Return of the Prodigal Child, a long story

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

October 1989 was not a good month for me.

I was co-leading a band with a girl singer, my ex-girlfriend that I'd recently broken up with (my choice). She wanted to get back together with me, yet in anger was doing things to make my life miserable. The gigs were lousy, musicians were hard to keep, and Melissa was being a royal pain.

Then, on October 14, 1989, my truck was stolen out of the carport of my home with my band's entire PA system, a Steeler's Choice pack-seat, a Session 500, and an Emmons guitar that had been custom built for me. It was a D-10 PP with 8p/8k, cut 1.5" short, Sperzel tuners, Legrande-style pedals, and a white neck selector knob. The truck was recovered, empty and trashed, a couple days later by the Austin police.

I didn't care about the other stuff, but the loss of the guitar was devastating to me. The cops allowed as how it was such an unusual instrument, with my name on the case and all, that it would be very difficult to pawn and it was probably thrown off the Town Lake bridge and was sitting in 20 feet of water.

Nevertheless, I checked pawn shops for a couple months. But by then I was so turned off by everything musical that on Dec. 31 I played my last gig and gave Melissa the band, quit music entirely, concentrated on my newspaper advertising job. I put it all in the Lord's hands. Three weeks later I met the woman that eventually became my wife and remains so to this day, and concentrated on bass fishing on weekends.

For almost two years, I didn't play a gig; just farted around the house with an old PP I had purchased from Bill Rudolph. I was really rusty, lost a lot of chops, but who cares, right?

Then, in January of 1992, my wife asked me to go down to San Antonio with her to the Texas Veterinary Convention to help her buy a computer system for her clinic. Nah, I told her, I'm going fishing that weekend. "Come on," she said. "besides, Johnny Bush is playing for the dance." Okay, I'll go.

At the dance, my old friend Jim Loessberg was playing steel. When he saw me, he got offstage and said "man, take this gig off my hands, I've got too much going on with school and my day job." I told him I was retired, didn't feel like playing, didn't know any of Johnny's stuff, couldn't do the gig, had my own high-pressure day job, etc. He said it'd be easy, and introduced me to Johnny who asked me to play only 3 jobs. Well, those 3 jobs turned into a 14 year gig for me and got me back into playing music again, for the last 9 years full-time.

Cut to June 2007. I'm surfing eBay, just checking out what instruments are selling for, and what should I come across? MY OLD GUITAR! In a town 50 miles south of Austin! I go through my filing cabinet and I find the original file for the theft of my truck with all the info.

I called the Austin PD and told them about the auction. They were skeptical because the theft occured 18 years ago, the detective was going on vacation, etc, but they said they'd look into it. The next day, on the advice of a good friend who's a detective with the Houston PD (and also a forumite), I emailed the seller and was straightforward and friendly. I told him/her that I was the rightful owner of the steel, I identified it by serial number, gave the history, and said I'd pay a reward for the return of the guitar. And I gave my phone number.

That afternoon, she called. A super nice lady, the wife of a local musician who told her it was bad karma to have that guitar and I should get it back. I asked her how much they had in the guitar, she gave me a figure and I told her that amount was completely fine with me. I didn't want her to be now victimized as well by this crime of so long ago. I also said she'd be contacted by the police since I had notified them of the auction, but that she and her husband were definitely not suspects in the theft, but more like secondary victims.

The Luling police came and got the guitar, and returned it to Austin. After going through the usual rigamarole and paperwork, the instrument was returned to me yesterday. She's a little dirty underneath and the metal needs some Simi-Chrome, but other than that, she's intact. The mica is fine. The case, with my name painted over it, is trashed. I did a superficial cleaning up top and underneath, oiled the moving parts, and changed the strings.

Talk about an Emmons PP with a good setup! After 18 years of not being played... the strings I put on it were still there... the pedals and levers are still in tune!!! And she still sings sweet and true! Smile

The Austin and Luling TX Police were top notch all the way. And the detectives, whom I got to know, were astounded that a case this cold came to a resolution like it did, after almost 20 years. That's one reason why Detective Mike Sanford of APD put so much interest in it. And he appreciated the cooperation of the woman with the eBay ad and is grateful I'm sending her the money she'd be out if I just simply took the guitar back.

