interview from a famous guitar maker about vinnie

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:26 pm

I am a little rushed but today an interview with a famous guitar maker vv worked with in the early to mid 80s will be posted. I need everyone not to use his real name please but it will be easy to work out.

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 8:21 am

Guitar maker answers in red. (btw I did not make this interview).

Hi,
Unfortunately I don't have any tech info on that guitar. That was all done before the digital conversion happened so It was all pretty much old an old school process.

I wouldn't mind talking to somebody about Vinnie. Vin and I were close and it's very sad how the whole thing played out. He was truly one of the most gifted guys I met in the period but as with many gifted people he was also very troubled.
(Guitar makers name removed)

----- Original Message -----
From: XXXXXXXXXX
To: XXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010 7:02 PM
Subject: Vinnie Cusano/ Vinnie Vincent

Greetings Mr. XXXXXXX,

I am a huge fan of Vinnie Vincent and am wondering if you could possibly share some information about his XXXXXXX signature model. Diagrams, Schematics, etc. Would you possibly still make that guitar? Do you still have a relationship with Vinnie? Would you consider doing an interview for our Vinnie Vincent Fan Forum (http:// vvforms.hqforums.com/)?

Thank You XXXXXXXXXX

******************************************************************************************************

Hi XXXX,
It's a lot to chew on and may take me a while to get it all done. I would propose to break it up in sections...because I can be long winded. It's a subject that I feel strongly about as Vinnie I were real close at one time and I want to be as accurate as memory will serve. There is a lot of detail that I'm afraid has just disappeared in the mists of time. Actual specifics about individual guitars...just gone. We were making about 300 CUSTOM guitars a month by the mid 80's and I was spending a lot of time in the orient so whether certain details I've forgotten or really just never knew because I was involved in so much travel...just don't know.

I'll try to collect my thoughts and get started in the next week.
Thanx,
XXXXXXXXX

----- Original Message -----
From: XXXXXXXXXXXX
To: XX@XXXXXXXX
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 10:01 PM
Subject: Re: Vinnie Cusano/ Vinnie Vincent

************************************************************************************************************

Hello again Mr. XXXXX,

XXXX XXXXXX from the Vinnie Vincent Fan Forum here. We at the forum have come up with a short list of questions for you concerning our favorite guitarist and one of our dream guitars. Vinnie has done some questionable things to us as of late and I feel the need to catch you up to date before I list our questions.

In short, Vinnie is supposed to be coming out of his 14 year seclusion by releasing unreleased music and a new guitar ( with a rumored $8000.00 price tag) made by Tom Palecki of AZG/Pear guitars. In the last year Vinnie basically "tricked " the owner of a tribute forum(DoubleV) into GIFTING said forum to him. For approximately a year, Vinnie was on the board as other identities unbeknownst to any of us except the former owner. The DoubleV forum, under Vinnie's control, shuts down out of the blue and unexpectedly about six months ago . Most of the members of the board then start up a new forum (VVFF) out of necessity .
Vinnie then comes to our new forum under the name of SuzieQ and belittles us and bans all of us from the DoubleV Forum. A forum that we made!!! The former owner then tells the forum members what has happened
Add to this mess the promises by Vinnie to sell guitars to fans and not making good on those promises,accepting OVER $100 for a box set that was never delivered and not giving refunds. Those things are FACT. There are many rumors about Vinnie that we do not believe and do not care to entertain.

The many attempts by us to make peace have gone unanswered. We are searching for the truth,so some of our questions may sound like we are digging through the dirt yet rest assured that we mean no disrespect towards anyone. If anything we are trying to build a relationship with him so he feels comfortable enough to make a comeback. Vinnie is obviously a lost soul that has gone through some hard times and heartache (ex-wife murdered,lost touch with his children,losing lawsuits to Kiss, etc). We are trying to put the good people from his past -LIKE YOURSELF- back in touch with him in order to aid his comeback.

We care about Vinnie and hope you do as well. Regardless, We hope to get some lengthy, BRUTALLY HONEST, answers from you about the man known as Vinnie Vincent.

1.)When did you and Vinnie start your friendship ? Business dealings?

