Anyone with any knowledge of drums can make anything sound good. An 8" tom is usally tuned high, so there should be no problem getting the right sound. I think you're buyer just has buyers remorse. With that being said, I would give him a full refund, since it's your reputation as a drum builder that's at stake. Just my opinion.Violin

I have had many a customer with buyers remorse and had to refund , the problem is like most here we live to pay bills and once recieved it's hard to get the doe to refund them , been there done that, but the up side is after 2 refunds for the same drum 2 different people for very minor flaws I sold the drum 3 weeks later for 1/3 more and happy customer ! so hang in There , it will sell they always do maybe for more if your lucky....

That's a tough situation to be in. I would just try to make him happy and never do business again with him unless he paid money up-front (non-refundable). I believe many companies require money up-front before they do custom work.

Hopefully you can get some money out of the drum elsewhere.

Yea the issue at the moment is just getting the money to be able to send back to him for the return of the drum. I just decided it would easier to do a refund and call it a day. Future reference when I do a custom drum, as long as I have made it to the specs given, sound is out of my hands. Honestly if the drum sounded as bad as he said I would have never sent it his way and would have said. But this is why I went with a refund, could go back and forth and go nowhere fast. Ah well, business life I suppose.

On another note - ( and this has become a serious issue with me as of late) is do I ask for a form of deposit when someone wants me to hold a drum set for them? A few times now I've been nice and said I would hold a kit for someone, turned down an actual sale from another buyer because I honor my word, and then the person I hold said drums for bails last minute. I don't want to be rude, but at this point if I am going to refuse another sale based on holding drums for you, you need to deposit money or they can't be held. Few times I've honestly been counting on the money for bills,supplies,etc... only to get nothing.

Hold a drumkit on someone's word? Laughing H

I never do that. Been burned too many times. Deposit....non-refundable if they decide to back out.....ALWAYS.

This way, let both parties know. The one with all the cash in hand should be told you already have a deposit on it, and need to talk to the person who gave you that deposit. Then tell the person that put the deposit on them that has yet to pull the trigger that you have another interested party that has ALL the cash in hand. Let them make the decision for you. If they hem & haw still, remind them that you are running a business and you can't keep them around forever on their word. Then if they still give you some excuse, talk to the party with all the cash and ask if they are still interested. If they are, take the money from them and sell them the kit and keep the deposit from the other party for your time & aggravation. Then let the party that left the deposit that the kit sold to someone else and thank them politely for wasting your time. Keep the deposit no matter what. It'll be a life lesson for them, instead of a bad business deal for you. Non-refundable is non-refundable period.

I think a restocking fee is in order for future sales ...

Absolutely. It doesn't make sense to hold an item without a non-refundable deposit- especially with musicians. If they're not willing to leave a deposit they're likely not serious anyway.

Agreed. :2Cents:

Yes Sir:cool:

You guys as you all know are seriously the best.

So I was telling a friend about asking a restocking fee / non refundable deposit for items. He said if I did that I would be alienating potential repeat customers. I'm not sure that I see how exactly. Chances are if you dislike the policy you won't shop to begin with. But the people I see having an issue with that are people who would back out. Anyone who is planning on going ahead with a purchase probably wouldn't mind a non refundable deposit or restocking fee because they know they won't need to worry about it.