What was the "One That Got Away" in your life?

[Mr. Loar]

I've had many instruments that I passed up or sold that I wish I could get back.

[Glassweb]

those would be the times i passed on the "Red Loar" owned by Mr. Garris and also one of the 2 known "unsigned Fern Loars"... those being a couple of varnished Ferns with Loar appointments from 1925...

[Steve Ostrander]

Last year a co-worker of mine who knew that I played the mandolin told me that his father had a Gibson mandolin, and did I want to see it? He graciously offered to let me borrow it for a weekend. It was a 1921 Gibson A4, mostly original, good condition. When I returned it, I asked if his father wanted to sell it. Even though his dad didn't play anymore, he wasn't ready to sell it.

My friend offered to sell it to me when his father passed on, which happened last month. When he went to dig the A4 out of the closet, it was gone. Turns out his mother, who has Alzheimer's, sold the A4, a fiddle, and a Peavey KB 300 amp to an auction house for (insert sobbing here) THREE HUNDRED BUCKS.

Dissapointed doesn't begin to describe how I feel. I was very excited to be able to own that A4. My friend had offered it to me for a very reasonable price, but for a lot more than $300.

Obviously I'm sick about it, and so is my friend, but the mando is long gone. I've suggested legal action against the auctioneer for renumeration, but I don't believe it will happen.

[Eddie Sheehy]

There was an estate auction in Pasadena recently - saw the ad on Craigslist of all places. 3 mandos - a L&H style A and a Gibson F4 and a H&O bowlback. I was just too lazy to go - I have no idea what they went for but I cudda, shudda, wudda. I just can't let it go.....

[Dave Greenspoon]

Believe it or not, it was a standard, simple Washburn sunburst F-5 that a local music store was selling used for $300. I put a down on it, took it home and played it for two days. It needed some slight fret work, and came with no case. I figured I didn't want to put more money into it, and ended up spending a good bit more anyway for the MK F-4. When I expressed my regret for not taking it, the guy I was taking lessons from at the store expressed his own similar regret.

[Terry Braund]

I passed up this beautiful Kettler a number of years ago and have thought about it ever since.

[Bob A]

A mint condition Gibson L-00 for $400, long before I realised what it was.
A D'Angelico 2 point. Didn't care for the sound, pretty muffled, but it's worth 20-30 times what I would have had to pay for it today.
One of what? maybe three D'Aquisto mandolins, a 2-point.

Actually the Gibson is the only one that really nags at me.

[jim simpson]

"I passed up this beautiful Kettler a number of years ago ..." Terry Braund

A Kettler is what I passed up as well (poor timing - no funds), fortunately I recommended it to a friend who has kept it now for many years and would not part with it. It was rather plain looking but what a sound!

[Rick Jones]

For me it was a mid-60's Fender LTD hand-carved archtop guitar. A rare bird, for sure; made by one guy in the back of the shop, he built about 60 or 70 over about a 10-year run. They listed at $1500 back then. It was just a few years old when I bought it for $625. I played it about three years, sold it for $1500 and was happy. Kicked myself daily ever since; it was a lovely thing. I recently saw one listed online at a store on the west coast somewhere for $22,500. Siggghhhhh .....

[Steve Ostrander]

Oh, we're not limited to mandos here? Well, then, add 2 more:
1968 Gibson SG Standard (eat your heart out Angus Young) sold it to get a 1968 Rickenbacker 4001stereo bass, purple with checkered binding--one-of-a-kind and beautiful. Sold it for $300. Shoulda kept them both.

[dchilds]

There was an Arrow mando listed in the classifieds here that lived 20 miles from my house. I wasn't playing much jazz at the time, but I am now. I know that mando is very well suited for the task, even though I still love the Collings MT2 I ended up buying. I regret not at least driving over and playing the thing.

[Joshua]

I've been waiting for a thread like this. Mine was a Sumi F5, one made with that 300+ year old spruce he keeps around. It was simply the best sounding mandolin I have ever heard, I've seen prettier mando's but never this kind of tone. The sound on this one could punch through a brick wall. They had it at buffalo bros. in Carlsbad, CA and I decided to think about it for a couple days before spending a couple thousand, not the kind of money I could really spend at that time. Four days later when I went to purchase it... GONE. So much regret on that one.

