How One Arizona Man Secretly Pranked A Former President

On December 29th, 2024, former president of the United States Jimmy carter passed away at 100 years old. He was a divisive president, but his work after he left office has given him a lasting legacy.

Known as the "Rock 'n' Roll President", Carter was well known to have a love for music, and one Arizona man used that to his advantage to somehow, some way, prank the former Commander in Chief.

A Guitar Fit for a President

Out in a basement in Queen Creek, Arizona, you're likely to find Jason Kostal. He makes guitars, custom made and handcrafted with the upmost patience. However, when a request came in to make a guitar for Jimmy Carter, with wood from his hometown of Plains, Georgia, Kostal couldn't turn it down.

He was a bit concerned when he received the wood, as it didn't seem it would make a very sturdy guitar, but those worries vanished when he got into the shop. He got the project done as soon as he could, and in 2020, sent the instrument to the former president.

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Secret Messages

While making the guitar itself, Kostal had an idea. Carter was a Navy veteran, so Kostal included blue and gold in the coloring, but there was a bit of an issue: Kostal was an Army veteran.

So, as a way to prank Carter, Kostal included a patterned inlay which seemed decorative. It was, in fact, Morse code, spelling out "Beat Navy", an age old phrase passed around the halls of the U.S. Military Academy and Army.

Carter got a kick out of the inscription, immediately trash talking Kostal, as Navy had won the previous four matchups.

[NBC12]