2.)Vinnie played mostly XXXXX Randy Rhoads models (before they were produced for the public) and Strat -style Charvels on his first Kiss tour (Creatures of the Night).
a.)How many XX models did Vinnie have? We think there were approximately 6 ?
b.) Were any of these guitars actually built for a Randy but given to Vinnie after Randy's death? Randy's brother Kelle refutes this.
c.) A former employee of Vinnie has stated that Vinnie gave him the prototype Randy Rhoads model as a gift. Did Vinnie possess such a guitar?
d.) Can you tell us anything about the XXXX strats he played on that tour?

3.) When did the concept for the Double V ( Vinnie Vincent signature) guitar come about ?
a.)Was it made for anyone else at first (ie Steve Stevens) ?
b.) David Andrews has recently said that he came up with the design and sold it to Jackson Guitars. Any truth to this?
c.) Did you gift the copyright of this shape to Vinnie Vincent?
d.Why wasn't the guitar offered to the public?
e.) How many V V signature Double V's were made for Vinnie ?
f.) Were there plans for a twelve string version? A double neck? A bass version?
g.) A couple of our forum members actually own authentic Double V Jackson guitars. They look different than Vinnie's guitar -one has Randy Rhoads model shoulders at the neck, another one has longer inner wings. again ,different than Vinnie's guitar. Since there was no tech info for the guitar, was it still in experimental stages of development with the hopes of a production line?
h.) What pre-amp boosts were installed in his guitars?
i.) Do any sketches or blueprints exist of the V V signature guitar?

4.) Vinnie seemed to have his XXXXX guitars (the Randy models as well as the Vinnie models) repainted a lot. Did he have you do this ? Were the Hot pink/silver flake Vinnie models repainted for the less wild image of the second Invasion album or were new Purple/ silver flake guitars built?
a.)Did Vinnie add neck pickups to the original single pickup models or did you make two pickup models for him as well?

5.) Were you involved with the Carvin, Washburn, and Ibanez,Vinnie Vincent models ?
a.) While at Washburn, did you build a strat- style guitar for Vinnie as a possible signature guitar? (the Viper?)

6.) Did Vinnie pay for the guitars and amps he endorsed?
a.)XXXXX was well known for quality custom guitars and no free endorsements. Did that policy change when an artist had their own signature guitar?

7.) Did XXXXX guitars build the fake Double V's that Vinnie smashed in the "Boyz Are Gonna Rock" video?

8.) What was it like working with Vinnie on the guitars? Was he more hands on unlike Randy who had to leave the room when you cut the guitar?

9.) How many times did you see Vinnie perform live and with who (Kiss ,VVI,other) ? What are your recollections of those performances?

10.) What and when was your last contact with Vinnie? Can you explain in detail why your friendship and business dealings ceased ? How did it play out? What seemed to trouble him so much?

11.) Would you be willing work with him again and patch up your friendship?

12.) Would you build the Vinnie Vincent model for the members of our forum ? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PRETTY PLEASE

13.) Are there any projects that you would like to promote concerning yourself ?

14.) Is there anything in closing that you think we should know or that you want to get off your chest that concerns Vinnie Vincent?

Thank you for your time and obliging our forum's questions. We hope to keep an open line of communication with you in the future.
Blessings to you and yours,

XXXX XXXXX

******************
Hi XXXX ,
Sorry to be slow...I'm just up to ears...in life in general.

Before I get started maybe you can clear a few things up for me...

The last time I saw Vinnie was in a music store on Ventura Blvd called Guitar Guitar. This would probably have been late '92 or early '93. I was headed to Chicago and Washburn and Vin was headed to Nashville to work with Felix Cavaliere. Is Vinnie still in Nashville? Also who is this guy making the guitars...I tried to look the name up and could not find anything. I knew Vin and Anne Marie broke up and later heard about her sad end and I've always wondered what happened to the girls. They would be grown now but when I last saw them they were 2 ~ 3 years old. Do you know who raised them and are they alright?

As I said before a lot of the questions about specific guitars I just don't have info about. Just too many years.

