Music-mad Tom Bingham is rocking out of this world with his incredible collection – of STAR WARS-themed guitars.
Creative Tom, 68, has built themed instruments for 10 years including an electric guitar in the style of a Millennium Falcon and the Jedi Anakin Fighter.
The retired printer scours car boot sales and scrap yards to find metal and wood to use for his guitars – which take up to three months each to build.
And last week he received a personal card of congratulations from Star Wars:The Force Awakens director J J Abrams.
Today (Tue) Tom, from Corby, Northants., said: “I received a phone call from an American lady who asked me if I was the guy who made Star Wars guitars.
“I was a little worried as I thought maybe I was in trouble with some sort of copyright infringement.
“She asked me what my address was as J J Abrams wanted to contact me.
“I spent three weeks worrying if I was about to get hit with a writ for $1 million or even worse, but was delighted when he sent me a card saying how much he liked my guitars.
“It’s nice to think that wealthy famous people like him take time out to write to ordinary people like myself.”
Tom created his Millennium Falcon guitar based on a picture from the internet.
His collection of around 20 instruments also include guitars in the shape of a cricket bat, a record player and even the Large Hadron Collider.
He added: “I just use a replica and attach a neck to it. With the Falcon I even put flashing LED lights in the back.
“It lights up blue in the dark, it gives it a hyperdrive look. The kids love it.
“The important thing is you have to make the body very rigid – I had to take the Millennium Falcon kits apart to their 140 odd pieces and rebuild it so it supports the neck I attach it to.
“It isn’t easy and took hours painstakingly building it every day.
“But I now spend most my time looking after my grandchildren – maybe it’s time to hang up my plectrum.”
