Warren DiMartini's Performance Strat (possibly)
How big can and ass hole get? About six foot tall. I found this out when I saw Warren again at the July 3rd show at Sammy K's in Elgin, IL. I got this guitar from a very reliable source. It was stated to me as one of Warren's. So when I took it to him to find out if it was or not, Warren was not a very happy person to see me or this guitar. Before I even got a chance to open my mouth, he said that it wasn't his and that he has never seen it before in his life. I asked if he possibly remembered it with a hum and two singles since the neck hum was changed from a single. He said no way. Here is where it gets weirder. I asked him to sign it any ways, and he told me that he wouldn't sign it. He said, "Even if I wanted to sing it, I couldn't, I signed a new contract that doesn't let me sign guitars at all. I am sure it would eventually end up on EBAY and you would make a ton of money with my name on it and in the auction." He even said that he wouldn't take a picture with it. Wow, what an ass hole!! If it wasn't for my wife calling his name he wouldn't of even looked at a camera. Then I told him that it was ridicules to think that way and that I am a (not sure now) real fan. We talked for a little bit more and at the end of the conversation he said, "I am not going to say that it was mine, and I am not going to say that it wasn't mine, but it is a cool guitar". And then he was back on the bus. He left about 20 people that were there to see him standing there, and every one that was there had the same thought about his personality as I did.
I called Performance and they said that is was made in early 1988. When I told him that I thought it was Warren's, and asked if there was any way to verify it with them, the manager of the shop (who said he was there with them since 79), he told me he didn't have the time to go through the records for me. I told him I would send him $100 for his time to find it, whether it was a yes or a no and put it on paper either way. He laughed at me and said that he builds $3000 guitars, he doesn't shuffle through papers. Right about now, I have about had it with this guitar and both of these people.
The specs on the strat are: performance stamped on the heel and neck pocket, correct machines, dinky body with no trem plate, non recessed original chrome Floyd, Duncans, it was a HSS and now a HSH, reversed strat head, rosewood board with small white dots, oiled neck, check out the head stock photo - non of the hard ware matches in color.
Any help on this would be appreciated. Stories, photo's, anything like that would be great. Thanks for the help.
Warren telling me the way that is!
Warren caught on film by surprise against his wishes (poor poor rock star)
