holLoWskull

Man I owe some of those guys in the Arlington Heights photo a big thank you. I know the general consensus here is that the stuff out of New Hartford is the best Hamer stuff ever, but I gotta say that most of my best playing and best sounding (obviously both things are subjective) Hamers were built in the Arlington Heights factory. Not dissin' the new stuff at all, I've owned and played quite a few of them and they are fantastic in their own right...just a different vibe to them. Thank you to all the men (and women?) past and present who have gotten sawdust in their hair and hot solder on their finger tips at the Hamer factories (both IL and CT).

My thought is that if he was originally asking $600 for it before when it was on CL, then why not start it at $600 on ebay and let the bidding war begin? As for coming here to get an idea of the guitar's worth, I think we'd be all over the map (some of us who don't have a burning desire for a flame maple Cali might say under $1,500 while others who absolutely crave these guitars might say over $2,000). As for myself I think his lower price is getting closer to being in the ballpark, maybe still $100 - $200 too high but not unreasonable given the Cali's collector appeal. As stated earlier the market will set the price of the guitar (for this month).

Well in the previous thread about this guitar (when it was for sale on CL) it was stated that someone had offered him $2,000 for the guitar (or told him it was worth that much, can't remember which), so he probably figures his opening price is in the ballpark. Personally I think it's too high a price especially given the economic climate, but I think there are still enough 'Californatics' out there willing to pay big money for a Californian with boomerang inlays and a maple body that it may sell (perhaps as was already stated an outside offer to end the auction early or even a bid or two).

+1...I was thinking pretty much the same thing. Some of the Mike Varney produced Shrapnel artists were technically brilliant yet received little more than a blurb in the back of a guitar magazine back in the day. When I see the video it kind of reminds me of the Brad Paisly/Keith Urban Start A Band video where you have one very good guitar player trading licks with an amazing guitar player. She is very good and will most likely become even better, but she ain't ready to be cuttin' heads with the likes of Steve Vai just yet

Thanks for the kind words Chris, but I fear my wife would still say I'm usually an a$$hole

Actually I think transparent red was a standard production finish on the Mirage Maple Tops. Probably about even production between kool blue and trans red I would imagine. However that transparent red over koa Mirage I of your's is quite unusual (I think I've seen one other besides your guitar). Couldn't agree more with you that the Mirage's are great guitars. To find one in nice shape first on ebay and then here for under $500 shipped is a great score for sure!

Are you looking for a single pickup or a set of 3 pickups? Color preference? I have a set of SD Quarter Pounders w/ a wire tap to split them (older version w/o logo, might have been custom made to get the tap feature...dunno???) in black that I'm probably going to be willing to move. They would definetely fall into the single coil sized P90 category (fairly high output, but can be tapped to lower the output). Feel free to e-mail me if you're interested.

yeah i'm thinkin that might be the way to go , just love the sound of my mesa cab though(2x12) , i need that fender sound or maybe vox, maybe a deluxe reverb with a speaker change , i definitely need a powerblock....................... I've been using a Vox AD60VTX Valvetronix 1X12 combo w/ the optional VC-12 foot controler for a few years in my cover band. I think it's the best of both worlds if you're on a budget...good amp models, decent built-in effects, built-in tuner w/ bypass, actual tube in the POWER AMP section, and best of all...39 lbs. Regretfully Vox stopped making them a couple years or so ago, and replaced them with a less expensive (and in some regards inferior) line of new Valvetronix amps. The good news is that you can usually score a used AD60VT, AD60VTX, AD120VT, or AD120VTX for around $500 (sometimes w/ the VC-12 foot controller included!). The Fractal most likely is a better sounding and far more advanced unit, but it is pricey. If you want a good sounding amp that has Fender, Vox, Marshall, Mesa, Soldano, and Dumble sounds all modeled into it for under $500 used, the 'blue cloth' Vox VTX series is worth a look anyway.

I kind of think the same. Maybe I'm wrong, but to me the kid is head and shoulders talent-wise above the rest of the ones left in the competition. I grew up in the 80's and am a huge Dream Theater, Queensryche, Fates Warning, Symphony X, etc. fan today...so I have no problem listening to dudes who can belt out the high notes. Alot of people here are ripping on him, but remember he's singing totally live and his pitch is near flawless even doing some of the crazy note changes he does (listen to the vocals on some live bootlegs from Led Zep or some of the other bands mentioned in the thread...ugh!). The kid totally gives off the flamer vibe, but damn I wish I had 1/4 his vocal talent.

