As I was sifting through the remains of my Fender Stratocaster ( See “Flaming Strat”) I knew I would have get a new axe (guitar) because we had gigs booked. I tried practising with my brother’s Silvertone but it was like a playing a railroad tie with barbed wire for strings. So, I had the bright idea to go down to Spokane, Washington - 3 hours away - to the hallowed halls of Hoffman’s Music.

In Hoffman’s I tried out many guitars, old and new, but - in my true fashion - I wanted something no one else had. So I bought a Rickenbacker like John Lennon and Roger McGuinn played. As I was paying for the guitar another salesman ran out with a small metal box and AC cord and said, “Hey, man, you almost forgot the best part.” He plugged the apparatus into the guitar and started playing. Under the opaque top colored light patterns emerged and we stood there amazed. It was a light organ.

Rickenbacker Lightshow Guitar

(Picture compliments of Rickenbacker.com)

In the ensuing weeks many people came out to watch me play, not because I was a good guitar player, but to watch the lights. Some of them had been smoking something beforehand and would stare with their mouths open for long periods of time. I soon tired of this guitar as it would overheat and then the whole guitar would shut down. I guess a few well-placed electronic aids would have solved this but I traded it for a Gibson SG in Calgary.

In later years I did some background checking on the Rickenbacker 331 Lightshow Jetglo. The original AC-current powered one was said to have been a ‘toaster with strings,’ becoming so hot during a performance that it couldn’t be held. It had automobile tail lights and you can imagine nine (9) of them shining behind the pearly plastic sheets. No wonder it got hot. I read that Roger McGuinn of the Byrds had 12-string models and two of them burned up on him too.

But the fact of the matter is, it was a rare instrument and one just sold for $18,500US. My original investment - $650.