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My days of buying cassette decks on "Fleabay" are over!!!!!!

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Posted on July 12, 2007 at 12:36:26
K Hugo
Audiophile

Posts: 95
Joined: June 7, 2002
 I have bought two decks Yamaha KX-1020 $180 and a Carver TD-1700 $140 on ebay in the last two months,both were advertised as Mint perfect working condition just like new,Yeah right!!!Got the Yamaha and had to press the FF and RW buttons about 50 times to slowly get the FF and RW functions to start working,then i hit the play button and nothing.I took the top cover off to see what i could see and low and behold there was the belt laying on the bottom,it looked like it had melted into a pile of gooo.Well i took the deck to a local repair shop to have the belts replaced and he told me that the capstan motor was shot and needed replacing also,all this for a deck that was advertised as Mint like new perfect working condition.Next is the Carver,got this "little gem" a couple of days ago also advertised as "Mint",this person must of took a picture of someone elses Carver TD-1700 because the one i got does'nt look like the one in the picture.First of all the deck looks like it was dragged behind a truck down a gravel road,and second the cassette door will not open without prying it open with a scewdriver.And lastly the inside of the cassette compatment looks like a rats nest (Filthy Filthy!!)What a waste of over $300.

 

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RE: My days of buying cassette decks on "Fleabay" are over!!!!!!, posted on July 12, 2007 at 12:47:32
Braxus
Audiophile

Posts: 926
Location: Fraser Valley
Joined: February 11, 2006
 Send it back to them and leave negative feedback, and start a claim with Ebay for the items not being as described. This will get you action. Send them back.

 

RE: My days of buying cassette decks on "Fleabay" are over!!!!!!, posted on July 12, 2007 at 12:57:41
K Hugo
Audiophile

Posts: 95
Joined: June 7, 2002
 Problem is i paid with Money Orders and second it will cost me another $80+ dollars to send them back to them.I guess live and learn and F@#K You to the thieves on ebay!!

 

I got a Nak 480, posted on July 12, 2007 at 13:19:18
docw
Audiophile

Posts: 8115
Location: So. California
Joined: July 23, 2004
Contributor
  Since: November 29, 2004
 which did not work right after 10 min. The ebay seller took it back, no questions asked and even paid the freight.

 

RE: My days of buying cassette decks on "Fleabay" are over!!!!!!, posted on July 12, 2007 at 13:30:37
mikerussell@hughes.net
Audiophile

Posts: 44
Joined: August 6, 2006
 What were their feedback ratings??????????????????????????????

 

RE: My days of buying cassette decks on "Fleabay" are over!!!!!!, posted on July 12, 2007 at 16:48:15
kingseiko
Audiophile

Posts: 408
Location: South Texas
Joined: July 20, 2004
 That is one major pitfall when buying anything through ebay. Protection for buyers is so little. My offering price always include cost for repairs in mind. Description of items in ebay is not trustable at all unless you know who you are dealing with. Unless you know you are paying for a collector item ( this means you can use it as a static display ) low bid price always minimize potential losses. Unless the item is super rare you can always wait for another opportunity. Also I avoid deal paid by money order/cash at all for maximum buyer protection.

Sorry Keith, I know how you feel.


Mike

 

Oooh Bummer!, posted on July 12, 2007 at 19:45:00
oldglide
Audiophile

Posts: 205
Location: Chicago
Joined: December 28, 2003
 I've bought over 30 decks from flea-bay and only burnt once, Pioneer CT-F900, what was I thinking. Ad said "It will rock your house, works perfect. 2 hrs after I received it was in 100 pieces, and a rat's nest. Sent a scathing e-mail to the seller with pictures, left the worst negative feedback I could, he never responded. Cleaned it up, got it to work sort of and was lucky to find someone who collected Pioneer and didn't care whether or not if it worked perfect, got some of my money back. No matter how bad you want it, trust your gut and remember EVERYBODY LIES.

