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My first receiver is a dud.

brutal

brutal

YamaHoarder
Subscriber
:tears:

Lately, I've been getting screwed on e-bay purchases.

Last week, a nice Yamaha EQ-550 all beat to crap from lousy packaging. Of course the seller claims it is the shipper (USPS). Sorry, but loose, delicate electronics tossed in a box with crumpled paper is not proper packing and USPS will deny any claim.

Today, I get my CR-1020, big, heavy box. This looks promising. Alas, there's barely 1" of space for a few stray (and crushed) peanuts between the outer box and inner box. Surely the inner box must have protected the unit. No such luck, one slim layer of bubble wrap that only covered front and back and jammed in the box with more crushed peanuts. Thankfully the front is OK. However, the rear is all dented to s**t and the tuner doesn't work.

The Signal-Q stays pegged and the OTR never goes out when the tuning knob is touched or OTR switched off. Nothing but static on FM, dead silence on AM. Everything else so far seems to work, but I'm seriously bummed about this. Haven't checked DC bias, but an expendable speaker used to test revealed no critical amp issues.

Anyone have a 1020 (or other?) tuner PCB laying around? Any suggestions for getting it going? I have the downloaded schematic, but not a service manual to tune anything and haven't done much component level repair in about 25 years. I'd first try to reflow the solder joints of course, but have little hope this thing actually worked before it shipped. The seller was very vague about it's functionality.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
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brutal said:
The seller was very vague about it's functionality.

Thanks for any suggestions.
Click to expand...

That last sentence explains it all. It didn't work when he sent it. IF the faceplate is indeed mint you might want to send it for a spa session with one of the fine gentlemen on this board. Or depending on how much you have invested, offer it up as a parts unit and start over.

I know it sucks, I had the same packaging problem a couple of months ago. Luckily the 1020 still sang and the case was repairable.
 
This is exactly why I tell people that want a Yamaha receiver to just get on Merrylanders list.
 
Anymore i explicitly request packing per my instructions before i bid when the item is delicate or from an unknown seller. Snotty responses or no response at all tells me all i need to know about ANY seller, and i move on and wait for the next one.

In the case of rare, valuable, special(big receivers) items i'll send my own shipping container to the seller. I built a sort of universal container using a huge computer monitor box and rigid construction foam with softer white packing foam inside that. That box is very well traveled having been from coast to coast multiple times and has even made it's way to an AKer or two with zero shipping damage incurred to date.
 
Anyone who doesn't avail themselves of buying a local product, or picking up one of Merrylander's/EchoWars restored receivers, is almost beyond stupid.
Strong words, but why would you not buy something that will work great, look its best, and be professionally packed and shipped properly?
 
sheltie dave said:
Anyone who doesn't avail themselves of buying a local product, or picking up one of Merrylander's/EchoWars restored receivers, is almost beyond stupid.
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It seems to me that this is completely uncalled for. Yes they are strong words, too strong in my opinion.
 
soop said:
It seems to me that this is completely uncalled for. Yes they are strong words, too strong in my opinion.
Click to expand...

2nd. Many of us (yeah me included) have made this mistake, and learned from it.

Its OK to take a flyer on a unit that isn't well described, the pictures aren't very good, etc, as long as you are prepared to take a loss on it. I got burned on a Marantz 2230 that went too cheap on ebay but I was able to get a partial refund via paypal. I took a chance on a CR-2020 that went really cheap and guess what - it didn't work. I came pretty close to recouping my purchase price by offering it for what it was - a parts unit.
 
Might want to check the circuit boards for possible breaks or cracks...

Sorry to hear of the bad luck...

Scott
 
Not a receiver but I purchased a Dynaco PAT-4 preamp last week and it arrived in a thin cardboard box without any packing at all, just thrown in the box! Luckily it survived the shipping, a minor kink in the cabinet... I told the seller he should take packing 101 in school....

Sal Brisindi
 
If you are worried, sent along the proper box and packing materials to the seller. I've yet to run across a seller who will not let you do so. In fact, most are happy to receive the help and reduction in cost at their end. It is worth the extra $20-35 to receive your gear in one piece. And, it is also worth the cost to have EW's or merrylander's address on the return shipping ticket, as well.
 
