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If I were listing, I would say so (memo to self...).
Sticking velcro on a Pedal is not a prerequisite. You can assume if you buy a second hand item it has been used (a pedal stepped on, a car driven etc), but sticking something on it is not part of “regular usage.” It might be to a load of us, but if the pedal doesn’t come like that, it doesn’t come like that. It’s doing me a favour, fair enough, but it should be disclosed.
I believe it is *always* the seller’s responsiblity to disclose anything they’ve done to an item outside of normal use and it’s really only lazy bastards that don’t.
I used to get very pissed off when I got pedals back under warranty claim with the base rubber totally covered with Velcro as it meant the serial number was obscured and destroyed (on a foil sticky).
Being then with a very young company I could not get hard nosed and refuse the claim but think we would have had a case! The MOST annoying part was that there was plenty of base acreage WITHOUT covering the ser#!
While I am here? If you get any of the HT series pedals do check that all four base screws are present and tight*. Just one screw takes the internal zero volts point to the case and if missing or loose can result in twittering and hums.
*If anyone has occasion to remove said base buy a good quality #1 pozi driver and steady the pedal before you attack it! Best if you have a mate (I had a BIG Mother vice!) If FAIR effort does not shift a screw, PM me!
Dave.
TBH, some people want immaculate unused condition and yet want to pay the same price as a used toilet roll for a pedal. If Velcro annoys you that much, buy new. If you’re buying s/h to save a few quid then you have to accept that there will be evidence of its previous use - and most guitar fx pedals get used on boards, with Velcro being the most popular method of attachment. I do agree that any useage marks etc should be disclosed - perhaps the best idea is to assume the worst, and pay a price that reflects that. Or buy new.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Personally, I try and put everything in the ad including photos from all angles to stop the questions coming in - and to cover myself in case of dispute or people just trying it on.
Battery door missing though is another kettle of fish. It's not really a case of 'mentioning' but actually not disclosing part of the pedal is missing. I'd rather return it just in case there's anything else they've failed to mention.
i've already given my opinion in the op, which is that discreet 'additions' (velcro) are not a huge deal, but in the case of 'missing' parts i think transparency is essential. saying 'good condition' suggests 'intact/no missing parts' as a bare minimum. while you can get subjective about superficial things, wear, etc, that 'intact/no missing parts' to me is the floor.
therefore if something is missing the onus is on the seller to be transparent about it in the description (that's what it's there for), not for me to go out of my way to cross-examine them on what is and isn't missing. 'good condition' should mean 'complete'.
as for my situation, while annoyed about it on arrival (being the second in a row, it riled me some), i've subsequently decided to order some same size rubber replacement feet (china cheap), and the battery compartment i will find something for.
the battery cover also holds the battery, so it's absence is an inconvenience (an option as a power back up). but as the pedal wasn't expensive (£25, bought to mod), i feel the hassle of opening an ebay case and potentially having to wrap and return it (then having to hunt for the same pedal all over) is potentially the greater inconvenience than finding a workaround.
in general i think it's a 'do unto others' thing. but it has been interesting to read the opinions of those who seem ready to blame themselves for not asking, rather than the seller for not saying, as they should.
that sounds a little bit like 'it's my fault for not being mistrusting and cynical enough'. but the seller is supposed to describe the item honestly in the description. contract obligation.
That's what I do. It takes about 30s more effort. It also helps protect you (a bit) from not as described claims - hard to complain about scratches or velcro if they're in the photo.
Different descriptions mean different things to different people and in different subject areas have quite different meanings. If something is that important to you just ask the question to avoid dissapointment. Some people just don't realise that something minor to them might be a deal breaker to someone else.
Also if the seller bought it used without the part in question they may not be aware that it is missing. Sometimes people don't know what they don't know.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
You don't have to make this shit up. There really are clowns on here who want a mint pedal with warranty for a secondhand price.
Once again, as ever, it proves the golden rule of selling guitar gear - those who ask questions don't buy.