Building a grassroots buzz for over five years and being based out of the Seattle area, Thunderpussy quickly earned the fast friendship of Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. The PJ cofounder has been a mentor to Whitney Petty, signed them to his Stardog Records, and laid down some guitar tracks on songs “Velvet Noose” and “The Cloud.” While recording the song “Velvet Noose,” McCready let Whitney use his stock 1959 burst (among other dream-list guitars during tracking). After Thunderpussy opened for his UFO cover band Flight to Mars at Seattle’s Showbox Theater, McCready had Whitney follow him into the men’s room and gifted her this Gibson Custom Mike McCready ’59 Les Paul. Ever since that fateful restroom rendezvous it’s been her No. 1. The guitar is mostly stock to the scan of Mike’s OG ’59, although during a concert-ending-jam Whitney was embracing the feedback of the instrument and let it drop to the floor resulting in a headstock snap. Luckily, she knew Mike Lull and he hooked her up with some neck surgery and gave the Les Paul a clean bill of health.