What's In? [Deaky-topics in this week]

Questions to Mr.Hince : Smoking History

QUESTION: Many fans know that John have a smoke like Freddie, Roger. Do you remember since when? Has he already smoked when you first met him? Roger seemed to smoke Marlboro and Freddie smoke another one. Then, what kind of brand of cigarettes did John smoke?

ANSWER FROM Mr.Hince(RATTY) :
John never used to smoke - ever. Then in 1983 while starting to do the Works album in LA he had just started smoking. No idea why - stress maybe?
His wife always smoked too.
John usually smoked my cigarettes!!! Then he smoked Silk Cut or Marlboro, then Marlboro lights. I saw his oldest son a year or so ago and he said John is still smoking.
Freddie also never smoked and then started in about 1980. Fred smoked other peoples cigarettes or the mild Silk Cut brand.
Brian never smoked and still doesn't.
Roger always smoked Marlboro and then he quit many years ago.
I also quit in 1986

Precision Special

On the Precision Special (see Basses Bassinet), Graham gave us some information:

I read on another website somewhere (can't remember where!) that he was given it by the Fender factory. It must have been some sort of prototype because it has silver hardware whereas all production Precision Specials had gold hardware. It's also a non-standard colour as most Specials were either red, blue or white. I noticed that during the Magic tour it had a black pickup fitted, which suggests John or someone must have changed the pickup at some stage from the original white one - who knows why?!

Does anyone know why?