# The one guitar you wish you had back



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I guess I could buy another one but if by magic I could have it back it would be the Hamer Newport. It was just a perfect guitar in all respects.


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## Guest (Jan 9, 2016)

'81 Explorer.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

My '00 Tyler Burning Water. It was a special guitar and everyone that played it were usually blown away. It was my #1 for 5 years. I developed forearm problems and after some trial and error, equated it to the Burning Water causing the problems (it was then dubbed "Burning Wrist"........). I sold it to someone in the US and found it later that it was an alder body and not mamywo. It's been gone for 5 years now and the new owner has given me dibs but still loves it. I'd like to get it back and try it again.


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## mario (Feb 18, 2006)

PRS Santana III....really regret letting this one go.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

westbury deluxe. mine had phase switching and coil taps but they were disconected


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

George benson GB10 from the early 80's. Superb and beautifull. Also my 60's, yes 60,s LP. That one i could kick myself for trading. And finally, my 66 ES 325. Cant afford them anymore.


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

1986 Fender Squier Contemporary Strat E series MIJ.
Bought new for $700 (- trade) from Guitar Factory on Sussex St Sydney Australia.
Sold it to CoogeeMusic for $300 to buy …turntables to be a DJ.
A fellow member here had one for sale a while back (I think DMC69?) should have grabbed it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Honeyburst LP Classic+, forget the year but I think late 90's. Was an awesome player, loved the pickups, great top.....but I let the internet slamming on the 'snot green' inlays get in my head, plus it was a very heavy guitar....it got traded for a historic R0 that ended up with a twisted neck out of warranty :/


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

A '77 Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top. It sounded like god when soloing.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

65 Sunburst Strat with a 65 Bassman head. Sold it to get a Charvel with EMG's and a Peavey Bandit. Even now it hurts.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

'70s Tele Deluxe. Awesome WRHBs. That thing got me through my first years or decent gigs.

Peace, Mooh.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Probably this R8.


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## b-nads (Apr 9, 2010)

When I looked through my photobucket account to find this pic, I became pretty embarrassed - the number of quality guitars that have gone through my possession over the past few years is ridiculous. I'm beginning to think I've become more of a shopper than a player :-/

If I suddenly came into enough money that I could spend what I want on gear without worries, my first move would be to buy back the 3 guitars Brian Monty built for me, starting with this one:


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

I think I tried that guitar, it was amazing.


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

My Muddy Water's Blackguard Tele. Totally changed my mind about MIM guitars.:


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

My 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel custom, many people thought they looked ugly, that may be, still there were not many guitars that could match the sound and playability of that guitar. I wish I could find a picture of that one. I did find a picture of a 1968 barney Kessel


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I was kinda regretting my HH Albert Lee, but I got to play it again over christmas, and I much prefer my Monty.

So, ....none.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

This would imply getting a guitar and then selling/giving it away. I'm good at the first part but not so good at the second, so, none.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

My Hamer USA. The nicest guitar I've ever owned. I haven't checked the wiring of my artist V but I don't know that it would be as neat as what was in this (before I tried some different pickups, which didn't work out).

This little guy:


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

1969 Gibson SG Jr. - Bought in 1970 and sold in 1975.

(stock photo)


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Didn't sell it. It was stolen. My 1959 Epiphone Windsor. Simply one of the greatest necks I've ever played.

I'd also kind of like to have the first guitar I ever made back again. Not because it was superlative to everything else I've ever had, but because it was so long ago, I don't have an accurate recollection of how good it actually was. Knowing more, now, I'm simply curious. The neck and pickups were from my Kent Videocaster, the body was one-piece pine, traced from a high-school buddy's LP Jr., and the wraparound bridge was solid brass that my machinist father helped me make.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

My 80's Epi Classical. Sold for a song when I was in College. Beautiful tone and look. Played fantastic.


