I built this guitar a few years ago for my friend Billy. It was my first neck-through and it utilized EMG 81/60 pickups and Billy really loved it.
Billy regularly played it on stage with his band in Mississippi.


Then, in December 2018, it was stolen out of his vehicle.
We launched a nationwide hunt, posting pics everywhere and scanning craigslist posts for months. Nothing, it was gone without a trace.
Almost exactly one year to the day that it was stolen, Billy was outside working on his house when his dogs went crazy. He walked around the front of the house to see what the commotion was and there was this crackhead-looking kid walking by the house WITH THE GUITAR!
Billy chased him down and demanded he turn it over, the kid dropped the guitar (which fell out of the case.. which fell apart) and took off running. Billy pursued him with righteous indignation and caught him. Billy demanded an explanation whereapon the kid pulled a gun out and Billy decided that retrieving the guitar would probably be enough today.
He went back and retrieved the guitar. Apparently, the original thief (or thieves) had stashed the guitar in a drainage ditch, perhaps intending to retrieve it later, but who knows.
It lay in a drainage ditch in Mississippi for 12 months. It was dripping wet and was somewhat worse for the wear.
The pic in what’s left of the case shows how it was then. Check out the slug on the back of the headstock.


Chalk up a win for the good guys!!!