Jem

Kits are a cheap way to get you started but as mentioned you do get what you pay for in terms of hardware - lots of people start this way as everything is included and if you can always swap out electrics and hardware at a later date. If you're going the assembly route rather than boards from scratch i would advise getting the neck and body from the same place as even 'Licensed by' stuff from different manufacturers rarely matches. Making from scratch isn't perhaps something you've thought about but depending on your circumstances don't discount this route, it is THE most satisfying thing to get up and strap on something that you and you alone created. Project Guitar is a site i would recommend your side of the pond if you want to dig a little deeper.

My first: 0 1813 that i traded a Korina IC300 (of which i hence found out they only made something like 60 in 1979) plus £75 for in 1984. It already had the handwound Kent Armstrong Rainbow's in it (i got it from Tiger music in Brighton when Kent was still living there before he debunked to the states - often wondered if they're worth anything ?) but oh so foolishly i got Paul Richardson from Fingerbone guitars to stuff the Kahler on it a year later...then discovered i really don't like Kahlers DoH ! Anyway, it's still with me and i doubt i'll ever part with it.

You think that's cool... Get Jem to get his camera out, and go up to his bedroom... Erm... I pressume you mean this pair ? Sorry but i can't get a decent shot of the flame on either of them indoors and it's lashing it down outside so it'll have to surfice.

Fuck me Mr Spode, that's one gay strat if ever i've seen one

Piece of piss - i haven't brought anything for years

In 1995 Trace Elliot (Kaman) went bust in the UK and that wiped out a huge part of Hamer's market, that's a quarter gone in one go. C'mon Andy, Trace Elliot were fucking useless period although i will grant you they did, on occassion, run the odd advert in Guitarist but they were so under the radar i eventually picked up the phone to the factory in just to see if they were still alive - luckily at the time Frank R reported they were.

Your right there Dave, that's why they're building Guilds for Fender

I'm not saying i'm glad but it was starting to look very much like a three legged antelope walking across the plains. The brand may not be dead forever as some have mentioned as Fender is a company out to make money and everything has it's price. About ten years ago i got into conversations with the originator of Palm Bay guitars over here and there was a deal on the table to buy the brand name plus all associated tooling and jig's that Andrew had left, a quick "back of a Marlboro packet" calculation led me to the conclusion this wasn't viable. I dare say down the line a simular deal could be struck over the Hamer name although again, whoever considers this must also take in mind that although Hamer has strong brand loyalty at the end of the day they couldn't make a buck on the volume of new sales that the brand has enjoyed over the last 10 years or so.

Believe you me, this ain't a cheap build by any stretch of the imagination, baby is on the way and he know's it may be his last chance. Mind you, i suppose i might be hearing from you over the next year or so LoL

He's not pulling any punch's with this one Ben, that's for sure. If it can be pimped it has been pimped

Well, just in case anyone's interested in it, i can concur that there really isn't a mark on it and in fact i've seen scruffier stock hanging on a wall proclaiming to be new.

Thought you we're going to keep it, there's still some wall space left ?

Jemmie - you sure that wasn't a "Floyd Rose Eleven"? That was a rumour put out by Mr Rose himself trying to sell more patent's , they only ever went to ten, eleven wasn't anymore wangee, no mater what Nigel says.

Just to fan the flames, i'm afraid they did. i pulled out one of my first builds and it's got a, what was probably made by Ping, FR II (it's 1000% not Schaller) and guess what it's got written on it after Floyd Rose.................well, no one like's a smartypants,

Close but not correct as not all Floyd Rose II's have those stupid saddles, there are versions out there which are pretty well identical to the Schaller one that may have been OE on some Jap Charvel's of the period. If you Google 'Floyd Rose II' you'll get some images of what i'm on about (one pops up on a Carvin but i can't find the image when i click the thumbnail). Anyway, i know they exist as i've got one on one of my guitars.

Different metal, the Schaller that we speak of has a cast alloy base plate and the OFR's and Gotoh's, and now the Schaller Lockmeister that Austin mentioned, have a sheet steel one. Also, just as a side line, with the Lockmeister it comes with OFR type long string lock screws but it can also use the short type so you can in effect have a steel base plate floyd in the smaller cast base plate route if that's your bag. Oh, and Schaller now plate their black screws and stuff with a different material so they don't rust immediatley like they used to......very handy if you're hyperuricemic like me.

I didn't think you could say shit like that nowadays !

Strange to be that bling'd up and not have Boomerangs so chances are someone ordered it that way. I'll really have to dig mty sustaniac out and try to gt it in a song before i die !

All Hamer's came standard with an R2 nut, obviously the problem with an R3 is it may sit over each side of the fretboard but measure first as the neck width at the nut can vary (i've got a couple of Cali's where the neck is around 2mm wider than they need to be and would take an R3 easily, the rest wouldn't). The bridge sitting quite high - investigate as it shouldn't be sitting that high (a picture could help here) and there should be no need to shim the neck unless some dickhead's been playing around with it. Standard production by the sounds of it, not a special order (Sustaniac's are fairly common across the whole Chap range). The Lockmeister trem (i pressume that what you meant by 'Tonemeister') is your only option if you wanted a steel base plate but did not want to re-route the guitar as this is the only base plate i know that can take the shorter lock screws as found on the Schaller (Floyd II) trem - you have to specify these screws when you order the trem otherwise they come with the same screws as the OFR. As for sound, that's up to your ears !

Not factory apart from the red underneath.

Here for you Mart, you know that x

Marshall has really embraced the power of marketing lately, over here you can order your cabs and shit with your own custom artwork on it direct from the factory.....at a price

Me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It plays OK and isn't in bad nick but even at half what they wanted for it before it isn't worth it. As Andrew said, it needs to be in the well under £500 range really, a bit like the guy who wanted £2700 for his rather knackered GM Special, even at his 'bargain' price of £1700 he's still at three times what informed people would pay.

And they're up - although i wanted the bottom one to start at the top but i can't be arsed to change them LoL Oh, and i thank you for your kind words sir.