I don’t know what Jerry’s guitars are worth, collectively or individually, but I’m sure it’s a lot.
So every night at the end of the show when he takes off what he’s been playing and chucks it through the air across the stage to his tech, I pee my pants just a little.
The craziest part about it is that his tech catches it with one hand.
ONE HAND!
If it were me on the receiving end, I’d set up a foam rubber encampment, coat both hands in tree sap, check the internet for weather and wind patterns, and hire current Pittsburgh Steeler All-Pro Antonio Brown as a consultant.
Over the years, I’ve seen Jerry toss his guitar from distances that range from a few feet all the way up to about 20 feet, and I get nauseous every time he does it.
Jerry’s had several techs over that period of time, and all of them have employed the standard two-handed catching technique.
Until now.
Jerry’s current tech is a man of distinct talent and fashion.
He’s a large teddy bear of a man who adorns himself in overalls every day and can fix everything from an amplifier to a 747 engine.
He can also pluck an expensive, custom-built guitar out of the air with one hand, and I wish he wouldn’t.
I’ve seen him come close to dropping it on a couple of occasions, and he nearly did it again a couple nights ago when Jerry launched it off target a bit, and it glanced a light stand just as he wrapped his big mitt around it.
A few years ago William threw his guitar to his tech, and the strap caught his arm, halting the trajectory and sending the guitar dive-bombing into the stage.
And just like that, a new, pristine guitar had a snapped neck and was off to Germany to be repaired.
I’m hoping that none of Jerry’s guitars suffer a similar fate.
Until something like that happens though, Jerry will keep tossing his guitars, his tech will continue making one-handed catches, and I’ll keep peeing in my pants.