Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Discussion of history's greatest guitar player.

Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby PhilHunt » Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:51 am

Before the internet and ebay it was somewhat difficult to locate certain Chet records. I was just wondering from some of you other guys which LP you found difficult to find.
For me, it was four in particular: C.B. Atkins & C.E. Snow By Special Request, Goes to the Movies, Picks on Jerry Reed, and Standard Brands.
I got most of my records from a place in Michigan called Old Homestead Records by mail years ago. The guy John Morris would even find records for me, mail them to me out of the blue and I would send him the money. It took me many years to complete my Chet list and slowly check those records off.
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Re: Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby Hendrik » Sun Nov 17, 2013 2:02 pm

Well I started collecting about 5 years ago so I don't know how it was before the internet, but there are a few records that are still really hard to find, even now we have the world in our hands, like:

• And Then Came...Chet Atkins
• The Amazing Chet Atkins
• The Best Chet Yet
• Strum-Along Guitar Method
• After the Riot at Newport
• Discover Japan
• String Dustin'

And then there are some rare compilation albums, for instance "Tennessee Guitar Man", "Pickin' on Country", "Guitar for All Seasons", "The Romantic Guitar" and the "Best Chet Yet".
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Re: Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby headgremlin » Sun Nov 17, 2013 11:37 pm

I started collecting Chet's music in 1968 and didn't get online until 1995. What I didn't pick up in record stores, I got through auctions in Goldmine magazine. Can't believe I actually mailed in bids then waited to hear back on how many I won. Seems like ages ago.

There were two of Chet's albums that I had a hard time finding. Chet Atkins At Home and Hi Fi In Focus. Those were the last two RCA albums I needed. I was in the hospital and my roommate had both of the albums, which he let me borrow and tape. It wasn't long before copies ended up in my collection. One experience though stands out. I had acquired a few 78 RPMs and thought I had them all. After reading Country Gentleman, I learned about the Bullet 78. A friend of mine came back from a trip and said he saw a Bullet Chet at a dealer's store. I wrote him and he wrote back offering me a total of 40 78's, the most expensive being the Bullet record at $5.00, but most at $3.00 & $4.00. I bought those and they all came through the post office in one box. Not one record was cracked, chipped or broken. I look back now and shiver thinking about that.

Jere
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Re: Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby Ray Bohlken » Mon Nov 18, 2013 3:52 pm

I started buying Chet's LPs early on - when I first heard him in the mid 60s. Most of his albums were still in the record stores during that period or were being re-issued (remember record stores? :D ). As they came on the market, I managed to pick them up for my collections. I had trouble getting 3 albums - Yestergroovin', Chet Atkins and Hank Snow Reminiscing, and Chet Atkins and C. E. Snow by Special Request. I got them through the Goldmine Magazine advertisements and auctions. I paid a premium price for the 2 albums with Hank Snow, but I enjoyed them both. I got several duplicate copies of albums at thrift stores and at yard sales - Chet once said he was big at yard sales. I also got a couple of 45s at yard sales, but I never did get into collecting his singles, except as part of the box sets. I have converted a few of the LPs to digital CD and I still occasionally listen to the LPs on my old turntable - which I also got at a yard sale. I had to buy a duplicate of the Fingerstyle Guitar album, since I wore part of that one out trying to steal Chet's version of In The Mood.
I'm going to check out Chet and Hank right now...it's been awhile since I heard these.
Ray
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Re: Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby craigdobbins » Mon Nov 18, 2013 4:35 pm

I started collecting Chet's LPs in the late 1960s. I was fortunate to find many of the older ones as "cut-outs" in grocery and drug stores' "jobber racks" when I was a teenager. Usually these were $1.79 or 3 for $5. I received quite a few as presents from relatives and friends, as well taped copies from those who let me borrow their records until I could find a copy for myself. I found some in old jukeboxes, some at yard sales, and some in garbage cans! Also, it was such a thrill to wait for the new Chet or Jerry album. The local record store would actually order a copy of anything they released, and give me a call that they were holding it for me.

