So I had a neat trade the other day with my friend Shawn who I’ve known for a while. Lately, he has been selling off old items such as motorcycle parts, guitars, and guitar parts. He is trying to scrape enough money together to buy an older motorcycle down in Miami. I made a great deal with him that involved a trade with stuff, cash, and beer.
I do want to thank Shawn for letting me pay him the last $15 and beer a few days later. To be fair to him I bought him 12 bottles of beer instead of the agreed 6 pack. Due to his kindness I wanted to get him something good. I bought him a 6 pack of Sam Adam’s Summer Ale, and a 6 pack of Sam Adam’s mixed beer. It had two bottles of three kinds of beer in it. I also gave him the last of my Dr. Pepper since I can’t drink it anymore.
Anyway, I got six guitars in the trade. Some are good for parts, some can be fixed up a bit, but one is a gem. It is a 1993 Fender Mexican Stratocaster. Whoever had it before me smoked like a chimney. It was originally a Olympic White color, but now it is a yellowed cream color. I disassembled it, and broke out the cleaning polish, and the buffing compound. That did knock the dirt off, which had built up pretty good, but it still had that smokey look.
So that’s what I have decided her name should be, Smokey. I took off the pick-guard and electronics. I got out an older pick-guard, and put on new pots, switches, and pickups. I used a Fender Alnico 3 in the neck, a Dimarzio Blue Velvet in the middle, and a very old Dimarzio PAF pickup in the bridge. I cleaned up the fret-board and did a quick dressing on the frets. I assembled her back together, and made sure to use new screws as the old ones where rusted to pieces.
I didn’t know what to expect, but I loved her the second I plugged her in. She has that old time vibe, and comes through loud and clear. She’s raunchy, and I can play any type of music with her in my hands.
I will sell off all the other guitars and parts, but I am keeping her. You can say we have bonded.
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