This is a 1962 Fender Stratocaster in it's

  original custom color 'Inca Silver'.  

It was bought for me at Alex's Music on 48th St

in 1974 as a graduation gift for $340.

  The Coventry - Queens, NY 

  1975

The same '62 Strat, refinished in Black

  by my friend and incredible guitarist, 

the late Sal Caruso.

  I also added Pearl Mini Schallers.

   T-Jai's Corner - Brooklyn, NY

1976

Same '62 Strat again. This time,

I refinished it myself using Rust primer.

This version didn't last too long.

Photo taken at Alexis Studios in

Ridgewood, Queens.

In the next incarnation, I sanded it 

down to a Satin Finish Walnut Stain

and added a black Anodized pickguard,

black pickup covers and Tele knobs.

Finally, I broke down and had it

professionally refinished in Two Tone

Sunburst by the master,Carlo Greco in NYC. Notice the McKenna's bourbon jug being

used as a mike stand for the guitar amp.

I think this was my 'hillbilly' phase.

1978

In 2000, Fender started making American

Standard strats in 'Inca Silver' again. 

I bought this one at Guitar Center for $500.

Had I kept my 1962 'Inca Silver' Strat

in original condition, it would now be 

worth about $20, 000.

1974 Fender Stratocaster

Three Tone Sunburst with Maple Neck

I bought this guitar from a guy in my 

neighborhood in 1979 for $200.

I hated the maple neck and soon sold it.

I just saw 3 just like it on Gbase.com 

selling for over $4,000.

1965 Fender Stratocaster

Three Tone Sunburst with Rosewood Neck

Too long of a story but, I bought this guitar

in 1986 for a ridiculous $200 and sold it a 

few weeks later for $800. I just saw a few

on Gbase.com going for $17, 500 - $22, 500.

1980 Fender Strat

  Three Tone Sunburst with Tele Knobs.

I think it had a Mighty Mite neck.

I got the tele knob thing from seeing 

Rick Derringer do it on the inside cover

of the 'All American Boy' album. (See Below)

I traded this guitar to Joe Fuoco for a car.

1990's Fender Strat

  Beautiful Blueburst Finish. 

I don't remember what model it was but, 

it had two Lace Sensor single coil pickups

and a Humbucker. It looked nice but,

it didn't scream at all..

Eric Clapton Signature Series

Fender Stratocaster 'Blackie'

Special honorable mention and

thanks to Dr. Bruce Bumstead

who helped make it possible

for me to own this fine instrument...

Rick Derringer...

Picture from the inside of

 the "All American Boy"

vinyl album's

gatefold cover.

Besides the

Tele knobs, 

notice also the

Gibson style

stop tailpiece...

Jamming with Rick at 

Le Bar Bat, New York City - 1995

I was playing there with Martin Briley

and Rick asked if he could come up

and jam with his drummer Tom Curiale.

Rob Stoner sitting in on bass guitar 

One more Stratocaster story before we go...

Back in 1978, my friend Marino Gallo worked in Alex's Music on 48th St., NYC. He called me urgently one day to inform me that they had just gotten in a White Strat with a rosewood neck...he said it was a 1971 but it played and sounded like a '61...my friend Andy Randazzo, who I had mentioned earlier, was on his way into the city to check out some acoustics, so we went in together...

I played the 1971 White Strat for about 15 minutes

and fell in love with it... not only did it sound great and play great, but it was exactly like the one Jeff Beck is playing on the cover of the 'Wired' album... I gladly paid the $350 they were asking and left the store a happy customer. We then proceeded into Sam Ash next door to

try out some acoustic guitars...I was asked to check my newly purchased guitar at the door...I did so and handed

it to the guard as he handed me a half of a playing card as my check stub...

(Do you know where this is going yet?)

We played a few guitars and Andy found a Yamaha

acoustic that he liked so, we bought it and began to

leave the store...

I handed my half playing card back to the guard and he looked around for a few seconds and then handed me a shopping bag with socks in it...I explained to him that they were not mine and that I had given him a 1971 Fender Stratocaster in a hardshell case...he started to get a worried look on his face and he explained to me that he had given my guitar to someone else about 5 minutes prior...Needless to say, I never saw my 1971 White Fender Strat with Rosewood neck that played like a '61 again, which means that it never really was meant to be mine, I guess...

Andy with his @#$% piece of @#$% Yamaha acoustic guitar...

I kind of always remember that incident and experience as  "the one that got away", as well as realizing that you're never really in control of things that happen...almost 30 years later and I've never owned a White strat...well, maybe someday...Peace, GT