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 Post subject: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: October 11th, 2016, 3:53 am 
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Joined: November 26th, 2008, 6:14 am
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Location: Oahu, Hawaii
Got a call today from a music buddy here on Oahu, Hi... after exchanging hellos, the first thing he asked me was, "did you have an acoustic bass that got stolen"? I said yes, and he asked, "what kind was it", and I replied it was a 4-string Michael Kelly Dragonfly bass, left hand of course, that was stolen out of my van in downtown Honolulu, back in 2009. "Do you happen to know the serial number" he asked. I said I had taken pictures of the bass, had a close-up of the sound hole, and had most of the serial number, as a string was hiding a portion of it.

After repeating the numbers I had to him, he then told me that a fellow guitar player/ teacher, had a student that had my stolen bass in her possession. She'd been given the bass by someone she knew that had come by it years ago by the person who had stolen it, was now feeling remorse for having it, and wanted to give it back to the rightful owner - me!

My buddy told me I would get a friend's request through Facebook from the guitar instructor, which he did, and once I had accepted his request, I sent him pictures of the bass, and serial number. He texted me back, and said he would contact me to meet him when he had gotten the bass from his student.. how cool is that!

When it was stolen, it was brand new, so I'm curious to see what kind of condition it's in after all these years. I bought it through an eBay auction at the time, for the whopping amount, including shipping, for $106, delivered to Kailua, Hi!

It had a beautiful curly Maple top, and received lots of compliments, mostly from the ladies, on how nice it looked. It had a nice sound as well... my only negative comment about it was, the neck was a bit "soft" - I would never change the bronze strings out for flats, for example, as it would bow the neck way beyond the truss-rod's ability to keep it within normal action specs.

The picture below is not a very good one, but when I get it back I'll take pictures of it's condition, subsequent cleaning if needed, and post them up. I'm excited to get it back; never thought I'd see it, or any of the gear stolen out of my van way back on that late night in 2009.

Image

Some months back, I went to a rehearsal studio with friends to jam, and spied a GK 150MBE, that looked like the one that had been also stolen from my van. I convinced the studio owner that if I opened it up, I could prove that it was mine, from the mods I had made to it. He said, if you think it's yours, go ahead and take it, as it had been given to him by a painter/friend of his who had literally found it on the street at a jobsite, in a pile of bulky items that were ready for pickup. It was full of dust and cobwebs, but it was indeed mine! After a thorough cleaning, I now use it for rehearsals, and small gigs; it's nice to have it back! Out of all the gear I lost that night, the GK combo, and the acoustic bass were all that I wanted back. Looks like my wish has been fulfilled! :D

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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: October 11th, 2016, 4:01 am 
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Joined: August 1st, 2015, 6:36 pm
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Location: Cambridge, MA
That's awesome! Hope it's still in playable shape.


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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: October 11th, 2016, 4:54 am 
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Joined: January 9th, 2009, 1:34 am
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Wow, all these reunion threads on the board :D
Awesome to have stuff returned to its rightful owner that way! 8-)

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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: October 11th, 2016, 4:56 am 
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Joined: February 11th, 2010, 3:12 pm
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Location: north Louisiana
Very cool.


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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: October 12th, 2016, 7:32 pm 
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Joined: November 26th, 2008, 6:14 am
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Location: Oahu, Hawaii
So apparently, the woman who has my bass, wants to meet with me, my friend Bert (who initially contacted me), and her guitar instructor next Wednesday to return the bass. Don't know why she wants us all there, but I'm hoping it's not because she's afraid to meet me by herself... She could just as easily give the bass to her guitar instructor, who would then pass it on to me, but I do appreciate her desire to meet me face-to-face to return it.

Will keep you all informed as to how this story plays out....

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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: October 12th, 2016, 9:04 pm 
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Joined: March 14th, 2008, 10:57 am
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Jeroen wrote:
Wow, all these reunion threads on the board :D
Awesome to have stuff returned to its rightful owner that way! 8-)

indeed. Sometimes it pays off to be left handed eh?


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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: October 13th, 2016, 4:23 am 
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Location: Oahu, Hawaii
AzWhoFan wrote:
Jeroen wrote:
Wow, all these reunion threads on the board :D
Awesome to have stuff returned to its rightful owner that way! 8-)

indeed. Sometimes it pays off to be left handed eh?


Yes! I always figured on two scenarios after the bass was stolen along with my other gear - after looking at their illegally gotten gains, and realizing they'd stolen a very unique-looking Lefthand bass, they would either 1)- smash and destroy it, or 2)- find a lefty to give it to, who would never play out with it, as it would be too recognizable. And, the chances of two lefthand Dragonfly basses being on the Island of Oahu would be astronomical. If I ever saw one at a gig, I'd have the serial number to check it with.

Looks like I was very lucky, and the thieves went with option 2).... I still don't know how this person knew it was mine, so I'm eager to meet her and find that out. I was interviewed by a local TV station shortly after it happened, and a lot of my friends saw me on the tube, being interviewed in the downtown area where my van was broken into. I rather doubt she knew me from that - as that was seven years ago... to be continued....

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http://www.myspace.com/thestrangershawaii


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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: October 22nd, 2016, 3:47 am 
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Joined: November 26th, 2008, 6:14 am
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Location: Oahu, Hawaii
I have my bass back! Literally untouched since the day it was stolen, still in the original case...
This bass is beautiful! Pictures don't do it justice, but you can see how nice the grain is....

Image

Image

Image

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R&B Stretch Bass, Walter Woods 1000w Green-Light Stereo Amp, AccuGroove El Whappo and TR112, assorted axes, amps, cabs...
http://www.myspace.com/thestrangershawaii


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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: December 23rd, 2016, 12:31 pm 
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Joined: December 22nd, 2016, 4:40 pm
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Location: Boston, MA
Love a story with a happy ending! Did you find out why she wanted to meet face to face? (I got sucked in by the story) haha

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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: December 23rd, 2016, 1:55 pm 
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Joined: October 8th, 2009, 3:19 am
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That is such a great story - and around the holiday time makes it even better - congrats!


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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: December 23rd, 2016, 9:17 pm 
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Location: Oahu, Hawaii
Wrong Way Customs wrote:
Love a story with a happy ending! Did you find out why she wanted to meet face to face? (I got sucked in by the story) haha


Not sure why she wanted to meet me, other than see my reaction to getting the bass back. I tried to get the whole story from her, as to how she came to have it. She wouldn't come right out and say it, but I have a feeling that a family member was the thief, and she felt bad about it. Sounds even better than I remember!

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http://www.myspace.com/thestrangershawaii


Last edited by fivebass52 on December 24th, 2016, 1:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: December 23rd, 2016, 10:08 pm 
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Location: Beantown
At the time you posted this I didn't read the whole thing, what a cool story!
Glad you took it back!!


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 Post subject: Re: The Return Of My 1st Acoustic Bass...
PostPosted: December 24th, 2016, 2:43 am 
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paulo wrote:
At the time you posted this I didn't read the whole thing, what a cool story!
Glad you took it back!!


It IS a crazy story, with a happy ending, and to get my old GK 150MBE back too in the same year is amazing! Here are pics of it from when I first got it back, through cleaning, and the end result...

Image
Image
[img]http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/fivebass52

PC boards were full of dust, and a waxy film, cobwebs etc....
/GK%20150MBE/20151128_005948_zpsfnymyqol.jpg[/img]

Image

After blowing out two OEM GK 8ohm speakers, I put this in... 4ohm, no extension speaker/capable anymore... :)
Image

All cleaned up!
Image
Image

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