กีต้าร์ประเภท "ว้าย! แพ๊งแพง ถ้าพี่ซื้อ เราเลิกกัน"

[Microtone]

Hi Micro,
Just loved it man!
I really enjoyed your posting, almost like we are chatting face to face in the old days

Did you recall The red Gibson es 335 that you bought at "Lang Grasuang" when we played together in late 60s?

What happened to it? Did you sell it to Uthai Punwongrod? or did he has another one?:

I loved that 335 sound when you played it, but not when Uthai P played. So I guess it's the player not the guitar 55555

Keep it coming man, very entertaining to say the least.

Napman, My Brother,

I was rather shocked that you remembered those things, honest ! To answer your questions well, I'll make it as brief as possible (SURE!! ) and try to save them stories for a new topic in the future.

QUESTION: Did you recall The red Gibson es 335 that you bought at "Lang Grasuang" when we played together in late 60s?

ANSWER: Yes, of course. I remember just about everything about it. I saw it at "Lang Grasuang" (= หลังกระทรวงกลาโหม?) after my Economics class at TU. I convinced you guys (my TU band members) to buy it because it had a stud tailpiece like the Les Paul guitars instead of the normal long tailpiece. It was way heavier than all the other ES-335s I had laid a hand on. It cost us 5000 Baht to be precise and we paid the Shop off in 2 payments. At the time I messed around with it a lot and it was the first time I ever encountered and became fascinated with Gibson PAF pickups. There was no info about this PAF THANG at the time, not even any talk or gossip anywhere.

QUESTION: What happened to it? Did you sell it to Uthai Punwongrod? or did he has another one?

ANSWER: I don't really know what happened to it.
No, I didn't sell it to Uthai P. Don't you remember we (the band) bought 3 Gibson guitars all together? Hang on to your seatbelt, Bubba...

The first one was the hand made cherry red ES-335 by the semi-genius guitar maker, my buddy "NARIN". I had a red, 3-pickup Hofner at the very beginning but later I had a chance to play a Gibson ES-335 when I filled in for Surapon (Pae = goat) as a guitar player for "แจ๋วแหวว" (The Cat). That guy "แจ๋วแหวว" might not be the best singer/player in the world but let me tell you he was ahead of his time and a smart business man. He read those American journals, New York Post, NewYork Time, etc. Although he played and produced pop music...at home it was the opposite. He introduced me to those heavyweight guitar players like Kenny Burrell and Django Reinhardt while most guys in BKK listened to the Ventures or the Yardbirds. He loaned me his LP "Like A Rolling Stone" to study because he performed that song 5-6 times a night in the club for farangs. That was when I started to see the light, getting to know of Bob Dylan's work and getting to play a real Gibson Guitar (with a Vox amp) and all hell broke loose. I really wanted to play a Gibson guitar and not a Hofner anymore. I also wanted to play the song "Like A Rolling Stone" because of the neat style of guitar playing in the background of which I later found out was Mike Bloomfield after hanging out with Terry, a fabulous Malaysian guitarist from the "Hunters", who often played the song "Albert Shuffle" by my request.

Now I lost track again...okay after that I cried "I Want My Gibson Guitar" (like I Want My MTV"). So my poor band mates had to satisfy this selfish, crap head Microtone. The problem was we couldn't afford a real Gibson at "เบ๊เงียบเส็ง, เวิ้งนครเกษม" (?) it was approximately 22,000 Baht. We went to NARIN and that's how we (the band) acquired the FIRST red ES-335 and it was only 3000 Baht. Later, when I came to America, I found out this guitar (I no longer owned) was one of the most popular session guitars they used at studio sessions in LA in the early 70's...because of the sound from it's HAND WOUND PICK-UP(s.)... and that was Narin's guitar... Later about this!

The second one was a real cherry red Gibson ES-335 the one I found at "หลังกระทรวงกลาโหม" as I mentioned earlier.... not sure if it was a dot neck or block neck but it DID have the PAF pickups which could be from 1959-1962...that I don't know.

The third one was a 3-tone brown sunburst ES-330D. It was me again to convince you guys to buy it from Ben, a Filipino singer with this famous band but I can't remember the name at the moment, they performed at "ราชประสงค์". He was leaving for the the USA and it was cheap. I remember Dang (my "And Your Bird Can Sing" buddy) played that guitar.

It was all my fault to lead you guys into spending money but, did we regret it then? What about now when we look back? We were nobody then but at least for once in a lifetime we were playing world-class instruments, maybe or maybe not it inspired us to play better, but we had them. We temporarily had them at a moderate COST but high in VALUE, PASSION, & STYLE...no matter how or when you look at it....no one knows but you!

After I left...the band gave me the Narin guitar and I don't know what happen to the other red ES-335.

Last time I was in BKK I told one of my close friends to hunt for that red (PAF) ES-335 Gibson. In my opinion, even though I've been out of the guitar collecting circuit, I'm pretty sure you could buy a brand new Mercedes with that guitar anytime today. Don't laugh!!!

One more thing before I forget. You know I'm a more constructive and serious type of person and not a bragging type (Yeah..right). After Dang finished singing John Lennon's "Revolution" many famous musicians, who were in the club during their break, always asked me the same question concerning the lead guitar introduction of the song, "Where is your fuzz box? Where is your fuzz box? " What the hell are they talking about? I didn't know what a fuzz box was. I didn't have money to buy them either. I was happy just to have Narin's guitar and a small amp to make it through the night. It just happened that I got that sound without knowing what I got. That guitar was Magical!

Here You Go "Napman" เพื่อนรัก!

PS: I had a nightmare the other day and it scared the crap out of me. In dream .. I walked alone (like Roy Orbison's song) and there was this guy who looked almost like you (Napman) and came to me with this giant chain saw, criticizing that my brand new Fender Jazz Bass has a too long upper horn and offered to cut the horn off for me at no charge. I said "No, Thank you.... Leave me alone" and suggested him to either get lost or go join the punk bands "Sex Pistols" or the "Clash". I was thinking this guy's too far-out for me and although he looked like my TU friend his character & behavior led me to think that he was from Sillapakorn University, because he's NUTS!!! Then I woke up..It's only a dream. Horrified!!!!!!!

One of the few things in my life that I can never achieve but admire is the MIND of REAL artists in every walk of life. They look at things in a different angle. Superficially speaking they seem weird but they are genuinely BEAUTIFUL!!!

Wow!! That's DEEEEEPP man, can I have another hit? Dude......