With my mom, scheduded for a complicated surgery tomorrow, today’s tale from the orange room involves her.
I was sick with the flu in early 1974 and I passed the day home from school listening to WIRL. By this time, I had several Beatles LPs and I was looking at the covers while I laid in bed.
The guitars looked so cool..... especially
John Lennon’s. A Rickenbacker? I never saw those much in guitar shops here.
After my folks got home from work , I said that I’d like to get a better guitar. I was playing out by now in a band making 50 bucks a night and I needed the tools. To my surprise, I wasn’t laughed at or told to forget such silly ideas. I had been playing a used Harmony Guitar and it was just not what I needed anymore.
The following Saturday, I was driven to Flores music in Pekin. I think I may have been taking lessons there. On The wall....there it was..... the most beautiful guitar had ever seen. It WAS a Rickenbacker!!!!!!!! It must have been a miracle !!!!!! It looked more like the one George Harrison played but it was a six string. $450.00. It was a lot of money , but I could pay my parents back at 50 bucks a gig. I left with the greatest treasure I’d ever Had.
I paid that guitar off before the year was over. It was mine. I often showed it off for friends who visited the orange room. It’s color so enhanced the glow of the room.
I sold that guitar in 1978 and kicked my self ever since. Last year, I found a similar year Rickenbacker but a 12 string. It’s my new guitar love.
Thanks Mom for the first one.
Pictures of the 1966 original Ric I bought in 1974 and the 1966 370 12 string I bought last year.
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