Seeking some honest opinions about this purchase

Steve Raulston · Post by **Steve Raulston** » 9 Apr 2006 11:42 am

ROTFLMAO! Barry, you know how to take a bad situation and put a bit of humor into it. Thanks, I really needed that! I will have a smile on my face for the rest of the day about that one.

Steve Raulston · Post by **Steve Raulston** » 9 Apr 2006 1:19 pm

Okay, here it is. I have had a plethora of email asking to expose this guy because what he is doing is unethical. To those who are asking, his name is Billy Gambrell. Below is the link to the original post that he wrote. After seeing the "for sale ad" I sent him an email stating that he would never get that amount ($1000.00) and offered $600.00 + shipping. After several days, he sent another email back stating that he would keep the foot contoller for that price. After several phone calls and quite a few email, I paid him with Pay Pal for $675.00. Below is the original link albeit when I asked him of the condition, he stated "new but dirty from sitting in the corner. Heck, even if you go by the original post, this amp isn't "excellent as he posted in the ad!
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum17/HTML/004256.html [This message was edited by Steve Raulston on 09 April 2006 at 02:33 PM.]

Ron ! · Post by **Ron !** » 9 Apr 2006 1:46 pm

PS. This amp is in original excellent shape and has the original Black Widow Speaker.

Well this gives you a real strong position before court.And it has nothing to do with the price of the item.This man sold junk.He has to take the amp back and give you a refund.Periode!!

Ron

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David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 9 Apr 2006 3:25 pm

Yes, this is an unacceptable deal. He falsely advertised that it was like new. It is not. He should give you the option of a full refund and he pays shipping both ways; or he gives you back 2/3 of your money, and you both treat it as a risky salvage deal with an unknown outcome. With only a couple hundred bucks invested, you might be able to spend a few hundred more for a complete overhaul and have a good amp at a reasonable overall cost. But that is a completely different deal than he originally advertised, and it should be your option as to whether you want to take that risk. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it doesn't look like it was actually submerged or dripped on. I think that kind of rust can occur with long term storage in a damp basement, or in an unheated building with repeated condensation - but I'm just guessing. Being charitable, it sounds like to me it may have been in like new condition before it was stored for so long in less than ideal conditions, and he just didn't take a good look at it after taking it out of storage, and assumed it was still okay. But that is his problem not yours. It is not as advertised. You should have an option of a full refund, or a new deal at a damaged/salvage price. Just my opinion from afar.

Billy Gambrell · Post by **Billy Gambrell** » 9 Apr 2006 11:23 pm

I am going to tell you all something-I am the guy who sold Steve the amp. It has never been exposed to water-it has neen kept in a corner in a dry clean house along with the Satellite amp. Last time I looked at the Tran on this amp it looked fine-the satellite amp Tran looks the same way! and I can send you pics of it-I can also send you the pics of this amp I prevously had-on E-Bay my feedback is 100% on around 100 transactions- I cannot afford to do Refunds or guarantees-(it takes about 3 hours just to pack and ship(double boxed) across town through traffic))I only try to give what I cannot use to good homes. This amp looks and sounds great-Steve took the amp totally apart even though once the Back panel is off the Tran is visible.He should have stopped right there. Even though he claims to have another one of these he had to have it right away for a gig. He never asked for detailed photos or a Refund Guarantee-I did split it up from the footcontroller for him.I offered him a refund of $600.00 out of good faith -(explaining that because I played on it some in the house the Tran might have developed a little rust from the humidity in Florida.I only played it out once and that was in a closed in bar)he turned down this $600.00 offer for this killer sounding and looking amp--he wants me to send $600.00+75.00 shipping before he even mails amp-before I get a refund I want to make sure it is still working perfect since he took it apart-like a fellow guitar player said, if the Tran is a little rusty and the 3 speaker bolts are too -take a wire brush some rust killer and clean it up-no big deal-It never has had any water damage or any type of damage!!If this amp has any rust on it -it was very little-it looked so good when I sold it that I had no reason to take it apart like he did.Most sellers I know do not pay for return shipping-I already paid Pay Pal fees and this has consumed about $400.00 worth of my time.I have 3 seperate jobs-played 5 gigs this week(in 3 days)- 10 items on E-bay right now(for the last 2 weeks)-I have to mail out a set of JBL's in the morn along with 5 other packages. As far as I am concerned Steve should not have even brought this up-he is E-mailing me under "Buddy Emmons" name.And if you do not believe that-I can forward his E-mails to you-Its 3:00 in the morning and I have to pack and box 2 huge JBL Mpro's in the morning-and ship them out with a Dead mint Bassman tomorrow. I really do not have all this time for this nonsense- I am now on my 13th hour of dealing with this. Pay Pal is already handling this because Steve filed a claim. I take losses all the time and I have already taken a big hit on this deal. I took a $200 dollar loss on the Bassman and a $500.00 one on the JBL's.Steve,If I was you I would clean it up and be happy.It works perfect.Drop claim.You want a new one, go for "MINT". I buy stuff all the time that needs a little tweaking or cleaning up.Ever buy a nice clean old car or Airplane? - Pay Pal is sitting on $750.00 of my money right now-minus their commission till this is resolved.When ever anyone buys anything-if you are picky-ask for pics!and a written guarantee And make sure you really can afford it. Steve none of us are perfect-Pay Pal will resolve this one way or another and I will have to wait a little longer to give Mr. Zum the final GO on my order!God bless all you musicians and you too Steve-Please close thread Bob! I gotta go to bed-Billy Gambrell