I bought my 96' Cruise V 2-Tek used, but the soldering looks stock so I'm guessing the pickups are stock as well. Mine came with passive Basslines (SJB5). Here's the link on the Seymour Duncan site. http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass...sjb5_stack_for/

If it's a Daytona it's probably a little steep even WITH pictures (unless you are a fool like myself and you absolutely have to have certain oddball colors...then it's probably worth it if it's what you want).

Good point...I almost forgot one of the sacred HFC mottos

My take (Mannmade vs. Wilkinson VSV/VSVG...I haven't tried the newer/less expensive Wilkinson stuff): If you set the Wilinson VSV up w/ a slight pitch (back raised up from the guitar body) and you keep the bar adjustment screw relatively 'tight' so the bar is in there firmly...they are fairly smooth (for vintage style tremolos). I think they're good tremolos, the basic design is what irks me about them. The VSV has a stupid thumbscrew device that is needed to hold the saddles in place while setting string intonation and the saddle set screws go into the baseplate (a stipped thread just waiting to happen should you overtighted one w/ the tiny allen wrench needed to screw them down). Mannmade (PRS) trems are stout, saddles can be adjusted w/ a regular phillips head screwdriver, and to me they sound a little 'richer/less metallic' (if that makes any sense) than the VSV. Is one better than the other, obviously it's a matter of opinion. Is the PRS trem easier to maintain/set up...I'd say most definitely. Also, I personally think the Mannmade units have a better effect on my guitar's sound then the Wilkinson VSV tremolos I have/had on the same guitars.

I got lucky and found one already routed for a humbucker right from the Hamer factory: original pickups and white plastic pieces safely stored away just in case, but the Andersons sound so much better to me than the original SD APSII/APSII/JB combo did (and I thought the black plastic pieces just looked better against the purple body than the original white ones did)

I'm just guessing on this one, but maybe because he's a heavy metal icon who's sold million of albums world wide and seeing the word Hamer on his guitar's headstock is good publicity? Just messin' with you....bottom line it's not the direction Joel is interested in going. Perhaps if one of us were in a band such as Cheap Trick or Judas Priest Joel may bend the rules for us too, but alas most of us aren't and have to deal with the dreaded 'NO' to the guitars we'd really like to see Hamer to build now Who am I kidding though, I probably wouldn't spend $5K on a guitar and then take it out to some of the places my band plays...so I guess my opinion shouldn't really be factored into Hamer's decisions

I think it's just the 94-96 Studio guitars w/ the wraptail that had the belly/gut cut standard (in the Studio line anyway). I believe Hamer offers it as an upcharge option on their current Studio guitars (as well as other models) and it wouldn't suprise me if Hamer didn't make a few non-wraptail Studios w/ belly cuts back in the 90's. I know I've seen some of the recent limited edition redwood Studios w/ the belly cut.

Believe me, I wasn't planning on ever selling that purple FM (to Caddie) as you're right, it's a great sounding Hamer. Problem was it was too similar in function to my purple Studio wraptail which (to me at least) won the head to head duel (lighter if you can believe it, chunkier neck, the lowest buzz free action of any Hamer I own, same amazing tone but with a 'gut cut' and wraptail for extra 'cool' points). Can't keep all the good ones to myself, so some have to go back into circulation Enjoy that guitar, it is a damn good one! Oh, and another pair to keep the thread on topic: A pair for St. Patrick's Day....the greenies: one of the emerald green 95' duotones (coincidentally completed at the old Hamer factory on the same day as my birthday...talk about fate!) and a heavily modded seafoam green 92' T-62 (black hardware, EMG's, graphtech ghost saddles powered by the stock EMG EQ/Gain device...hey I figured if it powered the piezo in a Duotone it would work for a T-62 too!):

I have to give you points for being one of the most persistent people I've met! Just like someday your Indigo Duo will be mine! Oh yeah, here's a pair that see regular gig action: (the Fishman VMV Powerbridge equipped 94' Mirage I and Fishman VS-100P Powerbridge equipped 96' Mirage maple top - converted to a 2-post trem) and just for Caddie....the purple people eaters (95' trans-violet Studio and 96' factory buckered trans-purple Daytona)

Admittedly I didn't have the greatest seats, but I saw CT with Heart and Journey in Saratoga Springs, NY a few nights ago and it looked like Tom was the only one playing a Hamer most of the night. It looked like some multi-string Monaco looking contraption, but again I wasn't close enough to get a great look. Rick was playing a Les Paul most of the evening and only busted out a couple Hamers towards the end of their 40 min. set (they were the opening band).