[allenhopkins]

Gibson F-7. Eldon Stutzman wanted to sell it to me, with a trade of the 1920 F-2 I had then. I said, "No, has to be an F-5." I'm not disappointed in the '54 F-5 I own, but the value of the F-7 has leapt 'way beyond, and the rarity of the F-7 has eclipsed any benefit I might get from the longer neck etc. Wish I had the choice to make again.

[Stephen Lind]

one?
don't get me started:grin:

[Michael Lewis]

You folks are wallowing in indulgence:)), and I'm sure we all have similar tales to tell. I just let go of it all because there is nothing I can do about it now.:crying:

I spend my time looking forward, not back. Also, I can make nicer instruments than the ones that passed through my fingers.~o)

[Ivan Kelsall]

A pre-war (1936) Gibson TB-6 Mastertone 5-string conversion,with the original TB neck still in the case. It was for sale at Owensboro in 1992 for £3,500. It was a bit sort of 'beat up' but still immensely playable & rang like a bell.No one was bothering with it until i played it,then they were queing up for it. It was sold later that day. I had the cash to buy it at that time,but didn't. Of the
100's of Banjos i've played over 45 years,that one was by far the best,even with the rusty strings,
Saska :(

[billkilpatrick]

fifty-years ago
new york pawn shop mandolin
- i didn't get it

... a small, guitar-shaped mandolin (mandoletto?) smothered in mother-of-pearl - glimpsed once and never forgotten. probably wouldn't have sounded all that great but it was beautiful.

[mrmando]

Her name was Rachel, and she moved like a gazelle ... Oh, it's INSTRUMENTS we're talking about.

I've run across two instruments that made everyone in the room stop what they were doing and listen when I played them. One was a 17-inch blonde Giovanni Rosadoni viola at a live auction ... it went for somewheres between $1K and $2K, more than my starving student budget would allow at the time. That viola might still be bouncing around Seattle ... I did see it again at Hammond Ashley, a local violin shop, with an $8K price tag on it if memory serves. The other is a Fletcher Brock K5 mandocello that Fletcher eventually sold to Petri Hakala.

[John Rosett]

The 1985 Flatiron A5 Artist that I won in the Frets magazine giveaway. I gave in to scroll fever in 2003, and sold it. I sure wish I had it back, and if anyone knows where it is, let me know.

[danb]

I missed an orange 3pt torch & wire almost 8 years ago, and it took me another 6 years to find one as nice.

[Bill Van Liere]

Having known Mike Kemnitzer for a long time I passed on purchasing one from him when they were really affordable. I was in a situation where I needed an instrument now and did not have time to wait so I purchased a Flatiron F-5 Master instead for about the same price in retrospect.

[AlanN]

Having known Mike Kemnitzer for a long time I passed on purchasing one from him when they were really affordable.

Ouch

[Jim Garber]

You folks are wallowing in indulgence:)), and I'm sure we all have similar tales to tell. I just let go of it all because there is nothing I can do about it now.:crying:

I spend my time looking forward, not back. Also, I can make nicer instruments than the ones that passed through my fingers.~o)

Ah, a moment of sanity... now back to our regularly scheduled program.

I actually can't think of any that I do regret selling. This is, for me, really catch and release. I have had so many instruments come thru my hands, I keep the ones that I truly love and let go of the others that don't move me. That way I also have money to repair the ones that I do love.

[TLaboski]

My grandfather's aunt's early 1900s Vega cylinderback. It's sitting in my aunt's basement in the original case with some good ole black diamond strings. Alas, she will not give it up even with an offer of $.

[Steve Perry]

Oh, we're not limited to mandos here? Well, then, add 2 more:
1968 Gibson SG Standard (eat your heart out Angus Young) sold it to get a 1968 Rickenbacker 4001stereo bass, purple with checkered binding--one-of-a-kind and beautiful. Sold it for $300. Shoulda kept them both.

