What in place of guitar?

Gore Country Music Club member Alan Ritchie stands with the giant guitar that has been on display during past MLT New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards events. PHOTO: MARGARET PHILLIPS
Gore Country Music Club member Alan Ritchie stands with the giant guitar that has been on display during past MLT New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards events. PHOTO: MARGARET PHILLIPS

Ideas are being sought for a replacement for the oversized guitar that has been displayed in Main St, Gore during past MLT New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards events.

The scrapping of the large focal point for the awards heralds the end of an era.

The giant guitar was built in 1987, club records show.

When the guitar was displayed that year, youths pelted it with potatoes.

Longtime club member Coral McCauley said the guitar was originally made for a parade float by the late Paisley Laird.

The guitar was never built to be displayed on the street, she said.

The roughly 10m-long guitar had not been displayed in Main St for the past few years because of its dilapidated state, but it had been on show in the grounds of the Longford Function Centre, where the Gore Country Music Club has its headquarters.

‘‘But it was taken down about a year ago because it could have been a danger,’’ awards committee convener Phillip Geary said.

‘‘It [the guitar] just tells you what’s on in town that weekend,’’ he said.

The guitar was repaired several years ago but had continued to deteriorate.

‘‘It started to crack around the frame. Unfortunately, water got in and it’s started to rot the main frame,’’ Mr Geary said.

Club members would discuss ideas for a replacement.

‘‘We will get something up,’’ he said.

MARGARET.PHILLIPS@theensign.co.nz

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