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## Stonehead (Nov 12, 2013)

My 73' Norlin Custom. Was a frigg'n tank but sounded and played awesome.....I miss ...sob


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Had one of these monsters,,,,,, oh why ,,,


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## numb41 (Jul 13, 2009)

Kinda on the fence about the 3 pickup one on the left. Although, it went to a good friend who still has it.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

adcandour said:


> I was kinda regretting my HH Albert Lee, but I got to play it again over christmas, and I much prefer my Monty.
> 
> So, ....none.


Bastard !


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

MIJ Foto Flame Strat. Cheesy finish aside, the neck was this medium V shape that was just wonderful. I've never found another one that felt like that.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

Robert1950 said:


> 1969 Gibson SG Jr. - Bought in 1970 and sold in 1975.
> 
> (stock photo)


I have that one's twin (reissue from 2002) in my hands right now. Even thinking of putting a maestro on it for looks. Very cool guitar.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

The first (and only) LP I ever had. I bought it used and the previous owner had beaten it up a little bit. The body just sang though. I ended up trading it for my current #1 Strat. It had issues, or perhaps I had issues with it, but it was a lovely feeling and sounding guitar that I just didn't bond with. Why I would like it back? Because I'll never get another as nice as that anywhere near what I paid for it.


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## grumpyoldman (Jan 31, 2010)

I don't have any pictures of it, unfortunately, but I had a 1980 Les Paul Standard, which originally had a Gibson embossed Kahler on it, and was tobacco sunburst. Working with someone who knew what they were doing (read: professional luthier), we filled the routing for the Kahler, stripped the finish to bare wood and reshot it white. Most likely the only _white_ '80 LP Standard around. It was fabulous, and I stupidly sold it off in the early 90s to a dealer in the USA. Still remember the serial number, and often consider posting it on one of the Gibson-specific forums to see if anyone happens to know where it currently hides out...

John
thegrumpyoldman


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

shoretyus said:


> Had one of these monsters,,,,,, oh why ,,,


I had a '64. Sold it in '67 to buy an old Harley to get the girls. Worked a lot better than my guitar playing. No regrets selling that one as far as I redall.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

In the late '80s I bought a Hamer Californian new, something like this, but in a metallic pearl neon yellow...










I picked up my PRS in '93, so it got a bit unloved.
A bandmates son had frothed at the mouth over that guitar since I got it.
I had showed him how to change the strings on this guitar and then utilized him as my "roadie" for a couple of years before I handed it over on his sixteenth birthday.
AFAIK, he still has it and the last time I saw it, around ten years ago, the finish had been worn off some of the front of the guitar from playing the crap out of it. Perfect.

I'll probably snag one again some day, I'd like to find out what those Seymour Duncans were in it. It was a beast.


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

I had a Vantage guitar that played really well. I wish I had it (or one just like it.)


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Electraglide said:


> I had a '64.


 You had an S?


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## boyscout (Feb 14, 2009)

This '2006 Custom. It had huge frets and I couldn't avoid off-pitching it when I was fingering. The guy who bought it loved it, and I'd like to try it again if I had the chance. It was a very nice Custom.


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

garrettdavis275 said:


> MIJ Foto Flame Strat. Cheesy finish aside, the neck was this medium V shape that was just wonderful. I've never found another one that felt like that.


I'm not sure what the deal is with those MIJ Fender Foto Flames, but I have owned 2 of the Telecasters and they are, hands down, some of the nicest necks you'll ever wrap your hands around.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

fredyfreeloader said:


> View attachment 17293
> View attachment 17294
> 
> 
> My 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel custom, many people thought they looked ugly, that may be, still there were not many guitars that could match the sound and playability of that guitar. I wish I could find a picture of that one. I did find a picture of a 1968 barney Kessel


Damn....I love those guitars. Sorry for your loss.


