Guitar
Horror Stories
The L-series sunburst Strat
G'day Mike
Back in 1983 I had saved up my hard earned dollars to buy a pre L Strat.
So I headed of to Guitar Village in Frankston with much anticipation, and they had two Strats, one Tele and a couple of Jazzmasters.
The first Strat had been resprayed but everything else was bog standard (it had been resprayed Lake Placid Blue)
The other Strat was a two tone sunburst and wasn't as original as the first. After spending 30 minutes playing each guitar I opted for the blue Strat. (the rosewood neck just felt better to me than the rosewood neck on the other Strat.
When I parted with my money they informed me they would swap the cases over as they agreed the blue Strat was in the better condition of the two.
So I walked out the door ecstatic at my purchase even though the aluminium flight case was bloody heavy. When I got home I noticed the case had Great Keppell Island and other airline stickers on it. I also noticed faded yellow stencilled writing on the back of said case, and bugger me if it didn't say Ariel Aust. I went back to Guitar Village and they told me the sunburst Strat had been bought off Bob Spencer, who confirmed it was your old Strat.
I just wish I could have afforded that Strat as well but I had a family of hungry mouths to feed.
Cheers
Gary
Gary Hall 6.3.05
 

The L-series sunburst Strat - the Sequel
Gary,
Your story is up on the site. I read it so quickly the sequence of events got a bit warped - of course you would've seen any mods Bob made to the guitar. I was told he attempted to shave off the 'wings' and changed the shape from the classic Strat profile. Was that the case? Or did it just have the humbucker mod I got Merv Cargill to install? And what price were they asking for it? I sold it to Bob for $400.00.

Mike
From memory the wings had been shaved down and the pick ups were single coil in the neck and middle with I think a Seymour Duncan humbucker in the bridge possy.
Also the neck had been re fretted with bloody wide and high wire . The pickguard had also been replaced with a ultra bright white one. There were 3 toggle switches which were a treble boost for each pick up Not that you need it on a Strat also the neck had been scalloped from the 12th fret down (weird)
I also remember when I tried out both Strats that I played the riff from Some Good Advice and Worm Turning Blues- hows that for a coincidence They were asking $1100 for your old Strat I payed $1250 for the blue Strat
Cheers
Gary

Gary,
Wow! The details are burned on your memory! So, really it was beyond saving - as far as a collectable is concerned. Hmm. I'm pretty sure it could have been restored when I sold it - in which case it could have been worth anything between $7,500.00 - $12,00.00. Or not. The main thing is that it's a damn fine story of what might've been - for both of us.

Mike
You're not wrong - the price of vintage guitars and amps is obscene.
Unfortunately some scumbag stole my strat (and flight case) vintage vox amp and other gear back in 1994
BASTARD
Have a good one
Gary
Gary Hall 8.3.05

 
 
back to the top