In 1982, at the age of 13, Ron Thorn was given a "Prestige" branded guitar neck from a friend. No body, no parts, no clue. Being raised in a family of carpenters and having a wood-shop at his disposal, turning this into a functioning electric guitar didn't require a second thought. With Fair Warning cranking on the stereo, he and his father built and painted a custom shaped body. Junior-high "Metals" class is where a pickguard and bridge were hand-made, and a single Seymour Duncan pickup, purchased at a local music store, provided the heat. Ron was off and running as a guitar player, but more importantly a guitar builder.