At least you got something decent for yours!:)

In '72 I traded a '68 SG Jr and the little Gibson amp (Fender Princeton equivalent) + $125 for a Dixon plywood copy of a Gibson Hummingbird.:redface:

[Jim Hilburn]

In '75 I bought Ome #2 A-style from their shop in Boulder for $600. It was made by Mike Kemnitzer at about the same time he was building Tim O'Brien's A.
He made the first 3 mandolins for Ome. This was the first one to have one of his vine and flower inlays and it was a crusher.
When I finished making my first mandolin in '80 I decided I didn't need it anymore and sold it for $700. Bad idea. I even had it offered back to me at a new higher price but I passed on it then also. No idea where it ended up.

[mandopete]

The 1985 Flatiron A5 Artist that I won in the Frets magazine giveaway.

I know what you mean. When I first started playing mandolin I tried out a Flatiron A-5 that was at Dusty Strings in Seattle selling for something like a mere $1,000. Needless to say I didn't buy it, but a friend of mine did.

A couple of years later when I learned two or three chords I had a chance to play it at a jam session and I wore out the strings. To this day I still feel like I missed a bargain on that one.

[Bill Van Liere]

Thanks Jim, now I don't feel quite so bad.

There was actually a second time I passed on a Nugget when in about 1988 a freind asked me to buy out his spot on Mike's wating list for a two point mandolin. Again, I was broke and had young kids at home to care for. Oh well.

[Rroyd]

Well, there were the 2 H5 Gibsons with some guy's name written inside that I passed up many years ago for $500 each.

[lenf12]

I also hate to wallow in the indulgences of the past as Michael said. I do regret passing on a deal at a Cincinnati pawn shop about 15 years ago. For $3K I could have had both a 80's vintage Gilchrist F-5 and a late 50's vintage Martin D-18. The Gil must have been hanging on the wall with corroded strings for many months because it sounded truely awful (who knew that mandolins needed to be woken up??). There was a Sigma (PacRim) F-5in the shop that sounded much better by comparison. The Martin was OK but I'm not a dreadnaught kinda guy. I had the money back then (not so anymore) but passed on this deal.

Also, in a time of pretty severe financial need 6 or 7 years ago, I sold (to Dennis in OH iirc) a fantastic sounding, Bruce Weber signed F-5G. She was a very, very nice mandolin. C'est la vie!!! I am very happy with what I have today.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Robblegrass]

I bought a Kentucky Dawg in '84. I played it for 17 years and somehow just ended up with nicer mandos. Darn MAS. So I sold it to one of my students. Dang.
Rob Baker
'00 D2-H
'02 MF5
'04 Wiens F5 varnish

[AlanN]

In 1993, I ordered a Monteleone GA from the builder, at the committed price of $4,500. 3 years later, the mandolin arrived. Sonically, it was a disappointment to me and three months later, I sold it to Tommy Comeaux for $7,000 (with a Pag case).

Shoulda, coulda, woulda...

[fatt-dad]

When I first joined mandolincafe.com, I saw a thread about Stiver mandolins. I wanted to learn more about them so I googled for Stiver mandolins and found a hit - an auction house had one on the block with an extimated price of $700 to $900. I called the auction house and placed a phone bid for $765.00 and won it!! I received the mandolin, sent it to Lou Stiver and he got it running perfect. I mean a beautiful mandolin - A style and LOUD!

Sold it to a guy (right here on the cafe) who's owned many Stivers. He now uses my old A as his #1 mandolin. It was a great box. Even though I made some money on it, I should have kept it. The only reason I sold it was to fund the purchase of an F-style mandolin, which I've since sold.

That said, I'm still real glad I never sold my Flatiron A5-1.

f-d

[tree]

A 1970 Fender Bandmaster, but in my own defense that dadgum cabinet took up the entire back seat.

A '73 Tele, but I lived with it for 20 years and it's sale funded a nice H & D 14-fret DS. :grin:

[Paul Kotapish]

1936 Martin 000-18. Fabulous guitar. I sold it to a friend for $600 in 1978 when I was broke. She still has it, and I'm still trying to get it back.

