F65CE-RR - Not off to a good start

[GAD]

I cleaned it all up and put new strings on it. It's prettier, but it plays like a $20 Walmart guitar.



Not only is the action crazy high, but the fretboard is dipping into the sound hole a bit:



I just requested a refund. I look forward to a battle because the zero feedback seller had "NO REFUNDS" in the ad. Last time I went through something like this Reverb stepped in and took care of it, so we'll see what happens.

 

[MacGuild]

I just requested a refund.

Just curious. Even though you have surely done the seller a big favor by improving the guitar's condition, will having done some work on it affect your chances of a refund?

 

[GGJaguar]

I just requested a refund.

Bummer. :-(

 

[GAD]

Just curious. Even though you have surely done the seller a big favor by improving the guitar's condition, will having done some work on it affect your chances of a refund?

Dunno. I didn't alter it in any way aside from cleaning 10 years of grime off of it, but I could see if I did something like a fret job. I thought about leaving it but I couldn't stand seeing it sitting there all dried out and neglected.

When it comes to things like this I'm perfectly happy to eat the cost if I need to keep it. I knew there was a risk going in, and I'm sure if I send it to Fixit I'll get back a great playable guitar. Open chords sound pretty great - it's just unplayable any higher than that.

 

[cupric]

Sorry GAD! But you tried. Like MacMurphy in Cuckoo's Nest.
At least that's what I'd tell myself.

 

[chazmo]

Hope you can return it, GAD. Good luck!

 

[davismanLV]

Yikes!! That action is crazy high!! Good luck with the return. I'd say it's "not as advertized"?

 

[GAD]

Yikes!! That action is crazy high!! Good luck with the return. I'd say it's "not as advertized"?

Agreed. It was listed as "Good" condition and by Reverb standards that means cosmetic issues only. This guitar has structural issues. That's kind of ironic because cosmetically it had some grime and some lacquer checking, but there are really no dings on it at all.

 

[walrus]

Good luck! In a pinch, you can use it for slide guitar!

walrus

 

[HeyMikey]

Don’t hate me but I’ll play devils advocate… Did you ask the seller about the action or neck angle? I doubt a non-player would know about that. Heck a lot of experienced players don’t unless you tell them what to measure.

If it’s something visibly obvious like a crack or scratches or other cosmetics that’s one thing, but I’ve found a lot of people have no clue about much else.

I bought a guitar from an LTG member who didn’t think the guitar needed a reset. In my opinion it did but I didn’t ask for measurements. So I honored the sale and paid for the reset. Lesson learned.

Now I ask for specifics all the time, or it’s a rare model and I don’t want to risk losing it, I buy it assuming worst case. If I buy something and just don’t like the sound or how it feels well then it’s mine to sell.

 

[chazmo]

Yeah, Mikey, that's a tricky area, but look at Gary's pictures. There's no way that's becoming playable without a neck reset. It's true, though, that ignorant sellers wouldn't know about such things. All I can say is that Gary's in the right asking for a return. That really should be the policy of any guitar, but not all sellers understand that. I'm sure Reverb will work out something equitable.

 

[GAD]

Don’t hate me but I’ll play devils advocate… Did you ask the seller about the action or neck angle? I doubt a non-player would know about that. Heck a lot of experienced players don’t unless you tell them what to measure.

If it’s something visibly obvious like a crack or scratches or other cosmetics that’s one thing, but I’ve found a lot of people have no clue about much else.

I bought a guitar from an LTG member who didn’t think the guitar needed a reset. In my opinion it did but I didn’t ask for measurements. So I honored the sale and paid for the reset. Lesson learned.

Now I ask for specifics all the time, or it’s a rare model and I don’t want to risk losing it, I buy it assuming worst case. If I buy something and just don’t like the sound or how it feels well then it’s mine to sell.

I don't hate you. Yet.

Seriously, though, I get where you're coming from but it's not like I'm abusing the system. Here is Reverb's definition of "Good":

Good condition includes items that are in fine working order but have some visual imperfections here and there. A pedal with scratches and dents on its chassis, a guitar with some cracks in the binding, or maybe an old snare drum with some corrosion on the lugs could all be classified as Good. All of these items work just fine but have enough visual imperfections to only be in the middle of the scale.

And here is Reverb's defintion of "Poor":

Poor condition items have definite functional problems that will usually require some sort of repair. Perhaps this is an old acoustic guitar where the action is so high, it's practically unplayable. Maybe it's a keyboard where some of the keys just don't work. It could be an amp that powers on, but doesn't generate any real volume.

The example of an acoustic with high action is right in the definition. This guitar was advertised as "good", and that means playable with only cosmetic issues.

If the issue could be resolved by shaving the saddle I'd keep it. If the issue was cracked binding I'd keep it. An issue that requires invasive removal and re-gluing of the neck? No way.

 

[GAD]

FWIW I fully expect the seller to ignore me. He's got zero feedback and nothing to lose by just walking away and leaving Reverb to clean up the mess.

 

[beecee]

FWIW I fully expect the seller to ignore me. He's got zero feedback and nothing to lose by just walking away and leaving Reverb to clean up the mess.

How would Reverb compensate you...if at all...if the Seller vaporized?

 

[GAD]

How would Reverb compensate you...if at all...if the Seller vaporized?

Buyer Protection

reverb.com

I’ve had issues in the past where a seller refused to resolve a problem. Reverb stepped in and made it right.

 

[wileypickett]

In your top picture it looks to me like the saddle is upside-down.

I doubt correcting it will make much difference, but the saddle itself should conform to the radius of the fingerboard, and the top of the saddle (the part the strings pass over) should be rounded, not flat, as it appears to be in that picture.

If it is upside-down (and assuming it's been cut correctly), switching it right-side up may lower the action a hair on the bass and treble strings.

If the saddle is also properly radiused it may help the intonation -- at least on those frets where the guitar is semi-playable.

 

[beecee]

Buyer Protection

reverb.com

I’ve had issues in the past where a seller refused to resolve a problem. Reverb stepped in and made it right.

I went 4-5 links deep but I guess I didn't dig deep enough....So let's say I intentionally lie and sold you a dud, then went out and closed the associated bank account. How could they claw the $$ back?

I've only bought 1 guitar on Reverb as I am much more comfortable with GC return policy.

 

[SFIV1967]

Here was another such F-65CE example:



Ralf

 

[GAD]

In your top picture it looks to me like the saddle is upside-down.

I doubt correcting it will make much difference, but the saddle itself should conform to the radius of the fingerboard, and the top of the saddle (the part the strings pass over) should be rounded, not flat, as it appears to be in that picture.

If it is upside-down (and assuming it's been cut correctly), switching it right-side up may lower the action a hair on the bass and treble strings.

If the saddle is also properly radiused it may help the intonation -- at least on those frets where the guitar is semi-playable.

Holy crap.

I’m too dumb to own acoustics, though I’ve done something similar. Hans pointed out that all the photos in my X175 review show the bridge on backwards.

 

[GAD]

I went 4-5 links deep but I guess I didn't dig deep enough....So let's say I intentionally lie and sold you a dud, then went out and closed the associated bank account. How could they claw the $$ back?

I've only bought 1 guitar on Reverb as I am much more comfortable with GC return policy.

If reverb payments were used, Reverb eats it.

I’m sure it’s just like Paypal - how does Paypal pay for a bad transaction? That’s what the fees are for.