Did You Ever Regret Selling a Mandolin?

[mandozilla]

This is a sister thread to the "Did you ever regret buying a mandolin" thread posted today.

I sold a really great 1982 Kettler KF-5 in 1991 when I quit playing music...I was having a little personal Recession of my own at the time and needed the money.

When I started picking again in 2007, I lusted after that mandolin and beat myself up daily regretting I ever sold it. I was lucky enough to find one a year ago...there aren't very many around...same year, two serial numbers higher, identical in appearance, plays and sounds awesome and I'm a happy camper. This one's a keeper...I'll NEVER sell this one! :grin:

~o):popcorn:

[tassiespirit]

Mandozilla,
Yes, I did the most unpardonable sin. I sold my circa 1983 Gilchrist No.125 ( I think from memory) back in 1993. It was one of the earlier one by steven Gilchrist. My then wife (no longer) , made me sell it to finance a move to Tasmania ( Southern most state in OZ). I have regretted it ever since, especially for the price I sold it for too! I fool and his mandolin are soon parted.

[Mike Bromley]

I'm in a bind...my packrattery (if I may coin a term) has me holding onto all my mandos. Basically, I know I'd regret selling any one of them. My main axe is my lovely Triggs Hoss knock-off, but I have three other war-worn F's, which, even for sentimental reasons, I just can't seem to part with. The instruments all have souls of their own, and by times, it is good to revisit them and enjoy the differences. I don't listen to my girlfriend...:)

[D C Blood]

1. 1934(?) F-7 converted, long neck. John Duffey sold it to me. Loudest mandolin ever. Traded it away badly (nobody's fault but mine:crying:

2. in '71 John Paganoni made me a mandolin, don't remember the number, but an early one. After I moved to Nashville in '74, I had to sell it to pay back rent...:(

3. 1983 Horner I just traded away to Elderly for the Silver Eagle/Angel I have now. (I don't regret getting the Eagle, just having to get rid of the Horner)...:disbelief:

[epicentre]

A very nice Gibson A50. It had everything I wanted in an instrument, but the neck hurt my hand.

Considering the junk I've had since then, I'd probably suck up the hurt to have it back.

Toooooooooo late

:crying:

[woodwizard]

Nearly all of the many Gibson's I've owned I miss. Some more than others. But I'm happy with what I presently own. :) :mandosmiley:

[Denny Gies]

No regrets, I have always been fortunate enough to be able to upgrade. Though I miss the 1916 A-2 that gave a lot of great service it went to a good cause; a 1993 Randy Wood F-5.

[Charley wild]

Nearly all of the many Gibson's I've owned I miss. Some more than others. But I'm happy with what I presently own. :) :mandosmiley:

This pretty well sums it up for me. Regret is too strong a word but certainly I miss any nice instrument I've owned mandolin or not. But I'm satisfied with the instruments I have now, including my mandolin.

[Clamdigger]

Yep. A Kimble f5 that Butch picked up for me then a Gavin Baird f4 that Gavin custom made for me. Both dumb moves but, Gavin is now making an A5 for me and I can't wait. Clamdigger

[JEStanek]

For a while I regretted trading my Eastman 814 but I got a Breedlove KF out of it which I have subsequently traded for a New Eastman 805D (soon to be a discontinued and highly valuable collectable ;) ). I like the new Eastman's radiused board and have other oval hole arch tops. So, no regrets on selling anything. Yet.

Jamie

[fatt-dad]

I'd like my Stiver back for what I sold it for. You know who you are, come on, let me have it back, please. . .

f-d

[allenhopkins]

I'll let you know when I sell one.

[Dagger Gordon]

Don't trade much.

However, I finally decided (after 11 years) that I wasn't crazy on my 1914 Gibson A. I did like the sound but it had tuning issues and wasn't as loud as I wanted, and to be honest I found I wasn't wanting to play it much.

Traded it in when I got a Collings MT which I play much of the time - infinitely more than I bothered with the Gibson.

So certainly no regrets. I'm sure the Gibson found a home where it got the love it deserved.

[Glassweb]

Are you kidding?!?!?! Absolutely!!!!!!!!

[Jim MacDaniel]

Yes: Arches flat-top #13 (pictured below); I miss it dearly.

(But on the plus side, I can buy one of Chris' new induced-arch FT-Ovals for less than what I was able to sell # 13 for ;) (although #13 did have nicer binding than that on the new model, and had some lovely wood on the back and sides as well).

[Eddie Sheehy]

Nope. But I often regretted not buying one....

[hlebowi2]

Yup.
A 1976 (or so) Fender electric Mandocaster I bought new. :crying:
Howard

[Lee]

Kentucky Dawg Mandola A-style. Comfy playing and sweet. My only consolation was it found a better home than I was providing for it.

[Charles E.]

I had a beautiful black face Gibson F-2 with inliad Handel tuning knobs. I had to sell it to pay my 3rd tuition payment when I was in the Instrument making and repair program in Red Wing MN.
Of the various mando's I have traded and sold that is the only one I miss.

[John Kasley]

Definitely regret selling my 30's Epiphone Strand. At the time (late '60s) I thought it was just a poor cousin to a Gibson. Back then, I didn't know the pre-Gibson Epiphone history. It was very clean, wonderful grain and color in the walnut back and sides, good volume and excellent tone. But I needed the money at the time. Would love to have it back. Oh, well.

[jjboone101]

More than I care to remember...but a few of the more memorable bungles included a '00 Flatiron Festival, a Collings blacktop MT that was a dead-ringer for Tim O'Briens, a great varnish Newson F5 and an outstanding Gibson F5G that I would love to re-find. I curse thee, MAS!

