I am the guy with too many Wolfgangs and now too Many HP Specials as well.  RockNRollWeekend.com launched on February 8, 2006.  Prior to this it was WolfgangGuitars.com, which was first published in early 2003.  Everyone has to have a passion and this is one of mine.  I have been a Van Halen fan since college when Van Halen put out their first record, although this is NOT a fan site, it is about the guitars.  Over the years I have admired and enjoyed the talent and passion for guitar and music that Ed has demonstrated throughout his career.  He is an incredible innovator.  Always tinkering.  Always looking for something better.  His ear is legendary.  There was an interview with Hartley Peavey where Hartley said that against all odds Ed was able to tell that Peavey had changed the type of wood they were using for braces in the 5150 cabinets even though he hadn't been told.  They couldn't believe it, so they tested him and sure enough he could tell and they had to change it back.  He is extremely particular about his guitars and equipment and he wants everything perfect.  This same attitude, ability, passion and personality is in the Wolfgang guitar.  Ed designed and had built a guitar that was exactly what he wanted to play with the idea that there might be others that would want the same thing.  I would say that was a pretty good bet!  The Music Man EVH was and is a great guitar but the Wolfgang Standard is the next step in the evolution and the Custom Shop Wolfgang is the promise land.  And now there is Peavey's new Custom Shop HP Special.  These guitars deserve to be recognized beyond what they have been, and thus a big part of the motivation for this site.  I apologize if I sound like a Peavey ad.

The Wolfgang and HP Special Custom Shop guitars for me are modern art.  They are the ultimate combination of beauty and function.  I display all of my Wolfgangs and HP Specials.  They are my "art collection"!  I don't believe in leaving them in their case.  I would prefer to sell it than store it. 

Many people might think I must be a great guitar player with all these guitars, but unfortunately I don't have enough time or enough talent but I keep playing and I keep trying to see how far I can go given my limitations.   The good news is that I continue to get better.  However, nobody will ever mistake me for Eddie and for now I need to keep my day job.  I played when I was in high school and college (not very well) and then didn't play much at all for nearly 15 years, which coincides with my starting a software company and a family, both of which consumed ALL of my time during my late 20's and 30's.  About seven years ago my oldest daughter (Erika - now 23) wanted to learn to play guitar.  I thought I might give her a few lessons so I pulled out my Les Paul Custom from college and started in again.  My daughter needed a guitar to play so I started looking at guitars on the Web.  I got a guitar for her (not a Wolfgang), but I also got one for me (like I needed it) as I was intrigued by the Wolfgang.  I fell in love with it.  My daughter went the way of most beginning guitar players, while I renewed my interest in rock guitar and developed a deeper interest than I had when I was younger and a better discipline for not only practicing but practicing properly.  It has paid off as I have gotten to a level where I can really enjoy it.  I have played most days for the past five or six years.  So now with more time to play and the good fortune to afford to have fun with all these guitars, I am playing as much guitar as I can (when I am not traveling) and doing the Peavey dealer thing with the HP Specials.  It has also gotten me totally into music again and maybe that is the best part.  I am having a lot of fun with it and have met some great people.  I still have to work full time (and then some) as I still run the software company, but I am finding the time.  If anyone cares my company's website is www.CAMcommerce.com. 

I had been buying other brands of guitars for the past few years in a quest to find anything that I like better than the Wolfgang and now the HP Special at ANY price.  I have found some really great guitars that are keepers but nothing I would trade my best Wolfgangs or HPS's for.  I have sold most of the guitars I bought to try.  I have not found a neck that plays better (HPS's have the same neck) at any price or a guitar with a better sound for the music I like!  The quality is incredible and rivals any super expensive hand made guitar. As of today the Wolfgang Custom Shop guitar and now the HP Special Custom Shop guitar, are still in my opinion, the best guitars at any price for the music I like to play and listen to.   And in looking back the price was an absolute steal on the Custom Shop Wolfgangs.  The Custom Shop models are a cut above the production models, which are still really nice.  I think some people just can't believe that a large company like Peavey can produce this kind of guitar.  Others can't shake the image of Peavey as a low cost, low end brand and refuse to accept that these guitars are nothing like anything else they have produced.  It isn't until someone actually gets and plays one of the really nice ones that they become a true convert.  It happens every time!  You have to experience this guitar.  Forget what you think you know about Peavey when it comes to guitars.  Think of the Custom Shop as a little 4 person company within Peavey with all the resources and knowledge of Peavey.  It is the best of both worlds (small and large company). 

Pictured above is my home office where 20, mostly HPS and Wolfgangs, brighten my day/night and call out to be played!

Through my collecting and purchasing of Wolfgang guitars I have had the opportunity to meet and communicate with many people at Peavey.  It was because of the friendly, helpful and customer centric nature of the EVH Custom Shop and everyone I have met at Peavey that I went to the next level with my interest in these guitars.   If I couldn't get all the cool stuff that the Custom Shop was and is willing to do I would almost certainly have a lot less interest and I am sure I wouldn't have created this site.  Just check out the Custom Wolfgang and HP sections of this site and see the diversity of what has been created.  I would really like to Thank Scott, Brian, Chris, Becky, Tim, Vickie, Faye, Lanee, Bill, Tony and Mike for all the great customer service and wonderful Wolfgang and now HPS guitars.  The Custom Shop produces the ultimate guitar your way! 

If you have an original year quilt or especially a custom shop model I would love to display it on this site.  What I need are some decent quality photos, the serial number and a basic description of what the components of the guitar are if it is a Custom Shop model.  I also encourage you to try a Custom Shop HP Special.  It is the real deal!

I hope you enjoy the site.  Send me an e-mail if you do at knappg@att.net as it is good motivation to keep it going and to improve it!   And if you were looking for information you couldn't find please let me know so that I might add it in the future.  Any pictures of Ed playing a Wolfgang that I don't have already (see misc. section) I would also love to have.  Or anyone else playing a Wolfgang or HP Special live!,

Thanks for visiting my site!  And always remember........... "The Journey is the Reward"!

Geoff