Today I mail a check out to the wonderful couple who helped me get my guitar back. Her husband is a fine singer/songwriter whose band coincidentally is opening for Gary P. Nunn when we play a gig in Boerne TX at the end of August. I will help this man and his band if I possibly can, and I look forward to meeting them and thanking them in person.

A new friendship has developed because of this episode. And a long lost child has returned to the family. Smile

And I praise and thank the Lord for the blessings He's bestowed upon me, far more than I deserve.
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Dave Todd · From: Jonestown, Tx.

Huge Congrads Herb!! Shocked

You were telling Gail and me about this the other nite. I kinda got misty readin it..... Confused

It truly is a wonderful thing how these things work out. I'll be interested to hear the "Rest of the Story" to say the least. I hope to hear that horn soon....

Your friend

Dave

Mike Ester · From: New Braunfels, Texas, USA

This is a great story, Herb. I'm glad you recovered the guitar and made a new friend.

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

GREAT STORY Herb! Now if I could only have that kinda luck and get my 1958 Gibson Flying V that was stolen over 30 years ago, I could sell it, and retire!

Jim Saunders · From: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.

Herb, Nice story! And, if you decide to give up music, you can become a writer.

But, Herb, is there anyway to go back to the original thief? Let's get out the rope. Cattle rustlers and horse thiefs are hung in Texas and that's not nearly as bad as steelin your PP!
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Mullen, G2, D10, Peavey Nashville 112, Roland Cube 80XL, DD3, Goodrich L10 VP.

Larry Petree · From: Bakersfield. Ca. USA

Herb, this good luck story couldn't happen to a better person. Good luck with that steel from now on, till you really retire. Larry Petree

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Thanks for all the well wishes, guys. Truly.

Jim, there's a statute of limitations on vehicle theft, I believe it's 5 years. So the case is not prosecutable.

The eBay seller wanted to learn to play steel, and her husband got it from an ex-coworker who had it in his garage for about 12 years. That fellow got it from a guy he knew, who got it from another guy who owed him some money. So it's really untrackable. If the original thieves were junkies or gang members, as the police suspect, they could very well be dead by now.

A few items from the PA system turned up in pawn shops a couple years after the theft, all pawned by people with different names. I did recover the pack-seat, though. In fact, I'm sitting on it right now as I type.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Ron Whitworth · From: Yuma,Ariz.USA Yeah they say it's a DRY heat !!

WOW Herb!! Great story.So glad to hear that you got one of your babies back home.And also glad to hear it was in good condition too - great news!
Good for you..Ron

Dave Burr · From: League City, TX

Herb ~ Congratulations! What a great story! However, how could you, in good conscience, post a story so eloquently and then FAIL to post pictures of your prodical child?!?!?! It just ain't right!
Wink

Best wishes Herb! You certainly deserve all the good Kharma that comes your way.

Respectfully,
David Burr

Mark Eaton · Posted 22 Jun 2007 8:29 am

Herb, great story...I'm really happy for you!

That made my morning.

Now you talk about the Lord working in mysterious ways: The original episode turned you off to playing music - you lose the girlfriend and then meet your wife - you eventually take the long gig with Johnny Bush - and the custom Emmons comes back around.
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Mark

Dale Hansen · From: Hendersonville,Tennessee, (USA)

Good for you Herb,
I just really enjoy a happy ending like that, and I commend you for your honor in your dealings with the Ebay vendor. I happened to be present with Buck Reid, when his prized, custom Marr's got ripped off. It made me "commode huggin sick". I feel fortunate that I haven't lost a well loved guitar this way, although I did lose a Harley sportster, and know well what victimization feels like.
DH

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Herb---I love it. Thanks for sharing that story. The karmic implications make my head spin. In a good way.

