Steve Morse MM - This makes me sick........Steve Morse...

[Brand X]

.........A while ago (around 2003/04) I had the pleasure of obtaining my first MMan - a Steve Morse and was told that it was an absolute one of a kind that Steve himself didn't want as he didn't like the colour - this was supposedly verified by Strings and Things in the UK.

Last year I was sent this link which is Steve with Sterling in the factory during development of the Y2D.........check out the guitar that is bought to Steve at 2.56......that is my guitar!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44-q_flFb-k"]YouTube - Ernie Ball - Steve Morse Talks With Sterling Ball #3[/ame]

....however, back in 2004 I went through a real Vai phase and (I can't believe this myself) I sold it to fund an Ibanez Jem 77BFP......not only and Ibanez - but one with flowers on it!

To this day I feel ill about it, not necessarily that it was one Steve actually played - but just down to the fact that it was awesome - I think on the footage here it sounds much better than the Y2D version....just seems warmer to me (maybe I am biased!).

Anyway - if any folks from Strings and Things can verify further or have more history, great.

Incidentally - it appeared on Ebay a while ago and it was with a shop in Manchester I believe - but I just couldn't get the funds! I do a search every day!

 

[Brand X]

....hmm...In part 2 do you think at around 2 mins Sterling is referring to EVH? ;O)

 

[Smellybum]

Stick to Morse, EVH is old news,

Morse is a killer player, I'm gutted I missed the UK Clinic - He makes it seem like he's doing it with his eyes shut!

 

[Blind Lemon]

I've asked around the office here at Strings and Things and no one remembers this guitar at all. I pretty certain that we didn't import it and we can't recall ever verifying that it was one of Steve's that he didn't like the colour of. It all sounds a bit weird to me.
Any way this story certainly stimulated the old grey cells.

 

[fogman]

I don't see what that guitar is so original?
Isn't just a Morse in Silver?

 

[spkirby]

...and sorry but your dates dont match up either, the Y2D appeared in Aug 2005...

 

[Brand X]

Whoooooaaaa - I'm not saying one way or the other.

All I am saying is that back in 2003 I got this silver Morse that I was told was one of a kind and that Steve didn't like it....

I got rid in 2004 for a Jem (shudder...)

I was then given the link above by a friend who said 'Your old guitar is on here'

Thinking back - I'm not even sure about the Strings and Things bit, I have a mate who roadied for Purple at the time and it was him that got the guitar....and I'm sure he mentioned S&T at the time - but we're talking 5 years ago

Whether it was bull or not I'm not worried....but it did feel weird seeing it when he sent me the link.....and makes for a good story!

I don't see how my dates don't stack up as I'm not trying to prove anything?

The dates are simply when I got the guitar and then I was sent the You Tube footage that I remembered and thought be good to share - nothing more..

Jeez......

 

[Brand X]

Stick to Morse, EVH is old news,

Morse is a killer player, I'm gutted I missed the UK Clinic - He makes it seem like he's doing it with his eyes shut!

Mate - I seen him at PMT in B'ham last year before the Purple gig at the NEC....such a top bloke and what a player!!! Great stories and all round top guy.......

 

[Brand X]

I've asked around the office here at Strings and Things and no one remembers this guitar at all. I pretty certain that we didn't import it and we can't recall ever verifying that it was one of Steve's that he didn't like the colour of. It all sounds a bit weird to me.
Any way this story certainly stimulated the old grey cells.

Thanks for the feedback - I could have been fed some bull, or maybe I'm just not remembering correctly. Doesn't matter really as I haven't got it anymore, just weird how I was told this story when I got it, then I receive this link which may confirm (it does seem weird that Steve is playing a silver/grey sparkle Morse (which surely can't be the most common colour in the world) and then after a while I get a guitar of the same colour and told that story.....

Anyway - thanks for the info!

 

[spkirby]

.....and makes for a good story!

I don't see how my dates don't stack up as I'm not trying to prove anything?

The dates are simply when I got the guitar and then I was sent the You Tube footage that I remembered and thought be good to share - nothing more..

Jeez......

