And now, a Word for My Sponsor

This is the guitar I have named for the umpteenth time. I don't have a thing for finding a good name and sticking with it,  like BB King's "Lucille". A no name caster was better, so I thought.

What's not interesting about it anyway? Tales tell that the earliest traced owner, local guitar pioneer Boy Vargas (now of the famed Checkmates) sold it to stand -up comedian Ram Lopez. Sometime in the 80s, my late father had a chance to drop by Mr. Lopez' (whom he played with on occasions) place. Lopez gave him the guitar, with another bass guitar to go. He declined the offer for the bass, but took the guitar home.

It’s a red Tokai strat, with a DiMarzio humbucker modified at the neck. Smooth feel, warm toned and not too heavy for a guitar.  I learned the solo to Lionel Richie's "Hello" on it,  the guitar intro to Asin's "Bayan kong Sinilangan" and Neocolours' "Hold On".

He gave it to me. Exactly when , I can not recall. It went through a lot of phases and modifications since. After a rewind job the DiMarzio replacement finally rested in silence. All its pickups now are previously owned by Gabe Ascalon. An exact account how it funnily landed in my hands would merit another post though.   

It wasn't only the name that suffered changes.

I ripped the paint off  three times. One day I just woke up with the weirdest notion that I can be a good painter. Seeing the aerosol paint labeled "chrome" was just too good to stay away from. Visions of Satriani's Chromeboy finish just kept recurring. I ended up with a finish that looked more like a pewter can opener than the blue dreamer's axe. Goodbye red, hello tinfoil.

Some self proclaimed pro redid the paint job, and it ended up with a cross between a black matte and gloss finish. It looked like the Batmobile, only dented after running down the Joker. Simply put,  it was ugly.

I was one hard headed dude though. I thought if I can't make it look like the chromeboy, then I can surely make it look like something cooler, but more attainable. With a sparkle green and blue aerosol (persistent, wasn't I?) at hand, I rubbed sandpapers until late hours to get a cross between Keith Howland  (Chicago) and Steve Lukather's Music Man.  What I got though was a cross between a Christmas décor and the Blue man group. This time it wasn't ugly - its ugli- errrr.

The house underwent renovations at that time too. I came across some anti termite wood treatment lacquer with woodstain finish used for window sills. Next thing I knew, I was again sanding the guitar's surface (Oh brother. Palmface.) and noticed that the body's grain followed interesting patterns. After the stain, I got the body to a guy who did the paintjobs on church pews, cabinets and stuff. He Had it lacquer finished and had it buffed.

That's just the paint job. Yet, even after countless abuses in the name of modification and tone,  the poor thing never failed me - not even a single gig. Sometime ago, It got its share of laughs in a forum as some purist chap insisted that putting varnish on guitar is a bad, cheap taste. I couldn't really care much. After festivals, opening acts, countless gigs, jams and worship services,  I swear I still can not hear how varnish sounds - because I haven't tried one.  Honestly , I can not hear how paint sounds.  Music remains colorblind, thankfully.

There goes a word FOR my sponsor, the guitar that brought food on the table, got us through college , told countless stories, paid the bills and who knows what else.