I'm just contemplating here just how much I regret selling musical instruments -for example -at a time when cash was short(1971) I sold a Wheatstone concertina for £15. At the time I had paid £5 for it and thought I had a good deal but knowing what I know now........
I also sold a wooden "D" flute for £30 because I could'nt play it the way I thought I could -bad move!
Since then I almost always keep all other instruments that I've bought much to my wife's annoyance (and the neighbours!)
Any other horror stories out there or conversely what's been your best deal? (Apart from the guy that got my Wheatstone!)
Alan
I sold a piano accordion that I'd had since 1959 at a garage sale for $25 after doing nothing with it for decades except carrying it around when I moved and storing it in closets between moves, also a viola for about the same price (which I paid several times more for, but it didn't come with a case or a bow, and it was hard to play it with my violin bow, so it mostly it sat around collecting dust). I have another viola now, but it's not as nice (though I paid more for it than the first one, but at least I got a case & bow in the deal). Even though I have no desire to play the accordion, I kind of miss it; the straps were sort of molded to fit my body, and it seemed like part of me. I also had a mandolin with a neck that was bent out of shape or something, never played right, and the cat knocked it off the bookshelf and broke the neck, so it also got sold at a garage sale for a pittance, but now I have a mandolin banjo that plays right that like a lot better. The good news is, I've had the same handmade violin since 1975, and it still sounds and plays great without ever having much of any work done to it.
Regrets, yeah. But there's not much point in wasting time with them. Gotta move on.
You are not alone. I, too, refuse to sell my musical instruments regardless of whether or not I am currently using them, thanks to one major regretful decision. I am referring to an instrument not related to ITM, hope you don't mind.
In 1974 I purchased a mid-sixties Gretsch Double Anniversary electric guitar for $135.00. Nobody wanted that type of a guitar at that time.....but I did! If I remember correctly, it was mint.
A few years later, I sold it to a friend of mine for the same price that I paid for it. Why did I sell it? I think it was because I wanted a Gretsch with FilterTron pickups rather than the HiLoTron pickups that mine had. Also, it didn't have a Bigsby vibrato.
Well, I never did get that Gretsch with the FilterTrons. (yet) Looking back now, I never would have sold that guitar....for two reasons mainly.
One: I underestimated those pickups. They are great sounding in their own way.....actually, any pickup on a Gretsch (of the four types they used) sounds great! As far as the Bigsby, I could have installed one, probably without altering anything or drilling any holes. (I've since done this on other guitars).
Two: The price of an old Gretsch today is very expensive. The price of a NEW Gretsch today is very expensive. And I believe the new ones are made in Korea. And now that (Fender?) bought them out, who knows what will happen.
Anyway, always regret selling that guitar. BTW, my friend sold it some years back. Maybe one of you have it......?
A elderly couple near where I live were having a moving sale and the woman was selling a mandolin for $150 dollars . I said I would by it, will you take a check? "No, cash only."
I said "OK. I'll bring cash home from town after I finish work." They agreed, and at the end of the day, I swung by with the cash. The woman had changed her mind, and decided she couldn't part with her father's old mandolin for sentimental reasons.
If I had only run to town and immediately come back with the cash I would be holding the Gibson A-4 that I now only dream about.
A friend of mine sold a 5-string banjo he'd had made for him, when he was really strapped for cash. It has his nickname, 'Lizard', in inlay down the fretboard. He hopes it will come back to him one day...
If anyone knows the owner, and he/she wants to sell it, let me know!
I was at a large flea market and I strayed across a beautiful looking and sounding instrument. The guy was asking only $200. The fingerboard was split under the E string. I have learned a lesson. Fingerboards are cheap when you compare it to an instrument that sounds like 15 grand. Too bad I learned the lesson after the instrument was gone.
well,David, you could have had it if i had known you then.
you would have got a cheap and heavy east german instrument with a neck warped beyond repair so that you could either have open 5ths or octaves almost but not quite in tune and not both at the same time.
a really lovely sound...haha!
About 40 years ago some guy put his fiddle in the "pot" in a poker game. My Dad ended up the winner that night. He tried to play for a bit then it hung in the basement for about 30 years until I decided I could play it. A few fix ups and some TLC and it's a fine, 200 year old instrument with a lovely sweet tone. Not sure if it was the same guy but my Dad also won a pump organ and a piano... I figure the lesson is know what kind of instrument you have before you play cards with my Dad. Regrets.... I regret waiting so long to decide I could play it and I regret not being able to play it better.... oh well, give me time.
Regrets (I've had a few)
Regrets (I've had a few)
I'm just contemplating here just how much I regret selling musical instruments -for example -at a time when cash was short(1971) I sold a Wheatstone concertina for £15. At the time I had paid £5 for it and thought I had a good deal but knowing what I know now........
I also sold a wooden "D" flute for £30 because I could'nt play it the way I thought I could -bad move!
Since then I almost always keep all other instruments that I've bought much to my wife's annoyance (and the neighbours!)
