Richtone basses for sale

[jezzaboy]

Last weekend I was looking at Richtone music site and came across this US P bass for £899. 

 

https://richtonemusic.co.uk/fender-precision-bass-black-with-usa-neck-gig-bag-2nd-hand/

 

It`s a black P bass but without the string thru body so it isn`t a US body. Did a quick search and it came out as a 3 tone sunburst. I sent them a mail saying it was prob a Mexican body on a US neck. So they checked it out and it was what I thought it was a Mexican body. They said it was part of a collection they got and have edited the description and dropped the price £100. Still no mention of the Mex body and the description still says US P bass.

 

Next one up is this US P for £899.

 

https://richtonemusic.co.uk/fender-american-precision-bass-emg-pickups-3-tone-sunburst-bag-2nd-hand/

 

If you search the Fender data base it comes up to a US neck not a complete bass. It takes seconds to check this stuff out so this one is a bitsa more than likely from the same collection. The bridge looks like the pre 2008 models? I have nothing against Richtone and have bought stuff from them in the past but at least be honest like Bass Bross and Bass Direct usually are and say it`s a bitsa. Someone could buy this thinking it`s a genuine factory US P bass and be rather miffed down the line when some smarty pants tells them it`s not.

 

We are, quite rightly, quick to call out items that are on sale from the likes of E bay that aren`t what they say they are but when a shop does this when they should know better, it`s rather annoying. 

 

 

[Lozz196]

Yeah I saw that (the first one) on Reverb, they have changed it as originally it was advertised as a US model, now it’s showing as having a US neck. I was going to message them as well but when I next checked it the change had been made.

[Burns-bass]

They have had a few basses for sale that aren’t what they claim to be. It’s really disappointing when this happens and you’re right.l, they should know better.

[Terry M.]

They're selling a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V but calling it a Classic Vibe 70s. I messaged them on Reverb to point out the difference but no reply and nothing has changed in the description since. 

[Burns-bass]

I bought a 1970s Mustang with a seized truss rod. This is certainly something you’d hope they would check! 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

At least we know where all the Schecters are now!

[Beedster]

I had a tense standoff with a shop a few years back, very Fistful of Dollars (that's me walking to the shop in the pic below), about the fact that a bass they'd sold me wasn't what they'd said it was. Their initial stance was - this make you laugh - that it was a consignment sale so I needed to take it up with the original owner who'd clearly not told them the truth. Following a terse email this moved to 'We'll speak to the original owner and see if there's been a mistake' to 'OK, we'll refund you' following another email that pointed out that I'd paid them not the original owner etc. But what I was really surprised by was the fact that not only they hadn't checked the credentials of this particular bass, but that it was clear they routinely take the seller's word for it on all their consignment sales. I guess they get away with it more times than not ....

 

  

[Terry M.]

10 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I bought a 1970s Mustang with a seized truss rod. This is certainly something you’d hope they would check! 

It's not just them I'm afraid. I had to return a Lakland Skyline DJ5 to Guitar Guitar last month for the exact same reason. I was gutted as the bass was incredible otherwise 😪  And yes you'd think that would be checked before being sold on.

[Terry M.]

4 minutes ago, Beedster said:

I had a tense standoff with a shop a few years back, very Fistful of Dollars (that's me walking to the shop in the pic below), about the fact that a bass they'd sold me wasn't what they'd said it was. Their initial stance was - this make you laugh - that it was a consignment sale so I needed to take it up with the original owner who'd clearly not told them the truth. Following a terse email this moved to 'We'll speak to the original owner and see if there's been a mistake' to 'OK, we'll refund you' following another email that pointed out that I'd paid them not the original owner etc. But what I was really surprised by was the fact that not only they hadn't checked the credentials of this particular bass, but that it was clear they routinely take the seller's word for it on all their consignment sales. I guess they get away with it more times than not ....

 

  

They initially tried to pass the buck to the original owner? That's insane!!

[Beedster]

18 minutes ago, Terry M. said:

They initially tried to pass the buck to the original owner? That's insane!!

 

I guess their view would be "How are we supposed to know without taking the bass apart and checking everything", which I kinda get because there's a big cost in time - and I'd guess risk of damage - to do that with every instrument they get in trade/PX (and as well all know, with old Fenders there are a lot of variables and nuances). But yes, on this basis their initial response could have been "OK, we're sorry to hear that, we'll refund you and return the item to the seller as clearly not what he described it as to us". As is hinted at above, there are no doubt a lot of players out there with instruments that are not what they think they are because unlike some of us, they assume that the shop has done the due diligence    

[Terry M.]

7 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

I guess their view would be "How are we supposed to know without taking the bass apart and checking everything", which I kinda get because there's a big cost in time - and I'd guess risk of damage - to do that with every instrument they get in trade/PX (and as well all know, with old Fenders there are a lot of variables and nuances). But yes, on this basis their initial response could have been "OK, we're sorry to hear that, we'll refund you and return the item to the seller as clearly not what he described it as to us". As is hinted at above, there are no doubt a lot of players out there with instruments that are not what they think they are because unlike some of us, they assume that the shop has done the due diligence    

I agree with your points made but as you said the initial response should have been an apology and a refund. 

[edstraker123]

I reserved a used Squier Bass Vi  in Antigua in my LGS on Friday based on a description of mint - went to collect it at lunchtime, had a play and it sounded fine then gave it a final once over and saw a chip out of the body near the neck pocket - was absolutely gutted. The 2 owners and tech said they'd all checked it and it wasn't there when it came in and nobody else had touched it. One suggested (half) laughing that I must have done it.

I guess when you take a lot of guitars in and you're a small store that gets busy you can become a bit snow blind to defects. They offered to knock £25 off but it would have had a much bigger impact than this when I invariably sold it so didn't bother. The owner bashed it against a precision when hanging it back on the wall - I think I learnt how it might have happened !