They really should have thought of this sooner.

On 14 April, Japanese rock group B’z put out a call for anyone who might know the whereabouts of a pink Ernie Ball Music Man guitar with Skull crest which read “go no further” on it. This particular instrument had been used by guitarist Tak Matsumoto from 1995 to 1997 on tour and recordings.

However, while keeping it in a storage space, one day in ’97 it mysteriously vanished and all attempts to find it came up empty. Twenty years later, the band decided to give it one last shot using the power of social media to scour the globe in search of their long lost guitar.

The initial tweet and Facebook post got tens of thousands of likes and comments, and fans also submitted tips to the B’z official website directly. At the end of it all, on 24 April, just 10 days after the initial call for help, a photo emerged of Tak once again holding his beloved pink Ernie Ball guitar.

Of course, the million-dollar question is: What happened to the guitar? Well, first close your eyes and imagine the most logical answer to such a mystery…

That’s right! It turned up in the storage space of an instrument manufacturer! Even Matsumoto himself at some point probably envisioned the guitar being passed around from pawn shop to pawn shop by troubled genius musicians, or being rushed through the catacombs of Paris by smugglers along with other valuable works of art. But no…it was just sitting in storage under the watchful eyes of professionals this whole time.

The details to both how it was lost and found are somewhat vague, so we can’t rule out the possibility that it was where the B’z had originally put it all along. I’m guessing is was a Home Alone scenario where in the midst all the traveling and assorted equipment and Fuller wetting the bed, it just got lost in the shuffle.

Fans were relieved to hear the good news and sent their congratulations online.

“Good job!”
“About time it came back. Great to hear, congratulations!”
“It’s as if an unseen power returned it.”
“It’s a miracle! As a fan, I’m happy to hear it.”

It is certainly great news that the guitar was safely returned. Otherwise, Matsumoto would have had to make due with his dozens of other guitars, loads of money, and legions of adoring fans.

Yeah, he didn’t really need it, but you have to admit, it was great publicity for the B’z special 30th anniversary exhibit being held now in Yurakucho, Tokyo.

It also once again showed us what the massive connectivity of the internet is capable of.

So, I’m just going to put it out there that I lost a Wayne Gretzky 2nd year card back in ’91 which was last seen in my bedroom. The only lead I have is that my older sister told me, as she was counting a stack of tens, that she saw a man with a black cape say “robble robble” just before he jumped out a window.

Source: Facebook/B’z, IT Media, My Game News Flash
Featured image: Facebook/B’z