Steve Raulston · Post by **Steve Raulston** » 10 Apr 2006 6:47 am

Billy YOU SAID IT WAS MINT! I have the email to prove it there guy. WOW! This is complete nonsense guys. I asked for detailed photos and he had exuses about no camera. I have every email I ever sent to this guy. IF you want me to post them I will. He NEVER offered $600.00 as a refund! ALL he offered was a REFUND. He did not state what amount it was and I NEVER refused anything. THAT would be stupid. This guy is lying out his teeth and this I swear by everthing that is sacred. Besides, do you guys (this originally started as an opinion poll) believe I should have to pay shipping both ways because he was too lazy to look at the amp? I offered to take a $75.00 loss because this was HIS MISTAKE, not mine.

Billy, you had better go back and read some more. The corrosion isn't just the transformer or the bolts on the back of the speaker. The interior circuit board is corroded dude. This amp is a computer of sorts and computers don't like moisture. This amp has been exposed to MOISTURE! There are few metal parts on this amp that don't have some sort of corrosion!

The part about using Buddy's name is that I have an email account by the name of emmons564. I used it only because he said he would not read my email if I sent him one. I had to attempt to be sly to get my message to him.

I opened the amp up because Ken Fox sold me the batteryless chip mod for this amp the other day and I also had reason to open it up seeing all the rust. If any of you are familiar with the Session 2000, you don't have to remove any panel or anything to see the transformer. With regard to the mod: I did that mod to my other amp and if people can't open up the amp without rendering serious damage, well one would have to be a stooge or something. I own tube amps (Fender and Mesa) and though I am not an electronics wiz, have done many mods on my amps that were approved by the factory.

This guy must be smoking something because the reason I wanted this amp in a hurry is because we are in the middle of a move. I told him that it looked like we might be moving in the next week and it would be good if he could send it right out. Besides, why not? He had my money!

I hope everyone sees through this. Regardless of his supposed 100% feedback on fleabay, this is simply wrong and unethical! I don't know how he has 100% doing business like this. He acts as though HIS TIME is the only time worth money. What about my time and money? If it takes him three hours to pack a box, well, I feel sorry for him and hope that he is seeking some kind of rehab.

I don't look at doing business in such a way as he is. A guarantee is offered by the factory. As moral people, we have to be willing to make a wrong right. We can't live in denial or we would be very unhappy doing business. He wanted the money for the amp through Pay Pal because he got it much quicker that way. I was going to send it overnight with Fedex. I am now glad I sent it through Pay Pal because at least I have some recourse. YES I filed a complaint with Pay Pal because he sent me an email saying that after thinking about this that I will have to just settle on the condition of this amp. He told me to clean it up and use it as it was intended. WOW!!!! I guess he doesn't get it.

Bob, please don't close this thread. I don't plan on taking this lying down and I shouldn't be expected to. He sold me a piece of rusted up metal and is skirming because he says it is my fault but I believe if he is any kind of God fearing man, he knows who is getting jacked around here. I have never encountered such denial or blatant refusal to right a wrong in a transaction. Mr. Wizard HELP!![This message was edited by Steve Raulston on 10 April 2006 at 08:55 AM.]

Steve Raulston · Post by **Steve Raulston** » 10 Apr 2006 8:14 am

I can post as many email as people wish but please take the time to visit this site and , you will see my original email as a pic. Just click on the pic to zoom. I asked very specifically if the amp was like new. He replied on the phone that "yes it was like new only dusty from sitting in a room. He even said it had NEVER been gigged. Now he is saying he said it was gigged once. Who knows?
http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1648584

Post by **b0b** » 10 Apr 2006 8:49 am

This isn't going to be settled by involving the entire forum membership. Both parties have explained their positions in the dispute. I'm closing this topic to keep anyone from editing what they've written.

You guys need to resolve this. I suggest that the amp should be returned, the money should be returned, and that each of you should pay shipping one way.

I understand that the funds have been frozen in Billy's PayPal account. I'm not sure how that works, but if you need a third party to act as an escrow manager, I'll volunteer.

Let's finish this up in email.

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