Name: Stevie Connor (www.weedanmusic.com)

Location: Port Credit, ON

Brand/Model: Henderson Bagpipes

Year: Circa 1890-1910

Price Paid: $2,000

Estimated Value Today: $16,000

When, where, and how did you obtain this piece of gear?

My father, who is a world-class piper from Scotland, received a phone call to say that someone’s uncle had died and they were selling his pipes that had been lying under his bed for years. The caller wanted someone who would play them and care for them, so my father bought the pipes for $2,000.  He is also a bagpipe maker and recognized that the instrument was over 100 years old and in mint condition. He showed them to me and I fell in love. When I played them I did not want to give them back, but my father’s intentions were to refurbish and sell them.

Have any modifications/upgrades been done to this piece of gear?

My father sent them to a bagpipe maker to have silver mounts put on them at his own cost, increasing the value considerably. The bagpipe maker went into receivership whilst the pipes were in the shop and after some struggle to prove the pipes were his, he got them back and they had already had the silver mounted, for which did not have to pay. The increase in value was enormous and it is now a much sought after instrument. After a lot of thought he knew I would care and play them with all my heart, so he sold them to me for the price he paid: $2,000.

What is the best feature of this piece of gear?

The sweet tone of the drones is amazing! I’m playing an instrument that is over 100 years old and a real piece of history. The company who manufactured them closed in 1910 and had only manufactured pipes for 20 years. There are not a lot of these instruments anywhere in the world and the fact that they sound so sweet today is amazing.

What is your most memorable performance/moment with this piece of gear?

When I first played them in my father’s living room, I played a tune, stopped, looked at my dad and we both smiled at each other. His words were: “You need the pipes, and the pipes need you.”

Do you have a rare, unique, or just plain interesting piece of gear you want to share with the Canadian Musician readership? Visitwww.canadianmusician.com/gearheads, fill out the form, and upload a high-res photo of you and your gear. We’ll take care of the rest.

Owner: Steve Grisbrook

Location: Toronto, ON

Brand/Model: Fender Stratocaster

Year: 1972

Price Paid: $400

Estimated Value Today: Priceless … to me!

When, where, and how did you obtain this piece of gear?

I acquired this guitar from my bass player/ex-girlfriend. She was a jazz player and had it “altered” beyond comprehension – weird pick-ups, duct tape guidelines, and huge jumbo bass frets. It was love at first sight. I have owned it for almost 15 years now and it has always been, and will always be, my number one, go-to guitar. Thanks to all that have offered to repaint it, but I kind of like it the way it is!

Have any modifications/upgrades been done to this piece of gear?

[It has] new Fender noiseless pickups and graphite saddles.

What is the best feature of this piece of gear?

Its smoke-stained headstock and worn down body make it a real conversation piece.

What is your most memorable performance/moment with this piece of gear?

The first day I played this guitar marked the day that I owned a real piece of musical history.

Do you have a rare, unique, or just plain interesting piece of gear you want to share with the Canadian Musician readership? Visit www.canadianmusician.com/gearheads, fill out the form, and upload a high-res photo of you and your gear. We’ll take care of the rest.

Owner: John-Angus MacDonald

Location: Toronto, ON

Brand/Model: Gibson Les Paul Custom

Year: 1974

Price paid: $2,500

When, where, and how did you obtain this piece of gear?

I purchased this guitar at Austin Vintage in Austin, TX in 2005. We were down there recording demos for our second album at Willie Nelson’s studio Pedernales. It’s supposed to be a white guitar, but the years and tobacco stain have weathered it so severely that it barely qualifies as off-white. Really, it’s yellow now.

Have any modifications been done to this piece of gear?

No, but when I met Les Paul later that year in NYC, I had him autograph it. It reads:  “To John-Angus, Keep rockin’, Les Paul” on the body.

What is the best feature of this piece of gear?

It cuts through like no other Les Paul I’ve ever played. It’s got a really bright and brilliant tone without losing that trademark Les Paul meatiness. It’s a great recording guitar.

What is your most memorable performance with this piece of gear?

I played this guitar when we opened for the Rolling Stones in the summer of ’06 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. I don’t really remember much about the show – I was a little nerve racked by seeing Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts check out the show from the wings, but I do remember having this instrument in my hands the whole time.

Do you have a rare, unique, or just plain interesting piece of gear you want to share with the Canadian Musician readership? Visit www.canadianmusician.com/gearheads, fill out the form, and upload a high-res photo of you and your gear. We’ll take care of the rest.