1931 Martin C-2, rosewood archtop with round soundhole. One of the most underappreciated Martin guitars out there. It was loud, projected like crazy, and was a perfect cross between a flattop and an archtop. Most of these have been converted to flattops, but this one was fabulous.

1921 Gibson F-4. Fantastic. Had a G string that could knock over an elephant.

There have been some other great instruments that I passed along over the years (several D-28s, a canon D-21, a lovely Stan Miller rosewood F, a killer Flatiron A-5, a remarkably good Gibson A-50), but those three are the only ones I really regret letting go.

[Capt. E]

Might end up being that prototype Jade that was on Ebay for a buy-it-now of $650.00

Actually, it was the all original 1965 Fender Stratocaster in a pawn shop with $180 on it. The nameplate had fallen off and I didn't recognize it for what it was. A friend of mine did and bought it the next day.

[El Rey del Mando]

In 1979,I could have had Gordon Titcombs Loar for $4,500. I had about 3K to my name and the rest is history.

John

[sprucetop1]

There were 2 here in the UK

i) in 1964, I bought a 1927 Gibson Granada no hole archtop tenor banjo for £40 and sold it 6 months later for £45..........

ii) in 1965 I arranged to view a Loar F5 .....the vendor was asking £75 and I never even turned up for the appointment.........

[Dan Adams]

Martin D-76 in a small music store in Sterling, CO for $1,000.00. A lot of money at the time, and I don't play much guitar, so it didn't seem like a investment at the time. Dan

[D C Blood]

Here we go again...open old, sad memories.
1. Had a choice of two Loars to choose from, one w/virzi, one w/o, $1200..had the money, had a better sounding mando...passed on them...
2. Letting go of the aforementioned "better sounding mandolin", John Duffey's converted F-7.
3. Letting go of a Paganoni, John built for me in 1971...sold it for $600 in 1975 to pay rent...
4. Letting go of a 1968 D-45, trading it for a b@%#o...

I'm sure there's more but I'm crying too hard and I can't think of them...:crying:

[El Rey del Mando]

[4. Letting go of a 1968 D-45, trading it for a b@%#o...

You can say the word banjo DC. It's ok with me.;)

John

[Mandobar]

i was talking to someone today and describing what is in my mando closet right now and i truly feel blessed. there was only one mando that i chased for several years. it was the 3 point oval hole F style Brentrup mando- blackface beauty, that i passed on twice before seeing it listed at the Music Emporium. i still remember the day that i ran into that store and asked them to put it in the case while the mr. handed over the funds. we were in and out of there in a matter of 10 minutes with joe caruso asking me if i wanted to play it some before deciding........but i was already out the door swinging that custom calton case and trying not to run all the way home.......:)

[Chief]

I had a mint Fender electric mando in the late 70's that I got with a small Fender tube amp for $200. In a time of financial distress, I sold the mando to a guy I knew for $200, and kept the amp. I figured I did alright getting the amp for free(I still have it actually.) But now I see those Fenders going for $2500 and up. Sam Bush plays one in his shows. If you only knew!

[Gerard Dick]

A 1963 Austin Healey 3000 for $200 in '68. I had the money and passed on it. A 1959 MGA Twincam that I let go for $500 in '72. Wish i had it back. Not mandos I know but I haven't been into mandolin for 5 years yet and so no sob stories about them.

[Mr. Loar]

A 1963 Austin Healey 3000 for $200 in '68. I had the money and passed on it. A 1959 MGA Twincam that I let go for $500 in '72. Wish i had it back. Not mandos I know but I haven't been into mandolin for 5 years yet and so no sob stories about them.

That Austin Healy was a sweet car. I saw one on the road the other day; British Racing Green. I don't think that was a stock color back then.

[banjer23]

Yup,,about twenty five years ago,,John Hutto offered to build me a custom mando,,for 2500 dollars,,geez,,what would it have been worth today??

[Lee]

Originally a violin player, I have developed a lustful craving for a Campanella 2-point. A fellow Cafe member grabbed the one listed on our Classifieds not long ago. Probably be a long time before another turns up for sale. New they're a bit dear for my pocketbook.

