Hi all,

Been meaning to do this for quite some time.  Just on the off chance someone may come across this guitar.  As you can see, the serial number is A4759.  Keep an eye out for me, especially in the Los Angeles area.  Here is the sad sad story...

I had two MINT National Duolians, just like this one here.  One had a green tint, the other, this one, grey.  I sold the green one to a collector in Florida.  Unfortunately for me, I am green/brown colorblind.  I sent him this grey one first, by mistake.  He then called and said, I ordered the green one.  Doh!  So I sent out the green, and he sent this one back to me.  This was in FEB of 2008.  The guitar made it across country all the way to Rialto, California, where there is a FEDEX hub.  From there, it disappeared and no tracking was generated showing it left that facility for the last 100 miles up to me here in Santa Barbara.  I can only assume that a FEDEX employee, as happens, took a fancy to the box knowing it was a guitar and decided to take it home w him.

I had the guitar insured for $5,000.  After putting in the claim, I was assured it should be no problem collecting the full value.  It took 5 months for FEDEX to make a decision on the claim.  The decision was that since the guitar was over 20 years old, they would use their fine print to deny me the claim and send me an insulting check for $100 plus refund me the $57 shipping charge.

Obviously I've been fuming ever since.  I mention this so if any of you have a friend with a mint 14 fret peghead Duolian, take a look at the serial number which I wisely took pictures of.  I am happy to offer a cash reward of $1,000 for any info as to it's whereabouts.  No questions asked at all.   I will be posting this stolen instrument all over the place very shortly on the web.  Maybe someone has seen it or knows about it.  Thanks much, and be wary of shipping vintage instruments as FEDEX fine print allows them to deny claims to any item they deem as an antique.  Pretty pathetic!

Cheers, Lenny

Note Serial Number A4759  Possibly located in the Rialto San Bernadino  Los Angeles area.  Stolen 2/2008