OK, I meant to stay off ePay for awhile. But this Yamaha CR-820 looked so good, was from one of those sell-for-you-outfits, with guarantee, and didn't seem to be pushing the $3 wpc price like some receivers seem to be going for.

So, win the auction, send some packing instructions, and it arrives today in a massive box: suspended by packing peanuts so it could drift into the few loose pieces of 1-inch styrofoam sheets. Oh boy. Guess they didn't read my email about using foam blocks. Hey, maroon, ever think to use a 0.02 cent kitchen trash bag to keep styro bits from getting into the innards? Fools.

On the upside, I did have to get inside it anyway to do the usual cleaning/lubing, so got all the styro out, and it is unmolested and built like I remember Yammi does: who else uses shafts and universal joints to activate functions/switches from the face plate to a place on a circuit board? Gotta love 'em. The wooden case is mint, and the face only needs about an hour with lighter fluid to clean off the finger munge -- but no scratches or marks anywhere.

Hope it doesn't smoke my test speakers. Or I will drive to this place's front door, about three hours away, and get mid-evil on their ass: Merry 'Effin' Xmas and Happy Black & Blue New Year!

I feel so much better. Better chill before tomorrow or I might light the tree on fire just to see it burn.

I've learned my lesson about using a plastic bag, too. Early this summer I bought a DVD player from a regular at AC. He packed the unit well, using the original box. But the assmunches at UPS left the damn thing out behind my house during the only heavy rain we got that month. :no: Yep, the damn box got soaked clean thru- I had to take the lid off the player and use a hair dryer on its guts. What really chapped my butt was that they didn't leave any kind of note telling me they left it. If I hadn't emailed the guy to see when he sent it, it would probably still be sitting there now.

Ultimately I lucked out- once dry, it worked fine. But now I always wrap the inner box in a plastic bag & tape it shut and request any seller do the same.