Today, in Quebec City, I came across a guy sitting on a bench plodding away on an Overton soprano D. His playing wasn’t all that great…when I approached him to ask him what kind of whistle he was playing, he showed me that it’s an Overton. Said he bought it at a garage sale in Vancouver (we both live in the same area and are visiting here) for $25 Canadian (about $15 U.S.) and figured he’d buy it and give it a wing. He also said there’d been one in C for the same price, but he didn’t want to get carried away! And so, he’s decided to take up the whistle…
Ya, offering him $30 for it crossed my mind! Actually, I’d seen him performing at the festival the day before (he was part of a group called Uzume Taiko, which I KNOW I just spelled incorrectly). It’s group that’s big on percussion and included, in one number, a bagpipe/sax duet, which was every bit pleasant as it was unusual. Knowing he’s a genuine musician and all…my conscience got the best of me and I refrained.
My ex-boss at the guitar store got a Hermann Hauser cl. guitar at a garage sale for $75. Enjoyed it for many years then finally sold it for $18K. Best fish story yet though some of those Antique Roadshows seem to approach that on regular antiques. But one of those guys just got convicted for pulling cons so I don’t always believe what I see on screen.
Drove the family by a yard sale last year and stopped to check out a strange keyboard instrument. I asked how much for the thing. “Well, we were asking $25 but, this low key sticks. So, we’ll take $20.” The lady said.
Using my best poker face, I asked to plug it in. It worked.
I gave her the $20 and ran home with a mint black Wurlitzer 200A electric piano, with original pedal. The sticking key was dust.
That’s kind of a problem with garage sale selling for the sellers. Everybody expects things to be ultra-cheap and they are.So you put things out way too cheap. Ebay is the answer I guess if you want to mess with UPS.
Great deal Gar. I used one during music school days for mandatory piano practice because they had some action. Sold it for way more than $20…Didn’t have the pedal tho!!