The downside of used TTs from auciton sites...

dosley01 said:
I few weeks ago I bought a Dual CS455 from eBay. Here's what happens when the seller does not remove the platter and packages it piss poor and then sends it 3000 miles USPS Parcel Post. (I explicitly asked him to remove the platter prior to shipping.)

Bent Spindle

Dust Cover

Plinth

Aside from the damage the box must have been ripped open which caused the PS to go missing.

And don't get me started on their Buyer Protection, I opened a case, it was decided in my favor and was provided a return shipping label. The seller apparently knew how to beat the system, UPS stated there was no one at that address with the name of the seller and shipped the turntable back to me. Now their customer service basically told me I was SOL since the seller has not received the return even though they provided the shipping label and address. So much for their buyer protection.

On a positive note, I have since purchased a Debut Carbon and am thoroughly enjoying getting back into Vinyl.
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hi, sorry for your troubles. I usually check the feedback of the seller, see what he has been selling. If there are NO TT's on that list or he has a few shipping problems I pass on the purchase no matter How good it looks.

Good Luck, Did you use PayPal? They may back you up better.:scratch2:

John.:music::D
 
Wigwam Jones said:
Just FYI, when I was selling some old camera gear, I got a similar request. The guy wanted me to 'prove' to him that I knew how to pack and ship, and he wanted to know where I bought my packing material, how much it weighed, and how much space I allowed on each side of the box between the camera and the inner box. I blocked him from bidding.

I knew right then and there that nothing I could ever do would satisfy him, and he'd file a 'not as described' complaint.

FYI, I've been an eBay buyer and seller since 1996 with perfect feedback in both capacities, and I *do* know how to pack and ship properly. But neurosis like this guy displayed are a warning flag, as far as I'm concerned. In the past, when people have complained about *anything* I shipped them, I just give them whatever unreasonable thing they want to make them go away. Want your money back? No problem. Want half off? OK-Dokey. Want a photo of me holding up a big "I am a bad bad man" sign? You got it, sport. I had one guy who wanted half off because something I sold him had, and I quote, "A pet hair on it."

Present company excepted, I do not do business with anyone who starts out by trying to make me jump through hoops. It can't end well for either of us; their expectations are way too high right off the bat.
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Ive been through this as well...with expensive guitars and vintage german firearms. I agree 100 percent...the people that started asking for shipping details were usually troublesome buyers. And I never ever had any complaints about packing or shipping to those buyers I shipped to. It was always from pre-buyers....I sold my collection of 60s Italian guitars to one buyer to hinder this trend.
 
Wigwam Jones said:
Really sorry to hear that. I realize it's of little use to you now, but I would under almost no circumstances purchase a TT on eBay that I could not go and pick up myself. I know of few people who are even aware that the platter can be removed, let alone any who know how to properly pack and ship such an item. It's like asking to get damaged stuff in the mail. Yes, I know most AK'ers are not like that, but we're the minority. By far.
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I agree Wiggy.

It surprises me how often this is mulled over on the AK forums.

I'd much sooner pick up a TT purchase than have it shipped.
 
I buy a lot of record collections locally and find that most of the people selling them have never owned a turntable. They bought the records at an estate sale, selling them for a friend or relative, etc.

I wonder how many of the people selling turntables online have never owned one to even know how to test one, let alone ship it.
 
This is unfortunately a common story. I've bought exactly one turntable that had to be shipped, and it came from a member here. He did a spectacular job of packing it, and it arrived in excellent condition. I was still a little nervous but it worked out fine. Its basically the same story with anything though, if the item is not properly packaged, it seldom survives the trip unscathed. I see these same kinds of posts on the antique radio forum and occasionally here in the tube audio forum. Its enough to make one want to only buy from locals or well established folks with a history of proper packaging.
 
i sold a vpi hw19III with an sme IV and a sumiko talisman HO mc cart to a guy in illinois and shipped it from the los angeles area. BUT it took me five months to get up the nerve to actually ship it. i called vpi and bought the proper box that was $55 shipped to me.

THEN i called them to find out just how to put the tt in the box (it wasn't obvious). they advised me to ship the arm separately which i did and put it in five layers of bubble wrap and shipped it fedex ground. it arrived safely.

another time i shipped a rabco st4 table and SL8e arm that i constructed the packing scheme myself. it was if freud himself had pronounced me anal. it also arrived at its desitnation in pennsylvania unscathed.

i am proud of me.
 
Bottom line is you have to know if the guy knows how to ship it or not. Or else you're rolling the dice. Just ask him to explain how it will be packed. "How do you plan to pack this turntable?" or something similar.
 
One thing I do when purchasing or selling an item like a turntable I make it clear to the buyer or seller that I'm no stranger to the equipment with 40+ years in this hobby. My standards are the same, I won't disappoint anyone and I don't expect to be disappointed. If it takes four hours and $75 worth of materials to do the job right that's what's done, no if ands or buts. If you want no questions asked, lightest/cheapest shipping and cross your fingers you better look elsewhere cause I'm not interested.
 
