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The one that got away
- Thread starter MichelD
- Start date
The one that sticks out in my mind was a 1967 neck date Telecaster Bass with a maple cap neck and a Sherwood green body. It was in the early days of eBay and I think it went for about $700. At that time I was scared to send that much money to a stranger on the internet.
This haunts me: c.1995 I passed on a perfect ‘91 Streamer Stage I that was tagged at $800.
A few years later, I momentarily owned an early 90s Streamer Stage I/5 with narrow string spacing. I returned it because at the time I couldn’t get my head around the B. Little did I realize that the bass was a bit of a unicorn.
A few years later, I momentarily owned an early 90s Streamer Stage I/5 with narrow string spacing. I returned it because at the time I couldn’t get my head around the B. Little did I realize that the bass was a bit of a unicorn.
Funnily enough, something like this has happened this very week but there may be a happy ending yet. I've recently been thinking that I gave up on playing a 5-string too quickly and while I wasn't really looking seriously, I saw an Overwater J5 Trans Blue Burst on FB Marketplace being sold by a local musician known to me. It was GAS at first sight and the price - £225 - was totally reasonable. I contacted the seller but was just too late as he'd sold it about half an hour before my enquiry. I was a little disappointed but hey ho.
Then yesterday, the seller contacted me and said the buyer wanted to return the bass. Reason being that when the seller had advertised it, he'd copied the specs from the Tanglewood website which incorrectly stated the bass was 35" scale when in fact it's actually 34", so the seller didn't want it. Fair enough, it was an honest mistake - but when it gets returned, I'll be right in there.
Then yesterday, the seller contacted me and said the buyer wanted to return the bass. Reason being that when the seller had advertised it, he'd copied the specs from the Tanglewood website which incorrectly stated the bass was 35" scale when in fact it's actually 34", so the seller didn't want it. Fair enough, it was an honest mistake - but when it gets returned, I'll be right in there.
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mine was a 1970 Gibson sg full scale bass for 900$ on kijiji,,,it had road patina but looked super cool,,,hummed and hawed a day to long, looked again my bass was gone...shoulda jumped on it asap,,,oh well,, a few months later I found an early ibenez sg,,(lawsuit) era short scale,,and its giving some comfort,,,but that Gibson still haunts my dreams..
An unplayed 51 P bass, with the tags still hanging from it's strings. The patch cord and strap in the tweed case, for $675 in 1977. Had $300 in my pocket, took me a couple hours to get the rest. It was gone.
Green Roscoe SKB 5 with soaps and ebony fb that was for sale a few years ago on reverb.. Just could not put together the $$ for the deal. If i ever see that for sale again its gonna be mine.
Mapleglo 4002 for $1200 about ten years ago . I already had a nice 4001 and figured it was all the Ric I'd need ...
In the early 90s, Guitar Resurrection in Austin had a Status Series II like this one hanging on the wall:
It was $2500 at the time. I was entirely into Mark King at that point and desperately wanted that bass. I was a broke college student and would have been able to fund a return trip to the moon as soon as buying a $2500 bass. I played it 2 or 3 times though.
Runner up - I sold my red Ibanez Destroyer in about 1987 and regretted doing so a bit. I saw it for sale at Musicmakers Austin a few years later for only $400. I was the same broke college student then and couldn’t pull the trigger.
It was $2500 at the time. I was entirely into Mark King at that point and desperately wanted that bass. I was a broke college student and would have been able to fund a return trip to the moon as soon as buying a $2500 bass. I played it 2 or 3 times though.
Runner up - I sold my red Ibanez Destroyer in about 1987 and regretted doing so a bit. I saw it for sale at Musicmakers Austin a few years later for only $400. I was the same broke college student then and couldn’t pull the trigger.
In 1998, I was attempting to put a last-second bid on an eBay auction for a 70’s neck-thru Precision bass with the brand name “Mann” on the headstock. My dial-up connection went out and when I got it reconnected, the bass had sold for something like $120.
Oh, one more but this could be the best.
I was a cellist in high school. My parents, in a very rare period of financial ability, bought
me a beautiful 100 year-old French cello, which I played through my freshman year at Texas in 1989. By which point I’d transitioned to bass and played cello less.
By sophomore year my family was broke again, and I was mightily struggling to pay rent and buy food. I sold the cello to a student who was two or three years behind me in high school. Really regretted it since.
Just last week I tracked her down on Facebook, with an eye to finding the cello and buying it back if it still exists. We’re both in our 40s now.
I’m not a jerk, so I didn’t intend to ask about the cello until later. I wanted to catch up with her on life. Before I had a chance to ask, she told me that she still has the cello. She doesn’t play it much but it was her late father’s gift to her on her 17th birthday and her most prized possession.