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

I don't have any pictures, but a mid-90s MIJ Fender Foto Flame Telecaster. The sound was incredible, the neck was a dream but the body was all checked. In about 2000 I read in an on-line guitar forum that the Foto Flame Fenders were "Hideous, ugly and cheap looking". Seeing as the internet does not lie, I sold it to a friend  I've told him a dozen times I'd buy it back but it's not coming back. He'll never sell it.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

You might think differently with all the guitars I've sold on this Forum but, I HATE selling guitars. I LOVE playing them.
It's just a money thing, stuff has to go to pay for new shit comin' in.
And....If some time passes and I haven't been playing a certain instrument, then I will pass it on. Because no matter what, these things are meant to be played.
I'm sure I can dig up an example or two of sellers remorse.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

shoretyus said:


> You had an S?


Not too sure if it was an S. Got it as a birthday present. At the time it seemed big. I sold it to help buy an old Harley a friend of my older brother had.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

I don't want any of them back because I still have every one I ever bought.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

JethroTech said:


> I'm not sure what the deal is with those MIJ Fender Foto Flames, but I have owned 2 of the Telecasters and they are, hands down, some of the nicest necks you'll ever wrap your hands around.


That's good to know! Maybe I can track one down and find some of the same magic as my old Strat.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

boyscout said:


> This '2006 Custom. It had huge frets and I couldn't avoid off-pitching it when I was fingering. The guy who bought it loved it, and I'd like to try it again if I had the chance. It was a very nice Custom.
> 
> View attachment 17317


WOOOOOOOOW


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## georgemg (Jul 17, 2011)

I had a Ruby Red MIJ RG 570 that I sold because I wasn't really using it. I can't find any pictures of it (lost most of mine in a hard drive crash years ago), but it looked similar to the one below with more dents, chips and scratches. Stylistically, it's really not my thing anymore, but it was the guitar I learned on, the one I played all of my first shows with, the one I went through college with,... Lots of memories tied to it. I never thought I'd get sentimental about it when I sold it, but I was wrong - I do miss it.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

My Koll Tele....what was I thinking?


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I don't think I miss anything I've let go

I did have an awesome old Larrivee L-09 acoustic. But the neck was huge & I got hand cramps playing it


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## Gearhead88 (Nov 7, 2013)

Way back I had a red label Yamaha acoustic that I regret selling , I'd buy it back if I knew where the hell it was. 

Other than that there's only two other guitars I've ever sold , I don't miss either of those.


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## James (Jul 3, 2007)

Well, no pictures, though my list would include

'64 SG Junior
'61 Les Paul Custom (SG shape - white - 3 pickups, sideways whammy bar)
'57 Strat (sunburst w/maple neck - beat to heck - at the time, being a road musician, I couldn't afford to get it into shape so I traded it off)
'60-something strat - like new in its case with original tags etc - a nice blue color with gold hardware - never saw one like it since

I think there was also an old ES125 (?) in there somewhere too....single pickup, single cutaway, hollow body

...so there's my sad list....

Jim


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## TA462 (Oct 30, 2012)

I had a beautiful Red American Standard Telecaster that was stolen I wish I could get back.


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## oheare (Jun 18, 2012)

There are three that I miss:

my first real playable guitar, a Yamaha FG75,
mid-60's sunburst ES335-12; bought it as a shell with no hardware, collected and assembled parts and made it work, and sold it to a guitar repairman more than 30 years ago (and I think he still has it),
a mid-70's Marc Beneteau acoustic that I spec'd out from scratch
Considering the number of guitars that I've had, that's not too bad, I guess. Considering the number of guitars that I still have, well...


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

There's way more than one...lol


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## Mike Darolfi (Jan 22, 2016)

Epiphone Riviera. Cheap but awesome!

http://static.music123.com/derivates/18/001/291/425/DV016_Jpg_Large_516284.025_red_R.jpg


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I've only ever gotten rid of one guitar, so by default it has to be that one. It was just a beat up old Epiphone SG. I don't actually miss it that much. I gave it to my ex's little sister for Christmas one year.

