I play the guitar. Been playing for over 15 years. Every guitar player dreams of walking into a garage sale and finding that rare gem, that's being sold for, oh say a few grand under the book. I my friends, am that guitar player.

My journey started a few years back when a secretary at my work had inherited a house and everything inside of it. She was going to move in, and had advertised a garage sale in order to clear out and make space for her move. I went with the intention of buying some power tools. Little did I know what the Futon I would find.

I arrive at this house. The previous owner kept everything. For example, the hallway floors were lined with ATM receipts up the walls. I'm talking 3 feet high and about 10 feet down BOTH sides of the hallway. There were piles of blank cassette tapes; like he bought a pack everytime he went to the store, but never used them. The garage was more like an auto parts store. Racks lined with tools for everything. I picked out a circular saw - $15, a belt sander - $10 and a tool box full of misc. tools - $18. I was set. I pack it up pack it in, let me begin to leave... what the Futon...

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice someone walking out of the house with an acoustic guitar case... hmmm, did I miss something? I didn't see any guitars in that house and I went through every room. I decide it's worth one more look. I head back in and start making my way through the bedrooms. I enter the study which is floor to ceiling stacked with books. I don't really read, so I turn my attention to the closet. Slide open the mirrored door, gold. There stands four electric guitar cases. I slide open the other door. A reel to reel is stacked on top of an amplifier and some external cabinets. I shut both doors. Poke my head out into the hallway... no one there. I head back to the closet. I take out the first guitar case.

Lay it down on the floor. It's an old yellow tweed Fender case. Crack it open, and there lies what looks like a Fender Telecaster; however, the neck pickup isn't there - just one in the bridge. I peek at the headstock, it's an Esquire. Sick. A Fender Esquire. I buckle the case back up and reach in for the next one. This case is different, a silver case, larger than the yellow tweeder. I open it up, a Rickenbacker. John Lennon style. I dig it, never really been a fan, but cool never the less. I'm beginning to panic at the thoughts going through my head. Is this possible?!

I peek out into the hallway again. Still no one. Tooooo good. I put both cases back into the closet and bust out the third. It's a bass. The violin style Hofner that Paul McCartney still plays to this day. Insane. I shut it up, and shove it back into the closet. I peek up into the top shelf of the closet. A couple of cases, and a some effect pedals. I remind myself to check those before I leave. Just then, the secretary (the one having the garage sale) walks in. She sees the closet open and my grubby little hands all over the gear. She says to me, "Oh, those aren't for sale." My heart sinks. I knew it. It was too good to be true. Mother. Futon.

Still in shock at my misfortune, I reply, "Oh, OK. I play guitar you know, I was checking these out, they look great. I'd love to buy them if they were for sale." She pauses as if in thought. "Well, someone told me that they would give me $200 for each one." I'm quick to throw back, "I'll give you $200 for each one." Silence. "Ok." I start to sweat. It's on now dawg. I tell her that I'd like to look at them to see which ones I'd like. She says OK, and leaves the room to go help other folks... I pull out the last case. This one is still in the shipping box, it says Rickenbacker on the side. Slide the case out, open it up. It's a mint, and I mean, never been played mint 12 string Rickenbacker. Yeah, I think I'll take this one. I set it aside along with the Fender Esquire and the other Rickenbacker. Now onto the top shelf. I dig through the effects. I find an original Ibanez Tube Screamer, an original Electro Harmonix Small Stone Phase shifter, and an Maestro Echoplex (tape delay). Hear me on this, I have no idea at the time, what year this gear is, or if it even works, just that it was for sale, and I was paying asking price. I set everything I want aside, tell the secretary that I'm off to get some cash as I didn't expect to spend this much today.

Off to the bank. A quick call to the wife to tell her that I'm a futon lucky bastard, and that I'm gonna take $600+ out of the bank. She says, "What?!" and I tell her, "Just wait." and hang up. Another call to my brother in law, to yell at the top of my lungs to him about my current situation. 10 minutes later, I'm back. We settle on $200 for each guitar, and 20 bucks a piece for the effects. I put $660 in cash in her hand, and start loading up my truck. Each trip from the house to the truck, I'm walking faster and faster, my pits are clearly soiled as my body is in what I can only describe as a small case of shock. I pull away from the house in disbelief. I call everyone I know that knows guitars. I. Am. Freaking. Out.

After doing the proper research, I successfully dated each item and got a rough estimate of it's value.

Fender Esquire - 1963. Worth: Over $7,000. Paid: $200.

Rickenbacker 365 6 String - 1965. Worth: $2500. Paid: $200.

Rickenbacker 370 12 String - 1966. Worth: Name your price, as they only made FIVE that year. FIVE. Paid: $200.

Original Ibanez Tube Screamer - 1980's. Worth: $600. Paid: $20.

Maestro Echoplex - 1970's. Worth: Approx. $400. Paid: $20.

Electro Harmonix Small Stone - 1970's. Worth: Approx. $150. Paid: $20.

Everything worked perfectly. My wife says I have good luck. I dunno bout that, I mean, if I had good luck I would have found the guitars before that guy walked out with one. That could have been an original Martin or Gibson...

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