As I must have already alluded to I think Vinnie was one of the most talented guys I ever came in contact with. He just has such great musical sensibilities and that's why I was so disappointed in the Invasion stuff. I hated most of it. I knew Vin before the Kiss deal and he was a much different guy. I was not a Kiss fan but I think in Vinnie's eyes he made them credible. I mean they had already been a huge phenomenon but as far as I was concerned it was 95% show and 5% music. Vin made them real and that was the problem. You have to understand that it's the Gene and Paul show...period...and Vinnie wanted credit for his making the band valid musically. I think it's possible that they would have eventually allowed him more credit but he had no patience for that. It was oil and water. As I'm sure you know Vinnie is a huge Jeff Beck fan and to this day I still marvel at his ability to play Beck records note for note album side by album side. This was a large part of the relationship between Vinnie and Gene. I'd go to Kiss rehearsals and Vinnie and Gene would be playing Beck songs waiting of Paul. So they had this mutual admiration for Beck but it wasn't enough to overcome Vinnie's pushing to hard to soon...deserved or not.

I think the pressure of Kiss kind of snapped Vinnie. I can remember that the guys in the Invasion used to laugh at him behind his back because he was so out of control... it was sad not funny. About the time he left Kiss he came to the house one Sunday and right in the middle of dinner he had a panic attack. That's when I knew for sure he was in trouble.

The only thing I can say about the first Rhoads guitar is that I'm sure it was not made for Randy. After the first guitar, the white one, we made three blanks. One is the black one that Randy got just a little over two months before his death and I know exactly what happened to the other two. There may have been some additional blanks that got made in the gap between Randy's death and the release to the general public but they would not have been made for Randy per se. The guitar that has been described as being made for Randy is the gold one with the non fine tune Floyd. I have a pretty clear recollection of Vinnie not being able to get the guitar in tune. Floyd still had a band in those days and happened to be recording out in the San Fernando Valley so we got in the car and went there. Floyd looked the guitar over and gave Vinnie some tuning tips and that was it. Also it would have been impossible for that guitar to be made for Randy because we didn't even know about Floyds until after Randy passed away...that's absolute.

I'm jumping around a bit and I've got to go soon but one of your comments involved some guy named Dave Andrews...I don't know who that is. Unless someone can refresh my memory I'd say take whatever he says with a huge grain of salt.

You asked for the good, bad, and ugly...I cannot think of a single person I've ever known in the music biz that was able to piss so many people off as Vinnie. I mean this may be his greatest talent and as I've said before I think Vin is a giant of a musical talent. As a salacious example a few years ago a New York based music biz attorney told me that Vinnie Vincent did not exist anymore because he'd had a sex change and was now going by Vivienne Vincent. Now as outrageous as that is, and I didn't believe it, this attorney is a pretty conservative guy but with Vinnie's uncanny ability to not just piss off but enrage and infuriate ...some would say rip off...he was able to turn this attorney into a negative publicity agent...unbelievable and tragic!!

I'll leave you with that.
XXXXX

----- Original Message -----
From: XXXXX@XXXX.com
To: XX@XXXXX.com
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 4:33 PM
Subject: Vinnie Cusano/ Vinnie Vincent

Howdy XXXXX,

I hope that your hands aren't too tired from typing out the magnum opus about Vinnie;-). All of us at the forum are patiently awaiting your answers:-!LOL . Take your time as I am sure it will be worth our wait.

Thanks again for your effort-You are deeply appreciated, XXXXX XXXXXX VVFF

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 8:28 am

please don't say the guitar makers name even if you know it. also same with the guy making the interview. thanks

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 8:45 am

Please note I added the questions that i did not first post.

i thought it was an interesting interview. I am not so sure his crazy goings on started after Kiss however. Heard some stuff from Warrior and high school too.

PinkWiz · Post by **PinkWiz** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:09 am

cool interview. yeah vinnie was probably bad even before kiss but kiss probably just pushed him over the edge. you'd think he would've shaped up after getting a second chance with the vv invasion. i'm afraid he's just someone that can't be helped... because he doesn't want help.

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:13 am

last thing he said. I think I know who the attorney is actually. http://www.musicesq.com/attorneys/ronald-s-bienstock

You asked for the good, bad, and ugly...I cannot think of a single person I've ever known in the music biz that was able to piss so many people off as Vinnie. I mean this may be his greatest talent and as I've said before I think Vin is a giant of a musical talent. As a salacious example a few years ago a New York based music biz attorney told me that Vinnie Vincent did not exist anymore because he'd had a sex change and was now going by Vivienne Vincent. Now as outrageous as that is, and I didn't believe it, this attorney is a pretty conservative guy but with Vinnie's uncanny ability to not just piss off but enrage and infuriate ...some would say rip off...he was able to turn this attorney into a negative publicity agent...unbelievable and tragic!!

