Hi, newbie here and could really use some help.
I've only had a system for about a year now, and everything's been going fine (it's a Rega RP6, just in case anyone's interested?). Well, I've only just recently started buying vinyl from eBay, and only from sellers with 100% good feedback who are listing records as EX/NM. And out of five orders I've had to return three so far for awful unbearable surface noise. I'm talking 'boom mic over a bowl of rice crispies'. I always message and ask first before buying.
Well, today I recieved a package of twelve Iron Maiden albums from a seller with 100% positive feedback, who assured me that they were EX+/NM, that they had been 'meticulously cared for', and that he had graded them himself. Trust me, he said, you won't be disappointed.
So, like a fool, I did.
What arrived this morning was unbelievable, because when I opened them up the first thing I noticed was the surface dust/hair/debris. This ran across all 12 records, near enough, and it was so dense that it looked like the kind of stuff you'd find in a charity shop or on a car boot sale, most of the time. So I spent a good hour with several anti-static brushes, lightly brushing off the dust, hair, flakes-of-whatever (!), only to discover that underneath, in the light, were dirty splogdes I'm guessing would have to be wet cleaned to remove, dozens and dozens of hairline marks (powerslave has over 50 on last count!), and some pretty deep scratches (one right through the Trooper from beginning to end). And if that wasn't bad enough, once I was happy that they were clean enough visually to dare to try on my TT, the constant crackle was so bad on three of them that I just wished I'd never bought them in the first place. I think out of the entire batch, three of the records were just touching on 'EX -', after I'd finished cleaning them. And that's being incredibly generous. I usually won't play anything less then 'EX' because I just don't enjoy listening to background crackle. The worst records fell somewhere between 'Good -' and 'Fair+'.
So I emailed the seller. I sat there for a good two hours and graded them myself to his own grading scheme (record collector, which he has advertised on the listing), making notes of all flaws and also all things that were particularly good. I sent him the list, and explained that I was disappointed, and that I'd like at least a partial refund in exchange for the records I didn't want to keep (which I made clear he would have to pay the return postage on, after all, why should I lose out for his 'mistake'?). I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. But when he responded he ignored my notes completely, and just said send them all back, complete refund, I'd have to pay the postage (£16!!), and he'd only agree to the refund if the records were in the condition to which he 'had graded them' ... which they're obviously not, because he is either blind or a liar (or an idiot).
Anyway, I explained that I would rather keep the three good records, having gone to the trouble of cleaning them for him (!! - and after all, I did buy them for a purpose), but he refused. He then stated that he took pictures of the records before he sent them out in 'EX' condition. I also said that I would take pictures of them in teh condition they arrived in, minus the dust, obviously - even though it's very hard to pick out hairlines and scratches without a great camera. He accused me of trying to blackmail him for mentioning this (!??!), and then stated that he would not reply to any further emails.
So this is where I am. I've started a case with eBay, but they won't look at it for another eight days and I'm concerned that I won't get my money back (and they were not cheap at all). I guess this has taught me a lesson, but if anyone has had a similar experience or has any advice, I'd love to hear it, because this has put me off buying used vinyl before I can physically test it myself. I was born in the late eighties, so I missed vinyl the first time around, and only just bought a TT because I'm utterly sick of the sound quality of music these days and devices my friends are using to listen through. I really just want to sit back and enjoy the music (yes, even Iron Maiden - my choice!!). So any help is more than appreciated, and thanks for reading this embarassingly long rant. Sonja.
Thanks Barnaby Awesome score with Master of Puppets. I managed to get hold of a sealed Joe Satriani Not of this Earth from eBay too; my only good find. It cost me £6 near enough. Agreed on the blanket over the speakers thing. All except the European Powerslave have sounded that way to me. I wonder if they'll release the rest of the back catalogue? Did you buy Book of Souls?