I'll never, God willing, buy another turntable from that place, again. Ever. I've bought 3, and the last, as I documented here on AK, was a near-disaster. My first, a Dual, was a total and complete disaster, and the one inbetween turned out to be somebody who knew what they were doing. Glad you got your refund. Even if it's from CL and needs work, at least I can go look before I buy, and pick it up myself.
 
I got my current Denon DP-1200 on ebay (west coast to east coast) and this thing was the most immaculately packed and cared for package. I even dropped the 25+ lb box on my way home from the post office and the thing still survived without a hitch.

A little communication beforehand (not as crazy as Wigam had described) was good enough for the both of us, and now I'm a very happy customer. I would do ebay again if I knew the seller was as good as the one I dealt with.
 
hifitommy said:
i sold a vpi hw19iii with an sme iv and a sumiko talisman ho mc cart to a guy in illinois and shipped it from the los angeles area. But it took me five months to get up the nerve to actually ship it. I called vpi and bought the proper box that was $55 shipped to me.

Then i called them to find out just how to put the tt in the box (it wasn't obvious). They advised me to ship the arm separately which i did and put it in five layers of bubble wrap and shipped it fedex ground. It arrived safely.

Another time i shipped a rabco st4 table and sl8e arm that i constructed the packing scheme myself. It was if freud himself had pronounced me anal. It also arrived at its desitnation in pennsylvania unscathed.

I am proud of me.
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... :d (umm, this is supposed to be a 'grin' smiley, but it ain't working... ?)
 
Boy does this thread hit home with me.

A few months ago I purchased a very nice JVC QL-Y66f TT on Audiogon.
The seller had "0" feedback.
When I asked him if he had experience in shipping turntables, he wrote back telling me not to fear that he has shipped an amplifier and most recently two bottles of expensive Scotch to Japan. Right then and there I knew that I was in for a fun ride.
After several e-mails with instructions for him to properly pack the TT for transit he came back with a shipping amount and I paid him accordingly.
After he shipped the TT he sent me an e-mail telling me it cost him more to ship than quoted and he asked me for the extra funds.
We agreed that if all was well at the time of delivery, I would indeed pay him the extra amount.
Well.....the TT arrived with a broken dust cover because he left it on the TT and used a paper thin piece of plastic between it and the plinth.
In the end, I did not pay him for the extra shipping, and I did not request compensation for the dust cover. The TT is otherwise beautiful and works perfectly.
I still laugh thinking about his reply about being experienced in shipping delicate items because he once shipped bottles of Scotch to Japan:scratch2:

Al. Wise
 
Packing is an art... I would love to pics of our members well packed audio items... I'm sure it would be instructional and awe inspiring.
 
Agree that you could do everything perfectly and by an act of God the FedEx truck skids on ice, rolls over, catches fire and the turntable goes up in flames. Also stepping off the curb anyone of us could get hit by a truck. Depending on what your shopping for and the price range Ebay isn't the best place for the faint of heart and those looking for a guaranteed outcome. It can be a roll of the dice with you a big winner or a big looser, do you feel lucky?
 
I have shipped TT's off & on over 13 years and never had any damage until last year. I really over pack if its a TT. I shipped a Sansui XP-99 which has the front control panel attached to the main plinth by 3 small screws. Someone at UPS managed to hit it in the right spot to shear the panel off at the screws. Really a lot of fun dealing with their "Customer Service" to get it resolved.
 
Truly sorry for your experience. There are a number of us who sell turntables on ebay who pride ourselves in the quality of our packing for shipment. I make a particular point of mentioning in every ad that I am experienced in shipping these units and am skilled at preparing the unit for shipment and packing it well. My feedback on ebay is indicative of the care I take in packing. As mentioned by several other posters, a close scrutiny of the seller's feedback is in order before bidding on any item that has the potential to be damaged in shipment, particularly turntables.
 
beej said:
Truly sorry for your experience. There are a number of us who sell turntables on ebay who pride ourselves in the quality of our packing for shipment. I make a particular point of mentioning in every ad that I am experienced in shipping these units and am skilled at preparing the unit for shipment and packing it well. My feedback on ebay is indicative of the care I take in packing. As mentioned by several other posters, a close scrutiny of the seller's feedback is in order before bidding on any item that has the potential to be damaged in shipment, particularly turntables.
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Very nice reply but your a turntable guy and i agree there are some sellers on ebay who do take the time and head the warnings as to packing and shipping. But as the Op found out that bozo didn't want to
A take the time to learn how to pack and ship it

B he didn't want to take responsibly for he lousy packing job.
 
I also was a 3 time loser on the BAy. Two arrived trashed, got full refunds. One was packed perfectly but the TT was A Lemon..

Bought a MMF 2.2 and am very pleased.
 
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