Want Jason Becker's amp?

Doctor J

Two amps from guitarist Jason Becker (DAVID LEE ROTH, CACOPHONY) are currently being auctioned via eBay, with all proceeds going straight to Jason, who is suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's Disease). "If you win the auction, you can pick the amps up at Jason's house and hang with him," reads a posting on Becker's MySpace page. "And if you win, I'll even give you a cab to use, a Jason Becker t-shirt and an autographed picture of Jason and a photo of you with Jason that you can show your jealous friends."

The auctions can be accessed at the following locations:

Marshall (eBay)
Carvin (eBay)

More photos of the amps can be found at this location.

When doctors diagnosed Becker with ALS in 1989 — one week after he joined David Lee Roth's band as Steve Vai's replacement — they gave him approximately five years to live. That was more than 17 years ago. Though Becker was able to complete Roth's album ("A Little Ain't Enough"), in the ensuing years the guitarist would be robbed of his mobility, forcing him to communicate through an "alphabet board" his father invented. The one-time promising young gun now chooses each letter of his speech via eye movements.

I hope this isn't a sign of more trouble for him, the guy has balls of steel and his fight against his condition is more impressive than his playing, which was truly stellar.

feylya

That's not a great sign imo. Should go for a fair bit of cash though.

-Freebird-

I agree with Feylya, when you take to selling your gear you know things are bad... Not great pics up there

John

ALS is a horrible condition, they call it locked in syndrome because at the end you're fully aware of what's going on but cannot do anything and if he's down to using eye movements to communicate it looks like he's on his final furlong. Sad indeed.

Yakult

I cant even describe how I feel for this guy, easily one of the best, and then he gets ALS. Like talk about been unfair.

I really hope those amps sell for ALOT!

SirLemonhead

I wish Steve Vai had gotten ALS instead

MagnumForce

MasterOfSolos wrote:

I wish Steve Vai had gotten ALS instead

Ha Ha! yeah.

John

Ouch, cold. I'm not a Vai fan (or a Becker fan) but I wouldn't wish something like that on anyone.

Karl Hungus

MasterOfSolos wrote:

I wish Steve Vai had gotten ALS instead

Dude, that's just wrong.

SirLemonhead

Either him or John Petrucci. I'd miss neither

Voodu Child

MasterOfSolos wrote:

Either him or John Petrucci. I'd miss neither

Jason Becker and/or ALS isnt really a laughing matter.

Would it not be better to say you wish Jason hadnt gotten it full stop, and none of this 'i wish someone else had' silliness?

SirLemonhead

Sorry mr overly serious internet man, I'll stop having fun now

-Freebird-

MasterOfSolos wrote:

Sorry mr overly serious internet man, I'll stop having fun now

Hahahahaha

Just say you wish Vai broke all his fingers, it's not as serious as wishing ALS on him

SirLemonhead

I'll settle on "I hope his fingers fall off"

Voodu Child

MasterOfSolos wrote:

Sorry mr overly serious internet man, I'll stop having fun now

If 'i wish X had ALS instead of Y' is your idea of fun, carry on. Just not here. The mods frown on off topic posts and childishness.

Steve Vai auctioned his only Y2kDNA guitar recently, it raised quite a bit ($26,000) for Cliff Cultreri, who suffers from a host of immune system disorders. Its tragic that Jason needs to sell his gear, but hopefully it will similarly raise a lot of money and go to good use.