 

I wouldn't stop, just use only 100% sellers., posted on July 13, 2007 at 09:32:09
JANDG
Audiophile

Posts: 1584
Location: Washington State
Joined: February 27, 2004
 Which is hard to find, but 100% crowd will make it 95% of the time. which is good odds. I still feel E.... is hard to beat,,, for a quick REAL good deal once in a while on a BIN, I have seen fatastic BIN's as of late & none have latested much more than a few hrs as usual. & some from 100% established sellers. Albiet these were on RTR's, but 50lbs mosters are almost a sure destruction gig if they can't pack & most can't. I am looking at the Studer cassette deck on E... but man that is far away auction..Hope your luck turns for you.

 

I've had great luck buying cassette decks on Fleabay.., posted on July 13, 2007 at 10:25:04
DaveInVA
Audiophile

Posts: 1544
Location: Danville VA
Joined: June 21, 2001
 But awful luck with reel to reel machines. About 50% of the reel to reel machines don't get packed properly and end up getting to me anywhere from cosmetically damaged to totally destroyed. Because of that I don't bid on reel to reels anymore unless its something I need for parts or its close enough I can get it myself.
So far every cassette deck I have gotten on Fleabay has been as described. I bought 2 Eumig 1000 decks and one was like new and worked fine and the other was described as non functional but good cosmetics. He was way off on the description because it worked fine when it got here. Guess the jolting in shipping corrected whatever was wrong with it :) I've also bought 2 Studer cassette decks off Fleabay and they were as described.
Did these sellers you bought from have decent feedback? Did they also sell other hifi gear or just garage sale stuff?

Dave

 

RE: My days of buying cassette decks on "Fleabay" are over!!!!!!, posted on July 14, 2007 at 13:09:36
nak_novice
Audiophile

Posts: 39
Location: England
Joined: December 1, 2006
 My Sympathies, this is a nightmare.

To avoid some of the worst problems, Get the seller to use MSN or SKYPE to show you the deck working live before purchase. If they won't - don't bid.

Don't tar all with the same brush, but be very cautious. It's getting harder to avoid these issues but I always ask loads of questions and if they even hint that the deck is not their pride and joy I wait for another one. Never buy one that has been in storage for ages as it will have seized up or gunged up.

I've been lucky with the last 15 decks but I'm never complacent.

Have a few beers and learn how to walk away if in any doubt at all. There will always be another one.

Regards, Ben

 

Well i bit the bullet and i'm trying one last time,Sony TC-K850ES., posted on July 14, 2007 at 18:26:01
K Hugo
Audiophile

Posts: 95
Joined: June 7, 2002
 Just bought a Sony TC-K850ES ebay item #320137568545 (Check it out)one nice thing is we both live in the same state so it does'nt have to travel cross country.Some scratches on top but he says the face is scratch free and he email me and told me that it works perfect.And he has a 100% feedback rating.Please pray for me that this one works out OK.Peace,Keith.

 

RE: Well i bit the bullet and i'm trying one last time,Sony TC-K850ES., posted on July 15, 2007 at 20:28:31
JANDG
Audiophile

Posts: 1584
Location: Washington State
Joined: February 27, 2004
 Very cool.. Hope you like it.Let us no how that unit sounds..I just got back into tape after a 3 decade break... & I can't stop now.....damn.. 4 RTR's 2 weeks,,,sh/...........t I am screwed..but lovin it

 

RE: My days of buying cassette decks on "Fleabay" are over!!!!!!, posted on July 18, 2007 at 19:49:17
shoeihell@yahoo.com
Audiophile

Posts: 579
Joined: May 18, 2004
 Feedback ratings don't always tell you the true story. A lot of the time it's just mutual 'back patting" from one seller to another as they yo-yo items. Better to go back into their feedback field and READ every negative feedback they have ever gotten, their responses and what the resolve was(if any). And even that doesn't given you anything iron clad. Let's face it guys, ebay is often quick cash for the unseen thieves of the world. You may truly believe there is some sort of 'honor system' among sellers....if so I have some swampland down in FL for sale.....or a watermelon truck in the back yard in need of riders.