I do however miss her little sister's Fender acoustic she got in one of those starter kits. I swear she found the holy grail of cheap acoustics. It is the best playing and brightest sounding acoustic I have ever played.

I also really miss her father's friend's guitar. He doesn't play at all, so he used to lend it to me to play at the house. It's a Collings acoustic, with a neat little backstory. It was a personal gift from Mr. Collings. The owner of the guitar owns a lumber mill in Nova Scotia, and Mr. Collings flies up every year or two to hand select logs from the stack that he would like milled for his instruments. As a gesture of good will, he built this guitar for him as a gift. I'll have to dig up pictures of it, as it is a work of art.


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

Some cool stories here but after over 70 guitars... no regrets


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

davetcan said:


> Probably this R8.


Looks familiar....


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

The '80 LP Custom & late 50s Duo Jet that I traded straight up for a brand new '93 SRV Strat.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I don't have any regrets, but if someone asked me which one I'd like back, it would be the ES-339 that I sold to the guitarist from Broken Social Scene. There was a bit of miscommunication, and I had to honour the sale, or I would have kept it.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I traded this Danelectro DC-3 90's reissue for a 1967 Harmony Rocket. They are both nice guitars but both one trick ponies. Turns out I liked the Danelectro's trick way better than the Harmony's.


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## bileshake (Aug 18, 2014)

For me it was an ebony early 90's Gibson Explorer in the tan case with the pink cape. I traded it for a Tobacco burst Dean ML (before all the Dimebags...) I tried everything to get that guitar to sound decent and nothing would help. The Explorer was a damn champion! The store I sold it to said it was for their "personal" collection and when I realized within a week I made a huge mistake, it was already sold.


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

I mentioned my Gibson Barney Kessel previously, there is one more that is far more important to me. I would dearly love find to get back the Classic Bossa Nova built for me by Bill Lewis. Maybe some day ??


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I'm worried my Artist V will get on the list next to the Hamer USA I had, but money is tight :/


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

I had a custom built Stonebridge OM that I sold along with all my gear when my pops was diagnosed Stage4. Phenomenal instrument but no other choice to be made. Also had an exceptional, 1 of 5, Hofner archtop that was stolen...another great axe


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

I've had way more guitars than I care to admit, but the ones that got away for me are as follows:

1. 1973 Gibson Les Paul Custom (great guitar, but I was having issues with my shoulder, so I sold it).
2. 2010 Paul Reed Smith McCarty (got this from a forumite, traded it away, got it back again, and then traded it back to Fred in a moment of weakness. I think the guitar is in Ontario now).

W.


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## tomsy49 (Apr 2, 2015)

My '04 Les Paul Standard I received in a trade for a yamaha electric drum kit and PA amp worth $1300 total brand new. Older gentleman traded me a USA strat but i didn't like single coils then so i posted it for sale and he wanted to take it back and only had standard Les Pauls for humbucking guitars. I couldn't afford any money on top being in University and he just gave the Les Paul to me straight trade! I foolishly sold it for another USA strat and $700 2 years ago. Thought i needed 2 guitars at that time but again couldn't afford it. That Standard always stayed in tune regarldess of how hard I played and hiw the weather changed!! I tried tracking it down again but had been bought and sold by 3 people since so i gave up.


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## flyswatter (Apr 6, 2016)

Mine would be the Gibson Invader (short-lived 80s model much like a Special) that got stolen from my car in Stratford, Ontario in 1989. I own another Gibson now, and the Invader was not the greatest thing Gibby ever did, but it was my first gigging guitar and it wrecked me that it got swiped.


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## krall (Apr 19, 2009)

My 1957 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty. 3 PAF's. I stupidly sold it in the early 90's to an elderly gentleman in PEI for $17K to buy a tour van..


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

Pretty much all of them.


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