Hello,

New to the forums and have a questions about a new goban I just received. It's a single piece Shin Kaya board and the grain is quite loose and wavy on one end of the board due to a knot on the other side

Here's a link to a photo of the board I received

This was going to be my first "nice" goban, but I am not happy with the grain--am I right in wanting a better board for the money? This looks nothing like the boards advertised on the retailer's site.

Thanks for any advice.

Hello ExMachina,
People here would be glad to offer some advice, but you make it difficult for us here.

Was it advertised 'as is'?
Could you have known about the grain before the purchase?
Where did you buy it?
How much did you pay for it? How much did shipping, handling and customs cost? Better board for which money?
The picture only shows a (very small) part of the top of the goban, making it difficult to express (personal) views.
What's your intent and your budget if you speak of a nice goban?

Best advice I can give you at the moment: express your second thoughts towards the seller and try to negotiate a return and/or refund.

Yes, sorry. I didn't want to call out the seller w/o giving them an opportunity to make it right. Suffice it to say they're a major online retailer of go equipment and I paid $240 plus shipping for a new board. The photos on the retailer's site shows a board with uniform, tight straight grain--so when I got this board today with wavy grain and not at all uniform in terms of spacing I was quite disappointed. However, if I'm being unreasonable (wood is not perfect after all) I'm open to being persuaded--part of me is not excited about having to send it back as the shipping is quite steep

EDIT: In answer to your second question, here's an example of the kind of board I was hoping to get for the money

It doesn't seem such a bad flaw, but on the other hand, it does seem like a flaw.

You don't spend $240 on a board if you just want something you can play on. You're paying for it to be pretty, too.

If you're unhappy with what you got, you should talk to the seller and see if you can't trade it in or get a partial refund or whatever else might make you feel better.

I wouldn't mind so much, myself, mostly because this sort of flaw marks off the board as unique and recognizable. But it's really about if you're satisfied, and it sounds a lot like you're not.

Thanks for the perspective.

You're right, this is not just a board to play on and I will admit that it was an impulse buy when I saw the seller's gorgeous photo (linked above).

Personally I like it, although it would be good to see it in the context of the whole board. Can you take a whole board picture, in a similar perspective to the advertised picture?

I'm not sure I'd send it back myself. $240 is plenty of cash and you deserve to get a board you like for the price but not what I'd call into high premium Go board prices. However boards are valued based on their grain so technically you have an inferior board according to established standards (as far as I understand them). The presence of a knot on the reverse gives you a better case for returning too IMO.

All that said, you should be able to return the board for whatever reason you want to if it's within the sellers returns period. If you don't like the look of that grain and it's going to ruin your enjoyment send it back and get a replacement.

_________________
I am John. John-I-Am.

Thanks. Yes, the dark brown knot (appx 2" in length) on the back of the board is really what seems to be making this too much for me to accept. Actually, the know was the first thing I saw as I took the board out of its box upside down.

The seller is being really great so I have no worries about returning the board, but he/they can make me no promises that the replacement board will be any better. I'm tempted to take the gamble and make a like-for-like exchange as I think this board must be on the lower bound of acceptability--so the odds are the next board should be better.

The picture of the goban which was offered for sale (which made you decide to buy it) definitely does not seem to be a picture of the goban you received.
Was it made clear to you on beforehand, in the advertisement, that it was not an actual picture of the specific board?
Another reason to negotiate with the seller.

The photo was a "catalog" photo so I was assuming I would receive a similar (though not identical) board.

I know that wood is not a uniform thing so I was prepared for some variation, but I found the presence of the knot to be out of the spirit of the goban which was photographed/advertised. The seller is being helpful so I'm sure I'll get a satisfactory replacement.

If you can post a whole-board photo, I'd also like to see it. That particular "flaw" is very appealing.

There's no perfection in nature, rather nature itself shows it's perfection in its imperfection...if that makes any sense . If all of the boards were the same then they'd be quite boring.

I'd have to check out the whole board before being sure, but what little I see isn't bad.

That said though. If the waviness is just in the corner, you have a unique piece of art. If it goes throughout the entire board, then I would understand why you're a bit upset, because that's not what you expected when you ordered.

It's that knot you mentioned that'd have me worried. I'd have to see more of the board though.

Wavy grain can be a virtue or a flaw, depending on perspective, but if there's a big knot in the wood, that's a clear flaw in the wood itself. Boards (in the lumber sense) are graded on quality including how knotty they are, or if they are knotty at all, and the less knots, the higher the quality and price. If you're buying quality woodwork, the expectation is that knots should be disclosed and accounted for in the price, assuming they're not used as part of a unique carving or somesuch.