There have been many times I’ve felt as though something, someone, has been looking over me as I build or repair an important instrument. The whole Randy Rhoads Tribute bass was an example (one day I’ll tell the stories - they literally freak some people out), but here’s one that happened back in 2013. I was doing some work on a vintage guitar; restoring, and relicing (paint touch ups, and cracking, aging, etc) it to its former glory. Unfortunately the owner passed away, and his wife wanted his guitar back the way it should be (it had some heavy mods that didn’t do it many favours). Everything had to be done to the highest level, and aged to suit the guitar.
The bridge pickup was an aftermarket one, and the request was for me to find a replacement that better suited the guitar’s heritage. I found a few, ranging from $350-1200. All the wrong colour though. A friend needed some Sperzel tuners, and offered an ‘old pickup’ as a trade. It was the right one, so I let him know it would be going into this restoration, and everything was sweet.
I couldnt believe my luck! I was putting the guitar back together and lo and behold, what do I see? The original owner’s handwriting on the baseplate, just like on the neck pickup. The pickup I sourced was from that guitar originally! What are the odds?? The original pickup, back with the original guitar it came from, after 45 years!
I called spoken to the lady who contracted me to do the work on her hubby’s guitar, and she was in shock. This wasn’t the first time something like this had made her feel that her husband is looking over her. And just before I called her, she was listening to the radio. Someone requested a song of her husband's, the first song she ever heard him play.
I love my job.
- PERRY
The bridge pickup was an aftermarket one, and the request was for me to find a replacement that better suited the guitar’s heritage. I found a few, ranging from $350-1200. All the wrong colour though. A friend needed some Sperzel tuners, and offered an ‘old pickup’ as a trade. It was the right one, so I let him know it would be going into this restoration, and everything was sweet.
I couldnt believe my luck! I was putting the guitar back together and lo and behold, what do I see? The original owner’s handwriting on the baseplate, just like on the neck pickup. The pickup I sourced was from that guitar originally! What are the odds?? The original pickup, back with the original guitar it came from, after 45 years!
I called spoken to the lady who contracted me to do the work on her hubby’s guitar, and she was in shock. This wasn’t the first time something like this had made her feel that her husband is looking over her. And just before I called her, she was listening to the radio. Someone requested a song of her husband's, the first song she ever heard him play.
I love my job.
- PERRY
RSS Feed