ebay and gumtree scammer....watch out!

merlin

I recently had a bad experience with a guy selling a CIJ strat on gumtree. He was advertising it as a Fender Japan ST54-95 with papers etc. I bought it and took it home and realised that the papers were faked and the inside of the neck cavity was stamped with ST54-80. When I pointed this out to him he got really nasty and I threatened to escalate the issue and so he agreed to give me a full refund, which he did. 

He's now selling it on ebay as an ST54-95 and it's the same instrument. I have been watching him and he's a real wheeler-dealer and needs to be outed. How about a bunch of us write to him on the bay and ask for a pic of the inside of the neck pocket? That'll scupper him...

ebay id # 322890700143

It definitely needs reporting, which I'm happy to do but I'd love it if he gets a hard time first! 

I can name and shame him if we like. No worries there.  

TTony

Just send him an eBay message with a phone number in it and the words "save eBay fees".

hotpickups

I don't think I'll ever buy a guitar off eBay It seems its full of con men there 

Dominic

The Conmen are easily outnumbered by the sheer number of complete Morons...............it's not all bad !

antifash

Reported to eBay. If a few people do it and cite neck pocket, that might help?

thetomsk

Done. I'l let you know what he comes back with

poopot

What’s the difference between the 80 and the 95?

harpo

Haha....I just asked for some pics and he’s posted me one of a black cat saying perhaps this will help  

thetomsk

That's exactly what I got. At least he's consistent

Fuengi

Oh! I know this seller from Gumtree. I'm within range of where he operates from so his stuff always comes up on my searches. 

Never bought anything off him but he presents his guitars very well. 

Thanks for the tip off, will avoid. 

Fuengi

Looks like he's taken down the eBay add after the contacts. 

John_A

Don't think this really counts as a scam, the model is a ST-54, the 80 or 90 suffix is the price in yen x1000, which goes up over time with inflation, the guitar is the same model

merlin

John_A said:

Don't think this really counts as a scam, the model is a ST-54, the 80 or 90 suffix is the price in yen x1000, which goes up over time with inflation, the guitar is the same model

You're correct, the number was an indication of price but the price and number were for different spec instruments. 
The 95 is advertised as having the lacquer finish, the 80 definitely poly. Also some listings say the 95 has lace sensors, some CS pickups and alder, not ash.... 

John_A

Yes the ad above. Shows a 95 should have a lacquer finish, but a 95 from a later year might not.

merlin

He actually said in his Gumtree ad that it had a lacquer finish..... 

John_A

Fair enough, if he said that and it didn't that's not good, didn't know that

JonnyBGood

Hi all, this guy as fruadently changed the guitar documentation to make the guitar a 95 I.e. so making it a more unique/disirable model for selling, but it is actually a more common 80 model and he has obviously priced it higher due to it being a more exclusive model to Japan market (non export). If he's done it with this guitar whose to say he's not done it with others.  I wouldn't buy from him now that I know this. This guy has been selling guitars for a while on gumtree so i feel sorry for anyone he's ripped off, they probably never know and may never find out!  Avoid like the plague

Lozboy

Can anyone PM me with one of his gumtree auctions.I am always being offered suspect swaps for my gear from the various Gumtree dealers.Thks in advance.

JonnyBGood

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/fender-usa-1999-american-57-vintage-reissue-stratocaster/1275709277

Lozboy

Thks JB.
LoL! that don't seem like a dealer price to me.I have seen his stuff before.Maybe he genuinely does not know what hes got..
  I am always getting ripped off with gear because sellers think they have something and its not.

merlin

Lozboy said:

Thks JB.
LoL! that don't seem like a dealer price to me.I have seen his stuff before.Maybe he genuinely does not know what hes got..

He knows, he really, really knows. What we don't know is the truth as to whether the above gumtree sale is what he's actually selling or a faked version. MX number sanded off the back of the headstock and re-nitroed? Anything really, the papers of the 95/80 were falsified. Avoid like the clap. 

And welcome to the forum @JonnyBGood ;