How many have flown the nest only to later return home???

[RP]

Yes, I'm talking about guitars. I don't know how common this is, but I just made arrangements today to reacquire a guitar that I'd previously (and foolishly) sold. I can't believe that I'm the only one who has done this....

[fitness1]

I wouldn't know anything about that sort of activity

I had a custom Webber Roundbody built in 2007 - bought it back 3 times, but sold it 4. The one that got away for sure.

My 2016 Charis dread - bought it back twice and sold it three.

The custom Taylor GC I've been posting about got away for about 3 months, but I reeled that one back in too

I think that's it, but I can neither confirm nor deny.....

[L20A]

The closest that I have come to this is when I tried to sell my Martin D-35 to fund an HD-28.
I played a few HD-28's at several shops and went back and took my D-35 back home with me.
Never looked back.

[Kh1967]

Originally Posted by RP

Yes, I'm talking about guitars. I don't know how common this is, but I just made arrangements today to reacquire a guitar that I'd previously (and foolishly) sold. I can't believe that I'm the only one who has done this....

Been there. Done that.

[Kerbie]

No, but I know 2 or 3 I would gladly take back.

[tippy5]

With 6 other fine acoustic flat tops, and my singer songwriter performances on hold, I foolishly sold a J-45TV. The new owner likes it, so no coming back. I have bought two others since and immediately sold them. They didn't have the sound of the one that I sold, and wrote a lot of songs on. Not sure I will try to rejoin the TV club after the last two recycling....but if anyone has one with exceptional tone one I might be interested?

I remember boxing the original one, the one that I opened up with years of play. I did the rare one last song with it before final buff, case and box. I remember repeating why am I selling this? Since I had the buyers funds, and he had my word, on it went.

There are a ton of guitars out there so I am not upset about it. If I had my druthers (What are druthers?) I would not of listed it.

[Wade Hampton]

For me, none. Once an instrument's been sold or traded off, I don't attempt to get it back.

That isn't to say that there aren't a few that I wished I hadn't sold, but that's part of the deal when you sell off something: I've occasionally had minor regrets.

But there are some old girlfriends that I sometimes miss in a similarly wistful way. That doesn't mean either of us really wants the other one back!


whm

[varmonter]

Ive been broke when i was younger. now im older.
I dont "Have" to sell anything. Mostly if i do its to fund something i like better.
So I guess no ive never done that. But if I was broke and sold an axe
to pay rent or buy food and after i was flush again The opportunity to buy back
a beloved instrument presented itself.... I would do it.

[Bob Womack]

I traded a Taylor 710ce for a Gibson Les Paul last year and immediately regretted it when my lovely wife let out of the bag that it was her favorite of my acoustics. I tracked down another within six months.


Bob

[SalFromChatham]

I bought a J50 years back. Then sold it. then bought it back. And then listed it for sale.

Wait what?

[Tony Burns]

When something leaves the nest its something I'm sure i want gone.
not that its a bad guitar but their are so many guitars out their Id
rather start again from scratch and have a different adventure with
a whole different guitar - not judging anyone who has done this -
just not something Id ever do -If I'm not sure -it stays.

[justonwo]

Yep, done it once. Glad I got it back. Tried to do it a second time but couldn’t convince the current owner.

[Osage]

I bought back one guitar and it's kind of a funny story. It was a custom built tenor electric. I needed some cash at the time and since I never played tenor live, I sold it for a grand on ebay. I knew I'd regret it but you gotta do what you gotta do. About 4 years later I see it pop back up on ebay but the listing is weird. No mention of the maker or anything. The pics and description were poor. I bought it back for $250 and when it showed up, it was in exactly the same condition I sold it in. I'm 99% sure it had the same strings on it! I asked the seller where she got it and she said her husband picked it up at a yard sale.


I truly regret selling exactly one guitar and if I had any idea where it was, I would buy it back if it was for sale. A 1956 Gibson Les Paul Jr. that my Dad gave me. It was before they went crazy in price. I was touring a lot and needed a new amp for the road. It was the guitar I just wasn't playing at the time so I traded it to a store for an amp. Now, I actually got years of live gigs and recorded a few albums with that amp so it's not like it didn't work out, I just kind of miss that guitar.