I figure her 30 years with it as her most prized possession outweighs my 4 years with it in high school. I’m glad she has it and that it’s been meaningful for her.
I was a cellist in high school. My parents, in a very rare period of financial ability, bought
me a beautiful 100 year-old French cello, which I played through my freshman year at Texas in 1989. By which point I’d transitioned to bass and played cello less.
By sophomore year my family was broke again, and I was mightily struggling to pay rent and buy food. I sold the cello to a student who was two or three years behind me in high school. Really regretted it since.
Just last week I tracked her down on Facebook, with an eye to finding the cello and buying it back if it still exists. We’re both in our 40s now.
I’m not a jerk, so I didn’t intend to ask about the cello until later. I wanted to catch up with her on life. Before I had a chance to ask, she told me that she still has the cello. She doesn’t play it much but it was her late father’s gift to her on her 17th birthday and her most prized possession.
I figure her 30 years with it as her most prized possession outweighs my 4 years with it in high school. I’m glad she has it and that it’s been meaningful for her.
I have two...
1) In 1976, a great friend (and great guitarist) was in the next town over at one of those unclaimed freight places - and called me to say he'd seen a 62 Jazz - a little beat up - for $175. I passed.
2) I had a late 60's Ampeg B-15N and wanted a more "modern" sound. Didn't really know at the time that they were "the thing" or worth alot. Sold it for less than $300 in the late 1980's. Really wish I had that one back.
1) In 1976, a great friend (and great guitarist) was in the next town over at one of those unclaimed freight places - and called me to say he'd seen a 62 Jazz - a little beat up - for $175. I passed.
2) I had a late 60's Ampeg B-15N and wanted a more "modern" sound. Didn't really know at the time that they were "the thing" or worth alot. Sold it for less than $300 in the late 1980's. Really wish I had that one back.
I had 2. Years ago when E bay was all the rage, before Reverb. I had serious gas for any Green burst finish bass.
1.) was a used G&L (P bass looking model, i forgot model#) it had a beautiful green bowling ball swirl finish. but it had some significant damage(chipped on the front). unfortunately if i remember correctly, the seller was trying to get over a grand for it, plus shipping! I just couldn't pull the trigger on it. eventhough the finish was awesome looking. I thought i'd wait 'til the auction ended. hoping the seller would repost it at a more reasonable price. auction ended,and someone else won it.never saw another one
i've seen other colors, but never that beautiful green:..(#2) after reading an article of "fun" basses to own in Bass Player magazine. Violin basses (hofner Beatle bass copies) were mentioned as good buys/finds one bay, that gave me instant gas, like an old bean burrito. so that week after much surfing I found a beauty! in Green burst! it was a russian copy,which were/are more pointy with f scroll holes, and scroll headstock.it was almost perfect, only caveat was it was in pieces! it needed a little love, but i'm a tinkerer, I love modding bases, I was up for the challenge! it would only take time to find missing parts. i didn't care the pointier shape & finish were great,I was hooked. i placed my bid.(under $200) iwould've bid more, but it was an old post, i hoped to get it at a low price, unfortunately, the auction would end mid week, in the middle of the day .
I was stuck at work on an important project. I couldn't break away in time! unfortunately, the auction ended. & looking at the bid history I was out bid at the last second( remember "bidding bots"). i think i probably would've lost anyway, because of the bot, but I always regret losing that bass, it was a beauty!even in parts!
sorry for the long post reply... but just had to explain the lost loves. or that got away
I had the chance several times to get a Peavey G bass for $300-350 at an area pawnshop but was not really in a place to buy it. Still wish I would’ve made something work as I still want a G bass
Happy it all worked out! That's a sweet bass, for sure - I just don't play fives enough to justify keeping it.
A Ritter Roya for $1600 in 2003. In fairness, if I were my parents, I wouldn't have loaned 14-year-old-me $1600 either. But...
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,668
- 2
- 16,471
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
Yep. It was an Alembic Series bass from 1973. I waited a day too long. 
I still keep a picture of it on my phone to remind me.
Everything happens like it's supposed to happen though... the guy who bought #73-39 had her sent back to the Mothership for a restoration. I saved a few more coins and had Alembic build me a Custom fretless 5-string, borrowing some DNA from 'the one that got away'... to produce:
...and eventually, I ended up with an old dragon of my own, a 1977 Series I, and made a good friend of the former caretaker.
I still keep a picture of it on my phone to remind me. Everything happens like it's supposed to happen though... the guy who bought #73-39 had her sent back to the Mothership for a restoration. I saved a few more coins and had Alembic build me a Custom fretless 5-string, borrowing some DNA from 'the one that got away'... to produce:
...and eventually, I ended up with an old dragon of my own, a 1977 Series I, and made a good friend of the former caretaker.
