One of the cool things about being an accountant in the music industry is the good fortune when clients become good friends through the bond of music. This guitar stems from a case in point. In December of 1996 I flew out to Los Angeles for a multi-purposed visit. My good friend, client and guitar rack building guru Bob Brashaw, was turning 40 and his wife Micki and I were throwing him a surprise birthday party at Vitello’s restaurant in Studio City (you can imagine the cast of guitar playing characters who were at this dinner party). As if that wasn’t enough guitar fun, the next night my friend Joey Brasler was throwing a holiday party for “guy” guitar players only – it was like a “guitar boys night out” holiday thing. The same guys who were at Bob’s party, plus another 30 or so, were at now at Joey’s party. Guitar greats like Steve Lukather and Mike Laundau were there, in addition to the who’s who of amp builders like Bob, Reinhold Bogner and Paul Rivera. But the best thing that came out of that night (in addition to seeing the Tommy Lee and Pam Anderson video) was meeting and hanging out with Shawn Patterson, a great guitar player and film composer for Disney and Nickelodeon, to name a few. It was instant love (ya know, in a non-gay-guy-love way) and Shawn became a great friend and client and remains so today. A few years ago Shawn and I traded some favors (taxes for gear) and he gave me this sunburst Fender Strat reissue. The cool thing about this guitar is Shawn had a luthier friend sand off the heavy lacquer from the back of the neck and do a great setup. This guitar is probably my best playing Strat…so, thanks Shawn, and “no”, you can’t have it back