I'll leave you with that.

Vdog · Post by **Vdog** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:19 am

Very interesting, thanks. Panic attacks ? Wow, you'd think he'd have felt some positivity in going forward after Kiss. His name actually had a little cache for the first time in his career. It's strange though, panic attacks more often than not come with a deep insecurity. For some one who appears to publicly paint himself as the second coming of Christ it's a real head scratcher. Extremely talented, but severely inadequate on a personal level is what I see. I suppose the Kiss experience was a catalyst for his pre existing personal problems to explode. He simply couldn't take operating at that level.

It's fascinating to me and explains his issues with control.

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:27 am

he said on his forum that he had panic attacks i believe. I just read it but I can not find it. He seemed to say that he had very bad lows after the experience he had in kiss and I heard from friends he was very depressed and low after VVI broke (obviously) I will try to find it. Of course the goes on to say that those bastards didn't pay him blah blah blah .
He seems very insecure at times which I don't have a problem with but it has to be the reason he acts like he does. But I don't think its the only reason and I believe no one will ever be able to help him or penetrate that insecurity. Its sad in a way but he does not have to make the world his enemy. he could choose a different way.

Vdog · Post by **Vdog** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:41 am

I worked in mental health for some time years back. What I witnessed on his forum sounded like a pretty depressed man, despite him saying otherwise. I felt quite sorry for him to be honest. He could indeed choose a different way. It would be good for him to confront himself and his behavior rather than confronting everyone else for his mistakes.

In your dealings with him did you ever see evidence of this or was he all business and control ? I mean he just always sounded so beaten to me. I just tried to be supportive, but it's just not enough for him. He wants to use people as a punching bag and it becomes dysfunctional very quick.

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:43 am

thats what happens. I can not feel sorry for a guy who steels from fans, musicians, promoters and boots his loyal fans. no way can i feel sorry for him. He is a Sad person, I understand that but I don't feel sorry.

Vdog · Post by **Vdog** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:51 am

Well yeah I understand that completely. I detest the abuse of power he's exerted over his fans through the years. The mental health issues are pretty sad reading though. Ah it's probably a throwback to my old career, I'm being soft.

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:58 am

yeah i feel sad for the part he can not control. but to be honest any kind of illness you don't steal guitars from people or take money and no show or steal from recording studios and make enemies of your fans and the only band that could actually make him some money in the future (even if they are scraps).
The illness is more stupidity in my opinion.

Vdog · Post by **Vdog** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:04 am

Well his mental illness comes neatly packaged with a personality disorder, It's all part of the same problem imo. The personality disorder is what allows him to feel entitled to anything he wants from people.

Diane would be the big key in this for me, I'd love to have the chance to speak to her. I can't imagine how he explains the behavior and actions to his wife. to his fans he can huff & puff like the big man, but at the end of the day he has to look his wife in the eyes and she knows what he's done.

n3p · Post by **n3p** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:06 am

DV, thank you for sharing.

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:15 am

no problem . sat on this for a while now. Let me tell you I have stuff I can not post. Sorry to be a jerk an say that, but seriously there is some C R A Z Y shit that may come out if I get permission and or i try to disguise the names. Sorry to do this but I just wanted to let everyone know this is tame shit .

Vdog · Post by **Vdog** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:17 am

Pick a testicle, it's yours LOL

shramiac · Post by **shramiac** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:20 am

Nice interview, well most of it is nice, the other bits.....sigh!

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:26 am

Vdog wrote:Pick a testicle, it's yours LOL

should have something sooner or later.
i did lots of interviews when i ran the old board. some were nice, mostly by people who didn't know him for too long. These interviews are by someone else.

jesternjeff · Post by **jesternjeff** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:21 pm

Great read thanks !!!

PinkWiz · Post by **PinkWiz** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:26 pm

DV, is that a satellite shot of Smyrna in your avatar?

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:35 pm

I believe it is , wow. How did that happen?

metatron · Post by **metatron** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:45 pm

doublev2 wrote:I believe it is , Wow. How did that happen?

