Calgary busker's custom Jackson V guitar returns 4 years later
Owner 'so tickled pink' he treated CPS officers to an impromptu rendition of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit
Dwayne Fraser waited two years for his custom Jackson V guitar to arrive the first time, and then he had to wait nearly four more years for it to be returned after it was stolen.
The Calgary busker specially ordered his guitar from Long and McQuade in December 2009. He picked it up on Dec. 2, 2011.
"I was very excited. This is the guitar that was built for me, of the same specs and everything I wanted," Fraser said.
Fraser, who frequently busks downtown and on C-Train platforms, enjoyed his custom-made guitar for less than a year before someone stole all of his gear.
"It was just a rotten time losing all that stuff, because it was very costly," said Fraser, who was out two guitars and an amp.
"Normally, a busker shouldn't even be using high-end stuff for playing on the streets and stuff, but me? I did it anyway."
He reported the theft to police, despite giving up hope of ever seeing his beloved guitar again.
Guitar listed on Kijiji
In late May, Calgary police were informed the guitar was listed for sale on Kijiji, and the investigation was re-opened.
With the help of the Online Stolen Property Unit, officers were able to recover the guitar in good working condition.
"I was so tickled pink," Fraser said. "Almost four years later, I was so happy to see it. I never thought I would ever see it."
He was so overjoyed that he even treated CPS members to an impromptu concert at the front counter.
Owner of long lost guitar treats members to impromptu concert at front counter 🎸<a href="https://t.co/zhiNCuK9A4">https://t.co/zhiNCuK9A4</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Calgary?src=hash">#Calgary</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yyc?src=hash">#yyc</a> <a href="https://t.co/4nRmqEbbho">pic.twitter.com/4nRmqEbbho</a>
—@CalgaryPolice"Surprisingly, when I got the guitar back, it was still in tune," he laughed.
Fraser said the guitar had been hiding in a pawn shop the entire time.
"They tell me that a pawn shop had it for almost four years. The day after when it got stolen, it was in their pawn shop all this time," he said.
Police say the investigation into the original theft is continuing, and no charges have been laid.