The Story Behind Prince’s Last Guitar
In February 2016, custom guitar maker and creator of the distinct Purple Special guitar, Simon Farmer received an email from Prince’s former drummer Kirk Johnson. Years prior, in 2007, Farmer produced the Purple Special with one person in mind: Prince. After years of internet support and rave reviews about instrument, Johnson reached out to Farmer to acquire the guitar for Prince and only a month later, Prince himself reached out with the request for another custom instrument: a black-and-gold bass guitar. After some dialogue, the Gus G3 Prince bass was designed, but sadly Prince died while it was being produced. While the tragedy shook Farmer deeply, the lasting image of a craftsman’s dream and an iconic artist happens to be the final photo of Prince performing at Paisley Park—holding Farmer’s Purple Special.
Via vanityfair.com link opens in a new window
