Help! Bad Dealer

[Jeffrey Grimes]

I am new to the forum and I don't really know who to send this to. But I think you are my best shot. I am highly upset because I prepaid and ordered a Music Man Axis and have never recieved it. It was an Ebay Music Man dealer and I specified by photographs that they posted what I wanted...top, finish etc... All of their ads looked very legitimate and the EBMM logos were all over the page. This ad ran for years...I assumed with the full knowledge of EBMM. I paid for and ordered a natural flame top with maple fingerboard and was told that all guitars were made to order and would take 90 days for delivery. I was Ok with that and was told that pictures would be sent at completion and before shipping. All seemed ok. Well, 90 days passed and no guitar. Supposedly a guitar was built and sent to wrong dealer with a similar name. It would take a couple more weeks. 120 days passed and no guitar. 150 days passed and no guitar. I threatened to contact EBMM myself and then he tells me: The store, Grand Central Music, Duluth, Minnesota, is bankrupt and going out of business. He (Luke Perry the owner) says that he has no money to reimburse me and suggests that I try to get it back from Visa...that would be great for him! However, I PayPal-ed the money straight from my checking account. I'm screwed!!! He finally says that he has one left in stock, a Transgold Quilt top with a ROSEWOOD fingerboard (exactly the opposite of what I wanted) which he will send me. I had to accept this, you know? Do you really think I would have ever gotten a penny back from this crook? The guitar actually arrives (serial # G66840) and there is not a scratch on it. However it is so back-bowed I'm thinking "who could have set this up." The strings are laying flat on the neck. Maybe it had 12s on it and then someone put 9s on it...... It makes no sense at all. Can anybody help me? This company scammed me totally and used your name (EBMM) to do it. Do you have any responsibility for the companies that sell your products? I still want an EBMM Axis Natural Flame top with a maple fingerboard!

 

[DrKev]

Welcome to the forum, Jeffrey! Very sorry to hear about your problems.

First off, unfortunately EBMM is not in any way responsible for a dealers actions, or people claiming to be dealers, and are unable to give you any recourse in the event of a bad or fraudulent deal.

As I read it the situation is this - you paid for and accepted a guitar. Not the guitar your ordered perhaps, but you accepted the guitar. The guitar has a problem.

Here's the good news...

If indeed this guy was an authorised dealer and the guitar you received is new, then your guitar is under warranty and Music Man customer service will look after you and make right any problems with the neck. You need to contact them, give them the serial number and details of the dealer, explain what happened and the neck issues with the guitar. Let tem advise you as to what should happen next. See links in my profile for contacting them (there is a toll-free phone number for US customers).

However, if this guy was not an authorised dealer, yet claimed to be, or the guitar you received is not new but he said it was, then you need to contact Paypal, who may be able to reimburse you, and make a complaint to the police or talk to a lawyer.

Good luck!

 

[seagate]

Paypal would be my first stop! Their customer protection is AAA+

 

[Sweat]

Jeffery,

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear about your dilemma, definitely should have contacted Paypal, they do a good job on consumer protection.

GCM has always been a touch shady to me, I only dealt with them once many years ago and vowed not to contact them again.

I hope this works out for you, as far as the trans gold and its issues contact EBMM customer service they will help you, grat people.

BTW stick around lots to learn here and well we can direct you to some great dealers!

 

[TNT]

Grand Central Music was a popular dealer for years on Ebay. Evidently, things are different at this point. Keep in mind you probably have some recourse with Ebay, due to the fact that they have "buyer protection" coverage that may be implemented (be sure to check with them). Did you buy it from their Ebay "store" or was it from an Ebay "listing"? This may have some bearing on it.

You know, buyers need to be a little more savy with dealers. This kind of thing would be minimized if they were; e.g., 25% down at order, 75% balance due when shipped (or something along that line). At the least it would offset some degree of risk.

 

[Tollywood]

Welcome to the forum, Jeffrey.

PayPal will most likely refund you your money, even if the seller has less than that amount in his account. They will most likely set his account into the negatives, and chase him for the money. PayPal always sides with the buyers.

Good Luck!

 

[DrKev]

You know, buyers need to be a little more savy with dealers. This kind of thing would be minimized if they were; e.g., 25% down at order, 75% balance due when shipped (or something along that line). At the least it would offset some degree of risk.

Maybe, but that risk goes both ways. A lot of people cancel orders or change their mind, which leaves the dealers holding the proverbial baby and paying for it too. I'm pretty sure most manufacturers don't ask dealers to pay only when the product is sold in a store. Guitars hanging on a store wall are money already spent and not yet recovered.

 

[TNT]

Yes, it does swing both ways. However, even finding a common ground at say 50/50% risk both ways would be a fairly reasonable solution and fair to both parties.

 

[fragmentated]

Went through a very similar ordeal with them for a guitar I ordered in May. I luckily got a chargeback on my card though. Definitely not a pleasant experience. Found a dealer listed on the EBMM site and after checking their stock I ordered from them - a much more pleasant experience.

 

[KevinUK]

No substitute for going to the shop holding the guitar and then paying, you leave the shop with a big smile and a guitar you are happy with, as if you don't like the instrument you walk away. We have all become to rapped up in ecommerce but it is a hot bed for fraud.

 

[Kenji20022]

I don't recommend going to Paypal about this, because you're WAY past the threshold for them to do anything about it. Their limit is 45 Days and past that they can offer no help, my friend is currently in a situation with a luthier who has no respect for his customers. And my friend had to resort to his bank to get his funds back, sans his deposit of course.

You're in luck that it came out of your checkings account from your bank I'm assuming? Contact them and Paypal and let Paypal know you are initiating a chargeback before doing so. You have a more than legitimate reason to do so.

 

[Klon Solo]

I didn't realize how old this post was. Any one have news about this? Just curious.