[bufflehead]

I've only gotten rid of two guitars over the years, and both had seen such hard service, much of which was related to travel, that they were essentially worn out. One was unplayable without serious refurbishing. I had taken the first one to a luthier to see how much it would cost to fix it up, and it would have cost more than replacing it with a new version of the same make and model. But at that point there were other guitars that I preferred for that amount of money.

So, no. No going back for me. And if a duck named Bufflehead ever offers to sell or trade you a guitar, you are well advised to run away.

[Slothead56]

Admittedly, the following post is a little lengthy but, to the OP’s original point, what follows is the story of how one came back to me. This was from March, 2017:

I posted the follow thread last August:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=440802

"In 1978, while I was looking for a good guitar to replace my $195 Guild D25 that I played all through college, I became enfatuated with a great big rosewood guitar made by some guy named Gurian in New England. It was so simple in design and had a thundering thumpy bass and crystal clear highs--it was exactly what my ears wanted. Had this cool 'Earth, third planet from the sun' label on the inside.

Always one to take a different road I spent my $600 on this rather than the Martin I'd always coveted.

I had that guitar until 1992 or 1993 when I sold it and several others (including a '68 D12-35 and a '90 Strat) to cover the costs of a messy divorce.

It was sold on consignment by Stan Jay at Mandolin Bros. I about broke even as I recall.

Like many of you, as I've gotten older I wonder about past friends, lost relatives and those instruments that got away.

I just now found a letter that Michael Gurian wrote me on July 18, 1978 congratulating me on my purchase.

Here's the kicker....any one know the whereabouts of Gurian model JR serial number C3182? If so, look closely; my name and phone number (back then) are on sticker inside the body...maybe."

It got several encouraging responses and I didn't think much about it until a few weeks ago when I received the following PM from AGF member Brewbaker:

"Hello
Some one named Rudiger in Germany told me about your thread seeking a line on the Gurian you used to own. I've owned it since 1992, and am now selling it in the Emporium, which is how Rudiger became aware of it. What a mind blower, serial number C 3182. There's not a sticker with your name and phone number however, but it must be the same guitar. I bought it from Lark St music in Albany. Here's a link to the listing-(deleted)

It's still a great guitar!

Cheers,
David"

Here is the original Forum ad:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=464527

We corresponded several times and I'm happy to say that this long lost, but never forgotten, guitar is now back in my home. There is a short period of lost time-several months I think-between my consignment to Stan and David's purchase from Lark St. I've contacted both shops and records are not available.

There was a neck reset 8 years ago and the guitar is currently in the very capable hands of a wonderful local guy having a little maintenance work done. As you can imagine, the guitar is a little worn--but not too much--and maintains all original parts. It still has the booming bass and wonderful sound I remember.

I originally bought that guitar when I was 21, a kid just out of college, no job, no plans, no idea what was in store. Now, 39 years later, I'm staring at 61, happily married with three great kids, a wonderful daughter in law and a lifetime of memories. There have been other guitars, of course, my most cherished being the Martin HD28vs my wife gave me for Christmas almost 20 years ago...that she bought from Stan Jay.

But the Gurian, after all these years, is back, a connection to a time in my life that at once seems so long ago and yet also feels like just yesterday. I played that guitar at my brothers wedding shortly after I bought it. He just retired. Played it at my first wedding. Wrote and recorded my song tribute to my Father that he got to hear shortly before he passed.

I'm somewhat sentimental by nature...having this guitar back in my hands really has given me pause.

My thanks to members Brewbaker and Rudiger for taking the time to reach out. (Please go to the link above for the ad and pictures posted by Brewbaker. I couldn't do better than that.)

Don't give up on your dreams kids, and don't ever say never. Some times the impossible can happen.”

So, there. As I sit in my family room watching a GOT rerun with my family, the Gurian is happily across the room, sitting in a chair, waiting to be strummed