Why does this post keep disappearing?

[hearpe]

I’m weeping more now, just hearing of David Cassidy passing….

[evolene_t]

Oh dear… Hearpe, I am so very sorry!

Definitely keep us informed if you manage to salvage it or file a complaint!
(I myself am spreading the word to make sure more people are aware of this terrible website).

[interested]

I would like to hear whether you got any resolution of this scam. I think this is a problem that concerns all of us. I have been reading a lot of harp ads for a while, shopping for that perfect instrument for my younger daughter. Just in the last month or so I have noticed a change in the ebay ads. Whereas previously there were basically two styles of harps from Pakistan – the ones that look like the Mikel and the carved ones that look like the Roosebeck – suddenly there are lots of ads that look like other harps. I have especially noticed the Camac ones and a LH Prelude look alike. Some of the Camac ones have words like Camac-back, or Ca Mac, and pictures that even include the logo – clearly pictures stolen from an actual Camac site. But they say shipped from Pakistan, or some say located in UK or Ireland, but then they say manufactured in Pakistan.

Except for being sad for your loss, I am actually glad to hear that the scam harp does not really look like a Camac. I was worried that the used market in the future would be sprinkled with look-alikes that were not the real thing, but we would have a hard time telling what was and wasn’t authentic. If they look like yours, this shouldn’t be such a problem.

Deciding to buy a Mikel or Roosebeck is one thing. Being misled by a picture of another brand is another. I hope you get your money back, and I hope that the harp companies work together to stop the false advertising.

Yes, it is easy to say go into a real harp shop and buy from a real person who knows harps. This may be easy if you live near the coasts or Chicago. It isn’t easy at all where I live. A 12 hour drive to visit a harp shop is not that easy, and I am reduced to shopping online. Phone calls do help, and I can buy through a reputable music store. It would be nice to be able to trust ebay or craigslist ads – at least that the pictures are photos of what you will get. We do have to read the fine print carefully, and now we all know that someone in Pakistan is making fake harps.

[Biagio]

Unfortunately in the used harp market there are as many scammers as for any other commodity; perhaps more as there are also potential victims who are not prepared to evaluate the advertisements. Here are a few rules of thumb that might be helpful:

-If a deal looks too good to be true it probably is
-Do not fall for a picture alone: “pretty” does not mean “good”
-If you have little knowledge about what makes a good harp, enlist the aid of some one who does
-By the same token shop for a teacher before shopping for the harp
-If you cannot find a teacher in your area, consider those who teach via Skype or similar
-Do your due diligence and research and ask questions here, on the Harplist, Virtual Harp Circle, and other harp forums
-Consider renting a harp before buying one

Good luck,
Biagio

[balfour-knight]

So glad you are supposed to be getting a refund! This has been quite a struggle for you, I know. Best wishes for the future.

[hearpe]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Rosewood-27-String-Lever-Celtic-Style-harp/272958826244?hash=item3f8d9d2704:g:~fgAAOSwehZaFBMU

This ad is now appearing on ebay, and others in several colors

I cringe because, although they are not using the name brand “Camac” it is still the same image of the very same Camac harps- it is the same angle and size and camac in every detail- with COLOR CORRECTION now. They’ve varied the colors on the same image. The point of origin is the same state in Pakistan.

If they built a decent copy and took their own pictures and put up more specifics- they might fill a market niche at a lower price. I doubt that this ad represents such a product it seems to depict. At one point -, my vendor had raised his Scamac harp up to full Camac Bardic 27 retail over $1500, but has since lowered it down to $950 – still more than I paid him and the very same harp- color and all- is in an ad on ebay for $370 delivered- and not worth that because of defects.

In short my critique of the harp that disappeared when I tried to correct typos, the harp they sent- different across the neck in width and angle. The main problem with the design- aside from the rotted materials used in shoddy construction- is that the sides of the sound box are twice as wide as Camac appears- the wood is a full 1/2″ or more in thickness which ads a lot of weight and cuts volume and resonance. A lighter harp would be less shipping cost and better sounding, yet they don’t seem to get the acoustical concepts here.

Certainly not any moral ones.

[hearpe]

So “Amac Boy” pictured earlier is GONE- sorry George- not terribly!

Vendor boy has lied to me through and through= now no refund- after lying about shipping earlier-

and now Paypal is dragging their feet although I fulfill several conditions for their buyer protection- Item not as described or pictured- as if it’s just some mistake! and not an elaborate internet scam- And DAMAGE- two cracks on the harp. The site is still there- I can’t get a response from them acknowledging my problem even after over an hour on the phone- mostly on hold- last week.

The harp is now priced at $950 after rising at one point before delivery to $1520- FULL CAMAC RETAIl. The Not-even -a- copy harp I was delivered is still on ebay for $370 DELIVERED- half of what I paid and I’d send it back at that price and be covered on ebay- cause this is not only a piece of junk- it is a biohazard I have to keep in a closet- it reeks! Rotting wood.

I hate to play the race card- but this is seeming more and more to me like a hateful anti-gay evil swindle by the neo-hateful right here. (I am transgendered- since 1984 in fact and although I’ve never considered myself a gay man at any time in my life- I am required to be for the political correctness of fascists and their code red troops) I have doubts about the identity of the vendor now- this is all an elaborate plot to Dump on me- it’s like they found the worst defective harp that was ever made and sent that to me. I’m not through yet, but very very frustrated by this, and glad that Amac boy is sulking his way back home in Alabama at least. Strange post? maybe- sue me. How bout you just call me a drama queen as the angry mob draws it’s blood. Wouldn’t be the first time, for anyone like me.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by hearpe.

[Harp Column Staff]

Hi all, it’s the Harp Column team here. We’ve opted not to weigh in on this post thus far, since it contains some useful information about avoiding scams. However, we’d like to offer a gentle reminder of our terms of use and ask that your comments stay on topic and harp related. Since this post has now run its course, we’re going to close it to new comments.

We also want to make users aware that we have anti-spam software in place that blocks posts it deems questionable. This is why posts sometimes disappear. If you feel you were affected in error, you can always email us directly with your concerns, or try rewording your comments using more neutral language.

Thanks for helping us make the Harp Column forums a productive and informative harp resource!

[Author]

Posts