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:53 pm

i found it on a kiss forum.

1031 · Post by **1031** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:55 am

Great interview

beano · Post by **beano** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:29 am

doublev2 wrote:yeah i feel sad for the part he can not control. but to be honest any kind of illness you don't steal guitars from people or take money and no show or steal from recording studios and make enemies of your fans and the only band that could actually make him some money in the future (even if they are scraps).
The illness is more stupidity in my opinion.

To be honest though, we have more chance of Vinnie Vincent showing his face that we have of a Jim Gillette/MAB/ TJ Racer/ Nitro reunion. Thats a positive stroke if ever there was one.

Cernex · Post by **Cernex** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:55 am

Hey thanks for sharing doubleV. Great read.

First time I hear Vinnie had panic attacks.

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 9:55 pm

The thanks should go to another vvforums member for getting this scoope.

Vdog · Post by **Vdog** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:21 am

Thanks to he or she who shall remain nameless. I love this stuff.

poserboy71 · Post by **poserboy71** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 6:58 am

Wolfie has a few secretaries.

Vdog · Post by **Vdog** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:26 am

Hot ones if his last photo was anything to go by

eddiepagechicago · Post by **eddiepagechicago** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 1:29 pm

Guys and gals,

The second main paragraph of what this guy is stating is what I have been stating for years!!!

Vinnie made them credible and genie and paulie didn't like that too much...big blow to the egos.

Two babies that always want it their way....wah wah wah

1031 · Post by **1031** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 3:42 pm

eddiepagechicago wrote:Guys and gals,

The second main paragraph of what this guy is stating is what I have been stating for years!!!

Vinnie made them credible and genie and paulie didn't like that too much...big blow to the egos.

Two babies that always want it their way....wah wah wah

You read like vinnie... the quote is " I was not a Kiss fan but I think in Vinnie's eyes he made them credible"

So you and Vinnie both think he made Kiss credible.

VVV · Post by **VVV** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 4:02 pm

Thanks for posting.

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 8:04 pm

To be honest I don't think people thought lick it up made kiss credible. If you ask most if the guitar masters that like kiss like Marty Friedman etc they all say they loved ace. But i know what he means , vinnie made them more 80s and dynamic but so did all the session players in creatures.

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 8:15 pm

Vv said he had all the rr prototypes which I will post once i find and have time tonight.

1031 · Post by **1031** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 5:01 am

doublev2 wrote:To be honest I don't think people thought lick it up made kiss credible. If you ask most if the guitar masters that like kiss like Marty Friedman etc they all say they loved ace. But i know what he means , vinnie made them more 80s and dynamic but so did all the session players in creatures.

Ya I will give that the album did bring kiss in to the 80's strong and was a great recover from the elder. But you don't sell over 5 million records between 76-81 without credibility with fans and the music industry. The whole notion that Vinnie made Kiss is ridicules.

KissMyAss · Post by **KissMyAss** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 6:22 pm

doublev2 wrote:Vv said he had all the rr prototypes which I will post once i find and have time tonight.

The guitar was designed for Randy. Delores Rhoads mentioned briefly that a member of KISS got the guitar.

Delores is very sweet, very passionate about music, and loves Randy very much. It's too bad I never made it the double v to tell Vinnie how much Delores would appreciate seeing the RR guitar. It would make her day if he showed her the guitar. She makes everyone's day. It would be win-win. She would share her memories of Randy, her pictures, and his guitars. She loves sharing about Randy.

Post by **Genebaby** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 6:36 pm

Delores Rhoads is the best!

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:59 pm

shramiac · Post by **shramiac** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:35 pm

Too true!

1031 · Post by **1031** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:01 am

That would take Vinnie doing something kind for someone with no strings attached.

erg2 · Post by **erg2** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:25 am

DV2,
Can you post the other interviews with just any/all names XXXX'd out like above?

doublev2 · Post by **doublev2** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:45 am

Let me see. I will ask.

KissMyAss · Post by **KissMyAss** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:34 am

Genebaby wrote:Delores Rhoads is the best!

I agree.

poserboy71 · Post by **poserboy71** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:04 pm

I stopped in at Musonia about 12 years ago and she was an absolute gem of a person. Such a sweet lady.