They said schecters were good...they said heavy guitars were good...so i bought one...i played in a metal band for years touring the country, slinging that heavy guitar every night for hours...we were one of the best metal bands around...but strictly underground...we didnt want to sell out. But after years of playing a heavy guitar on stage and headbanging till my neck was sore, it started to take its toll. I turned to painkillers...first it was just regular over the counter...then the doctor prescribed codeine. I use to take 2 before each gig just to get me through.
Things got worse when Shecter made me my signature model, I was so intent on heavy guitars that i had them build me a double thick flying V...the thing weighed 15kg...but those tones!
My back meanwhile got worse and worse, and my addiction to codeine and other painkillers got worse. I hot rock bottom one night when we were playing Ozzfest (i was in so much pain and so limp from all the pills) and it came to my spot before my solo when I usually swung the guitar around my body, but this time when i did it...the guitar felt so heavy and i couldnt control it...the weight and momentum of the guitar was so great that it lifted me off the floor and I crashed back first into the amp stack (a matamp GT120, vintage Orange OR120 and 2 6x12 Atlas cabs).
They rushed me to hospital, but before I left i told the crowd i would be back to finish the gig...but then Gary Holt jumped in and replaced me...and I never made it back to the stage.
So after my hospital treatment, i was checked into a rehab centre to get over my addiction. Thats best thing that happened in my life, not only did I kick the addiction, but I also found God in Jesus Christ our saviour, and Jane, the love of my life.
Years later...now I play a Steinberger through a Fender Blues Jnr, and a simple pedalboard with some boutique pedals I picked up from TGP. I still play a mean solo in a PnW band at our local church for God with my wife who sings back up vocals...and I dont care about heavy guitars anymore or big amps or thick tones...I've realised that tone is in the fingers, and when you fingers belong to God and you play for him, he makes sure your tone is great...just like Jesus.
