Cashout #1: 2018 d’Angelico Deluxe Brighton guitar

As my time in California winds down, I’m trying to be strategic about my trades and the items I have. I expect this project to continue in some form once I arrive in Michigan (oh, umm, I’m moving to Michigan), but I have some specific debt-related loose ends that I’d love to take care of before I leave. That means cashing out on some of these trade lines. I have about a month and a half to do that, and today was step 1.

Mike (not his real name) messaged me this morning. He asked me if I’d entertain cash offers for the guitar, which was listed for sale or trade. I said I would, and he told me he was a student, had been saving up for an electric guitar, and really, really wanted this model. We went back and forth a little bit on price, and eventually settled on something lower than what I’d listed the guitar for, but which still felt like a really fair price for it.

He wanted to buy right away, so we agreed to meet in the parking lot of the nearby Safeway (which checked two boxes for me: 1) public and safe; 2) I was overdue for some grocery shopping…).

Mike and his girlfriend met me and, reader, I wish you could have seen his face. When he opened that case he lit. up. She was really impressed, too. Lots of oooohs and aaaaaahs, especially over the deep hunter green gloss on the body and the detail on those abalone inlays. It felt great, too, because I knew I had a gorgeous instrument on my hands, and one in great condition, and I have absolutely no doubt that he’ll cherish and appreciate that guitar.

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As for me, I have my first cashout that I’ll be putting toward my debts. In the grand scheme, it’s a drop in the bucket, but the method is effective, if inefficient. This trade line started with a movie projector that I had loved for many years and that I probably over-valued at $250, and after a handful of fair-but-uneven trades, I cashed out with $1,100.

Bigger things to come, but this feels like a win.