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Chris Roy (‘81) of Lincoln gifted the North Platte High School music program a North Platte Bulldogs-inspired custom Les Paul Epiphone guitar.

Roy wanted to give back to the program that sparked his love for music while paying homage to his old prin

cipal and art teacher. While Roy doesn’t play professionally anymore, In his time at North Platte High, his love for music urged him and a group of his friends to form the band “Ball & Chain”.

“The very first experience we had was playing for the high school dance… we felt like rock stars,” Roy said.

Roy had the idea for this project about a year ago, about two months later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S., giving him more time to get everything he needed for the project together. The guitar’s sparkling gold body was bought special as the base for Roy’s project to Bulldog-ify the instrument. With his experience from owning a graphics shop he designed the vinyl decals that would later bring the piece personality. Roy also outsourced custom pieces to add to the guitar. He had blue and gold knobs made in Florida, a poker chip/toggle switch made in Pennsylvania and a guitar pick featuring the past NPHS building made in Australia.

“Missing home and missing my friends made me want to give a little back,” Roy said.

As a “working man’s guitar” Roy wants the school to use it however they feel. Whether that means playing it or displaying it for years to come.

The high school’s band director, Brett Bradley said that the instrument won’t be regularly used to play music, but will be displayed in the school’s trophy cases for the majority of its life.

“We’ve had people who’ve gifted their instruments for others to use (which is nice),” Bradley said. “It’s such an honorary gift to ages past.”

To see the guitar for yourself it will be played at the Spectrum concert on May 4 before returning to the school to be displayed.