Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm sure we've all got some interesting stories about guitars we either didn't buy (but should have) or sold (and shouldn't have). Let's hear it!

For me....

- 1992, Chico, CA. I somehow ended up 2800 miles from home in this little party town for my first job after grad school. Local shop had a MapleGlo 230. Passed on it. Should have bought it--would have been my first.

- 1994, San Jose, CA. Local shop (I still go there regularly) authorized dealer. Had a slightly used FG 1997 reissue for around $900. I plugged it into a Peavey Classic 20 and that thing just sang. I walked away. Had second thoughts and came back a couple of days later--gone!

- c.1995, Sunnyvale, CA. Haight Ashbury Music bought out a mom-n-pop store and opened a south bay shop. They had Matchless amps (another regret thread!). There was a Tom Petty sig (FG 660-12 with checker binding) hanging on the rack for under $900. I tried it. Didn't like the wide neck. Passed. Gone a week later.

- c.1996, Santa Clara, CA. Starving Musician, where I bought my '64 365 in 1994. They had a nearly mint FG (or maybe it was solid red) 481 (slant frets) for something under a grand. Didn't really care for the look or the humbuckers. Moron!

- c.1998, Starving Musician. There was a mid to late 60s FG single PU 400 series (forget the number) like Harrison's JetGlo one. Didn't buy it.

There were others that don't stand out in my memory like these. So far I haven't sold any Ricks, so no regrets there! Your turn...

A P

- c.2008, San Jose, CA. Mid-70s MG 4000 bass in really good condition for something like $1200. It was there for several weeks. Shoulda bought it!

-1982, Two Gibson SG's complete with original Maestro vibrato. $350 each. If I knew then what I know now, I would have bought both and stuck them in the back of my closet.

-1984, 330/12 in AutumGlo. I was primarily a bass player at the time so I couldn't imagine ever needing or wanting a 12 string.

-1992, Traded in my 1987 Strat Plus. The only guitar that I have sold or traded that I still miss. It is not all bad though, I traded it for my 1986 620 JetGlo. Which is still my go to 6 string.

All in all, a pretty short list of regrets.

380L PZ, won it ebay, flaked. Now about twice the price!

1997, 7 miles from my home, I could have scored a brand new 4001CS tagged at $900.00 .

At the time I was facing lower back surgery, so I passed.

I've mentioned these before .
When i bought my 360/12V64 in 1988 the shop also had an original 1964/65 360/12 O.S
they wanted £1650 or there abouts for it! I couldn't find anymore cash .

Then around September 1990 one of my local shops had an original 1964 1997VB with original case unoriginal machinehaeds and a missing trem arm,they wanted ,wait for it,£299 !!! They hadn't a clue what they had!
This one hurts the most as i had the money, but it was three weeks wages for me at the time so i talked myself out of it,D'OH!

I ran into the father of the guy who got it around christmas of that year ,he ended up paying £399 for it and was quickly offered £800 for it by Andy's Guitars in Denmark Street in London!

I don't know if he still has it ,haven't seen him in years!

IIRC there are some old threads with this same theme, but I'll reprise a couple from my past here.

- ca. 1971, Peoria IL: a friend had traded his 1958 Gibson dot neck ES-335 sunburst to a friend of his for a Melody Maker. The guy with the 335 didn't like it, and offered it to me ... I went and played it, and it was nice, but at the time, I already had a 1967 ES-335TDC, and why would I want two of them? I passed it up ... $250 was a lot back then! (The sound you hear is that of me still kicking mnyself ...)

- ca. 2007, Carlsbad CA: a friend and I went to Buffalo Brothers on a Saturady to see what they had. They had a new 620 Blueboy with the VP (toasters) option ... priced at $1150. I thought," darn, I should get that" but didn't. Went backthe next weekend and it was gone.

There's so many, but here's three that come to mind right away:

1. A relic'd Fender P that was in a local store here for a while. It played & sounded great, but I have a "thing" about relics. Shoulda snagged it anyway though...

2. A 75 Azureglo 4001 I was in the running for on eBay. I set my spending limit....then went a little past it, then backed off. I really wanted that bass though. Azureglo is my dream color. Someday....

3. That Glenn Frey bass that was at Pick Of The Ricks for so long!!!

In 1989 a local shop in Hartford had a 1976 white 4001 AND a Gibson EB3 of around the same vintage. They both were about $350. I passed on both and have kicked myself ever since for not picking up at least one of them.

Another 2 , Gibson ES295 reissue for £700 and a refinned 1963 Fender Strat for £1250
this was back in the early 90's!

I don't want to think about all the rest!

Too many to list..hah but a few...60's Guild Blues Bird, 60's Gibson ES-335, Early 70's P-Bass...a pair of Carl Wilson Model Ric 12's...and on...

This JG 4001; my first Rick, and the bass I learned most of my chops on and gigged with...I should have sold that leopard coat instead!

I try not to sweat over the ones that got away.........there is always something else that comes along, just as cool etc.

Sometimes things aren't "meant to be," ya know?

collin wrote:I try not to sweat over the ones that got away.........there is always something else that comes along, just as cool etc.

Sometimes things aren't "meant to be," ya know?

For sure.

collin wrote:I try not to sweat over the ones that got away.........there is always something else that comes along, just as cool etc.

Sometimes things aren't "meant to be," ya know?

Yes, but that's not as interesting is it? We might all know that but.....

Here is mine:

2007: I bought a 330 in MG with black pickguard etc at a guitar show in Charlotte. I had wanted a 360 but there wasn't one. I then spotted later on a '74 360 and an American dealer friend bought it, saying I could buy it off him for what he paid, and he would take the 330 off my hands. It was really hard but I went for the 360. My British dealer friend said he would lend me the extra money so I could keep both guitars and then, if I wanted, sell one of them through his shop. I wish I had taken him up on the offer as, whilst I don't regret for one second having the 360 (I will NEVER sell it), I still wish I had not let the 330 go.

collin wrote:I try not to sweat over the ones that got away.........there is always something else that comes along, just as cool etc.

Sometimes things aren't "meant to be," ya know?

+1, couldn't agree more