tomteriffic

My Standard and half of David B's ying-yang pair, getting ready for the stork.

Seems that way to me too. I waited for quite some time for the right Vanguard to come along, and now there has been a spate of them (and several variants) lately. Did you pick one up? What do you think of it? I'd met one when they first came out and loved it, but it took a while for me, the money and the guitar to all wind up in the same place at the same time. I finally snagged one maybe 9 months ago. To me, the Vanguard is the muscle car of the line. Light, fast, loud and rude. It's not made for smooth chords with numbers behind 'em (as my old country pickin' buddies would say), although I imagine it could do it in a pinch. Rather every note seems to pop right off the guitar with an unusual immediacy.

Seems that way to me too. I waited for quite some time for the right Vanguard to come along, and now there has been a spate of them (and several variants) lately.

Wholly shiite!

^^^This^^^ "Most people know the price of everything and the value of nothing" ~ Oscar Wilde

It occurs to me that, if the "soundhole" P pickup is an EMG and the bridge pickup is an X2N, you've got an active/passive mix in there with each pickup requiring a different pot impedance. That could explain a lot of the extra switching, preamp, etc. etc., just in an effort to get the thing usable.

Somebody (second-line brand) in the sixties did one,but I forget who, exactly. Teisco did for sure, but there was somebody else.

Nice work! And informative too.

Multiple happyhappys guys. And here's to many more!

This evening I was on the honker with a friend that I don't see much in person. I hadn't seen him since a gig back in October. He's a dyed-in-the-wool Gibson guy but their recent quality and prices have been putting him off. Anyway, he hadn't forgotten my Vanguard that I was playing that night back in October and allowed as how it might be the perfect guitar for him, just by the way it sounded and a quick feel-up after the show. I could tell he was fishing around trying to buy mine, but it's not going anywhere. I told him that, while there aren't just a ton of them around, they do surface from time to time. He was amazed when I told him roughly what the going rate is and that got his interest even more. So, this is just a feeler. He's in the middle of paying for a built-to-order Kendrick, so it may be a while before he's ready to pull the trigger. So if you're on the fence about your Vanguard and need a little more quality time yet, give a shout and I'll hook you up.

Pre-ordered quite a while ago. Please include me in the autograph/numbered/sharkfin pick thing too?

Good find! Congrats! Was the guitar originally made for humbuckers? The majority of those from that era were P-90's

Happy Birthday ye great poof!

Newport 90. Tobacco Sunburst, bound front and back, Pigtail bridge, Monaco control layout. Bound headstock and blank ebony fingerboard. Junior. Korina Standard with white PG.

Once I got started, they came pretty fast and furious. At one point within the first year I had five Specials from various eras and two goldtops. But this was my first Hamer, a '94 Special FM, bought new. I still have it and it still sees regular use. After being around to see some of the very first ones, I spent the next 19 years waiting for me, the guitar and the money to all be together at the same place and time.

I bought 5 new ones, including a custom order and a "might as well have been a custom order". Hyped them to anybody who asked. Did my part.

Look at the link further down the thread. And if the seller won't ship, I can help since Somerville isn't too far from me. I may take you up on that. PM sent.

Greg was thinking Baker, GMP and Robin...;P Earlier this evening he was feeling a bit like the Angel of Death. Every time he gets behind a brand big time, it dies. I'd just like to give a shout to all of the dealers who have worked so hard to promote the brand and who have taken a personal interest in getting these fine instruments into our hands over the years. It's a slug in the gut for me, so I can hardly imagine what it's like for them.

Well...... Shit. On the bright side, since they aren't making them any more, I guess that ups the standard HFC offer to $375? Shit.

Yowzers! Coolness on a stick!

My back up is on the pedalboard as well. It's a Tech 21 Character Series Blonde. it takes a minute or two to re-patch some stuff and twiddle some knobs, but turn on the speaker emulator and there you are. I even skip the amp entirely for some small shows/stages.

Yup, and Roy is great people and, I believe, is still a member here.

I played that one for a minute a few years ago. It was very painful to give it back too.

O M F G Said the guy whose first Hamer was a Special FM. Amazing top!

I've got it's first cousin, plaque psoriasis all over my picking hand. It's a beyotch. Sometimes I can't fingerpick due to the pain, sometimes I can't hold onto a pick due to the callus or whatever the extra thick skin is. Too slippery. And it never really goes away. I use a topical steroid cream that helps, but you have to be real careful not to overdo it, our you'll aggravate the cracking and such. I'm told that a *little* extra Vitamin D can help. Haven't seemn much difference myself, though. One thing that ain't going to make it go away, but sure helps it be more tolerable is Gold Dond Ultimate Healing hand cream. For me, this is the absolute shiznit.. Anything else just seems to put a glaze over things and actually makes it worse with regard to holding onto a pick, healing the cracks etc. But wait! There's more!! Since both of these conditions are of an auto-immune nature, there's a good chance that it will throw in, absolutely free, a case of rheumatoid arthritis! Strikes anywhere, any time without warning. Just wait until you hop in the car to go to gramma's house, just fine, and two hours later are unable to walk! It's just coolness on a stick! I feel your pain, literally. Seriously, try the Gold Bond for the cracking and flare-ups.