Well, I think I can finally tell this story as it MAY be over with.

(going bullet point here due to amount of idiocy on his part.)

Bought PRS Custom 24 from Sweetwater.

Changed 59/09's to Dimarzios. Did not like and decided to sell guitar, reinstalled stock pickups prior to sale.

List my PRS Custom 24 on EBay because it was not selling on forums.

Buyer makes low offer, declined

Buyer makes another offer and states that I should include the Dimarzios also. I respond no, they were sold.

Buyers send another message saying he thought there were EMG's in there. I emphatically say no and respond that I took the Dimarios out and returned pickups to stock. I then state I am not comfortable with his zero feedback and he asks why. Now I know.

Buyer uses Buy it Now and pays.

I package guitar up, put it on UPS next day here at work. During the day (UPS luckily picks up at 4:30) buyer sends text asking to cancel sale due to job loss. I pulled it off UPS and create a cancellation request so I can get my fees back. Buyer declines request and says his sister is going to help pay for it. At this point I am uncomfortable and decide to double box guitar costing me another $5-10 in shipping due to weight added but I thought the added 2 inches around the smaller box I had it in was worth $10. I also sent him a text asking if this is really what he wanted to do and that there would be no returns due to his previous request to cancel. He said yes, that is what he wanted.

Ship guitar. Buyer receives and raves about my packaging and how he appreciated me working with him. He calls and asks how to work the locking tuners. He also tells me at this point that he really didn't like the neck dimension and thought it would be more like a Fender deluxe his boss had, not his ex boss, his boss. I let it go and tell him good luck on sale.

I get call next day asking what is involved in a setup and if I changed the height of the trem. I told him yes, in a way, I did. I had said in my auction that it was setup for 9's which in this case meant I had to adjust spring tension. I did not touch trem, just the spring tension as the trem was coming awfully close to finish if I did not. He also starts to ask about pickup height which I explain is two screws in the mount which he was uncomfortable changing.

Day or two later. Paypal sends an email saying there is a dispute and that the dispute says " I received the guitar, but there are adjustments to the bridges and it doesn't have the stock pick ups. Seller never stated any adjustments except string changes. I either want a $500 partial refund or I want to return for a full refund."

Besides laughing to myself, I am furious at myself because I knew this might happen and should not ship but I am a pretty trusting guy and thought it might work out.

I send paypal copies of his texts and mine about cancellation and let them know I would get them from my carrier if needed. I also sent the pictures of the pickups, the PRS build card showing the 59/09 pickups, a screenshot of another auction with 59/09 pickups and then i send a PDF explanation of a setup, that guitar setups were a preference and should not be covered as "not as described" under Buyer protection. I had provided guitar as listed.

2 days later, I get a email from Paypal saying he would take $300 instead of $500. I call Paypal and ask why they think this is ok, they explain that they have not even looked at the full report yet, just that he had contacted them. I decline and 10 minutes later the case is closed. Great, everything is fine, money is returned to my acct.

He appeals, and loses.

1 Day later, case is reopened, he has appealed again , this time saying that he found proof I had installed other pickups at one time. Yep, as I told him in a EBay message 8 hours before the sale that I had installed dimarzios but returned them to the stock pickups for sale. He also sent me a text saying that because of my handiwork, there were small scratches in between the pickups. Yep, also in the auction which states, some pick scratches. He was not smart enough to figure that out. He loses another appeal.

Yesterday I get a text from him saying I had replaced the 59/09 pickups with HFS pickups.
Ummm, HFS pickups have a rounded bobbin cover, 59/09 pickups are squared off like what was included on guitar. This guy is not bright. There were emails from him where his spelling and grammar were so bad that I could not even understand what he was saying. I am done responding but do have proof of the HFS pickups being rounded.

What did I learn? I'm done selling on Ebay and not really sure on Paypal yet. Hopefully it has not affected my trust in good people.

Man, what a drag. Yeah, that's the reason for Zero feedback problems. That's the big lesson I think .. I had one problem, but I'm extremly careful now.. If they have good feedback from hundred of people, and have been on ebay for a long long time and have sold themselfs, then I take a chance, but it's hard to do.. Sorry for your troubles man. Honesty is a thing that's not as it used to be..
Tim

feedback doesnt mean much either.
the seller who gave me hell had over 300 and 100 percent feedback.

he acted like a child and tried to scam me.

Wow, that is bad.. Sorry man..

Exactly why I don't sell on Ebay anymore. I might buy off of Ebay but I will never sell a big ticket item on there again. I only use Craigslist within a 200mile raidus of my area.

Yes it takes a lot longer to sell or find stuff I am willing to trade for but the security is worth it.

Although some may not believe me, I am just adding to the collection from this point out so it won't really be a problem. I am also starting to donate the things around the house that I dont use/need anymore instead of Ebaying them. I'm done selling on Ebay. Done.

As a rational human being with average to above average intelligence, I could not help but sit in disbelief as I listened to this guy's ignorance and rationalization. I try to be a good guy and keep things on a sensible, non-confrontational level but when he said I did not include the stock pickups, it set me off. Had he been honest with me from the beginning, I may have taken it back but A) he never asked me to B) he started the dispute with the pickup lie.

OMG, sorry to hear that satchmo.

I once almost got ripped off at the bay buying an UV, but the guys here at JemSite jumped in and Gaztop saved my day. For the rest, I have only positive buying stuff on the bay.

Regards,

JP

+1 for the guys here saving ya!!!

I verified with PRS that the guitar was built with 59/09 pickups and that they did not offer the HFS pickups in a Custom 24 in 2012.

Jesus. That's a lot of stress to endure.

Yeah, every time I have to sell something on the 'bay, I pray it goes smoothly. I've only sold a guitar on there once--about 8 months ago--and to this day I'm still kinda paranoid that it may one day haunt me... similar to what you're describing. So far, so good.

I have 2 more guitars to sell, and I think I'm with you--I'll sell elsewhere. Though it'll take longer, I'll probably instead try to sell them in the FS section here or on another forum I frequent. Not sure about Craigslist though. Here in Phoenix, people die trying to sell things on CL, heh.

There are some really sucky people out there.

Geez man, that really is a horror story!!! Hope everything gets resolved!

wow, that sucks but I'm glad it all sort of worked out. Sounds like this guy has no idea about guitars. You'd think that you would go play a PRS first, or do some homework, before buying one on ebay.. I've had pretty good luck on ebay but I try not to sell stuff on there unless I have to. Its amazing how, even though you can put DO NOT BID IF YOU HAVE ZERO FEEDBACK and WILL ONLY SHIP WITHIN THE 48 STATES in the 1st line of the description,, without fail some yahoo from Siberia with zero feedback hits "buy it now"

It's all really a crapshoot. Whether it's ebay, classifieds, CL. There will always be good people and bad people. Zero feedback was a red flag but everyone needs to start somewhere right. Too bad you got the bad apple. I have bought and sold here, the bay, and CL. A few minor problems but all in all worked out well. Bought a few of the best guitars I've ever played from members here. I like to think most people are good souls but there will always be the few that have to ruin it for everyone else. Lesson learned I guess. Just remember, there are good people out there.

you are patience enough handling this thing.
sometimes , dealing with morons really pissed me off.

I'm glad you won the dispute Satchmo! I am just surprised you were able to have paypal see it your way, as most of the time they side with the buyer...

My rule of thumb as a buyer and a sell, if something feels wrong, back out now!
There is always another guitar to buy and there is always another buyer for your guitar.