Looking at the picture, I'm 99.9% sure it's a USA Diablo. The fretmarker dots at the 12th fret are spaced closer like a USA Hamer and the Floyd is squared off like the Schaller model Hamer used. It's probably a 94'-97' model (when they went to the non-reverse headstock). There's an import Diablo on ebay right now that you can look at for reference, but you'll see the Floyd and dot inlays are definitely different from the ones on the guitar on the cover.

If you had bought it in the days prior to our very own Lady Scary single handedly driving the market value of USA Cali Elites up well over a grand, I would have said you overpayed. (how I so wish I had held on the the two I had a few years ago and let go for well under a grand) At today's market value for a Cali Elite however, I think you made out reasonably well price-wise.

I have a El Diablo 100-C combo (the big ass 2X12 monster). I agree it's versatile, but I think it's forte is hard rock and metal. So....upside: versatile enough for most styles of music, looks awesome on stage (blue LED lights make for a cool yet erie glow), can be switched between 50W and 100W (loud or brutally loud), switchable between EL34's or 6L6's, good 3 year warranty (transferable even if bought used), and rock solid build quality. downside: HEAVY!!! Not kidding...95 lbs. Thank God for the edge lift handles and casters, and footswitch cable is somewhat of a delicate thing IMHO. Gotta be careful not to step on it too often or wrap it too tight or it can get some shorts. All in all a good bang for the buck on the used market. FWIW I find turning the master volume up to about 4 or 5 in 50W mode and using the preamp volumes (warm and hot channels) to get the desired stage volume produces the best tone with these amps. You can keep the pre's low enough to not deafen yourself or others yet still get some nice tube distortion sounds.

there was the trans blue burst "Centdiablo" that I believe Admiral B had and sold to Jeff R if memory serves me correct. I don't have any pix of it, but maybe one of it's previous owners does? That was a little bit of both guitars IIRC, neck & fretboard of a diablo, body of a centaura 2 humbucker...real sharp.

LOL....you a funny man Caddie. Thank God I wasn't drinking anything when I read that or it would have been all over the monitor

that kool blue guitar is HFC'er collarguy's. I can't speak for him, but he might even do a little better on the price for an HFC'er with cash? He's a good guy to deal with and I've personally played that Mirage and if I didn't already have one just like it, it would already be mine. The top really is even more spectacular in person under some nice sunlight. It's a good guitar, especially at that insane low price! As for how does it compare to a Studio custom. IMHO, it's a different animal. If you like the vibe of a set neck mahogany/maple guitar but don't like the fret spacing of a 24 3/4" guitar, the Mirage maple top is for you. I personally like Strat scale guitars, so I'm a big Mirage proponent. Playability is, well kind of like a PRS or a Strat. I don't care for the JB at all in any of these guitars, adding a bright pickup to an already brighter sounding guitar (thick maple top + longer scale + 500K tone pot) maybe wasn't the best idea Hamer ever had. I've had great success with an F spaced Rio BBQ in the bridge and a GenTex in the neck (4 conductor for cool sounds with a 5-way Superswitch). Want a strat sound, position 2 and 4 have you covered. Want a nice Allman Bros. tone, position 3 (humbuckers together in series) has you covered. Want some quasi-PRS sounds, look no further than position 1 and 5. So much untapped potential with these guitars it's not funny. Why did Hamer stop making them? Probably because they didn't really sell all that well from what I've heard and read. I think these guitars will hold their own with just about any similar PRS for a fraction of the cost on the used market. Too bad Hamer didn't try and sell the Mirage line after their recent move 'upscale' in the guitar market. They might have been more successful than the first time around with the right marketing?