cmatthes

BULLSEYE!!!!

My "score" of the year was a '94 Daytona...missing just a few parts...for $85. That included shipping. Pics will be forthcoming. I've got some more customization work to do to it, but not much at all really. I was actually going to get it refinned, but the original (naturally-relic'ed) finish has totally grown on me. I was also thrilled to get the coolest Strat back from Stike a few months ago, and like everything he'd worked up for me, I have a tough time putting the damned thing down. Looking forward to whatever he gets to next of mine! Apart from that, glad to hang with the HFC'ers I got to see over the last 12 months, including playing a few fun gigs with the one and only Turdus, the annual return of the Mutant Genes, and sitting in with Serial's band from time to time. I'm going to have to actually make a list of all the shows I got to see in 2011, but among some of the more memorable ones were Foo Fighters, Social D, Matthew Sweet's "Girlfriend" 20th Tour, Ray Davies, Sloan, You Am I, Davy Knowles, and Cheap Trick. Also took in well over a dozen Caps home games, which was a blast. In addition to a great year of the HFC, I'm beyond pleased that after more than a decade, Serial's Hamer book is finally moving forward along with a new member here and a great publisher. Too freakin' cool.

My favorite color. Nice work!

There IS a 12 step program, but I don't know anybody who has ever completed it successfully.

Jon - very sorry to hear the news. You and all the people she loved and who loved her are in our thoughts.

Glad you're back, Mike!

Pfffffft! (Thanks, Peter!) Merry Xmas, indeed...

Sorry! I was getting excited thinking there was another Virt out there I hadn't seen!

Do you mean a Blue Marble Virt? I've seen two of those, but never seen one in Hamer's "Granite" finish (Black drybrush over white, usually). This is the "Marble" finish: Here is the B/W Granite finish:

My son had an Ampeg bass combo delivered a few months ago - it came directly from the retailer, so was packed from the factory, unopened. My wife saw the UPS truck roll up, and although she was 30 feet away in plain view in our front yard by the gate, she watched the driver pull it off the top rack in the back of the truck and toss it on the street. When he realized she saw him do that, he made some feeble, "sorry - it slipped!" BS statement, and wanted her to sign the release. She refused until she got his name, truck number and ID. He pretty much high-tailed it out of there after that. She called the depot immediately upon getting into the house and the Customer Service rep asked if the pkg was marked "Fragile". She said that it wasn't, and he seemed puzzled, then made a comment about he would expect that if it said "Fragile" on it. WTF?!?!?! Fortunately, Ampeg packs things incredibly well, and the amp was unscathed and fired right up, but that outer box was toast. Interestingly enough, my son had a guitar delivered last week (Thanks again, Ernie!), and the Fu<#Ups driver walked it to the gate. He commented on the stellar pack job and also made a comment about how that was done right - "never put 'fragile' on there, man!". Guess it's some sort of industry inside joke.

Kiz - I agree with you 111% on this one.

I agree with HHB 100%. Maybe a little more.

I wouldn't disapprove of ol' Liz either...

That is a great color on that guitar!

The RD reissues kind of fell flat when they came out a few years ago. They were getting blown out at the GC near me for $799 for Black, and $899 for Silverburst. Those came with gigbags, not hardshells, from what I recall. Not sure if that matters...

Sadly, I don't think it's a gag. I think the guy believes he actually looks/sounds like a serious player in those videos. (Hint to "that guy"...you're not!) If he's not doing it all as a joke, that's pretty sad.

That was REALLY awful. For a bunch of absolute shite playing cobbled together with excessive delay and fog titled "Insomnia", that sure put me to sleep quickly.

I was kicking myself for not buying that Chap V BEFORE I saw those pics...NOW?!?!?!?! Good thing I'm on a money diet for a while...

Cars are overrated... This is a GREAT deal - somebody needs some Red Monaco cheer for the Holidays.

Funny...that was my exact suggestion!

Hey - Ace needed all the help he could get!

What Kiz said.

There have been so many rumors and baseless conjecture about this guitar. The deal has always been that the guitar was made for a particular diminutive artist from the Minneapolis area. At some point in late 2005, he got word that he had been chosen to perform the halftime show at a particular venue during a particular sporting event that would have a global TV audience. Several guitar companies were given the opportunity to make a guitar for him to play at that event that would promise great exposure. There were certain specs, like a white EMG HB in the bridge, a white EMG single in the neck, a Floyd Rose, single volume control and a particular neck carve (Thin V). Several companies made their version of that guitar incorporating those specs, and he had the opportunity to decide which one he wanted. In the end, he chose a different, pale blue model, and that's what he used for the majority of the performance. The purple guitar was returned to Hamer eventually, and given to Ted. The guitar has, and will continue to show up in random places on its HFC Tour, and will be played by as many HFC'ers as possible. At this point, that is the only existing plan, so the speculation can cease.

You'll be seeing it's brother eventually...

Both of those are getting me woozy...