Re: Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Registry (Serial Numbers "BONAMASSA XXX")
edragoo wrote:Wow, what a great story! I'm so happy for you to have found #251 and Ron's generosity is out of this world! Sorry to hear about your father, my thought's are with you during the holidays! xoxo
RoadcaseBoy wrote:On 11/18/13, cindyron wrote:
Hi Jclark
As a fyi
My JB#251 (unaged) is on it's way to a new home in N.J. I will let the new owner state who he is.
Also I donated JB238 (aged) to a great guy and a very worthy cause. I will let him decide when to tell all.
Cheers RonI am very excited to post #251 is "Down Around My Place" here in New Jersey. Although excited, I am somewhat reluctant to elaborate, but I feel I should...so Ron's (cindyron) gesture could be appreciated by others...and maybe answer those who wondered, or asked him..."Why the heck did you sell #251?!!!"
This transaction from Ron's stable did not originate from him posting a GT300 "for sale", but rather developed from yet another act of kindness Ron has become known for. I'll try to be brief, but complete...(hard to do.)I worked with my father in a family business, so for all my years, even after "growing up", I was fortunate to spend just about everyday of my life with him (except for 4 yrs of college and maybe 10 other days of my life.) He was my best friend. We would see eye to eye on just about everything...except when it came to music. When KISS Alive was blasting from my bedroom in 1975 (I was at that magic target age of 11 then), our lifelong "disagreement" over what was "music" began.
On any of the many car rides we would take together (or when the home stereo was on), his music (40's, early 50's big band, and crooners) would be the selection. I would have to wait (usually not long) for him to doze off in the car, or recliner, so I could change the station, or pop in a CD, and play it really really low.
Over the years, as my appreciation of Joe's music grew with each new release, I would try to find a "common ground" song of Joe's for both us to enjoy. Never had much luck. (I think When She Dances was tolerated.
It's just wasn't his "taste".
That changed the final year of my dad's life. I was fortunate in that even as my father's health began to decline (due to cancer), he wasn't bed ridden much at all. Those few times he was, I had a captured audience. Knowing it was a tough time for both of us...it seems he "bent" a bit as I began to play some of "my" music for background "noise".
During one of his brief bed ridden down times, the Live at the Beacon DVD happen to have just came out. Me, chomping at the bit to watch it, and to help pass the time while being with him, I would pop in the Beacon dvd on his tv. My father would watch and listen ... and although I anticipated it, our usual "discussion" about "what is music" never happened.
When he first heard (saw) "Down Around My Place", he was hooked... or probably better said ... "accepting". A big step for him...so I'll stay with "hooked".
In Sept '12, Rik Emmett Fan decided to part with #251 via ebay. Like many on the JB Forum, I had had my eye on a GT 300, but expected this one would go, understandably, high ... and told myself not to follow it. I do remember printing out the ebay picture of it, and during one of my check ins with dad, I told him "I'm gonna bid on this "Joe guitar"!". Although the opening bid price was "the market", I didn't expect dad to understand that, and waited for his response of "are you crazy ?!!" I almost wanted that...just to get a rise out of him, as I liked to do, (and in a small way, provide me with an "unbiased" opinion on a big purchase..so I keep my head.) Instead, he replied with "I'll go half on it with you." Wow I thought, (but deep down I figured it was a kidding gesture on his part, but if not...wow, what was he saying?)
Through the week, I gave him updates as the bids would come. He would smile and say "did you bid?" I told him I wanted to wait to see where it may go price wise, there's time to jump in. Long story long...the day before the final auction day, dad needed to go into the hospital. Although I occasionally checked in on the bids when back at work, (I didn't have a smartphone then), and I could have jumped onto a computer somewhere near the auction closing time, my mind, or heart, wasn't focused on #251 that day (and one voice in me would quietly wisper..my wallet too!!
My dad and I had many more great days / hours together at home after his release from the hospital. I would break out other Joe CD's and the RAH dvd (He liked Lonesome Road Blues. (Joe played his Sig GT.
I'll try to wrap this up for you all. A few months after dad's passing, I had emailed Ron to get his thoughts on a GT300 that was being offered for sale I was interested in. After a few exchanges, I had mentioned if he ever decided to part with #251, please drop me a line (and I relayed my story to him.) With Ron not knowing me, I expected I would be added into his long list of "people who want to buy a 300", my name placed understandably after family, friends and other Forum members.
A few months later, I received an email from Ron asking if I was still interested in #251. We emailed back and forth during the next few months, and believe me, I could tell selling was a difficult decision for Ron. In an email early this November, Ron informed that he would sell #251 to me if I was still interested. (I sent him payment on the 8th, dad's first anniversary of his passing.)
My family wasn't a vacation family, and dad didn't hunt, fish or follow sports much, so my great memories of him are just the everyday common ones I spend with him. Although I am not a musician, (I played drums for years (not well), and have tried to teach myself guitar off and on through the years), I have loved listening to music just about everyday since first hearing "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress" by The Hollies when I was 8. (Who remembers the K-Tel compilation albums?). This was the one joy of mine that I could never really share with my father. Although the last year with my father was emotionally difficult, the last piece of the puzzle of how we connected came into place...music...and specifically Joe's music. What that meant to me, during that time with him, and even now, is unexplainable (at least coherently.
It's a piece of wood, with stings and electronics, a musical instrument...in the right hands, like Joe's...capable of great music..and that is what they're made for. However, for many of us, even for the terrible players like me, guitars can mean a great deal more. I was first drawn to the Les Paul while staring at that KISS Alive album cover at age 11 and seeing Ace's black 3 pickup LP. Maybe a guitar, and in my case, the LP, is the symbol marking the countless memories I had of listening to music, or watching my favorite performers make music with one. That is certainly true for me with Joe. (But I do love his Strat work too!!)
The real players, those who make guitars do what they are intended to do, may hate me to say this, but #251 (even when I did not own it) became a symbol for me. It marked the sharing and connecting of the music, and artist, I have thoroughly enjoyed through the years, with my dad, a man I connected with in so many other ways, at a time when I wanted, needed, and enjoyed that last connection with him.
#251 is also now a symbol of a man who, although I have only "met" via the Forum and emails, has shown his caring spirit to many people, now including myself.
Although my life would have gone along as it should have with out #251, cherishing that music memory I was able to have with my father, I am very, very happy to have been given the opportunity to now own #251, a physical documentation of that memory. That it came from Ron's stable was a bonus. I would probably have not had the another opportunity at #251 otherwise, and I "met" a great man in the process, and will be forever grateful to him.)
He (along with Rik) have taken great care of it....as now will I.
PS: Ron, even my novice fingers can now tell what a proper set up feels like. Can I send you my Studio LP for a tweek?
PSS: jclark could you please add for #251...RoadcaseBoy New Jersey Thank you.
Enjoy I am happy that she (#251) is with you. Think of all the wonderful time you had with your Dad during this holidays season. Celebrate all the wonderful memories. He is always close by and in your heart. Cheers Ron
This just makes me smile!! For many, many reasons. Thank you for sharing. :>)
