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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Well, I picked up a 1759-5 CL12 off ebay. I was looking around, and there it was, an Instrument Exchange auction (Guitar Center), which I had swore off of due to earlier problems I had with them. $599 starting, no bids, 20 minutes to go... and I had to take my daughter to drivers ed. Whoever took the photos and wrote the description seemed bent on discouraging anyone from buying it. Every little flaw was detailed, and photographed in bright lighting. Against my better judgement I told my wife, "Put in the starting bid and no more, I'm sure it will go much higher.". Nope. Now I've won it, and I spend the next week looking at the pictures and expecting the worst. Lacquer missing. Dents in the top. Chips off the headstock...
So it showed up yesterday. Opened the box, well they were telling the truth about the case, it's been around the block a few times. Pieces of the exterior missing, insulating foam showing, this thing had been tossed around pretty good. Filled with dread, I open the case...
This thing is beautiful. Only one of the "flaws" they pictured was even visible without getting right on top of it. No finish checking, no bridge lift, no pick marks, no rosette damage, no top separation, pickup and Optima work great.
The sound is rich, full and well balanced, much more so than any 12 I've ever played. The action, while just a tad high for my taste, is set very well.
Inside the case I found a little bag of spare pearloid tuner buttons, and photocopies of the original sales receipt from Manny's, along with... a repair invoice from the Mothership from 2 years ago? Apparently the bridge had lifted - they repaired the top, and replaced the bridge, rosette and frets, did a setup and restrung it. No wonder the frets and the rosette look like new.
I feel like they must have photographed and described a different guitar. I am one very happy guitar player. |
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October 2005
Posts: 33
Location: vienna, west virginia | good deal! dont ya love pleasant surprises? |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Waskel....you are very, very clever. By having your wife do the bidding it automaticly becomes an authorized purchase and an offical "team" effort. We can all learn from your sterling example. |
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July 2002
Posts: 1900
| ..wow indeed!, i saw that one too and passed on it..thought it was a junker...now i'm still lookin'..
Steve |
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December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | I am vewwy, vewwy jewous! Wanna twade! |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Thank you, Brad. I hadn't looked at it that way, but now that you mention it, yes. I am very clever....
btw, my wife had a very good laugh at your post. In humor or derision, I guess it doesn't really matter.
Woodman, I'll bring it to CMS. Behave yourself and you may touch it. |
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October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | Nice score! Slick fiddle |
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June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | SWEEEEEEET! Congratulations! |
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March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Outstanding! I've got a buddy who has a left handed CL 12 (black) and having listened to it, can tell you that it's just a wonderful guitar. |
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March 2002
Posts: 389
Location: RI. That small State out East | Great find!
I'm glad to see you get it. I've had a couple of "lucky" finds myself. I guess it's to help balance out the bad ones.
Way to go.
Woz |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Nice to win one like this! |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Well...
I guess, I can congratulate you.
...whatcha gonna do with the extra six strings? |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I'll just leave em on as spares in case I break one of the important ones. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | You are a genious! I would have told my wife to take the daughter to driver's ed so I could stay home and bid on the guitar. Then she'd have been doubly pissed when she got back and found out I one it. You got your wife to do the crime while you were being the good dad.
I thought I wouldn't get in as much trouble if my daughters participated, but I never thought of implicating my wife. I got away with buying my daughter a guitar last night, and my wife didn't even complain that I didn't give her one of mine. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Probably the first time having a wife that doesn't drive paid off. |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | BEAUTIFUL GUITAR
This story has destroyed my 12 string GAS program to avoid redescending into the hell of uncontrolled imbibing of the elixer of bidding on 12 strings late at night in some "ungodly hall".
"They say he wanted 12 strings
"but waiting was too slow
"so he bought a ticket
"on an airline made of snow
(Snow Blind, Hoyt Axton)
Forgive me Hoyt Axton (I met him at a festival in San Diego where he was playing when one of my alcohol impaired bandmates walked up to this stocky, short guy and said "I hear Hoyt Axton is around here somewhere, you seen him??"
He answered "That's me buddy." and walked away in disgust. Obviously, I don't have a Hoyt Axton autograph but I do know what he looked like up close.
Bailey |
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March 2005
Posts: 2791
Location: Atlanta, GA. | Nice find Waskel.
Speaking of Hoyt Axton... TRIVIA TIME!!!
Who will be the first to name the VERY popular song his Mother wrote? |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | DOH!
Well, since my baby left me,
I found a new place to dwell.
It’s down at the end of lonely street
At heartbreak hotel. |
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March 2005
Posts: 2791
Location: Atlanta, GA. | wudn't that fun??? |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Reiterate: Beautiful giutar!!
More Axton trivia:
Mae Axton was very involved with getting a young Willie Nelson to Nashville after she met him and heard some of his songs he had written when he worked as a disk jockey.
I think "Family Bible" was her motivation. Whatever, she encouraged and helped him a great deal. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Well, I used it for church Sunday. The sound just filled the room, even before I plugged it in. I now know why the Optima is so popular. Beautiful, rich acoustic sound, best low end I've ever heard from a 12.
Forgot to mention on the original post. Whoever shipped it failed to loosen the strings. I took it out of the box it came across the country in, FedEx ground, and strummed it. Still in perfect tune...
The only problem is me - having to adjust my technique to accomodate the deep body without my right arm going numb while sitting. I was also surprised at how much heavier this is than my LX's. No matter - I'll get used to it. This one's a keeper. Time to sell my 1866 now. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | K-bar is weighs more.
Older bowl material weighs more.
Come on Waskel....spend a little time at the gym! |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I know, I know... I didn't say it was too heavy... I'm just spoiled by the newer ones. |
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July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Plus it's a 12-string......my ME 12-string is the heaviest guitar I own.
Roger |
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Wow
