What a fun thread. I'm a cheapskate by nature and by necessity so I may have the cheapest instruments so far. First I started out with a $70 brand new electric bass guitar, in the early '70's when I was in high school. I still have it but can't get to it. I went through a couple of other basses and wish I still had my second one. My main instrument is a Washburn D-12 six string, I got in 1983 for $165. I haven't had it appraised but like to think it's worth more now. I play mostly accoustic blues on it. My wife bought me a Generation "D" tin whistle when I got into Irish music, $6.50 and I love it. I've got a couple other whistles too. The latest is another Generation but in C. Amazing the difference in sound. Along the way I built a resonator mandolin as an experiment and also a plywood mountain dulcimer which theoretically belongs to my eight-year-old daughter. It's not great - took me three or four days to build just before Christmas two years ago - but it's playable. I got a $100 banjo at a pawn shop a while back, and would like to build a couple more banjos. The first one is inadequate for even my rudimentary skills. I've owned four Jew's harps, two currently which are recent additions. My latest pride and joy is a Russian Balalaika I got at a local thrift shop for $41.50. It was up on bid. Anyone know how to play one? And speaking of how to play thrift store instruments, I saw a Vio-Uke up on bid a couple of years ago but didn't win the highest bid on it - it looked sort of like a bowed psaltery but with a bunch of extra strings and maybe a fretboard(?). Judy and Jen, is this what you have and how are they played?

Oh yeah, I've got my dad's guitar - an old arch top Kay. It's not playable - warped neck, cracked face, several bad repairs, tuners shot - but a lot of sentimental value. And another guitar - a small plywood faced Stella that needs a new bridge. I want to use it for camping if I ever get around to fixing it.

I've got in mind to build a two-string canjolin for my extended family's annual gag gift exchange on New Year's day. That's a banjo-mandolin with a tin can resonator. I've got the hardwood, the two tuners (left over from the dulcimer), some fret wire, and a nice tin can. I've also got three rooms, a hall and some stairwells to paint and two hardwood floors to install in my house. Oh well.