Same thing happened when I started giving blood. I started getting DAILY calls asking me to donate. I finally told them to stop calling me or I would never donate again. It was ridiculous.
I remember reading someplace (or watching a video) that he wanted the new guitar to feel pretty much exactly like his old one, all the way down to the pickguard. I think that's why he put one on his new model. Not sure how he could tell the difference without looking, or if it was even true.