[78-L] E*AY Seller Complaint - Bait & Switch on a $300 Record

[Michael Biel]

Clifford --  Looking through this listing,

  http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLIND-LEMON-JEFFERSON-Unplayed-PARAMOUNT-14022-Blues-78-Chock-House-Blues-/121039784517?ru=http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=121039784517&_rdc=1&nma=true&si=%2B7OtV2i9HMb0iuzfIS8%2Fl36nfxE%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

  he tells a very long and detailed story about how John Steiner 
produced the black and silver pressings in the late 40s.  As Roger said, 
he knew he was selling a late 40s replica, and actually he is telling 
you that in the listing.  As Harold said, he should tell you it is a 
replica if it is, and he DID tell you.  In the specifications under sub 
genre he states "John Steiner: Paramount Records".

You say that the record you received is not the one in the photo. Is it 
a black and silver?  Or did he actually sell a black and gold original 
from the 1920s.  If what you got is a black and silver, whether or not 
it is the exact one in the photo, he told you what it was.  If there is 
significent label damage, that is not noted in the description or photos 
and you might luck out and get a refund.  But you can't get a refund by 
claiming it is a 1920s original because his description never said it 
was.  If the label damage is because it is a black and gold original, 
you did better than could be expected!

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com

On 1/3/2013 8:23 PM, Roger Wade wrote:
> Hi Cliff,
>
> Here is a link to an explanation of what you were sold:  http://78records.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/a-cautionary-note-paramount-reissues-on-ebay/
>
> Even though you might have figured out that it is a reissue from all the quoted stuff in the body of the listing, the fact that the photo is not of the record you received should enough for you to file a successful "Item Not As Described" complaint with ebay and Paypal.
>
> I don't have any knowledge of this seller but you can bet that he knows that he is selling a 1940s reissue of a classic blues record and not an original.  You paid what you did because you thought it was an original.
>
> Good luck! Best regards, Roger Wade  Really Old Records

On 1/3/2013 11:15 PM, Harold Aherne wrote:
> IMO, a good Ebay seller should always note when a pressing is of a significantly later vintage than the recording itself. Perhaps (say) a 1917 pressing of a 1914 Victor master isn't so significant (although it may be if the collector cares about how far advanced the "stamper generation" is). But for a sought-after recording like the one you describe, sellers need to be as forthcoming as possible about all the features of the record--defects, label damage, sound quality, and (in this case) the fact that the disc is essentially a 1948 replica of the original 1920s issue--and in this form, really not so sought-after.
>   
> You can at least say that you own a 78 of the recording--you just shouldn't have been expected to pay what you did.
>   
> (love your YT channel, by the way)
>   
> -HA


>
> On Jan 3, 2013, at 7:47 PM, Clifford Bolling wrote:
>
>> Anybody here familiar with 2ndfiddlerecords (aka George Casalle) of Chicago?  I'm wondering if I should
>> worry about dealing with this fellow.  I bought a Blind Lemon Jefferson record from him (auction #121039784517)
>> described as Grades N-,  Never Played,  Excellent, and so on.  I found out the photos in the auction are of a
>> record that sold on ebay in Sep, 2011.  The record I got was not the record in the pictures and had significant
>> environmental damage to both sides in addition to significant label damage on both sides.  I did not examine it
>> close enough to tell if it had ever been played.  Could be unplayed.
>>   
>> I paid an embarrassingly high price for this record, but the photos and description seemed a once in a lifetime
>> opportunity, so I bid on it.
>>   
>> Anyway, I sent him a note with these issues.  Haven't heard back from him yet.  He has 100% positive feedback so
>> he must be doing something right, just not this time.
>>   
>> Has anyone here had issue with this seller?  Please, someone, say something that will ease my anxiety.
>>   
>> Thanks!  CDB
>