And now for something completely different!
- Thread starter The Guilds of Grot
- Start date
jcwu
Senior Member
Sorry, George, but those are some of the worst looking Stratocasters I've ever seen.
SFIV1967
Venerated Member
Now lets compare those two, April 1986 drawing and the July 1986 result for Steve Vai (S/N LL100235):
And I know who "Pierre" is under the drawing! That is the famous Pierre de Beauport, mostly known as Keith Richards long term guitar tech who worked for Steve Vai before he started with Keith end of the 80ies! He confirmed the story to me, I was in contact with him.
But it is also documented: Pierre actually wrote in Guitar World January 1987 Vol. 8/No.1:
"It is late July 1986. Los Angeles. At Steve Vai's recording studio....I then presented Steve with the custom 30-fret Guild I had designed for him....Steve smiled, and immediately began introducing his fingers to their new friend. Vai unleashed his manical licks on the ax and seemed at home with his new mistress..."
(Steve's white Guild 281 Flyer with serial number HC101025 and many other of his guitars were just stolen 3 weekes earlier.)
So that drawing has a lot of value!
Ralf
And I know who "Pierre" is under the drawing! That is the famous Pierre de Beauport, mostly known as Keith Richards long term guitar tech who worked for Steve Vai before he started with Keith end of the 80ies! He confirmed the story to me, I was in contact with him.
But it is also documented: Pierre actually wrote in Guitar World January 1987 Vol. 8/No.1:
"It is late July 1986. Los Angeles. At Steve Vai's recording studio....I then presented Steve with the custom 30-fret Guild I had designed for him....Steve smiled, and immediately began introducing his fingers to their new friend. Vai unleashed his manical licks on the ax and seemed at home with his new mistress..."
(Steve's white Guild 281 Flyer with serial number HC101025 and many other of his guitars were just stolen 3 weekes earlier.)
So that drawing has a lot of value!
Ralf
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Oh, nice one, Ralf! Maybe they were guitar designers after all!
walrus
walrus
The Guilds of Grot
Enlightened Member
Well done Ralf!
If I had only know all this at the time. Ah, nothing like hindsight!
If I had only know all this at the time. Ah, nothing like hindsight!
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Now lets compare those two, April 1986 drawing and the July 1986 result for Steve Vai:
And I also know who "Pierre" is under the drawing! That is the famous Pierre de Beauport, mostly known as Keith Richards long term guitar tech who worked for Steve Vai before he started with Keith end of the 80ies! Pierre actually wrote in Guitar World January 1987 Vol. 8/No.1: "It is late July 1986. Los Angeles. At Steve Vai's recording studio....I then presented Steve with the custom 30-fret Guild I had designed for him....Steve smiled, and immediately began introducing his fingers to their new friend. Vai unleashed his manical licks on the ax and seemed at home with his new mistress..." Steve's white Guild 281 Flyer with serial numner HC101025 and many other of his guitars were just stolen 3 weekes earlier.
So that drawing has a lot of value!
Ralf
Great research!
Guildedagain
Enlightened Member
Awesome drawings. Isn't it cool the way that things that didn't seem very interesting or worth much suddenly got a lot more interesting and worth a loth more. The things stayed the same and we changed. Our perception changed. A lot of my already old stuff I had 20 years ago that didn't seem that special is a lot more special now. It's like watching junk become valuable.
SFIV1967
Venerated Member
I thought about the "WF" initials under the Steve Vai drawing.
Most likely it was the late William "Willi" Fritscher, originating from Germany. I asked Pierre de Beauport regarding that WF connection but he didn't answer that part back to me. I guess he simply didn't remember the name after so many years. Willie was the plant manager for Guild Music in Westerly from 1971 until his retirement. I think in his position he would have been able to meet with Pierre de Beauport discussing the drawings, approving them and handing them over to the factory for very fast proceeding with the guitar, as the finished guitar was already given by Pierre to Steve Vai only 3 month later. Hans would probably know I guess as he was in contact with William Fritscher also after Willi retired as I understood.
However the initials on the other drawings must be somebody different and as I understood even Hans didn't know who that was. Looks like "T T W" or something. Can't think of what that TT could be else.
Ralf
Most likely it was the late William "Willi" Fritscher, originating from Germany. I asked Pierre de Beauport regarding that WF connection but he didn't answer that part back to me. I guess he simply didn't remember the name after so many years. Willie was the plant manager for Guild Music in Westerly from 1971 until his retirement. I think in his position he would have been able to meet with Pierre de Beauport discussing the drawings, approving them and handing them over to the factory for very fast proceeding with the guitar, as the finished guitar was already given by Pierre to Steve Vai only 3 month later. Hans would probably know I guess as he was in contact with William Fritscher also after Willi retired as I understood.
However the initials on the other drawings must be somebody different and as I understood even Hans didn't know who that was. Looks like "T T W" or something. Can't think of what that TT could be else.
Ralf
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