Because I recently got the opportunity to have an artist endorsement with one of my favorite guitar manufacturers, Music Man, I decided to make room for a new addition to my guitar lineup by selling one of my current guitars. After some deliberating, soul-searching and a few games of Tetris, I decided to bid a fond farewell to Sparky, my trusty Music Man Luke model guitar, seen here:

Sparky, which I named after its beautiful Black Sparkle finish (I tend to name all my guitars based on their color), has been a mainstay for me both live and in the studio. I’ve used it on the recordings of most of the “signature” Shaimus songs (”All Of This,” “Like a Fool,” “Tie You Down,” and many others). But the fact was that I always felt something lacking in various aspects of that guitar for my personal style, so I decided it was time to set it free. (I did make a note of the serial number just in case I run into it again someday!)

So the guitar I got to replace Sparky is far more ideal for me in many ways. It is a Music Man Albert Lee HH (double DiMarzio humbucker) model, in tobacco sunburst finish, with a vintage white pearloid pickguard, African mahogany body, and all-rosewood neck.

This is “Sunny:”

It complements my other main guitar, an Albert Lee model (in pearl blue, appropriately named “Pearl”) with three Seymour Duncan single coil pickups, an ash body and an all birdseye maple neck, in so many ways–they both have the same body shape (a very odd and unique angular cut which I love) and neck style which gives me some uniformity on stage. And because they are so different otherwise, I have a wide variety of sounds to choose from.

Sunny and Pearl will make a great team. And there’s also Sonic, the Fender Mustang that was the first guitar I ever bought, but it doesn’t see too much action these days (semi-retired from battle after serving me very well during my high school years).

Thanks to Derek at Music Man for helping to make this happen.  When I opened the case for the first time I actually got chills!  I plan to debut Sunny on stage in Seattle next week. Can’t wait for you all to hear her!