Yesterday, we shipped our 99th item since we started selling musical instruments and related gear over Reverb and locally last November.

The instrument yesterday was a 1952 Scotty Moore guitar....an ES 295.He used this guitar (not mine) for many Elvis recordings.

I bought the thing in 1970 for @250.00. It was a basket case. First, I waited 2 years until the only guy I trusted could re-fret it. Then, like a dunce, I had it refinished black and exchanged all the hardware from gold plate to chrome (hate gold plate).

In 1977, after going to the last Return To Forever concert, I took the instrument to have the pick-ups changed to those Al DiMiola used in his 175 (same guitar, just newer).

Played it one time, in 1980 at the Campbell House sitting in for a friend who was ill.

If I had left the thing alone, I would have gotten $5,000-$10,000 or more for it. After all the alterations, I got $3175.00.

Thing is, after keeping it in an air conditioned, heated, humidity controlled storage unit, changing the strings twice a year and paying to have the neck adjusted once a year, I probably didn't even break even.

Looks like it's going to a guy who really respects and treasures old jazz instruments, and the funds are going to a charity project benefiting old jazz musicians.

Will close the guitar/bass and accessories down after 200 total sales.

That will only leave me about 60 stringed instruments.....POOR, FAT LITTLE ME!

90% of the instruments sold have never been played. At least they're going to people who will make good use out of them.

R.