Jesus, I'm glad I'm not playin' in that ballpark anymore! That wasn't always the case of course. Back in my pre-marriage, pre-house, pre-responsibility days I LOVED wheeling and dealing in high end antique instruments. The big difference was that if you knew your stuff, and were willing to track down the barest of leads, you could find some wonderful instruments that even a working folk musician could afford. Never kept anything other than my '29 Regal acoustic steel though. The fun was in the buying and SELLING. Most expensive thing I ever bought (not as my primary work instrument) was a 1944 D-18 at 700 bucks. Sold it for a grand and was thrilled. That was in 1976. Holy cow, what that would be worth today!

What IS great fun to me though, is hunting down WEIRD instruments. Got a line on a Czech 6 string banjo that has been made from AUTO PARTS! I ain't kiddin'. If I get it, Mudcat'll know!

Rick