Easy tiger...I'm not personally getting at you but your story doesnt seem in any way plausible... do you really believe that a Morse you sold 2nd hand in the UK in 2004 would find its way back to the EBMM factory in california for safe keeping and reappear during a Y2d proto tryout session for Steve Morse sometime in 2005 before somehow returning back to the UK to appear in a shop in Manchester?

 

[paranoid70]

...and sorry but your dates dont match up either, the Y2D appeared in Aug 2005...

Are you sure about that? Last time I saw the Dixie Dregs was in Jan 2005 and I kept commenting to my friends what cool looking guitar Morse was playing, and what a weird looking bass (Bongo) LaRue was playing.

 

[spkirby]

Close enough.... http://www.ernieball.com/news/206/

Obviously there would have been protos before the press release but either way its a 2005 era thing.

 

[whitestrat]

All I am saying is that back in 2003 I got this silver Morse that I was told was one of a kind and that Steve didn't like it....

No need to fret... You can very well order one now in Sterling Silver!!!! New 2008 colour for EBMM!

 

[Brand X]

Easy tiger...I'm not personally getting at you but your story doesnt seem in any way plausible... do you really believe that a Morse you sold 2nd hand in the UK in 2004 would find its way back to the EBMM factory in california for safe keeping and reappear during a Y2d proto tryout session for Steve Morse sometime in 2005 before somehow returning back to the UK to appear in a shop in Manchester?

Dude - You haven't read my post properly. I wondered why you were going on at me about the dates. The Morse guitar I had was supposedly 'offered' to Steve at the factory - hence it appearing in that clip....a friend (who happened to roadie for DP on the Euro part of the tour) then got it and sold it to me......that's how I got it....nothing to do with me buying it and it getting back to Steve?

 

[Brand X]

Guys - Just to clear the clip up...that is I think from one of the development discussions about the Y2D and how they copied the neck etc of No1 to create the Y2D......

To be sure though I certainly ain't posting anything about the Luke I had that he carved from a Koa tree in his garden and presented to me at a gig by Albert Lee.......;o)

Seriously though - maybe BP has a story on this....I don't know - either way I just thought I'd offer up an interesting story that may be coincidence - but the reason thought it plausible because the dates do make sense....

 

[Chris G]

Just so I've got this straight - if you sold the guitar in 2003 (or even 2004) AFTER it had been offered to Steve in the video I've just watched then the video must have been made in 2003 for it to be rejected by Steve and get to you.

This seems (to me at least) to be too early as the Y2D protos like the one in the video with the cream pickups seemed to appear in 2005. Now I have no doubts that the silver/grey Morse with the floyd and the white pickguard that I've just seen on the video is a sufficiently acquired taste to be close to being unique, but it might not be. Only EBMM could tell us whether it is unique and when the video was made.

As for the JEM 77BFP - I never owned one but always quite liked the flower pattern.

 

[Brand X]

Chris - I've no idea about the timescales when protos come into play for live use.....this clip is pretty early in development I would have thought - I guess we'll never know unless BP confirms is able to confirm....

Regards the Jem - When you consider that these are £1500'ish instruments - I think the quality /materials just doesn't warrant the cost......mind you the trem is awesome!

Mine fell off a stand and fell in slow motion to the ground, bouncing when the headstock hit the floor and completely breaking the headstock joint....great!

 

[mbgreene]

Just as a reference, the Morse Y2D sessions that were released were taped in March 2005. Here is the thread were BP disccusses the taping

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/6641-steve-morse.html

 

[Chris G]

You're right we'll never know unless the company confirms it.

The JEMs do seem to carry a big upcharge for the artist association in the way that EBMMs don't. The Prestige RGs are much the same in terms of build but a lot cheaper. I had to laugh at that the cost of the recent clear JEM that lights up. Strange how shops still seem to have stock of those.

It's a bummer that it broke though - at least you would have wanted to get a decent price for it if you sold it.

 

[Brand X]

Just as a reference, the Morse Y2D sessions that were released were taped in March 2005. Here is the thread were BP disccusses the taping

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/6641-steve-morse.html

Hmmmm - Note to self, investigate thoroughly b4 posting! Seriously though - thanks for pointing that out, I didn't know that.

Still - I regret getting rid of such an awesome geetar!