Any other horror stories out there or conversely what's been your best deal? (Apart from the guy that got my Wheatstone!)
Alan
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by Alanmmcgregor
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
I sold a piano accordion that I'd had since 1959 at a garage sale for $25 after doing nothing with it for decades except carrying it around when I moved and storing it in closets between moves, also a viola for about the same price (which I paid several times more for, but it didn't come with a case or a bow, and it was hard to play it with my violin bow, so it mostly it sat around collecting dust). I have another viola now, but it's not as nice (though I paid more for it than the first one, but at least I got a case & bow in the deal). Even though I have no desire to play the accordion, I kind of miss it; the straps were sort of molded to fit my body, and it seemed like part of me. I also had a mandolin with a neck that was bent out of shape or something, never played right, and the cat knocked it off the bookshelf and broke the neck, so it also got sold at a garage sale for a pittance, but now I have a mandolin banjo that plays right that like a lot better. The good news is, I've had the same handmade violin since 1975, and it still sounds and plays great without ever having much of any work done to it.
Regrets, yeah. But there's not much point in wasting time with them. Gotta move on.
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by carolsviolin
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
You are not alone. I, too, refuse to sell my musical instruments regardless of whether or not I am currently using them, thanks to one major regretful decision. I am referring to an instrument not related to ITM, hope you don't mind.
In 1974 I purchased a mid-sixties Gretsch Double Anniversary electric guitar for $135.00. Nobody wanted that type of a guitar at that time.....but I did! If I remember correctly, it was mint.
A few years later, I sold it to a friend of mine for the same price that I paid for it. Why did I sell it? I think it was because I wanted a Gretsch with FilterTron pickups rather than the HiLoTron pickups that mine had. Also, it didn't have a Bigsby vibrato.
Well, I never did get that Gretsch with the FilterTrons. (yet) Looking back now, I never would have sold that guitar....for two reasons mainly.
One: I underestimated those pickups. They are great sounding in their own way.....actually, any pickup on a Gretsch (of the four types they used) sounds great! As far as the Bigsby, I could have installed one, probably without altering anything or drilling any holes. (I've since done this on other guitars).
Two: The price of an old Gretsch today is very expensive. The price of a NEW Gretsch today is very expensive. And I believe the new ones are made in Korea. And now that (Fender?) bought them out, who knows what will happen.
Anyway, always regret selling that guitar. BTW, my friend sold it some years back. Maybe one of you have it......?
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by blowfly
Regrets (The one that got away)
A elderly couple near where I live were having a moving sale and the woman was selling a mandolin for $150 dollars . I said I would by it, will you take a check? "No, cash only."
I said "OK. I'll bring cash home from town after I finish work." They agreed, and at the end of the day, I swung by with the cash. The woman had changed her mind, and decided she couldn't part with her father's old mandolin for sentimental reasons.
If I had only run to town and immediately come back with the cash I would be holding the Gibson A-4 that I now only dream about.
That's my regret!
Bob
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by Laughtonb
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
15 years ago I sold my tenor banjo. Regrets? Ha
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by llig leahcim
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
A friend of mine sold a 5-string banjo he'd had made for him, when he was really strapped for cash. It has his nickname, 'Lizard', in inlay down the fretboard. He hopes it will come back to him one day...
If anyone knows the owner, and he/she wants to sell it, let me know!
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by Nell
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
Je ne regrette rien ...
Well, someone had to say it, I suppose.
trevor
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by lazyhound
Re: no regrets
well,about ten years ago i put a box of firelighters under my tenor banjo and scattered the ashes in the thames.
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by biggus dave
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
Why didn't you just give it to me?
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by ragaman
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
Anybody want to buy my 1971 Gibson EBO bass?
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by Nell
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
I was at a large flea market and I strayed across a beautiful looking and sounding instrument. The guy was asking only $200. The fingerboard was split under the E string. I have learned a lesson. Fingerboards are cheap when you compare it to an instrument that sounds like 15 grand. Too bad I learned the lesson after the instrument was gone.
Mark
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by Mark Cordova
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
well,David, you could have had it if i had known you then.
you would have got a cheap and heavy east german instrument with a neck warped beyond repair so that you could either have open 5ths or octaves almost but not quite in tune and not both at the same time.
a really lovely sound...haha!
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by biggus dave
Re: Regrets (I've had a few)
About 40 years ago some guy put his fiddle in the "pot" in a poker game. My Dad ended up the winner that night. He tried to play for a bit then it hung in the basement for about 30 years until I decided I could play it. A few fix ups and some TLC and it's a fine, 200 year old instrument with a lovely sweet tone. Not sure if it was the same guy but my Dad also won a pump organ and a piano... I figure the lesson is know what kind of instrument you have before you play cards with my Dad. Regrets.... I regret waiting so long to decide I could play it and I regret not being able to play it better.... oh well, give me time.
# Posted on December 10th 2002 by ANNY