Damaged Ebay item bought, what to do?

[Twangbanger]

I just purchased some Seymour Duncan pups. One is a '59 that is intact and works great the other is a pearly gates that doesn't. They were bought in the same ebay auction. Ebay auction
I corresponded with this seller a few times about the pups and went ahead and bought them. They are listed as in VG condition.
What has been done to the pearly gates is......
One of the coils/bobbins was bypassed and a 2 conductor wire harness installed. I should have documented and photoed the pup but I didn't. The solder joints holding the base and nickel cover had been resoldered which was my first clue. I just figured someone internally wired the pups. One of the bobbins is electrically open and the other is fine, so that's how it's been tampered with.

I contacted Seymour duncan and they assured me that the wire harness is not an older harness. I then contacted the seller to let them know I contacted seymour duncan and that the pup has been tampered with. I just contacted Ebay to let them know that I bought a fraudulent item to cover my rear.

So other than that, what else should I do?

[mojo2001]

What did the seller say when you told him they were messed with?

If no resolution from the seller:

If you paid via paypal, file a claim.

If you didn't pay via paypal, write a reasonable note to the seller and tell him that you will be forced to submit negative feedback if he doesn't take care of it.

It is possible that he didn't know...possible. Maybe he really didn't check them out too well. Give him a chance before any thing else goes down.

Anybody who sells regularly on ebay would rather refund $60 then get a nasty negative feedback.

There is a guy on ebay who does rewinds for $25...did a good job for me on one pup. That would be the worse case scenario. Sure you can get it fixed.

[JimiBryant]

I agree, give the seller a chance to make good.

otherwise you've got it covered, as well as what mojo2001 said.

[Twangbanger]

I contacted him tonight, no response yet.
I did pay with paypal.

Sad part is the Pearly gates was the pup that I was wanting the most!
If all else fails, I may have the guy rewind the pup. Maybe the ebayer will re-inverse me for the rewind?

Can you give me the info for the rewinder?

[JimiBryant]

that's unfortunate it's the pup you wanted most that was the duff one.

is it worth stirring up a fuss over? what would you IDEALLY desire
as far as restitution? just wanted to put it out there that you might
just consider this a $135 lesson in caveat emptor and get the Pearly
Gates rewound instead of trying to haggle with the seller for a partial
refund (although that's what I'd ask for - in a nice manner - if I were
in your shoes right now) or exchange or return of the goods.

life is too short to get bent out of shape. if you spent another $30
to rewind the PG then you'd have more than you spent in the
auction into the pair, but not all that much more.

I don't know what these two pups would cost brand-new, so I'm
going to assume that you paid a good price for you as well as for
the seller in this auction for the pair - maybe both for the cost
of one of 'em brand new?

I'd have given the seller at least 24 hours to respond to the initial
message about the non-working pickup before filing a dispute, but
that's just me as well. you're pretty much covered for two months
in terms of being able to file a dispute with eBay or make a claim
with PayPal.

ya never know.. the seller could offer you a money-back return as
of tomorrow - or he could be a weasel - but I don't think the listing
was deceptive nor did I notice the seller stating both pickups do in
fact actually WORK. (it is implied, yes)

seems like a visual description - and we all know there's plenty of
"spare" parts being dumped on eBay in hopes of quick profit 'cuz
times are tight and folks are clearing out their drawers & closets.

[Twangbanger]

True......
Those pups are 100-150 a pup depending on where they are bought.
If I can find the guy to do the rewind of the bobbin then I'd rather go that way.
I asked him to pay for the rewind pending the contact info from Mojo2001. I told him that as long as it doesn't cost more than half of the sale price, then I'd see that to be fair.
I guess I have to just wait and see.

[JimiBryant]

the most important thing is to be nice instead of right out of the gate
being like "hey a******* one of these pickups is bad, you ripped me
off"

I don't know how you phrased things in your message, but keep your
cool and see if things can't be worked out.. I can't see any seller who
wouldn't want to make right by a dissatisfied customer, although they
do exist (what's the seller's feedback like? if it's like, 97% positive or
something like that then they're unlikely to leave you hanging)

a 50% refund for return of the bad pup or some sort of agreed-upon
"shut up & go away" amount for you to keep both pickups and close
the dispute as being resolved amicably would not be unreasonable
to shoot for.. I definitely wasn't suggesting that you should roll over
and do nothing about this but it may be easier in the long run to take
the high road in this case and just ask plenty of questions in future
before bidding. that's what I learned from a couple of transactions
similar to yours, so make what you will of my words and the best
of luck to you, regardless.

PS I bet Duncan would replace the pickup or fix it like new for a
reasonable amount.

[mojo2001]

Rewinder I used was ebay seller "needfullthingsco"

Did a good job for me on a SD broadcaster...nice clean work and might even sound slightly better than stock. Hard to say because it's a different guitar. I'd send him another job anytime.

[Twangbanger]

Thanx Mojo.

No, Jimi.......I approached the seller in a very professional tone, nothing harsh about it. I never stated that I was abrupt with him. I just never dealt with a situation like this.

[Twangbanger]

I've talked with the seller today and he wants me to go through Seymour to verify that the pup is damaged and has been modified. I did let him know that I'm a elec tech with degree and that I want to take care of this in the easiest manor. And that I've troubleshooted the pup to the steps that Seymour Duncan told me to.

[superchicken_VI]

Ask him to paypal you shipping fees to have SD verify it. Seems like he's wanting to be a PITA to make you give up...

[Twangbanger]

I've been chatting with him all day and talked to Seymour as well. I let him know that I was a degreed elec tech and that I had troubleshooted it the correct way. I have him convinced, so now I'm waiting for Seymour to get back to me on the prices of a single bobbin/coil rewind or just a replacement coil. Also, Mojo's referred Ebay guy got back to me and said an even $25 to rewind it and he'd reassemble it.
Now, I'm just waiting on Seymour's Custom shop. A replacement coil would be nice.

In the mean time, I've removed some of the windings on the outside layers and found damaged ones, then re-terminated the end. Still no continuity.
I have rewound a lapsteel pup before and that went well. I'll leave this one to the pro's.

[Twangbanger]

I shipped it of to your guy Mojo, thanx!

[Twangbanger]

Hey Mojo,
How long did it take for him to do your rewind?

[Twangbanger]

Follow up......
My guy rewinded the pickup for 25$ and I received it today.
The Pearly Gates sounds good at low volumes and is a very equal match to the '59 in the neck. Very high end sounding and articulate. I need to stick some other kind of cap or value cap on it. The tone control has a weak effect.

I'll let ya'll know what I think after Saturday when I gig with it.