Good advice above. A tip - I'm very surprised that a shop would make a simple volume potentiometer replacement into a "big deal". It's a simple and very common repair - virtually normal maintenance of a guitar. The larger chains like Sam Ash or Guitar Center sell volume pots cheap.

You have no action against the seller, but I have to wonder who is more dishonest here... the seller or the store that said it was a major repair.

sorry but yard sale items & craig's list items are buyer beware. you need to fully check out everything before you part with your money to make sure it's in working order. anytime someone is pressuring you to speed up the sale that's your cue that something is off & you should not go through with the sale.

you're going to have to put this one down as a "lessons learned from the school of hard knocks."

edit:

you could try to sue them in small claims court but it's iffy if you will win & even if you do win, it's iffy if you can make the other person give you your money back. but that is one option that is open to you if you can't get them to respond.

You should have met him with the guitar and tested it out before buying. Whether Craigslist or classified ad or anywhere, you dont buy until you try. There is no legal recourse when you buy from a private party. You should have bought from a guitar shop.

You bought an item "as is", so you have no legal recourse...

An entire volume knob & pot is hardly expensive, just have little brother fix it...he might learn something...

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu...

You have no basis for any action.

The other day I bought a guitar off of craigslist for a hefty sum of cash. The seller had posted several items in the ad, made no mention of any defect. They said it worked well.

While texting them, they informed me the volume knob had broken off but that it was an easy fix and could just be glued on. When I went to pick it up, they made me wait for 10 minutes in the pouring rain and rushed me through the transaction. And of course, I didn't want it being damaged in the rain, and I was soaking wet, so I was eager to get it in my car and move along.

Took it home, the volume knob wouldn't even turn. Took it to a guitar shop and they said it was broken, and wouldn't be a cheap or easy fix.

I know where they live, their first name and phone number. I'm incredibly irked by this as it was a gift for my little brother and now I don't have any money to buy him another gift. The seller won't respond to my calls or texts. Is there any legal action I can take? Or can you recommend another course of action?

Thanks in advance! I'll be choosing the best answer