[goose 2]

Several come to mind. I owned an '02 Master Model that I was the original owner of and my DMM at the same time. I sold the MM because I thought it a crime that such a great instrument did not get played everyday. I will always miss that one.

I sold a late 60's Les Paul Custom to buy a 1964 (my birth year) D-28. That was a good thing but I sold it years later for $900 to buy a Taylor when they came out and were the newest big thing. I''d like to have that D-28 back. Gorgeous Brazilian back and sounded great as well.

[sgarrity]

Hhmmm......where do I start?? LOL I'm actually extrememly happy with my current instruments. But I wouldn't mind having my Old Wave oval back or my Proulx guitar. Luckily, I sold them both to friends that play and enjoy them often.

[Stephen Lind]

Here we go again...open old, sad memories.

4. Letting go of a 1968 D-45, trading it for a b@%#o...

now THAT'S sad:disbelief:

[Darryl Wolfe]

I could not even begin...owned, but not any more

Loar
Loar
Fern
63 Strat
61 Precision
61 Jazz
61 White Falcon
A4 w/virzi
F4 w/virzi
39 Bone
46 Bone
49 D-28
Mint 53 D-28
Paganoni
Gilchrist

Had chance to buy...

36 Bone-$4500
38 000-42 $2500
Mint 34 Bone $7500

[mandroid]

... the disappearance, a few years back, of {i think it was} John Garrity who built a nice wooden bound
F Mandolin in the style of the Montelone grand Artist.
:( :disbelief:

[Bill Van Liere]

I purchased a 1968 Telecaster in 1980 for $200 after my sister found it on a bulletin board. I later sold the guitar when I got $800 for it in about 1990 I think, seemed like a OK deal at the time to get four times what I paid for it. Don't even tell me what that is worth now.

[Dusty]

My first wife left me and took the car with my best banjo in the trunk. I still miss that car and banjo.

[fatt-dad]

All of the sudden, I'm feeling sorry for Darryl! (Na, not really too bad. I think he may just have a few nice instruments that he's kept. . . . )

f-d

[flatthead]

A Gibson Flathead #3 banjo for $3500 in 1985. I recently found out where it went, and it's an exceptionally good banjo.

A 1936 D-18, just a few years ago. Had a few little issues, but holy cow, what a guitar!

1950 D-18, just about mint condition. A friend of mine had it and wanted to meet me out on the interstate for the deal (a lot of stuff happens at Shoney's doesn't it?) but my girlfirend....*needed* me to go to the mall to look at shoes....which she did not buy....and I missed out.

Lastly, a 1988 Saab Classic 900 Turbo.....which will be sold tomorrow morning, and I don't have the money, nor the means to go and get it......It's kind of a #&#*&@& feeling to *predict* the "one that got away...."

Hey, we're all telling Saab stories, right?

[John Soper]

Ah this list again...

1970- bought a Gibson Blueridge with laminated sides/back rather than the used 60's D-28 that I would have spent $50 less for, but it was used...

The 70/1 D28 that I eventually bought and loaned to my brother- sweet sounding guitar- and loud after the braces were scraped... either stolen or pawned- don't ask...

A 20/21 A3 that I had in 78, traded even up for a Yamaha solid state guitar amp, cause I figured I could "move" the amp quicker & needed $$- I was right, but...

A 13 fret black L00 in David Sheppard's old Greensboro shop, lewt that one sit 24 hours too long...

An "Only Gibson is Good Enough" banner-head L2for $1k, that I had to decide on overnight... gone at 1000 next morning when the shop opened...

A National Style 1 tricone round neck that was "too expensive" at $1200...

A late '30s/early '40s National Aaragon for circa $700 that ended up owned by a friend and later showed up on a David Grisman Tone Poems album...

Several L7's when they were moving at < $500...

A Stiver A that had an exceptionally silky, yet ballsy tone...

And then the 'lectrics...

Why do we indulge ourselves in these rememberances? Perhaps to celebrate the axes that we do have...

[Capt. E]

1968 strat?? About $6000 now.

