock.

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='aldude' post='1204702' date='Apr 19 2011, 01:08 PM']I also bought a bass very recently from a German company, which will remain nameless, but let's give it a nickname, how's about "Tho". The bass looked like either a return or an ex-demo, as there were quite subtle signs on it (like a couple of scratch stripes on the pickup from the B string, for instance). However it was in a condition it would have been in after a couple of days anyway, so I kept it. I'd be interested if you also bought from "Tho".

Mind you, it was over £200 cheaper from there than anywhere else I could find so maybe they sold it at a return price even though it was described as new.

And as for the OP, good luck with getting a discount or refund![/quote]

Without giving anything away, Ja!

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='silddx' post='1204704' date='Apr 19 2011, 01:09 PM']Sounds like B stock.[/quote]

Funnily enough, B (irken) stock are German too!

[warwickhunt]

I think an amp bought new should be 'new', no debating that.

However, it poses an odd dilemma which I've considered a few times... many folk on here wouldn't buy a new bass without trying it first, yet if a shop lets you try all of the various Fender Jazz basses that they have in stock, are those basses not now ex-demo? I'm not talking about something taken out of the box and checked over once by the staff but any new bass out on display is by definition ex-demo yet if you like THAT bass you may not be guaranteed that the bass in the stock room will be nearly as good; do you ask for a discount on the one that you prefer because it is on display? Does that make sense?

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='1204926' date='Apr 19 2011, 04:47 PM']I think an amp bought new should be 'new', no debating that.

However, it poses an odd dilemma which I've considered a few times... many folk on here wouldn't buy a new bass without trying it first, yet if a shop lets you try all of the various Fender Jazz basses that they have in stock, are those basses not now ex-demo? I'm not talking about something taken out of the box and checked over once by the staff but any new bass out on display is by definition ex-demo yet if you like THAT bass you may not be guaranteed that the bass in the stock room will be nearly as good; do you ask for a discount on the one that you prefer because it is on display? Does that make sense? [/quote]


As a former retailer I have been trying to write something like the above since this thread started. In addition to what Warwichhunt says, can you really expect your local small independent retailer (if you are lucky enough to have one) to have a fresh, boxed version of whatever it is you want to go in and buy as well as one up on display so you can try it out? This would be financial suicide!

However, re OP, if this is someone doing lots of internet/mail-order box shifting rather than providing the service we all crave then yes, the amp should be factory fresh.

[BigRedX]

It's not the same for amps as it is for instruments, which is why I made the HiFi/TV analogy in my original post.

Basses, especially Fenders are all different and you'll probably have to try a whole load before you find the right one for you.

However one amp of a particular model should be exactly the same as the others of that model. Sure the shop needs to have one out on display for people to try, but if you decide to buy you should get an unused and boxed one. If you do have to buy the display model it should be price accordingly.