cmatthes

This is very true! I like binding on Vectors, myself:

I'd say there are probably a half dozen or so - probably less. A few in Korina and a few in Black that I've seen. You could always order a new one if you didn't mind the wait, but it might take equally as long to find a used one with those specs for sale.

Awesome. Great pics! I want to see his Hamer though...

Just to clear up any confusion (and my inbox), the HFC does not, has not, and never will offer Hamer-branded items for sale. Things like the "Tone to the Bone" Skeleton, Hamer logo, etc. are available from Hamer's merchandising outlet. Hamer owns that stuff, and we can't (and won't) sell it, as we are an independently run, unaffiliated site and have no relationship with Hamer, KMC, FMIC or Fender. I have done several runs of our HFC-logo/design T-shirts and picks over the years, and those have all been very well received. Hamer approved the HFC logos we use, and we definitely do not want to push things there or with FMIC. A few years ago, a CafePress link was added that offers a variety of HFC-logoed items. The beauty of that is that it saves me the expense of fronting for large product runs and trying to maintain a varied inventory (sizes, colors), not to mention a significant amount of my time to get an order completed, chase down orders and mail everything out. I don't run that and don't have any control over what is in there. At this time, I'm not planning to do a run of HFC shirts unless the demand for something beyond the CafePress avenue becomes significant. That's entirely up to all of you. We were thinking about doing another run of HFC-logo picks in the next few months (maybe prior to the Chicago event in October?), but only if there's sufficient demand for those as well - I still have a lot of those left over from last year's run if anybody is still looking for HFC logo picks! Thanks to everyone who has contacted me about this - the comments were greatly appreciated! Chris

I own the HFC Logo and the artwork associated with the HFC from those shirt runs, not FMIC, KMC, etc. I haven't pushed the issue, but did get an "official blessing", first in '99 when I did the initial run, and then again in 2004 when I did a different design. I also only used the best-quality, heavyweight 100% cotton tees - either Hanes or Gildan stock. The full-color designs on dark colors were the most expensive to make, because of all the different screens we had to have done. I actually lost money getting those done the first time around, but wanted to keep the shirt prices reasonable. The second run of shirts with just the white logo was an effort to sell a top-quality HFC tee for under $10, and that went over really well. I know a guy who has a company that prints tour T-shirts for bands, and other merch stuff. I might get a deal there if we would to do a bulk order.However, Hamer/Fender might not be so happy if we use their logo without permission? Perhaps they are okay with it if we would pay a few bucks extra that goes to the HFC maintenance fund? I think that we would have to make sure that the HFC isn't involved at all and if we want to so this, we probably would have to do it via email. Fender will be irritated if they find out and could come down on the HFC if they are douchey enough. But I say f**k em and let's do it. You could even sell em' on eBay and do all of the sales beyond the initial advance orders through there. Scandinavia's copyright infringement laws are probably more strict than Estonia's though and the Swedish eBay might send you a cease and desist email. What kind of a bulk order do we need to put in? We've gotta have good high quality T-shirts like Gildan ultra cotton, Hanes ComfortCrew or something like that. If the shirts end up being $30 but are bad ass, that'd be cool too.

Actually, I did the artwork for all the old HFC Tees, including the "checkerboard" logo. I did about 6-7 runs of those, and they have held up incredibly well. I personally am not a Cafe Press fan, but that's what's there now.

That's totally cool. Loved the Police Line tape too, btw!

Not sure - probably not too bad if you stick with the bridge pickup and put it through a compressor. I think the Newport 12 does a very convincing RIC sound. Actually, the best at nailing that sound of anything else I've played in over 20 years. I think the all-maple semi-hollow construction helps, but at least mine is strung like a RIC, Fundamentals first, Octaves below. The PhatCats also work well with the whole package. I got rid of my RICs years ago because they were just too cramped to play below the 5th fret with my giant hands, and I went through many different 12 strings trying to find something that would get me what I wanted. I'd definitely give the Newport 12 a try, and you're far more likely to find one of those before a Duotone 12 string turns up anywhere.

Funny thing - that Bacchus Vee is a copy of a custom-ordered Hamer Vector from a few years ago! Even down to the truss rod cover.

The Bacchus stuff is relatively high-end Jpns stuff. Tombo can certianly chip in here, as he's played more of them than I have.

Congrats! Those are fantastic guitars - I love mine. I've got a Rio BBQ Bucker & Genuine Texas in there right now, and that combo works very well for me. Correct that the Gibson guard doesn't fit, but between Chandler and Hamer, you could easily get the correct guard for yours.

I think Garrett Park bought those from that guy's auction in NC. One sold for $12k the other for not much more.

Groovy!

Listing 80+ Hamers at their regular selling price just looks like ad spam to me.

That IS the lefty that was converted to righty. The horrendous metal thing has been removed, but I'm waiting for the routing cavities to start "telegraphing" through the finish. The seller is leaving out some critical information that he either doesn't know or is intentionally omitting.

The Cribs with Johnny Marr on guitar. "Cheat On Me" is cool - but I like a lot of their earlier stuff too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzxzCICyUUw

I love Wolf Trap - we get there a decent bit. If you have pavilion tickets, a little known tip: If you have tickets in the back or the upper level (anywhere that isn't on the lawn), take your tickets immediately to the box office when you enter and get an upgrade. I've gotten plenty of front row or first 5 rows in the center by doing that, even though I paid for upper level back row tickets. It's always worth asking for this, and I've always gotten an upgrade.

"Life Begins At The Hop" is one of my favorite XTC songs to PLAY. Great finger exercise in that one!

That's a guitar I thought I would hate. Then I played one. Then another. And another. They are stellar guitars, and that's an incredible deal.

Ah, TPOH. Good stuff! I've got the new CARS and probably the remastered Ozzy duo on tap this week. I had forgotten about Beady Eye - my son has probably already downloaded it though.

The Cribs - "Ignore the Ignorant" Foo Fighters - "Wasting Light" Sonic Youth - "Dirty" The Posies - "Blood/Candy" Paul Gilbert - "Space Ship One"

What Jack said. The part about him having to take his daughter out to the pool to splash around while Bob did his parts was cool. Heavily edited or a "reality" set up? I don't know, and I don't care. It made good viewing!

I picked up one of those kits a year or so ago to go in an all-mahogany 4-digit Standard, but haven't gotten around to installing anything yet. Still waiting for Stike to get back on the bourbon and agree to do a particular paint job for me on that one...

He was an active member back in the early days of the board and a buddy of Rechts. From Toronto - I bought a great Blue Marble Californian from him over 10 years ago that I'd love to have back!

That's the one I thought it was! I have played that one (was there at the factory when it was being handed off to AnDy), and it is a NICE, NICE, NICE guitar. My son is gonna freak when he sees that one... Yeah, the # says it was originally Pink and refinished at Hamer October 2000. Don't know if Andy Stein ever owned it - but Hamer definitely wasn't foolin around when they refinished it! It is the coolest "Bumble Bee" looking color I have ever seen. I will add serial # shot to pics soon. Bryan