Jump to content
Hamer Fan Club Message Center

Something Wicked This Way Comes


hikarateboy

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 175
  • Created
  • Last Reply

That's just so good, it's EVIL.

That's one HELL of an ad!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep - I know it’s been a long time since I posted on here, but life, family, touring, studio work, writing, recording and other stuff just took over. So I thought I’d make a return with the story of how #0666 was conceived - and why.

Back in 2011 when HELL first started heavily touring again, nothing could have prepared me for what lay ahead – and especially the toll that hundreds and hundreds of shows across 18 different countries would take on our gear. As far back as 2013 at the beginning of our ‘Curse & Chapter’ tour, and despite the best flightcasing money can buy, the combination of endless back-to-back shows, overnight truck and tourbus rushes across huge distances, airline baggage handlers etc. had already started to reduce my #1 2008 Hamer Standard to an increasingly roadworn relic. I’ve experienced bridge saddles fracturing in half midway through a show (twice), I’ve had pots seizing up and becoming unusable through corrosion caused by gallons of sweat, I actually had to retire my original ’79 4-digit altogether – too precious and too valuable to risk getting damaged – and because I believe that instruments should get played rather than become case queens, I sold it to Zorrow (Hey buddy!!) and it now resides in Montreal. As of now, the rear face of my 2008 is pretty much a disaster area, worn right through to bare wood in a lot of places, and in real need of a refret, some TLC, and an easier life.

So I’d realised for a while that a new #1 was needed. I didn’t want my 2008 Standard to end up looking like Rory Gallagher’s Strat, so I initially approached Frank Untermeyer with my ideas for a steroided-out ‘most-metal-Standard-in-the-history-of-Hamer’. We all know why it never happened. But then of course, Mike launched Shishkov Custom Guitars. I watched and waited as the first few Ultimates rolled out, full of admiration at the way Mike had set up the venture through the initial runs, full of admiration at the way the good guys of the HFC had supported him with orders and dollars in his pocket, and full of admiration at the way Mike’s family (plus Ted Martin and Chris Matthes) had supported this whole startup. But most of all – full of admiration at the stellar quality of the guitars.

So I called Mike up .........

What resulted was a real meeting of minds. It turned out that Mike had been talking to Ted anyway about possible endorsers as SCG developed and expanded, and that my name was right up there on the list, which was extremely humbling for me. We spent some time talking about my ideas – and of course Mike responded with a seemingly endless barrage of killer ideas of his own – he’d message me at some unearthly hour with a ‘Hey Kev, how about if we do this .....’ One of his messages actually reached me as we were standing sidewings in Finland about to play a festival show to 10,000 people – the intro music’s running, crew guys running about everywhere, smoke and fire belching out, and there’s me on the iPad messaging him back literally microseconds before I drop it and run out onstage. All of which resulted in the final spec for the ‘Darkhangel’, named after our album track of the same name which tells the story of Aleister Crowley’s attempts to raise the demon ‘Pan’ in a Paris hotel room back in the 1930’s. I have to say that Mike is just amazing to deal with – everything’s possible, every wacky idea is received with total enthusiasm, nothing’s ever a problem (even screwing up his serial numbering system so that I could claim #0666 with a cheesy grin) and the whole design process has been a joy from the start, to what I’m sure will be a dream finish. Exactly the same goes for the ‘Mad Professor’ Josh Gravelin, who’s come up with no less than three trial versions of the ‘Charlotte Shlabotnik’ bridge pickup for this guitar, and who is similarly a total joy to work with. In summary - this guitar’s definitely going to be ‘out there’. I’m not going to reveal anything about it for now (other than the little hints on the silhouette) - because Mike’s artistry deserves to be seen in its entirety, rather than as a half-finished hint, and I’m sure he wouldn’t want it any other way. I still have no idea how much longer the build’s going to take – but you can’t rush art. It will be ready when it’s ready, and I’m still way down the queue. But expect something very metal. Very metal indeed J

The final thing to say, is that I don’t do free endorsements, I never have. Everything I’ve ever used has been bought and paid for, and I took great pleasure in paying Mike for this guitar in full more than nine months ago when we agreed on the final spec. Nor would I (as Ted and Chris will confirm) consider suggestions of jumping the queue, because that would have been totally unfair to everyone else patiently waiting for their Ultimates to be delivered. It’s just how I roll - I’m just an ordinary guy like everyone else on here, and I’m proud to be joining the list of HFC members who have supported Mike in his venture. I really can’t remember the last time I was this excited about a lump of wood and metal. Myself and Andy (Sneap) will eventually be doing a rollout introductory video about the guitar as we put it through its paces in the studio, so I’ll post a link to this in the future when it’s all done and ready. Final thanks to Mike, Ted, Chris and Josh for all their input on this – you are all true gentlemen and it’s an honour to call you my friends.

Best wishes to all

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm gonna be really curious as to the durability features you're incorporating. In the 90s I was doing three shows a week and it really can tear stuff up. As a weekend wanker I can now baby my Shishkov but an instrument designed for daily gigging in a physical, sweaty environment? I'm excited for you, Kev!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The final thing to say, is that I don’t do free endorsements, I never have. Everything I’ve ever used has been bought and paid for, and I took great pleasure in paying Mike for this guitar in full more than nine months ago when we agreed on the final spec. Nor would I (as Ted and Chris will confirm) consider suggestions of jumping the queue, because that would have been totally unfair to everyone else patiently waiting for their Ultimates to be delivered.

This says a lot!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...