WHY A NEW RJ GUITAR IS CATCHING FIRE WORLDWIDE

Can a father's guitar obsession be passed on to the son (even if he prefers basketball)?

- SCOTT GARCEAU

Dueling RJs: Ramon “RJ” Jacinto and son RJJ hold the new Skycaster Plus guitars.

(Photos by WALTER BOLLOZO)

Ramon “RJ” Jacinto and his son RJJ are sitting in his office at the Venture 1 Building in Makati when the son tells the story. “My dad rarely picked me up from school. But one time he did, he had a talk in our high school, and our last class was P.E. He happened to be watching while I was playing a halfcourt pickup game with my classmates. And I broke the index finger on my left hand. He saw it, and in my head, I was like, ‘Oh, it’s no big deal, I’m right-handed.’ He’s like, ‘What, are you crazy? Let’s go to the hospital, now!’ I said, why? ‘That's your left hand. You'll never play guitar again!’”

Talk about guitar obsession. Seeing RJ and son together is not exactly like seeing double. For one thing, the son is about 6'2" — basketball height, a sight taller than his dad, even if you factor in RJ’s trademark pompadour. Their musical tastes differ as well, the father leaning towards Chet Atkins and The Ventures, while the son is more into Wolfgang Van Halen and John Mayer. They both seem to admire Eric Clapton, the perennial oak of British blues.

One other taste they share: a love of guitars. That trait has trickled down through the genetic line.