A Chatham musician has been left singing the blues after a rare and valuable guitar went missing in the post.

Andrew Donaldson, of Medway blues-rock band Maker, sent the red Gibson ES 335 1963 reissue guitar – worth upwards of £2,000 – to a friend in Barcelona on March 23, along with an amplifier and some effects pedals.

However, while the amplifier arrived, the guitar and pedals did not, and the guitarist now fears they have been stolen.

Courier Parcelforce has asked him to submit a claim, but he is calling on the company to step up the search before he contacts the police.

“It’s a lot of stress,” said Mr Donaldson, of Dock Road, Chatham. “It’s not just the monetary value – it’s a deal between friends so it’s tricky knowing how to sort it out. The ball’s in my court so it’s down to me to sort it.

“I’ve said to Parcelforce I just want it back, and asked if they could to send memos out to all depots – I’m not worried about pressing charges unless it doesn’t come back.”

After initial inquiries found no response, he managed to contact the managing director’s office, and now hopes the search for the guitar is being conducted more seriously.

“It was in the original manufacturer’s box, which has Gibson guitar makers on it,” said Mr Donaldson, 38. “Maybe I should have disguised it but I didn’t think to do that with somebody like Royal Mail or Parcelforce. That’s why I didn’t go with some of these smaller companies.”

The guitar, one of a rare, limited run made for a Japanese distributor in 1997, has a number of distinguishing features, including a Bigsby tremolo arm, and one tone control dial raised 5-10mm higher than the others.

A spokeswoman for Parcelforce Worldwide said the company was investigating the claim.

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