I think it was ’02 when it happened. My bass player loaded his stuff and mine in his car the night before our gig. He went to work the next day and parked where he normally parks, came out at the end of his shift to find his window smashed and all our stuff gone. Luckily I hadn't left for the day where I work at Fender so immediately after Jeff (bassist and fellow victim) called and gave me the horrible news, I was able to round up enough equipment to get us by for that weekend thanks largely in part to the good people here at Fender. They loaned me whatever I needed.
The following Monday I came into the shop and had the sickest feeling you could imagine from being ripped off and not knowing what I was going to do the next week’s gigs. One of the projects I was working on at that time was a Fender Floyd Rose Stratocaster guitar I was making for Dave, and at the same time I was doing some work on 2 others he had brought in. ( a white Fender Floyd Rose Stratocaster and a 3 tone sunburst Fender Floyd Rose Stratocaster.) Now for some reason I was just digging on the 3 tone sunburst one! I remember I couldn’t put her down and was always noodling on it. Dave would call me and ask how things were going and I would be playing it. He asked me what guitar I was playing and I told him it was his 3 tone sunburst Fender Floyd. He said “you really like that thing don’t you” and I said “this thing is awesome, you should be playing it more”. Well Dave came by the shop later that week to pick up his guitars. We went to lunch at our usual burger joint and I told him what had happened the week before. When we got back to the shop and it was time for him to go he turned to me and said “Hey Ronee, you really love that 3 tone burst, I can tell when you play it. I like it too but you like it more and I know you can use it, keep it!” That was one of the single most kindest thing anyone has done for me but I got to tell you, the kind of person Dave is, he would’ve done it a million times over if it came down to it. And I can’t tell this story without adding that when Dave told another great guitar player and big hearted friend Richie Sambora about my ordeal. Richie contributed as well in getting me back on my feet again. Dave Amato is one of the greatest friends and people a person can ever have. He’s as genuine as they come. I’ve known him for 20 years and he’s still the same!
