Christopher Pappas from Los Angeles-based indie rock band Elle Belle told us about his love for his customized Sunburst American Fender Strat.
Christopher Pappas: I have this guitar that started as a sunburst American Strat I got from my dad in 8th grade. Over the years, it’s been modded, repainted, and hacksawed into what I can only describe as a beautiful monstrosity. A friend sawed off one of the arms for me and helped repaint it, while another friend rewired it with some new pickups—there’s the regular Strat pickup in the middle, but at the neck, there’s a lipstick pickup, and at the bridge, there’s something like a Telecaster one.
The black stenciling on it comes from a painting I made that hangs in my living room. Everyone I know—my family, my friends, even my wife—hates this painting because, and I want this on record; it’s hilariously bad. But yet, there’s something endearing about how bad it is. Its complete amateurness makes it weirdly compelling. It’s been hanging in our living room for years now, and even my wife has grown fond of it and doesn’t want to take it down. I love that, so I put the graphic on my guitar too. And I’ll keep putting this ugly ass stencil on things until someone stops me.
Elle Belle's single "Let's Go Out" is out now.
Photo courtesy of artist.