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

What a story. I too found a guitar that had been stolen from me on Ebay, which also led to another guitar of mine that had been stolen at the same time, but they had only been gone a couple of months. They had changed hands two or three times before I got them back, and I think the guy that stole them was already in jail for something else by the time I got them back.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro.

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Herb my friend,although it took a while to get it back I believe that because you are the good person that you have always been It somehow found it's way back to you.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

Joe Rouse · From: San Antonio, Texas

Good things happen to good people. You are a good honest man and you give THANKS. A man of integrity.
And you write a great story, you should persue writing. God Bless...Joe Rouse
Not that you should ever give up psg, that is a God given talent too...jr

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Bro. Herb,
GREAT!!! Sounds like a whole lot of good people had to be involved to get that P/P back where it belongs.
Now, when you get it back, can we see a photo or two?

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Guys, regarding a photo, it's just a black, early 80's Emmons PP with a plastic logo and a bunch of knee lever hanging off it. I've got photos somewhere stuck in one of my many scrapbooks of me playing the guitar in the 1980's with my band Texas Fever, but it could be any Emmons guitar of that era.

What tipped me off to it being my guitar was 1) the 8 knee levers, 2) the white neck switch knob, and 3) the fact that the seller told me the guitar sat 24.5" from the floor (standard Emmons height is 26").

However, here's the photo from the eBay ad

_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Howard Tate · From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.

Herb, I've been feeling pretty down, with health problems, and family health troubles. Your story couldn't have came at a better time for me, it brightened my day and made me feel much better. I'm really glad you got the guitar back, and glad you shared the tale with us.

Bill Dobkins · From: Rolla Missouri, USA

Herb, the news is great. I bet your one happy person.
I agree the APD is great. They were very helpful when Dave Kirby's Giutar was stolen from the Hall of Fame in Brady. I was hired to investigate the case.
Which was found in Brady....Herb do you know big Bill Lister, Dave Kirby's uncle, he lives in Boerne.
Any way congrats.

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

that's good kharma after all ain't it?
18 years is a long time
i'm really happy for ya Herb

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

I'm gonna be playing the guitar on my current gigs with Gary P. Nunn, and put the Sho-Bud on the bench for awhile. The Emmons needs to be played to shake the cobwebs out and get its juices flowing again.

Another interesting thing: it's still got several changes I now remember having on it that went by the wayside when I went to guitars with fewer levers. When I had Ron Lashley build the guitar... it was my first Emmons..., I kind of went crazy ordering pedal/knee changes, something I probably wouldn't do now.

For example, I had C6 strings 4 and 8 lowered 1/2 tone being lowered by pedal 3 (double duty w/E9 neck), which I currently have on LKR. C6 LKR was a reverse pedal 6 (lower s.3 1/2 tone, raise s.6 1/2 tone), which will soon go away. C6 LKV lowers 10 and 9 similar to boo-wah pedal, but w/o raising s.7, so it's a full Am7 chord from s.2 to s.10, a change Buddy used to have on a pedal decades ago. That one I will probably keep.

My current philosophy is that there's too much stuff going on underneath this guitar, and it will soon be going to Dr. Bowman for his unique brand of magic. Really, she should be totally disassembled and have the metal sent off for professional polishing, something that Dr. B. doesn't do. I don't know, we'll see about that when the opportunity presents itself.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Cograts on getting the guitar back Herb. We should all be so lucky.

An awful lot of musicians have had their instruments stolen at one time or another. I hope that we hear more and more stories like yours in the future.
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Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

In '78 I had my ShoBud Pro111 Custom stolen along with a Fender Twin with JBL's, Fender Telecaster and a whole host of other gear. To say I was devastated was an understatement. I was so fortunate to get it all back within a week - it was stolen by a couple of junkies who tried to offload it to a second hand instrument dealer who luckily had a list of stolen gear that had been supplied by the police.

I know exactly how Herb felt then and now. Its especially bad when it is the tools of your trade.

Emmett Roch · From: Texas Hill Country

Wonderful news, Herb. Glad you got the guitar back.

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