Backstage Banter

40 years after it was stolen, Alan Poster’s returned Stingray will be featured at the Reunion Blues exhibit.

You might remember how, back in 2006, the international news was burning up about Alan Poster being reunited with his 1968 Stingray, 37 years after it disappeared.

Alan had been going through a rough time that winter. A Brooklyn native and a 26-year-old guitar salesman, he had just divorced and moved from Queens to a 21st Street studio in Chelsea. He bought himself a flashy treat that he could barely afford but could not resist: a blue ’68 Vette.

He had owned it for only two or three months when it was stolen from a parking garage on 23rd Street. It was Jan. 22, 1969.

In December 2005, Mr. Poster got a call that it had been recovered, just days before it was supposed to be shipped to a buyer in Sweden. The car was flagged during a routine check of the vehicle ID by California Homeland Security and US Customs, sending two New York detectives on a long-shot search through thousands of crime reports to connect the car to its first owner.

Alan was reunited with his Corvette in January of 2006, during a news conference in Carson, CA, that made worldwide distribution. The original “International Blue” exterior had been painted silver, the original blue interior was red, the gas tank was missing and the engine had been replaced. Inexplicably, it had no transmission but the body was still close to mint condition.

Dubbed the “Reunion Blue” and arguably the world’s best known Corvette, Alan spent the next three years bringing the hot-rod back to like-new condition, including the original blue-on-blue color scheme.

Coincidently, the company Alan owns today is called Reunion Blues, a prestigious high-end musical instrument case and leather bag line that is considered to be the best among serious musicians. Alan had just acquired the Reunion Blues company when he was reunited with his blue Corvette… a twist of fate he does not take lightly. “Coincidence?” he said, “Perhaps.”

Alan and the whole Reunion Blues crew will be showcasing new products along with this legendary Stingray in the Reunion Blues exhibit 5968 at the NAMM (International Music Products Association) convention in Anaheim, CA, a four-day, 85,000 attendee conference starting January 15, 2010.

Earlier this year, Reunion Blues released a high-altitude “stress test” video on You Tube, tossing their new RB Continental case off a three-story building with a Strat-style guitar inside. After two throws, the instrument emerged unscathed. In an unexpected twist, the video drew numerous comments from doubting guitarists who dared Reunion Blues to try it with a tilt-back headstock guitar.

“We didn’t think much of these comments at first”, said Reunion Blues’ Alan Poster, “but they kept coming in until, after passing tens of thousands of views, we decided to accept the challenge.”

According to John Maher, Reunion Blues marketing director, many three-on-a-side tilt-back headstocks are actually glued to the neck at an angle, creating the potential for the peghead to snap off at this junction when hit hard. “So, in an attempt to satisfy the skeptics, we decided to get our hands on a tilt-back designed guitar and do it all over again.” Maher added.

The first RB Continental drop test video can be seen by clicking on www.rbcontinental.com. Stay tuned for the results from the second toss.

So recently real life circumstances required me to travel to my hometown of Grand Junction Colorado for a week. About a year ago my good friend, Phil Street, who is also from Grand Junction and was the drummer for my band Crunch here in California moved back to Western Colorado to be closer to his folks. 
He’s drumming in a band there called Missy’s End, 

R to L Joe, Todd and Phil of Missy's End.

 led by a talented singer/songwriter named Joe Davis, and they just happened to have a gig scheduled while I was there and asked me to sit in for a couple of songs. This was the perfect opportunity to give our new Reunion Blues RB Continental case the ultimate road test, by checking it in as baggage with the airlines and letting the handlers do their worst. So I caught the bus from Petaluma

Me and the RBC at the Petaluma Airporter

to the Oakland Airport on a sunny Saturday morning, arrived at the US Airways baggage check in, handed over the company’s Epiphone Dot Studio in the RB Continental case, checked it in and told them to do their worst!

RBC at Oakland Baggage Check-In

(note I didn’t use my own guitar, I may be crazy but not stupid!) I had to make a connection in Phoenix to Grand Junction. The flight to Phoenix was quite turbulent as their were storms lined up the whole way. Then if that wasn’t enough fun, I got to hop on a 2 propeller prop job for the final leg to GJ.
It had been a number of years since I’d had the pleasure to fly on one of those and I’d forgotten just how much “fun” they can be.

Keeping cool on the bouncy prop job

Luckily our pro flight attendant Sandra kept everything calm, cool and under control. Upon landing in Grand Junction all 9 of us intrepid travellers  got off the plane and I headed to baggage claim with more than a bit of apprehension. Within a few minutes I saw the RB Continental Case come down the baggage carousel.

RBC arrives GJ baggage carousel

With nervous anticipation I slowly opened the case and voila! There was the Dot in perfect condition. Not a scratch, dent, ding or blemish of any kind. 100% Success!

An Epi Dot without a spot!

 Now all I had to do was learn Suffragette City by Friday, play the gig and then see how the axe survived the return trip back to the Bay Area.  The gig was at Quincy’s Bar, the only alternative lifestyle bar in Grand Junction, the crowd was probably around 200+ with one of the most interesting mixes of humanity I’ve ever seen.

The one and only Quincy's Bar in GJ.

The people watching was almost as entertaining as the band. We even had a party bus pull up and out came 25 bouncing bachelorettes ready to rock.

Missy's End and yours truly rocking Suffragette City!

So we obliged them and then headed to Todd the bass players house for an after gig party until about 3:45 AM. That’s the latest this old man has been out in quite a few years but we had a blast. The next day I had my good friend and martial arts expert  Kerry Wong give the case a good hard karate chop with the guitar in it and yes it survived the Kung Fu test beautifully as well.

RBC passes Kerry's Kung Fu Karate Chop test!

After taking care of all my family business it was time to head home. The return trip was smooth even if I did have to find a way to kill 3.5 hours in the Phoenix Airport (UGH!) . I arrived back in Oakland to find my wife and kids waiting for me (a sight for sore eyes for sure!) and waited for the RB Continental to come downt the carousel. When we got home my kids helped me check the guitar and as expected it was in perfect condition. I even stuffed some extra clothes, toiletries, etc… in the accessory pockets of the RBC to save space in my carry on. You can literally pack everything you need for a 1 or 2 night gig in this case and not even need any other luggage. And if your guitar happens to fall off a 3 story building or has to be subjected to the whim and whimsy of airline baggage handlers you can at least have some peace of mind knowing that it’s ensconced safely in a Reunion Blues RB Continental Guitar case. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it! Rock on everyone!

I’m a sucker for old musical instruments, regardless of what they are. My weakness is funky upright pianos and off-the-wall guitars. Check out the cool finds at the first ever Vintage Guitars Road Show by clicking here. Vintage Guitars Road Show – Part 1 Bananas Music Do you have a cool guitar you want to share with us? Love to see it. Bring it on!