Stopping off in PA on way home from Key West in '77
This was another Key West acquisition that traveled the country with me and my cat Spot. The picture of me beatifically strumming, taken sometime in 1978 in Oroville, Washington, is one of three I can find.
Sometime in 1988 I decided to get a Macintosh - my first Mac! Sigh! Around the same time the Strat and I had become rather distant. The result: bye-bye Strat. Hello Mac (well it only paid for a portion of the Mac). But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The following story is an actual, true account with all locations, principals and names - except one - being omitted or otherwise altered. You'll understand the leavings out and the leaving in when we get there.
There's a music store in town owned by "Bill" and "Fred" whom I knew because of a social affiliation which gave me explicit trust in their dealings. I took the Strat to Fred to get the electronics checked and all. He changed a pot and pronounced the Strat as just fine, especially for a "pre-CBS '64 Strat." On the way out Bill stopped me and asked if I wanted to sell. Nope.
Some time later, with the Macintosh starting to gleam in my eye, I caved and talked to Bill about finding a buyer. After a couple weeks he told me the market wasn't too good and the best he could find was $500 - "a vintage Strat, yes, but not pristine condition." I said, no thanks.
Still later, at the social affiliation mentioned before, Bill approached me and asked about the Strat. He intimated he was interested in having the Strat himself - he'd always wanted one like mine. I still wasn't too interested, but a couple days later I phoned him, confirming his desire to have the Strat - for himself. (This is important!) He said yes. I should have realized that a guitar store owner can probably have any guitar he wants anytime he wants it, and that just maybe he had something up his sleeve. But, no, not me.
Still life with mother and child and '64 STRATOCASTER (1986)
I finally succumbed and took $500 and a couple sets of strings. (One set, 12-strings, was finally put on the Conrad in 1999 after getting the Adamas!) Good bye Stratocaster. It was a sad parting, but I was convinced it was going to a good home. With the $500 infusion and a hefty withdrawal, I bought a Mac SE and an ImagewriterII: TBGraphics was born!
About a week later I ran into Fred and asked him how Bill liked the Strat. He told me, "Oh, he sold it to Randy Bachman."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Fred still owns the music store when I first wrote this for Weasel-Works. I bought an acoustic guitar amp for the Adamas and the La Patrie from him.
Bill is a local municipal judge who wears a white cowboy hat.
Haven't talked to Randy, but someday I'd really like to see my Strat again.
Seems a '64 Stratocastor is fetching $20,000 to over $40,000 these days. That's a bit more than I got back in 1988.
1978: Tonight's the Night
1975: Southern Man | The Journey
Acquired the Gianinni in Key West, Florida, probably from a pawn shop – made in Brazil, it was gorgeous, especially the back. I don't have any pictures but it had a slotted headstock and an odd shape, though I'd been playing guitar for less than two years and didn't know all the "normal" guitars. It came with steel strings and I kept it that way, but it was probably meant to have nylon. Searching the internet for '60s - '70s models, I started recognizing features: slotted headstock, definitely the bridge, the inlay around the sound hole, and all the Brazilian rosewood. The shape is probably right (see images) though I'm not entirely convinced.
It had a soft, mellow sound though it did not project very well, it was perfect for just sitting around playing on my lap. I think I replaced the tuning machines, but again, kept the steel strings. Sometime in the '90s I let a friend's son "borrow" it – never saw it again.
1977: Rain Song – Conrad, Dorado, Gianinni
My first "real" guitar. I got it in 1973 while in the Army after basic training and radar school.I actually received a plastic one with nylon strings when I was 11 or 12, but refused to play with it as I saw it as a toy, not real; The irony is that the Adamas, my main axe for years and of "Hey, Old Guy" fame, has a carbon fiber body (sorta plastic) and the La Patrie, which has taken over as main axe, has nylon strings. I've never claimed to be too smart – I could have had ten extra years learning the instrument.
I took the Ventura with me to South Korea in 1974 – my first duty station – and then to Key West, Florida in 1975 – my second and last duty station [though I did spend four or five months at Walter Reed military hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, (basically Washington D.C.) following the motorcycle accident in Key West]. I also did pick up a really cheapo guitar while at radar school in El Paso, Texas; I gave it away as I was heading out.
Key West was a hoot, especially as instruments were amassed: the '64 Strat, the Conrad 12-string, the Dorado classical, the Fender bass, the Gianinni, and a flute. Not sure why I gave the Ventura to my roommate from Texas as I left the Keys and the Army, but I did. Guess the Torino wagon could only hold so much.
Not sure if I got the bass and amp from a friend, like the Strat and 12-string, or wherever. Another Key West acquisition, though I didn't play that often there. I did sit in for a gig at a Duvall Street venue and one further up the keys. It never got much action until ending up in Oroville, Washington in 1977
In Oroville I found a community of 1200 folks, somewhat rural and surrounded by mostly apple orchards and lots of churches. I was drawn to one in particular and started playing with the band: pedal organ, some strings, and me mixing it up on bass, guitar and flute. I became well versed in flat keys and could transpose on the fly.
I ultimately lost the bass: I let a friend borrow it. One day he just up and left town with bass and amp in tow. Eventually he came back sans bass and amp. Didn't even offer an excuse.
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