Judgement call: bought a guitar, packaging was TERRIBLE.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:31 pm

I am on the horns of a dilemna, shortscale. I bought a guitar on another forum (an SG Classic, it's brilliant, I'll do a NGD thread soon). The seller and I haggled back and forth for a while, politely. It didn't come with a hardcase, and he was only going to send it regular Parcelforce, insured up to Â£50. I made it clear that I wasn't into this idea, and pointed out that I'd had SGs break in transit before. He reassured me that he was good at packing guitars, and I was welcome to arrange my own courier.
I was in no massive hurry to buy, but he came back at a few quid off a few days later and we made a deal. I stipulated that it would need to be insured for its full value, and reminded him that the condition of the guitar was on him til I received it. I didn't want to do Paypal gift on a full-price guitar (fuck that - too risky), but upped the money I sent to cover his fees.

Flash forward to today, to when the guitar arrived. He'd wrapped it in brown paper, then a single skin of bubblewrap, popped a jiffybag on the headstock, then gaffa-taped it into a non-padded acoustic guitar gigbag. That's it. I was horrified - unwrapped it at work fully expecting to find at least a cracked neck joint, and probably a snapped-off headstock.

By some miracle, it was fine (not in the same condition he'd said, but fine). My question is: do I mention this to him before I leave (positive) feedback in the Classifieds? It arrived A-OK, and I can only assume he paid for the insurance we discussed, but if that's his idea of being "good at packing guitars", he needs a serious rethink. I'd hate for someone else to make a deal with him, helped on in some way by my positive feedback, only to receive a jiffybag full of splinters.

HOW DO I HANDLE THIS SITUATION, OH SHORTSCALE HIVEMIND?

George · Post by **George** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:49 pm

I would mention it to him and if concedes that he packed it badly, and he will change his ways I'd leave it at that. I'm not really sure about what to do if he tells you to do one though.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:54 pm

Sh!t like this happening to good guitars makes me quiver in my bones.

Working in a guitar shop, even the best packaging can end in tears. Seeing folk take guitars abroad in dust cover just makes me fuuuuu.

Firstly, What other Forum ? tut tut.. haaa. Traitor.

and Secondly, can you not just avoid leaving any feedback ? When I've been unsatisfied with a purchase but it has arrived in satisfactory condition... I just ignore and move on. In this situation I would rather send a PM and state that he was lucky to get away with it & just to make a point. Make him re-think for next time.

Thirdly... an SG Classic is a great guitar !!!!!!!

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:55 pm

Well, his packaging did work. It might be hard to convince him that it wasn't very good since it functioned adequately.

I just wouldn't leave any feedback.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:02 pm

He's fucking head mental.

A set neck Gibson through the post without a shitload of hectic cardboard supporting the neck and headstock?

Fuck my days.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:05 pm

Mention it to him; leave your positive feedback, with a caveat about the bad packing included in the positive review.

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:08 pm

Sucks that he sent it like that, but enjoy the guitar, they are insanely good!

meltedbuzzbox · Post by **meltedbuzzbox** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:10 pm

was it a cherry haigh SG by any chance?

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:15 pm

Not on your nelly - was uggo, that thing.

Concretebadger · Post by **Concretebadger** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:21 pm

I'd thank him for the transaction overall, but point out that it arrived in the condition that it did through luck rather than judgement before leaving feedback. You know how lucky he is, but he apparently doesn't.

The fact that you have a NGD at all is fucking miraculous...I swear you could send one of those old Nokia 3310s by Arselfarce and they'd manage to break it. Jeez. Congrats on getting it delivered in one piece.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:29 pm

I agree. I would thank him for the guitar, but give shipping advice for the next time.

meltedbuzzbox · Post by **meltedbuzzbox** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:30 pm

benecol wrote:Not on your nelly - was uggo, that thing.

Sort out the NGD post then Benecol...

Jesus christ on a bike you are slack

YuriK · Post by **YuriK** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:34 pm

Give negative or dont give at all.

Chorlton · Post by **Chorlton** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:13 pm

Say cheers and move on. Life's too short.

YuriK · Post by **YuriK** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:14 pm

Do an ngd post soon. I love sgs.

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:58 pm

I sent a set-neck ESP SG-a-like in the post years back, via parcelforce. When I'd finished packing it it was probably capable of surviving a nuclear bomb. It was in no definable way a vaguely "guitar" shape when I'd finished, so padded with a luxury gigbag plus around three rolls of bubblewrap as it was.

The guy jokingly complained that he had to excavate it before he could play it.

I was proud. I didn't even like the damn thing. It had somehow ended up in my possession and I wanted to get rid of it. But no fucking way was I going to let anything happen to it in transit. I packaged it not just to protect myself from an allegation of being a dickhead but to make it as unlikely as possible that even if it had been transported by men with only hooves for hands, no eyes and criminally negligent that any harm would come to it.

I have no idea why anybody else would not do the same thing. What an absolute dickhead.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 5:32 am

Double box - the only thing that can protect guitar during the shipping, though it doesn't give you 100% guarantee. I think you should tell him like he is a best joker and a dickhead and when he said that he is good at packaging you almost believed him. And yeah do it in a jocking manner.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:44 am

Jocking manner should do it. Give his supposed skills a good hard ribbing.

I'm intrigued by this SG. Is it the model with P90s, full pickguard, binding and plastic klusons? Just googled and I fancy that one.

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:55 am

I'd have a quiet word as that is pretty off. Did you get him down on price a lot?

Also,

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:55 am

Yes Timothy, yes it is. It's brilliant. Will make a thread over the weekend.