crunchee

Nice! I like that finish...does G&L do a Buck Owens style Red/Silver/Blue finish with binding as well?

Happy Birthday, Greg! Have a great one!

Did they leave FeeBay? I never noticed...probably because my search settings are set at "reasonable", not "exorbitant".

My point of bringing up Fender's intro of the high-end "Select" series, was that I thought it ironic that FMIC just killed off Hamer USA; which, last time I checked, WAS a high end brand. It's unrealistic to say that Hamer would've directly 'competed' against the "Selects", since Hamer USA was nonexistent to all except custom orders for the last year or so (edited to add: I'm not including the imports, which is/was for the budget market anyway), but it might have been a distraction to Fender's marketing, therefore just another reason to shut the doors. That come-on line, "Select Instruments for Select Individuals", seems to me to be very out of touch with how the economy STILL is (anybody here still remember the bone-headed across-the-board price list increase Fender did in early 2009?). Maybe they're trying to round up the last bunch of rich noob buyers out there that want this variation of "select" guitar, but I've seen a lot of Fenders that looked very similar to these not all that long ago (1990's?), like maple veneered versions and "Foto-Flame" models. I wasn't impressed then, and I'm not impressed with the new bunch. If I want a Fender and have the cash, I'll go to their plain-Jane, (preferably) USA-made RIs every time. If I want a Tele, it'll be a '52 RI, or a '62 if I want a rosewood fretboard. If I want a Strat, it'll be a '57 (maple neck) or a '62 (rosewood) RI. Same goes for the other model guitars or basses. Unless it's substantially different (like a '72 Tele Thinline RI or something with a Floyd; or the rare exception of a well regarded variant, like a Cabronita Tele), why bother looking for much else on Fender's production lines? I'm not seeing anything THAT different with the "Selects", IMO. Of course, YMMV.

Got this in e-mail spam today from Fender...makes me wonder if this is why Hamer was frozen in carbonite/sent to a farm to play with other defunct guitar brands... http://www.fender.com/series/fender-select/?EDID=PR76ZQY-R3ALB-8P441-PPSDD-O8Q1-v1 "Select Instruments for Select Individuals"...with a select amount of money to burn, apparently.

Great snag! I once had a original '65 DR and a '74 DR...the difference was substantial, playing through the '74's 'reverb' channel was like playing through the '65's 'normal' channel regarding tone...and playing through the '65's 'reverb' channel was pure heaven! The '74 was perfectly good sounding, but it just didn't have 'it'. Edited to add: I'd be curious to see what the outside of the transformers look like, after being stored like it was. The inside of the chassis and the front panel don't look bad at all! BTW, my original '65 DR came with a 'lamp cord' power cord with a Bakelite plug, same goes with some BF Champs & Vibro-Champs I once had. I've also seen original '60's Fender speaker cord for piggyback amps that looked suspiciously like lamp cord. I'm no expert at that, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if your power cord was original.

I'm gonna have to remember this for myself, the next time I have GAS... it's cheaper that way!

How about the NEXT 3 out of Hamer's USA shop, when they reopen? You DID say 'from any time', though that probably qualifies as a fantasy rather than dream status. Barring that: 1. Punisher Standard. 2. Thunderbolt in Korina 3. Electroglide

BTM, here's some reading for you to catch up on....32 pages so far and counting! Happy New Year! http://www.hamerfanclub.com/forums/topic/57503-well-it-was-fun-but-its-over/

Karma can be a bitch.

Is your trem cavity the type that used the multiply plastic cover? You could probably have one made if that's the case, provided someone already doesn't have one handy.

Joining MCChris in disbelief... Dood, where have you BEEN since 1978? It's sad that FMIC didn't at least give a final gasp and say something like "no more orders after Dec 31," to let dealers/buyers get in under the closing gate. So now Fender has nailed the coffin lids on the two brands that I owned the most of over the years...Hamer and SUNN. It's a sad day but I guess better than FMIC having turned all Hamers into non-US made crap and slapping a Fender-ish logo on them to put them in Walmarts and Best Buys. We can only hope they simply mothball the brand and keep all the builders busy building Guilds, etc. until the economy recovers and then bring Hamer out of a hiatus. I personally believe Hamer's value to FMIC is that it is a way for Fender to make Gibson-ish guitars without being sued by Gibson. If FMIC ever decided on a clever way to market that, especially while Gibson is also presently hurting finacially, it could pull from Gibson's market share. Rather ironic how the timing of the release of the long hoped for Hamer Guitar book will work out as a eulogy. I'm still waiting for that new model from Fender, the "Cl*sterf*cker".

Sure he could, he wouldn't get it, but could ask... Hmmm... Who coulda seen THAT coming? If anybody is waiting for a lowball price on a Impact bass, I wouldn't hold your breath.

Not much to add to what's been said already. This sucks, indeed. I don't think that 2013 is gonna be a very good year for electric guitar manufacturing (or anything associated with it) in general, there's too many things gone wrong with the current business model for it to be sustainable for long. All of which have already been mentioned here on this forum. Hamer is just one domino...which is owned by Fender, which has lots of other dominoes that could fall down, too. Same thing goes for Gibson.

Pics and quality/tone report, or it didn't happen. But seriously, pics and quality/tone report, please! Hearing about sales like this makes me start wondering, does somebody out there know something that the rest of us (as consumers) don't? I'm keeping in mind the latest bad/not so good news regarding Fender's IPO, Gibson's apparent stockroom blowout, and GC's rumored imminent demise, among other economic things. Sometimes there's not much difference between 'scary good' deals, and just plain scary.

+1, I noticed that too. I didn't think too much about it at the time as I haven't followed KISS that closely lately, but you're right! P.S. I'd rather LAND in a B-17G (it's a G but probably painted up like a E model, the chin turret and cheek gun positions are a dead giveaway), than miss out on half the flight!

Like the title says...I'm surprised no one mentioned it, about 45 minutes left before it hits TV unless you live on the West Coast. It was webcasted earlier tonight, though. http://www.cbs.com/shows/liveonletterman/

+1. A wedding is no place to lower your standards.

What, no North Korean orchestras?

+1! Hope it heals up well and you're up and around soon, Bill!

No affiliation. This got my attention, but you can always make your own version. Truer words were never written, right? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Funny-LOUD-Guitar-Amplifier-SIGN-Vintage-Tube-Amp-Crate-Fender-Marshall-Peavey-/160868834665?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item2574879d69

How 'bout a Peavey? (ducks for cover )

So far, just basic information: http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2012/08/31/prince-to-play-welcome-2-chicago-residency-at-the-united-center/

Beauty! Needs some Stanley Cup inlays and Rush stickers, though.