Cautionary tale

[Wendymott]

Hopefully this is in the correct section. I recently sold my Eddy 750. It did not fetch as much as I expected, but it sold.
It was duly collected on the Saturday.
Then I got a worrying message from the purchaser saying that it was not working and basically I was a cheat.
To cut an even longer tale sort I collected yesterday 230 mile round trip.
Put on the bench, it was soon found that the 6AQ5 audio output valve was "Soft", fortunately I had one in the Eddy 888. Still no output.
After quite a chase I found that the V5 6BE6, last IF was not sitting properly with no heaters lit, in my mind someone with little ability had removed the valve, and tried forcing it back without locating the pins correctly. Fortunately I was able to straighten the pin and locate properly. Voila.
Maybe, just maybe the O/P valve went soft in transit, but not a pin of the V5 was bent.
My error was not showing the customer it working before he took it away.

NEXT TIME

[Boater Sam]

I security mark all access screws before I sell.

[McMurdo]

Maybe an innocent attempt to get it going without bothering you!
Quite often, in the world of guitar amplifiers, I have to unplug and straighten bent pins on valves before finding the real fault; the owner having tried everything humanly possible before sending it in including swapping valves around or borrowing a set 'from my mate who is in a band'.

[turretslug]

Does make me wonder about the purchaser- no-one should buy a 50+ year old valved radio without expecting at least some initial remedial and/or cautionary work, no matter how you described its condition. Heck, even if it was un-issued "NIB" of that age, then things like "that cap" and random soft valves would be high on the watch-out list. When I buy a vintage item (from any source), I mentally double the actual purchase price as a safeguard against smoking mains transformer, hard-to-find assembly etc. It's only common sense and experience really. Anyone buying aged second-hand goods from an auction site can hardly expect to be able to treat it as a hands-off, brand-new, current, high street store item in a sealed box. Surely......?

Did they not have a 6AQ5 in the spares box to try, shrug the shoulders and think, "Ha, that was a nice easy one!" ? Shouldn't be messing with old radios in that case!

Wendy, at least you are honest, a great attribute. The classic line in adverts is "worked the last time I tried it". Being called a cheat is upsetting, nevertheless we have to bite our tongue and carry on.

[kalee20]

It does sound like a pair of errors! On the one hand Wendy is beating herself up a bit for not giving a demo on collection, but on the other hand if I was the buyer I'd ask for a demo before loading it and driving off.

I suspect the buyer did remove and refit the valves in a ham-fisted but well-meaning attempt to make it work, else why would they go to the trouble of bidding and collecting?

Definitely a cautionary tale, but it doesn't sound as if the buyer set out to be malicious.

[HamishBoxer]

Demonstrate by all means if working but other than that, state sold as is and no returns.

Thankfully like yourself most are honest folks.

[MrBungle]

It's surprising how often stuff breaks between when you've shown it to the buyer working and them getting it home and this ending up as a claim.

I sell everything "for parts only" now as there is no recourse. I don't mind helping people if something fails but there are too many shady characters out there who like stuff for free and will tend to use the rules against me.

[Al (astral highway)]

Originally Posted by HamishBoxer

...,state sold as is and no returns.

Mods, I hope this is ok.

Essentially, if someone wants a return, they will get one. I got a technician to certify that a high-end and expensive camera lens was in perfect condition before I auctioned it. The buyer couldn't operate the autofocus because of a lack of skill and wanted a refund, even though I stated no-refund in the sale. It didn't matter that I proved the operation of the lens to EBay.

It was returned, and then I auctioned it again, this time without a glitch. I lost on postage and a slightly lower price in the following sale. The buyer left a malicious -ve feedback but EBay agreed that it was defamatory and removed it.

However, in virtually 1,000 transactions, only 2 have gone wrong with a sense of malicious intent, so my sympathies to you, Wendy.

All power to those many of us with 100% integrity. Sorry you had to waste so much time, Wendy, and better luck next time.

[vinrads]

I repair loads of stuff for a chap who has a unit in an antique centre, when he collects it I always demo it, there's some rouges about! Mick.

[Wendymott]

Hi peeps..... many thanks for the comments... all very interesting and thought provoking..
Up till now.. I had no reason to suspect any sale I made would turn out like this one..
In future the "tag line" will be... bought as seen... no returns... even though I Make every attempt to be fair.
Mick... I had brought it down stairs ready for shipment.. as it is very heavy..and I knew it was working... but hey.. there's always the first time.
Thanks AL.. noted

[Oldelectronics]

I have got to the stage now were I am running out of room hence now going onto Hacker transistor portables. Some sets I wouldn't sell like the first one I renovated etc. Others I am loath to sell unless it was to someone on here or to a dealer in this age of leave it on standby. I suppose I could cut off the plug and put in some form of disclaimer?

Kev.

[Station X]

The last thing you want to do is put in a disclaimer. It implies that you know something is unsafe and gives you no legal protection.

[Martin G7MRV]

Originally Posted by Boater Sam

I security mark all access screws before I sell.

Yep, I do the same. I've sold Clansman kit to many places around the world - all screws get a lick of RS red anti-tamper varnish!

I also then send the buyer photos of the kit showing that all the access screws are sealed this way (don't forget to keep a copy of the photos!)

[Oldelectronics]

Good advice thanks Graham.
Kev

[Al (astral highway)]

Originally Posted by Oldelectronics

II suppose I could cut off the plug and put in some form of disclaimer?

I don't get the point of cutting the power cord. I see it all the time and just can't be bothered to investigate. It doesn't prove anything, just as it wouldn't prove anything if you sold a car with no ignition key! 😶

[Tractionist]

Wendy you have my sympathy. I once sold a mint classic sports car - that the guy ramped the length of the country whilst taking it home ..... blowing-up the engine in the process. He then had the audacity to indicate that this was a regular occurrence and that I'd bodged it so that it wouldn't happen during the sale/transaction process! Caveat emptor .............

[Skywave]

Whenever I advertise something like that for sale, I always make a point of offering any interested parties the opportunity to visit, inspect and test said item.
It never ceases to amaze me that some people will pay many £thousands for a car, bought on line, without going to (at least) look at it first. The term caveat emptor springs to mind.

Al.

[Wendymott]

I think I have worked out the scenario.

The customer gets the radio home plugs it in and there's no sound because thr RX/TX switch is in the wrong position. He opens the lid and either "waggles" the valves, or takes them out, thus breaking the seal on the 6AQ5. Then, when he still gets no results, takes out V5 6BE6 and bends the pin when re inserting it. I had no chance and neither had he.

Ah well. Lessons learned.

[nigelr2000]

So that's what you wanted the 6AQ5 for, sorry about the first one being a duffer even though it passed with flying colours on the Taylor.

I too suffered recently with a record deck returned badly packed and the heavy platter floating about on top of the deck and still had to refund !!