 

Well i got another piece of garbage!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted on July 20, 2007 at 23:35:42
K Hugo
Audiophile

Posts: 95
Joined: June 7, 2002
 I guess i just don't have any good luck with cassette decks and ebay.Got my Sony TC-K850ES today and walah the first tape i put in it gets eaten,so i completely clean the entire transport with professional head cleaner from American Recorder Technologies and treated the rubber parts with Rubber Renew,popped in another tape and that one got munched.Five eaten tapes later i said F-THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!No F ING more used cassette decks they are just to much of a gamble and i don't have enough good luck.Been trying to get ahold of the seller which by the way has a 100% Feedback rating but he has not returned my emails yet.I am totally Pissed off,this is the third deck in the last two months that i have gotten stuck with!!

 

RE: My days of buying cassette decks on "Fleabay" are over!!!!!!, posted on August 4, 2007 at 21:21:16
ddino77
Audiophile

Posts: 24
Location: So. Florida
Joined: September 2, 2006
 My last two audio auctions arrived DOA with major problems, but
described as in excellent condition. Both were photographed
extensively and promised to be absolutely MINT with money back
guarantees and provable checkups! These particularly expensive
lessons cost me about $1100.00. But by doing some behind the scenes
investigating, I found that equipment is being resold over and over
and over with quick turnaround times by the last buyer. My hypothesis
is that amps/tape decks/tuners, (you name it), are being "milked' for
their good parts and then resold to unsuspecting victims. Hence the
last poor sap gets stuck. Unless of course you feel that burning the
next guy is just the price of doing business. If anyone has ever
played musical chairs this is very familiar territory. Could this be
an indirect result of unavailable spare parts and growing demand for
dwindling stock? Feedback means nothing if both parties are
deliberately removing their negative histories, and keeping unsavory
experiences under wraps in an effort to disguise these issues from
squeamish buyers. And all under the watchful encouragement of e- -y
management. All I can say is HANG ON (to your wallet) !! Make
purchases only from people you know are not trying to fleece their
customers. Conclusion: If I had elected, to send for repair it would
have cost me twice as much. Oh, and if you can possibly prove your
case by jumping dozens of hoops with notarized purchase receipts &
independently confirmed appraisals, Square Trade might quiet you for
a measly $200.00 (less 25.00) service charge. I elected to drop the
claim lick my wounds and learn.

 

What's wrong with Salvation Army?, posted on August 8, 2007 at 23:03:45
Bubba


 
I've seen all kinds of brands at the local Sally Ann thrift store, usually less than $20. And you can look them over, even plug 'em in and play a tape. Even a Nakamichi, but it was pretty dirty. I guess I should've grabbed it, peeled off the skateboard stickers, cleaned the oxide off the pinch roller and flogged it on eBay. Instead I went with a Harman-Kardon that looked to be low mileage, and turned out to be so recent that the manual was available on-line. I just wanted something to play back some old radio tapes and live recordings so I can digitamize them.

 

RE: Well i got another piece of garbage!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted on October 3, 2007 at 10:44:40
Dimitar


 
K Hugo:

You are very impatient guy and my guess is you have no clue how to handle cassette decks. Cassette decks can be very durable and behave very nicely if you understand how to handle them and how to repair them. My first advice is when you buy old cassette deck , replace all belts and idler tire before putting any cassettes into it.

regards,
Dimitar

 

RE: My days of buying cassette decks on "Fleabay" are over!!!!!! , posted on July 23, 2015 at 14:29:19
Ampheat
Audiophile

Posts: 65
Location: Canada
Joined: December 14, 2003
 buying used cassette decks is really risky. To minimize the risk i only buy at a higher than average price if the seller has positive feedback from selling hi-i gear especially tape or cassette decks. If not, i assume the deck will most likely need servicing regardless of the description.

 

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