Lunch Report, Tuesday, May 18th, off the coach.

[MrRoundel]

Oh, I think I hear that familiar sound of the roach coach pulling up outside the studio. As the proprietor/cook/driver opens up the sides of the coach, I can already see what it is that I’m going to be enjoying for lunch today. Unfortunately, it looks like they’re fresh out of my blueberry Cliff Bars, and only have some sort of oatmeal flavor. O.K., I’ll give anything a try once. However, before I peel open that Cliff bag, I’ll dig into a strawberry flavored yogurt. It’s some off-brand, and has used beet (le)juice for coloring. While I find that this is cheating, I don’t have much choice. So, strawberry-beet(le)juice yogurt it is. For the drink du jour, I’ve decided to just have tap water on the rocks. I’ll see if I can get by the chlorine/chloramines residual taste. It’ll be fine, but I won’t enjoy it like a do the more tasty, filtered water. However, my teeth may like me better for taking in some fluoride. At my age, fluoride may not matter, but it can’t hurt, can it? Bon appetite.

I don’t consider myself a thrill-seeker. Do you consider yourself a thrill-seeker? If you do, or perhaps would like to qualify as more of one, what would be the number one thrill you’d seek out? What activity do you find most intriguing, as far as getting your ultimate thrill-seeking ya-ya’s?

For me it would have to be jumping off the top of a mountain in one of those “flight suits”. Have you ever seen these guys doing this? It’s mind-blowing. While I don’t have the cajones for it, if I could get them, that’s what I’d try. What a rush it would be!

[youtube]9nwTFMH7Xoo[/youtube]

O.K., G&L-related content:

People have talked about guitars that “got away” over the years. I'm curious as to such things, and in whether you were outbid on an auction, hesitatingly or stupidly (in retrospect) sold it, or had it stolen. I bring it up again because I came across pictures that I’d saved of an interesting guitar I saw for sale a few years ago, and lost out in an auction. I actually went to the seller's house and played it a little, fell for it, and ended up putting in a bid that should have pretty much guaranteed a win. It didn’t. I couldn’t believe it when I got outbid on it. The very knowledgeable, late Dr. Zakin, had told me that he figured that I should get it for around $1,000 or so. I bid $1,325 at the last second. $1,350 took it. Ouch! It was an “employee guitar” that was supposedly custom made for this Orange County guy, who I believe was some sort of minister. Anyway, it was an Interceptor-style (Longhorn) Comanche V, in blue transparent, and had a cream-colored sickle headstock from a Skyhawk. It was a very nice guitar with OHSC. That one got away. I’d love to have it, should anyone run across it. I believe the guy who outbid me was also from Southern California, as the seller told me that he too had played the guitar before bidding. Anyway, there’s a tear in my beer over this beauty. Here are the pic’s that I saved of her.








So, which guitar, it doesn’t have to be a G&L, do you consistently boot yourself in the butt for not stepping up to the plate on? If you have pic’s to make the self-torture more complete, as I have, please supply.

[RickT]

That would be a tear to my eye to lose the bid on that. I can't recall any that got away. I do have a Broadcaster from Buffalo Brother's that I agonized over for more than a couple of weeks before I pulled the trigger. I'm glad I purchased that guitar. I don't know why, but that guitar has got some mojo to it that I don't get from my other guitars.

RickT

[yowhatsshakin]

So, which guitar, it doesn’t have to be a G&L, do you consistently boot yourself in the butt for not stepping up to the plate on? If you have pic’s to make the self-torture more complete, as I have, please supply.

It is strange how time makes you forget. In my response yesterday, I told about an Clear Orange ASAT Classic that got away. But then you get a Butterscotch Blonde ASAT Classic a year later and 'losing out' on the other ASAT becomes somewhat irrelevant. I played a Junior at Emerald City Guitars here in Seattle many years ago that was gone upon the next visit. But you find a different example for a much lower price and you forget again.

There have been others on eBay that 'got away', but it is not that bad when every time you bid you put in a number where you can tell yourself that if someone outbids you, well, then congrats to them. I've bought guitars where I saw other specimen pop up, sometimes at much cheaper prices (the Craig's List Commemorative in SF recently discussed on this forum comes to mind).

[MrRoundel]

I don't know why, but that guitar has got some mojo to it that I don't get from my other guitars.
RickT

Thanks for your response, RickT. I felt like the invisible Lunch Reporter today.

While I don't have a Broadcaster, my early '86 ASAT is a close cousin. It's one of those guitars that really sings to you, even when unplugged. I've been playing it over the past few days, and it is a sweet instrument. Anyone who plays G&L, and likes ASAT/Tele bodies, should do their best to get their hands on a Broadcaster, or an early ASAT in maple. Otherwise, they're only depriving themselves, IMHO.

[zapcosongs]

I honestly don't have many "got away" regrets, though I used to get out-bid from time to time when I was still collecting. Well, there was this Cavalier.....

I really just wanted to say I'm with you on the maple-bodied early ASAT / Broadcaster thing. I can always count on a smile when I plug mine in. Not sure what it is, exactly, but that instrument sure is special. Thanks Zombywoof! - ed

[pico peachy]

last year I bid on a sweet newer hardtail Comanche, redburst I believe, upgraded nut of some kind. I couldn't really afford it and I knew my fiancee would not have been happy if I had won it, especially if I had to tell her what I had paid for it. I had the only bid the entire auction and within the last minute, I was outbid. I remember watching the final seconds tick away on my phone as I stood in a grocery store-heart pumping, excited and nervous that I was going to win it, thankfully I didn't..this was a situation where one got away and right when it did, I was relieved....I've been a bit more careful ever since.

[replyman]

Clif bars are good. I keep a few lying around. Lost deals: rare early Interceptor and two Skyhawks... to date.

[bassman]

Base jumping with flight suits is amazing.
The downside is that I don't see too much room for error.

What if you lean the wrong way or catch a down draft at the wrong time?
I guess you just bet your life on a thrill. Too bad.

I wonder where that is? Is that somewhere in California?

Guitars that got away. I can think of a number of Fender basses that I wish I had bought but then there are a lot that I did buy. So I can't complain.

I can think of a Foam Green 1964 Jazz bass, A LPB 74 Jazz, A 1956 Precision and a 1953 Precision bass that would've been great to have, but I'll get by.

[MrRoundel]

I wonder where that is? Is that somewhere in California?

I believe they were jumping in Norway. And yes, there is indeed little margin for error, especially when they're flying so close to the sides of the mountains. It is an awesome display of man's successful quest for a bigger rush. Thanks for your response.