[SternART]

In my quest to experience the many voices if the mandolin there are numerous fabulous instruments I've been temporary custodian of. Gil's, Monty's, Dude's, Smart's, Woodly's, Kimble's, Gibson's etc. I've enjoyed them all and do my best to find great homes for them when I pass the torch to someone else. I certainly have fond memories of several, but love what I have now too!!!

[Frank Russell]

Two Old Wave f-hole A's (really dumb), my Collings MT and MF, and the wideneck Gibson F5G that I had radiused. All went to Cafe members, so less tragic than just losing them. There's a good 20 or so that I regret less than the above mentioned ones, but still miss some of them. The Givens I have now dulls the pain quite a bit. Frank

[lenf12]

I had a Kettler blond, birdesye F-5 that was amazing, a 1996 Weber signed F5G that is probably the best sounding mandolin I ever owned, an atomic sunburst Rigel A Plus Deluxe and G110. All beauties and sadly all gone to keep a roof overhead, pay credit card gougers and put food on the table. I've sold many more mandolins but the above are the only regrets.

Hey Clamdigger, I sure do miss those Naragansett Bay bi-valve mollusks. Little necks anyone??

Len B.
Clearwater, FL (formerly of North Providence, RI)

[Rick Schmidlin]

A MT and Cedar Weber I think

[DerTiefster]

I'm surprised this thread died out so quickly: a 2-day run last May and then nothing more. I have no mandolin sales as yet to regret, but I did lose one I lent to someone (a fellow church member who wanted to learn mandolin). She died in an auto collision and I never retrieved the mandolin. It was an Epiphone BG-440 that I used to play at for my Mom after she suffered a stroke. But I'm working on another to take its place. At least if I eventually sell that one, it will be by choice. When I found this thread, I thought it might be worthwhile to resurrect it.

[catmandu2]

How about this corollary:

Would you trade your dog for that mando you traded away and would like back? ;)

[Glassweb]

I have and I am about to... helas!

[Fliss]

I regret selling my Calace. I'll get another, one day :)

Fliss

[JGWoods]

Definitely regret selling my 30's Epiphone Strand. At the time (late '60s) I thought it was just a poor cousin to a Gibson. Back then, I didn't know the pre-Gibson Epiphone history. It was very clean, wonderful grain and color in the walnut back and sides, good volume and excellent tone. But I needed the money at the time. Would love to have it back. Oh, well.

I had a Strand as well- let 50s oval hole. It was a wonderful instrument, lovely walnut as you said, the only think I didn't like was the neck angle made it hard to hold.

In some ways I regrest selling anything ever, but if I take the time to appreciate those things I have now as a result, and what I learned along the way, I have no regrets.

[JGWoods]

I'm surprised this thread died out so quickly: a 2-day run last May and then nothing more. I have no mandolin sales as yet to regret, but I did lose one I lent to someone (a fellow church member who wanted to learn mandolin). She died in an auto collision and I never retrieved the mandolin. It was an Epiphone BG-440 that I used to play at for my Mom after she suffered a stroke. But I'm working on another to take its place. At least if I eventually sell that one, it will be by choice. When I found this thread, I thought it might be worthwhile to resurrect it.

I loaned a couple of instruments to a good old friend- then his house burned down with them it it. He wasn't insured and lost everything. I didn't have the heart to ask him to replace my lost instruments...

[MoBob]

Yup,
A Gilchrist.
One of the very first that was sold by Gruhn's in the early 1980's. Sold it in 1986, for $1600. Divorce can play hell with a musician's stuff.:( Always regretted letting that one go, but not the wife.;)

[Jim MacDaniel]

How about this corollary:

Would you trade your dog for that mando you traded away and would like back? ;)

Nope - although I would gladly part with a cat for one. ;)

[Hans]

Yes.

[yankees1]

No, but I regretted buying one!

[Eddie Sheehy]

I've regretted selling/trading each one... but being a catch-and-release guy it's what I do...

[Nelson Peddycoart]

Yes...A Weber Yellowstone Cedar top. It had found it's voice, and I thought I could do better. I still miss it.

[Lee]

What else hurts is returning a mandolin before the trial period is over. True, some are definately not Keepers. But it's the ones on the cusp that I think back on and wish I'd kept. Many mandolins I have judged as "great, except...", and these are the ones I think of as the cusp mandolins. As time passes, I forget about the "except..." part of my evaluation and just the good memories remain. Then I wish I'd kept them.

[Roland Sturm]

No, never. Instead, I'm looking forward to being able to try something new, which is far more interesting than reliving the past, often a sign of impending senility.
Of course, many nice instruments left, in the mando world a Collings last month and probably a Sam Bush soon, but they make room for others (in this case an Ellis Deluxe). Sometimes I just lose interest in a type of instrument, so that's why my 60's 335 and Strat went out. Don't miss them either.

[Greg H.]

Yes, but just one. I had an Apitius that both felt great and sounded like a dream. The varnished Prucha is still better than any of the ones I've had in the past, but.......

[Walter Peterson]

Sold an old Amercan Conservitory, Wish I still had it.

[jim simpson]

I'm not sure if I regret so much selling particular mandolins as much as I am curious to see what my impression of a couple would be today so many years after letting them go. My skill level and ear for what I think is good are both different from when I sold or traded off a couple. Maybe it would be like going to a high school reunion and getting reaquainted with old friends!

[GRW3]

I regret it before I part with it but not after. I think that just a mechanism I use to prevent compulsive buying.

[mikie tlizzie]

I had a 1914 black F-2 i purchased at Gruhns on our honeymoon that i liked a lot. I traded it for my Gilchrist but sometimes i do miss the F-2.