I am selling a almost 60 year old tube tester on Ebay. I just received a question that says, "HI, Is the tester musty smelling? Thanks, Matt".

Now, I am a great believer in the "bidder block" function of Ebay and if I get a question on a item that says the buyer is likely to be a pain in the posterior, I just block them. If they seem overly paranoid, demanding or aggressive in tone, on the list they go.

If they have left more than 1 negative feedback in the last few months, out with the bathwater they go. This helps explain, I think, how I have over 3000 feedbacks and no negatives.

So what about this guy Matt? My first inclination is to block him thinking he might be one of these hypersensitive whiny types, but he has 700 good feedbacks and has left no negs.

But really, does anyone expect that an old piece of equipment, stored who knows where and used in the golden age of smoking, is not going to have at least some smell?

I'd hate to get a note from him telling me how he got the vapors due to the smell.

Thoughts?

Just tell him yes. That way if he wins he'll be expecting the musty smell.

I would pass on this guy. Sound like trouble. If he wins it he would probably complain about dust being inside
Stan Ski

I'd say No it doesn't smell musty, it smells more like my grandmothers crotch. Then I'd block him.

What does he expect a 60 year old piece of equip. to smell like.

Do you really need the aggravation.

You won't have any problem selling a tube tester.

E.J.

I agree with this approach as one way of dealing with it.

The question is likely an honest question. I just received a 50 year old tester from a friend that has no odours (edit : the tester that is...) and if asked, that's how I'd describe it.

A buyer with a 700+, 0- and no negatives left for others is exactly the sort of buyer I'd want to see bidding on my stuff.

cheers

John

Wow, never realized that such a simple question could cause sellers so much distress. To me, if you block him, then that would make you much more hypersensitive than "Matt." I would just try to answer as truthfully as I can, keeping on the conservative side.

-dave

I would just answer the question.

I agree with you about blocking people who appear to be a potential PITA based on their question but I don't think Matt qualifies. I'd also just answer his question. Maybe he's got a allergy or something legitimate.

If you want to know something ... Ask.
This sounds like a very legitimate question.
It would never cross my mind to think this guy was a pain in the butt.
Honest question ... Give him an honest answer.

Of course, the sense of smell varies widely and is HIGHLY subjective.... What smells like light perfume to one can be obnoxiously odoriferous to another. My father-in-law couldn't smell a convocation of skunks in his hat - however - his daughter (my wife) can detect the lingering scent of beer and brats flatus passed hours earlier (Fortunately, I have a dog to blame it on..... )

Most of us have come to appreciate a bit of odor from old radios and test equipment. It tends to authenticate them....and, perhaps more importantly, a CHANGE in smell can be a great diagnostic tool. The smell of smoldering insulation, melted potting material and smoking-hot phenolic can precede an approaching calamity!

Be honest with the guy - tell him it has little or no smell to you - but you can't guarantee what it will smell like to him personally - and that any ill smell he might sense will not be considered grounds for a return or refund.....

A few month back I bought a Stewart Warner table radio. i don't have a good shelf system so after it arrived I messed with it for a while then put it in a drawer in my room . My brother comes in later in the day, has a funny look on his face and says "did you buy another radio?" I'm like a dang smoker with my radio smell.

So, as a followup, I wrote him and nicely told him that I couldn't smell anything but that older electronics will likely have an odor of some kind which may be detectable by those with a sensitive nose.

His reply, "Hi and thanks, just wanted to make sure that it didn't smell so bad as to make you run out of the room. Certainly all old electronics has a certain "bouquet"

I think he's OK. So no blocked bidder list for him.

edit

Matt,
It does have some odor but don't quite know if I would describe it as "musty." If I were pressed for analysis, I would describe the odor as being very close to that of the inside front panel of Ferdinand Magellan's shorts. I am, of course, referring to His second journey.

I love the smell ..... of old radios........in the morning.........

Why chase him away? With any luck he'll help bid up your auction and from the positives it doesn't appear he's a pain.

I've only blocked one guy. He bid 4 times on one of my auctions, retracting his bid each time with the reason "seller didn't answer question". He was incessantly peppering me with ridiculous questions that, if he had read the description, would have been asnwered - and if I didn't answer in 5 minutes (literally) he'd pull his bid.

My Heathkit tube tester, which looks brand new, has an old, musty smell to it. I think that is just the nature of some of the old equipment out there.

You should send him an email through the eBay system and tell him the tube tester stinks like hell. That will be just as effective as blocking him... just be sure that answer isn't posted on the auction for others to see.

Bad business practice to scare off customers. Especially honest, reliable ones.

That's the right way to go,Asbury's