Dr. Bear

Thanks, Hamerhead.

I’ve never laid my hands on a Fender-ish Hamer and wonder if every Daytona, Chaparral, Californian, Centaura and other Hamer Super Strat-like model boasts a 14” fretboard radius? Even the Vintage S whose very name suggests a rounder fingerboard profile?

Scrumptious! But I’d love to hear it….

During decades as a touring muso I learned to carry documents proving that my instruments were made in the USA. When shipping gear home, one only had to include some variant of CBP Form 3311 - “Declaration of Free Entry of Returned American Products.” My memory is no longer great but I think I used a form like that one when freighting American-made guitars and mandolin back to the States from Japan, Korea, China and Vietnam. But here’s the catch: DHS/CBP is now so well managed that Form 3311 has not been updated or replaced even though it expired in March, 2025. One customs official might say that it’s just fine but another might notice the expiration date — it’s in very small print near the upper right hand corner — and not honor the form. Incidentally, my worst experience with customs was flying into Buenos Aires with a FrameWorks nylon string built by Frank Krocker in Germany. The Argentinian customs official insisted that I intended to sell the guitar in Argentina. We only got out of there unscathed because my wife found a photograph on her phone of me on stage with that guitar back when I headlined on some cruise ship. I’ll spare you the story of how much I had to bribe an airport security officer to let me bring spare strings in my carry-on for a flight from Mexico City to Honolulu. (Not long before, a crazed passenger had tried to garrote a flight attendant with strings ripped from a requinto.)

Yes, please. (PM sent)

Triple PM sent.

I can almost hear those Mules from a few blocks away…and that ebony board looks brilliant!

Looks like the Lightning tailpiece made in Hampshire, UK. I have ordered at least 7 and installed them on Newport Pros, Artists and Studios. “Feel” is softer, bending smoother. A light touch helps (I ditched flatpicks in ‘83). I would not recommend these tailpieces for a player with a heavy fretting hand, a heavy or extra heavy pick, or who plays mostly barre chords as it would be too easy to play sharp. But for me, they’re wonderful. One can order them directly from the UK and there is an authorized reseller in the US on Reverb. Both are very pleasant gents. Meantime, GLWTS!

Amen to that!

I would happily have paid $2g+ here on HFC for that SC but not to a random flipper on eBay.

I knew something was awry as there was a too-short tip in the SC’s case. Know I know why. Many thanks to all! Justin Miller (aka Dr Bear)

I just received a 2007 Studio Custom missing the plastic tip on the pickup selector toggle switch. Might a guru here tell me which size and thread I should order? I had no idea that there are a variety of possibilities for that wee plastic part.