I bought several from an outfit in LA called "Discontinued" (get it?) in the 70's, and discovered Lee Wall in the 80's through a magazine ad, probably Frets or Guitar Player. I remember getting "Hometown Guitar" from Discontinued in the later 70s for about $25 or $30, which was a lot of money. The one record I wanted most was the actual 45 of "Rhythm Guitar." General Gentry finally got me a copy in the early 90's, bless his heart. He actually gave it to me as a present! Between Lee, General, and Steve Ledford, I plugged the holes in my collection. I was never into every variation of a release, just in getting every song that Chet or Jerry recorded.

The album I paid the most for was "Jerry Reed Explores Guitar Country", again from Discontinued, about 1977. I searched for it for years, and finally they located a copy for me. I paid $50 (US postal money order) for it, plus insurance. My Dad thought I was crazy! But, I'd gladly do it again.

Folks today have no idea what we went through to find records- and how long we waited! (Oops, just sounded like an old man...)

Craig
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Re: Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby DagerRande » Mon Nov 18, 2013 6:34 pm

I agree with Craig. Back in about 1985 I paid $55 plus shipping for Jerry's album "Cookin" which came out in recent years on one of those "Twofer" CD's for $15 or less.
Rande Dager

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Re: Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby PhilHunt » Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:49 pm

I think the most I paid for a Chet LP was $30 and it was "The Atkins/Travis Traveling show", that was another one that was hard to find for me. Also, just like Craig...I paid alot for "Explores Guitar Country" (about $50). For some reason years ago that was a very hard one to find, so was "Cookin". Now, it as simple as a mouse click away to get any album. There's a record store near me in Fairfax Virginia that has tons of records for $1. I cleaned up last week on a bunch of Chet LP's. Sure I already had them, but for $1 and in mint condition you can't beat that price. I bought about 10 of them. One in particular was "Back Home Hymns" and if I'm not mistaken that one also is a little tricky to find.

I wanted to mention also two in particular that are VERY HARD TO FIND, and if you have them hold on to them!
"Solo Flights" in MONO and especially "Hometown Guitar" in MONO (this was Chet's last LP in Mono). I had both of these at one time both still sealed and I traded them to General Gentry at CAAS for a couple that I needed.
Also, another one that is almost impossible to find is Jerry's "Nashville Underground" in MONO. I was lucky to find my copy on ebay for $5, the person apparently didn't know what they had.

I won't even mention "My Brother Sings" LP because we all know what kind of money that record brings. Does anyone know who actually purchased both of those records that showed up on ebay?
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Re: Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby headgremlin » Mon Nov 18, 2013 10:59 pm

Phil,
There were two main bidders for "My Brother Sings." The first copy went for a measly $8,100 and was bought by a fellow who was constantly outbidding me on Chet items. He and another bidder, user ID only a number, raised the price almost $7,000 in the last minute before it finally ended. The second copy was bought by the user with all numbers for $3,550. Suffice it to say, I have not seen either of these two bidding on anything since.
Thanks, Jere
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Re: Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby Ray Bohlken » Mon Nov 18, 2013 11:09 pm

Craig, I mentioned that I got a couple of 45s at a yard sale and Rhythm Guitar was one of them. I had never heard the song or heard of it until that moment that I saw the record. That's one of the songs I digitized and I have it on my computer to listen to. I said I paid a premium price for the Chet and Hank Snow albums. I think I paid in the 25 to 30 dollar range for each of them at Goldmine. I don't think those have ever been re-issued on CD...have they?
Ray
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Re: Which Chet LP's were hard to find for you???

Postby guitarchuck » Mon Nov 18, 2013 11:37 pm

I was never one to try to find all of Chet's albums, but I was always on the lookout for a new one. Especially when I was a teenager. I can remember the excitement of finding a Chet album that I didn't have. I kind of miss the days when there were record stores, looking at the large LP cover art. I did pay $25 for "Back Home Hymns". It's not super rare, but I don't think it was as big a seller as some of his others. I had Chet sign it for me and now it's framed hanging on my wall. They did a CD re-issue of it, it's one of the bargain priced CD's now.
I wish someone would put out the rest of Chet's recordings in a box set, like the earlier recordings that Bear did. It would be nice if you could buy a complete box set. I know it would probably be huge and expensive, but that would be nice to have!
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