My first electric guitar was a Cort Flying V that was blue. Bought it in 1983. My first "real" guitar was a fluke. I had been saving for a Kramer in 1984 and 1985, but was only going to be able to get the Focus 4000 (Flying V) with the money that I saved up. I was actually making payments on the guitar to a local dealer with the agreement that once I had paid enough for it, he'd order it. When I almost had enough money, he said he couldn't order the guitar I wanted because he wasn't a dealer and returned my money to me. This is when my father and I drove up to Reliable Music in Charlotte, NC to look at their Kramer inventory.
They had the white F-4000 in stock, but my father spoke with one of the owners of the store about guitarists and how most go through many, many guitars before finally getting the one that they want and like. I was all set to buy the Focus (Japanese made), but my father told me to wait and we'd discuss it on the 2+ hour ride home. It was during this time that my dad asked me which guitar I really wanted. For me, it wasn't the Focus model, but the US-made Vanguard. After a long and lengthy discussion, he said he'd kick in the rest of the money I needed to "upgrade" from the Focus (about an extra $250). So, on that Saturday afternoon of October 29, 1985 when we got home, we called the store and ordered the white Vanguard that was hanging on the wall.....it arrived on October 31, 1985.
22+ years later, I've had a couple hundred guitars go through my hands, but.....I still have the Vanguard.