[Jeff Harvey]

Several Loars, one of them a fern.....heard it just changed hands at 250k! Tried to buy a Gil at a festival once.....the best mando I have ever played.....he wouldnt let it go. I have played tons of mandos and even had a builder give me one to endorse, but I have stuck with my Givens A that I picked up for $300 bucks for most of my mando days!

[jasona]

When I got my first "real job" I made a tentative verbal agreement to buy a nice Kimble A5 at a very reasonable price, but the cross continent move and new job slammed me, and when I got about to finalizing the deal it had already been sold.

[DryBones]

a 2 door 1970 Ford LTD Custom, blue with a white landau top and a 351 Windsor engine. Now that was a car. all that horsepower and still got over 20 mpg if you kept your foot out of it. :cool:

[Rob Powell]

I had a 1956 gold top Les Paul Custom Deluxe and a custom made Sunn amp which I sold in 1979 for $200. Had to pay the rent and I was concentrating on my college work so I wasn't gigging at the time and therefore not making any money. I console myself by reminding myself that I beat the #### out of that guitar gigging with it and therefore it would be considered "poor" condition.

I sold my 1969 Martin D-35 in 85 or 86 to pay the mortgage because my ex had a home shopping club addiction and was constantly emptying the bank account. I don't even remember what I got for it.

It's a minor thing but I'm still looking for my original Crybaby wah which I'm sure I never traded or sold. The ex probably sold it on ebay. I don't currently have any electrics so I really don't need it but...

I've traded or sold a good number of other instruments/amps/gear in my life but those are the only things I actually regret.

[UnityGain]

Well this is a recent one, I.E. yesterday. Found out my local guitar center had a dekley 12 string pedal steel with 7 pedals and 5 knees for $750, but it was sold when I got there. Turns out someone saw it and posted it at a pedalsteel forum and they were innundated with calls for it on sunday. The sad part is that I was planning to go to GC on saturday and pick up a few odds and ends and if I had I could have snapped it up before it got posted. Pity. It was probably worth about $1200 if they really knew what they had. And I have been dying to learn pedal steel and that one would have been perfect. And no shipping cost! Important when you realize it weighs about 60lbs in the case... Bah...

[musicofanatic]

The 1985 Flatiron A5 Artist that I won in the Frets magazine giveaway. I gave in to scroll fever in 2003, and sold it. I sure wish I had it back, and if anyone knows where it is, let me know.

Izzat Scott Spadafora in that picture? He's an old high school buddy of mine.

The inst I should have bought but didn't? You mean the $2000 Loar in the early seventies? Back then I could live (like a dirt hippie) on $2000 for a year!

[Tim Bowen]

Loads of stuff... usually because I was bored or wanted new stuff, but sometimes because I needed to eat or pay rent.

Original Mutron III envelope follower and blue fuzzy FOXX Tone Machine octave divider, which I traded for some vintage comic books. Orange plastic KAY fuzz/wah that I sold for ten bucks at a yard sale. Ouch. Bunches of other cool peds have gotten away from me as well.

1976 natural Gibson Les Paul w/ mini-humbuckers. It was the first guitar I ever bought with my own money. Sounded great, played great, and I've never seen another since like it. I traded it toward a Schecter "strat". Goofy decision.

MOOG Minimoog, ARP Oddysey, various (now prized) analog synths. Towards stupid stuff. God, this REALLY hurts.

Ampeg V4 head. What a great amp. It was rated at about four billion watts, and the Rolling Stones could probably utilize it as a PA.

1965 blackface Fender Twin, some Marshall Plexi amps, an SWR bass amp... all of which I sold for stupid bucks. However, I guess survival is never really all that stupid.

Vintage '62 sunburst Fender Precision Bass. Double ouch.


Scratching the surface here. I've parted ways with more cool gear over the years than is tasteful.

[Michael Cameron]

I regret not buying a Peter White mandolin I found in a violin shop in Albuquerque. Very cool mando!

Never have seen another one.

[SternART]

Yeah Cameron.......but you did get to live with that beautiful blonde for several years! ;)

[Kbone]

My Brentrup - the IRS got it ( in a sort of way. ) either sell or they file a lean against me, but the good news is, there's a good mando player using it in a band called " American Heifer."