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Thread: Odd case “Stuff”

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    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Odd case “Stuff”

    Back when I was working in the instrument business, we used to find all kinds of really odd “stuff” in cases when instruments came one for trade or repair.
    Hanks post in the “Attic find Loar” thread got me thinking about that.
    I found everything from Capos to condoms, odd string packages (old Black Diamond were common) foreign money, candy bar wrappers, tools of most normal instrument function. Some odd ones, spark plug socket took me a minute to realize the guy was using it for a slide. Extra parts of course, truss rod covers, screws, some pretty cool pick containers, what are some of the oddball items you’ve found?
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

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    Gibson F5L Gibson A5L
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    Old string packages and strings, fiddle rosin, oddly shaped picks, nothing unusual … R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

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    Registered User Roger Adams's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    Found an old capo that looked almost "medieval." Pressure plate was covered in cork and the retaining strap was a bare coil spring. I can not imagine the damage this thing would do to the finish on the neck.....Someone told me it was "collectable." Indeed! LOL
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    mandolin slinger Steve Ostrander's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    Elderly repair shop has a display of "tone balls"--fuzzy lint balls found inside instruments.
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    A buddy bought one of those 50's brown/pink F-5 cases. Inside one of the pockets, jammed into the corner seam was a small envelope with an original key to the clasp lock. I immediately opened my brown/pink case and looked there; alas, no key...durn.

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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    I bought an old old Regal (?) tiple in a viola case at a flea market outside Durango CO. In the case were tiple strings, viola strings, small screw-down capo, ancient flatpicks, note scraps, a smidge of resin, stick matches -- debris of decades.

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    plectrist Ryk Loske's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    I bought a '34 Gibson L-12 guitar. In the pocket were two small envelopes ... one that came from Gibson had a truss rod wrench in it. The other had the original of the contract when the guitar was first purchased and every weekly receipt from paying it off. What a treasure. I kept the wrench but put the other back in the case pocket when i sold it.
    Ryk
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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    I found a few odd items back when i was refurbishing old banjos back in the late 1960's. I found a few real t/shell picks made back in the late 1800's some with weird shapes - one was like a chisel. It was about 1/8" thick,& looking at it from top,it looked like an old fashioned pen knib. How the heck you used it i don't know. I found a few very old spre-war string string packages. I can't remember the names,it didn't interest mne so much back then. Most of all, i found dust,fluff & dirt,
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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    The correct “technical” term is case candy. The best I found was a hand written tune list from the original owner of my early Lyon & Healy mandolin. A few Italian songs, some Tin Pan Alley stuff. I have also found repair receipts and original bills of sale.
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    I remember when I was a teenager my instrument cases were the repository for all sorts of items deemed questionable since I knew my mother wouldn't go searching through them, or maybe she didn't and didn't actually care.

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    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    I remember talking with Jim Ringer in the late ‘70’s, he said there had been times when he had so many pages of song ideas he couldn’t close the case properly! Then Mary would take a bunch out and file them for him!
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

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    Front Porch & Sweet Tea NursingDaBlues's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    A few years ago, I bought a 1959 Gibson SJN Country Western from the original owner. It had the original sales receipt in the case pocket.

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    Since it’s a very poor scan, I’ll translate. The original sales receipt is from 1960. At the time, this new Country Western cost $203.25. The buyer got $70 trade in for his 1950s Les Paul with case.

    While this Country Western is a pretty nifty guitar, I think I could’ve been happy with his trade in, too.

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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    I found an old picture of some guy named Tim Lewis in a mandolin case. At least that's what the little board said under his picture from the front and the side. It also said it was taken in Kalamazoo.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    Registered User Dave Fultz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    About 6 or 7 years ago I bought a guitar, a Japanese Orpheum, used. I paid too much, and once I removed and replaced the ancient strings, it never sounded good again.

    Anyway, inside of it (inside the guitar) was a 30 year old A&P receipt from the store I shopped at while in college. Ad that same time period too.

    To top it off, it came with a case, that had a name and address on it. It was of a girl I knew of in school and her address off campus back then. I never really had anything to do with her, but I did know who she was and that was wierd enough.

  17. #15
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    I found an old picture of some guy named Tim Lewis in a mandolin case. At least that's what the little board said under his picture from the front and the side. It also said it was taken in Kalamazoo.
    What was the number?
    Well, at least someone has that picture!
    I was in an ad for GHS strings which led to the one Mike found! The charge was impersonating a guitar player!
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    Quote Originally Posted by Timbofood View Post
    What was the number?
    Well, at least someone has that picture!
    Only the face has been changed to protect the innocent.
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    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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  20. #17
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    From NursingDaBlues - " I think I could’ve been happy with his trade in, too." If you had one of those now,you could splash out on a few Gilchrist mandolins !. A late 50's early 60's Les Paul is worth anywhere between $225,000 - $375,000 US,
    Ivan
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  22. #18
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    Nope, I was wearing a loud green shirt a la John Duffey!
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

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    Middle-Aged Old-Timer Tobin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    Below is a pic of the only interesting case candy I've ever come across. As you may have guessed, it was in a banjo case. Four different capos, pitch pipes, a bunch of old National fingerpicks, strap, head tensioner tool, and some vintage strings.

    Unfortunately, most of the case was filled up with a banjo.

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    Keep that skillet good and greasy all the time!

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    Registered User meado's Avatar
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    Default Re: Odd case “Stuff”

    I once bought a used Stratocaster that was advertised as "with accessories." I went to see it and as it so happened it was a mother selling it for her son who was away at college. After checking it out, I told her I would buy it. She then pulls out of the case her son's "homemade" accessory.

    I said "Ma'am, that's a hash pipe."

    The look on her face was priceless.

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