I think the key concept here is experience, both on the part of the buyer and the seller. As a buyer, you've got to satisify yourself that the seller is being honest about condition, and understands what it means to pack and protect the unit properly. If the seller is not experienced, you can bank on the fact that he has UNDERESTIMATED the cost of proper packing and shipping. Especially given that good packing adds both size and weight to the package, thus increasing the cost.

As a buyer, like others have suggested, you can't just assume you're dealing with someone who knows what they're doing. If they haven't added at least $15 to the total shipping cost for packing materials, that's a clue. You've got to open a line of communications with the seller and know before you bid how he will pack the unit. Given the hassle and cost of selling vintage electronics on ebay, I think sellers are often disappointed in the end. If the item sells for less than the seller's expectations, then the packing and shipping costs twice as much as expected, the seller is likely to get frustrated and just toss it in a box and you get what you get. :thumbsdn:

When the seller goes out into the world in search of a box, he'll find that a good double-walled dish barrel box from the local moving supply place costs at least $10. Long story short, unless the seller is very resourceful and prepared, the cost just to pack a typical reciever using all new packing materials, is about $25 including boxes and foam. Even then, unless he has experience packing electronics, he probabally won't do a good enough job protecting the face plate and knobs.

As an ebay seller, I'm always on the lookout for packign materials. Even my friends know to save strong boxes and bubble wrap for me. They're all the time leaving stuff in my garage. I've also gotten creative finding packing materials. Carpet pad is cheap and easy to work with. Whenever I see a foam mattress topper at the thrifts for a couple of bucks, I always buy it to cut up for packing. Used bubble wrap is everywhere, you've just got to keep your eyes out for it. Furniture stores, especially those that sell unfinished and office furniture, are assembling pre-manufactured furniture that comes packed with some fantastic 1/2 inch foam sheeting, large sheet cardboard, and those invaluable hard-formed corner supports. The place here piles it up beside the dumpster and let's me get all I want for free! :banana:
 
It's been my experience that when shipped from iSoldit items have been packed well.

I have been mildly fussed at for the excessive amount of pnuts I use in packing, or having to cut through so many layers of bubblewrap, but the buyers are joking and appreciative of my anal packing methods. I have had a few items lost when going overseas, but so far, nothing damaged.

I am like StarMover, I save odd size and shaped boxes. And I have a huge box in the corner of my shop for pnuts... all pnuts received get dumped in there... and I never run out of pnuts needed for outgoing packages.
 
sheltie dave said:
Anyone who doesn't avail themselves of buying a local product, or picking up one of Merrylander's/EchoWars restored receivers, is almost beyond stupid.
Strong words, but why would you not buy something that will work great, look its best, and be professionally packed and shipped properly?
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for the kind words. I've purchased many items from e-bay, much of my current collection of 20-odd Yami separates, and only lately have I gotten burned. It went cheap, I took a chance, and now I'm stuck dealing with a claim, returning "for inspection," repairing it, or parting it out.

Lesson learned, but there's no reason to be an a$$hat about it.
 
I recently purchased a Yamaha CR 3020 from an iSoldIt store in Torrance CA through an Ebay auction. They had it professionally packaged at a UPS store.
The receiver came in excellent condition. Multiple bubble-wrap layers, styrofoam block and peanut padding and double-boxed. It cost about $100 for the packaging, shipping, and insurance. I think it was well worth it, considering the sheer size/weight of this receiver. It may be worth considering having your electronic purchased professionally packaged.
By the way, I used the same packaging and shipped the reciever to Chris Ready in Pennsylvania (from Las Vegas). He does amazing work on Sansui 9090 DB's and other recievers. He is listed as Readytech here on AudioKarma. He'll have the vinyl veneer removed and use a natural wood finish, replace caps and other electronics and test everything. I'll post pictures when the receiver comes back.:banana:
 
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Apparently ISoldIt's packing varies from store to store. My experience has been of crumpled newspaper and damaged goods but some places seem to be OK according to posters here. Maybe we need a 'bad-shipping store' sticky (not just for ISoldIts).
 
salb203 said:
Not a receiver but I purchased a Dynaco PAT-4 preamp last week and it arrived in a thin cardboard box without any packing at all, just thrown in the box! Luckily it survived the shipping, a minor kink in the cabinet... I told the seller he should take packing 101 in school....

Sal Brisindi
Click to expand...

Good Girl,! Those dynaco's are them good ones. :D

But for the seller he gets a.. :nono:
 
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