It is simply what the title implies - finding the thrill of the chase. Yes, that is the title of the book written by author and art collector Forrest Fenn, but the idea behind the book encompasses so much more. There’s also the pièce de résistance: the 1958 Les Paul Standard that John flew to Cape Town to obtain back in March, and which now resides with Joe Bonamassa. If you found this page you may have heard of The Thrill of the Chase. In addition to sharing some entertaining tales of his many guitar safaris, he shows up with a small but devastating array of gear for our perusal, including a first-year Stratocaster, one of the cleanest ’53 Goldtops you are ever likely to see, a 1959 Gibson EDS-1275, an Americana-branded 1963 Magnatone 262B Custom, and a 1946 Fender Model 26 Deluxe.

We meet with John Shults of True Vintage Guitar in Nashville as the heavy summer air turns stormy. However, one young guitar dealer from Birmingham, Alabama is making waves with both his social media savvy and refreshing transparency. For the uninitiated, The Chase is a popular television quiz show, that originated in the UK but has gained popularity in Australia. The stakes are high, and recognising the various tells that indicate whether an instrument is a fake or the real deal can seem like a dark art known only to grizzled veterans of the scene.

Let’s make no bones about it: the world of vintage guitars can be an intimidating place.

The thrill of the chase