The Early Years

1964 Emenee Tiger Guitar and Amp

This was my first guitar.

It was plastic, with nylon strings

and plugged into a small, plastic amplifier.

The first song I taught myself on this guitar was

"Wooly, Bully" by Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs.

1965 Ibanez Electric Guitar

This was my first REAL (non-plastic) guitar.

I used it to perform at Girl Scout dances with my

band, "The Psychedelic Vibrations". I refinished

it several times with different color contact paper.

  YES...IBANEZ

1960s Danelectro Longhorn "Guitarlin" in Bronze Sunburst 

I bought it used from Vinnie Vincent formerly of "KISS" when he still worked at "We Buy" on 48th St., NYC

for $49 in 1970.

It had 31 frets and a body made of Masonite. I won't get into the story, 

but it was thrown off a roof  by someone and smashed to bits.

I wish I still had the 

"Lipstick Tube" pickups.

Stevie Ray Vaughan 

put 3 of 'em in a Strat.

Jack Bruce & John Entwistle both playing Bronze Sunburst Longhorn basses in the '60s.  

I also saw an early picture of Pete Townshend playing one (and Steve Marriot in the Small Faces days).

Yup...found 'em. Told ya...

1964

Blue Hagstrom I 

  1965 

     White Hagstrom I 

 1964 

   Grey Hagstrom I

   60's 

   Blue Sparkle Goya 

1977 

Hagstrom Swede

These Hagstrom I guitars were so amazingly easy to play...they boasted having the fastest neck 

in the world. My friend, Andy Randazzo, was the other guitarist in my first band and he had a white one... 

I couldn't wait to get one of my own...the first one I owned was the Baby Blue...I paid $68 for it in 1971 at

Stuyvesent Music on 48th st...Somebody stuck a Gibson humbucker in the center of the other two single coil pickups

for me and eventually, it developed an intermittent shorting out and buzzing problem...

I had to punch it in the middle of songs to get it to stop...

I used this guitar all through High School...

In 1976, I  purchased the white one  for $54 at We Buy...

The Grey one shown is one I currently own that my longtime friend  

and original drummer from Alexis, Vinnie Signorelli, gave me about 2 years ago.

The Blue Sparkle Goya hung on the wall in my living room for a while and then I sold it...stupid...

The Swede I had bought in 1977 for about $250, also at We Buy on 48th St...what an unbelievable instrument...

they are all such fine instruments and much sought after...if anyone has any for sale, please let me know..

..and check out the Hagstrom Official Website

'64 Hagstrom I

Marshall 50 Watt Head

with Fender Concert amp

Block Party - Glendale, Queens

1972

'64 Hagstrom I

Kustom amp &

Led Zeppelin Tee Shirt

High School Dance

Forest Hills, Queens

1971

1977 Hagstrom Swede

Mahogany, with 

Ebony Fretboard,

Great Guitar

Groveland Gardens

Ridgewood, Queens

1978

1965 ? Hagstrom I

Would you believe these

guitars are selling for

$500 - $600 on eBay ?

2006

I was recently given this red Hagstrom I

as a gift by my buddy Lou Yanez

...a very gifted artist who has painted

many of my guitars...check out my web page displaying a lot of his work.