Well, this is one of my very special personal guitars. I don't really "collect" guitars that were owned or used by famous people or bands. I like guitars and I like bands, they don't really need to cross over. This was different though.
When I heard Jesus and Mary Chain, one of my favorite bands of all time was touring Australia again I was pretty excited. I saw them back in the 80's at Easts Leagues club but had missed them for some reason when they toured again in the 90's, and then they broke up in the late 90's.
When I heard they'd got back together in 2007 I was pretty excited to say the least but reasoned they probably wouldn't tour Australia. I was wrong. In April 2008 they played the Arena here in Brisbane.
The new band had a new guitarist in a guy named Mark (Crozer ?) and I started talking to him just before they were due to come to Australia. I can't remember how we hooked up exactly but I was keen to talk to someone who was in one of my favorite bands, and was heading my way.
Mark mentioned that before they left Australia they would be selling some of the gear as it was too dear to ship back home. I asked him what they thinking of selling in the hope I might be able to buy a pedal or something.
He mentioned a Rickenbacker 360 that the band had bought when they reformed and was used a little bit by Jim before Mark started playing with them. Well, I'm a huge Rickenbacker fan so this worked REALLY well.
So, I met Mark at the show with a Wah pedal that he wanted to buy off me and the expectation of going home with my very own JAMC Rickenbacker. The show was awesome. Mark used the Ric for the show and then I met him afterwards and picked up the guitar. I asked him before the show if Jim and William Reed could autograph it but he said they didn't really do that as they're sick of people selling stuff "as used by" with their autographs on them. That was cool, I really just wanted the guitar.
After the show Mark came out and we "did the deal". He then said "oh yeah, Jim and William signed the pickguard" ...........
needless to say this guitar holds a very special place in my heart. It's a "rarer" modern factory Ric with gold plates but not a Vintage re-issue, which is pretty cool AND it was owned and used by one of my favorite bands. It also came with the original hardcase plastered with tour stickers that makes it EVEN cooler.
