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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Ever let go of a guitar that, at the time, seemed like the sensible thing too, but in hindsight, now appears unforgivable?
I have two such experiences. The first occurred during my early performing career. It was the very early 60's, possibly 1961 or 1962. There was this rather hillbilly family act appearing in a show we were involved with. It was a father and three sons. They played Fender guitars and the youngest played a mandolin. The dad played a Strat and the other two sons played Teles. They were personal friends with certain sales folks at Fender and had obtained a beautiful new red model to try. He didn’t like it and offered it to my father because he knew I also played. I can’t remember the asking sales price, but it was something ridiculously low. My dad turned him down because I already had a loaner. I still recall how upset I was that he didn't buy it. Jazzmasters had been introduced in 1961, so the guitar was most likely a very early Jaguar, formally released in 1962, possibly a pre-production prototype. I don't remember whether or not it had a headstock decal.
The second concerns the 1957 Gibson ES-125 3/4T I played for 10 years between 1959 and 1969. It belonged to my truck driving neighbor, who bought it new, then loaned it (accompanied by a big Gibson amp of the same era) to me on a relatively permanent basis. When I moved out of my parent’s house in June, 1969, I gave both back to him. He said I could have the entire set-up for something like $100. That was an entire month’s rent so I passed. About a year ago, I once again made contact with the neighbor and asked about the gear. He said he sold both about 6 months prior for $1500 total, and that both had been literally untouched since I had given them back to him. Argh! |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 2793
Location: Atlanta, GA. | Prof,
I hope you don't let it happen a 3rd time!!! |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I passed on a 57 M-B gullwing for $7500 in 1972. It ran just fine. |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | 1966 Black Face Fender Twin Reverb: for sale locally for $450. While is was investigating what it would cost to get it cleaned -- it sold. Should of just bought the damn thing right there.
_____
gh1 |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | I know how you feel.
In the early 70's I purchased a new Country Artist. A couple of years later I traded it in on a Balladeer which I later gave to a young lady who needed a decent guitar to play.
Flash forward to 2006. Purchased a used Country Artist for more than I paid 35 years ago for a new one.  |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I was thinking guitars and gear. Cars are another story. Some examples . . .
Removed the power seats and tires, then sold a 1958 Ford Skyliner with a perfectly working retractable top to the junkyard for $35.
Gave a complete (sans engine) 1956 Chevy Bellaire 2-door hardtop to a junkyard for them just coming to haul it away.
Passed on a pristine 1957 T-bird for $100 plus my 1947 Cadillac town car which I then sold for $1200.
Passed on a 1959 MB 190 SL with less than 25k miles for $1400. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | avanti II $2500 it needed paint and was in drive away condition. (but you know how scary that fuzzy fiberglass can be???)
64 bmw bike $2800 kick and ride....
79 moto guzzi $400 the ugliest bike I ever saw in my life and sue was in the hspt at the time very ill so I decided not to take on the project
too many guitar stories to even talk about |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 375
Location: Rocky River, Ohio | gave away a 90 collectors deep bowl #66 and an Adamas I 12 string 1688-9..
i can't even reveal what i sold the adamas for. I will get beaten at the tour.
Ernie |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Then there are the winners too.
Like trading preecher for a 57 Esquire from the original owner. I'm sure I'll go to hell for that one. And then trading his sister an Applesause 12 string for a Gibson J45, mid 70s. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | did I ever tell you about the time I bougt 4 microphones for 4 dollars?
2 neumann km84's
akg 421
akg 1000
or the UA 1176 for $10?
ot the martin oo18 for $6 with the smashed back and sides?
or the rca 77 for $15 because the guy thought it was a hand warmer?
bring an extra dobro so we can jam bill. |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | After owning cheap guitars made in the Far East for so many years, I decided to go the USA made route, as per my fruitful experience from my first Ovation purchase. At that time, I was just too naive about guitars in general (really!), and assumed that all stores carried all kinds of brands and all kinds of instruments. Of course, I learned the hard way that's not very true.
I went back to the shop where I purchased my balladeer, and asked him to special order me a Martin in either the 15 or 16 series (depending on the price). The shop owner told me that he had to be an authorized dealer, before he could sell me such an instrument, and added that I'd be better off going to GC for something like that. Before leaving however, he offered me a Gibson acoustic for $850, and he claimed that he would even waive the taxes if I paid him cash. I knew nothing about Gibsons either, except that this instrument had some wear on it (but nothing really major), with a sunburst finish, sloped shoulders and a built-in pickup. I played with it briefly, and it seemed a bit too jangly for my taste ... it felt like I was hearing more sound resonating from the strings, instead of the guitar's body.
Three days later after doing some research on the Internet, I found out that the guitar was a J-45 made in Montana, which usually retails (new) for about 1.5 grand. When I went back for it, it was gone! The shop owner told me that another gentleman bought the guitar on the spot, just hours after I left the store. Oh well... |
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Joined:
August 2004
Posts: 604
Location: Tampa, FL | In 1974 I passed on the opportunity to buy a mint '59 LP for $300. Bought a French 10 speed track bike instead :rolleyes:
Still have the bike. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by ChatMan:
In 1974 I passed on the opportunity to buy a mint '59 LP for $300. Bought a French 10 speed track bike instead
It will be hard to beat this one! |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15683
Location: SoCal | In the early 80's I passed on a condo in Mission Viejo. I was living on Balboa Island (a renter) and had the opportunity to buy a condo for $50k. My thought was "why should I buy an apartment?". I coulda sold it in '89 when I got married for $100k, or held it as a rental and today it would be worth about $400k.
I'm getting depressed just thinking about it..... |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 383
Location: Indiana | A friend of mine (who is about 55 now) back in the 60's had a Gibson EBO bass. He thought he wanted to be a bass player. Wrong. The guitar he traded for it was a Fender Tele. Probably worth a bunch now. The guitar he traded for the Tele? An original 58 Gibson Explorer. Ouch! He showed me a picture of himself playing it when he was just a kid.
Worst ones I've lost/had to sell/stolen were a 60 Jazzmaster (stolen), 65 Gibson Rev Firebird I (sold it for $400) 69 LP (sold for $250) Hofner Beatle bass ($50). Not a good time in my life.
Best deals. 60 Strat($135), 65 Gibson Rev Firebird V/Pelham Blue, all original ($200), All original 64 Rick 4001($240),and an all original 62 Fender Jazz ($260). They make my $150 Ovation Legend seem expensive. I still have all of these.
Bill |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | There was a 3/4 size Gibson Melody Maker that passed on many, many years ago. |
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The one that got away . . .
