#89

[Travis]

I never did answer that, did I? God my wife hates that.

I asked Mike for 'big, like my 2005 Junior' and he knew exactly what that was and matched it perfectly. It's not a tree trunk, but a really nice comfortably big handful. So if you've played any of the BCR Juniors from around that same time period you'll have an idea what it is. I appreciate it more as I get older.

What I didn't expect was how great the neck heel is. Best of any guitar I've ever picked up. It just perfectly flows into the palm of your hand. Pretty sweet.

Ordering tip: You married guys listen up. I showed her the truss rod cover with her name on it and she smiled. I flipped it over to show her our Anniversary date stamped into the back of the headstock and she almost cried. INSTANTLY off the hook for getting another guitar.

Unfortunately, I have not had the pleasure of playing a BCR junior. I’m trying to decide between something big and round like that or a V carve like my Talladega neck. 
 

That is a really good tip on the TRC, tho. I wonder if I get that on #0123, my wife would be good if I immediately put in another order  You know, one with my name on it to match.

Ok, just talked to my wife about it. Here’s how it went down...

showed her the TRC with your wife’s name on it and told her the story. She said I should get my son’s birthday stamped on it so when he inherits it, it’ll be more meaningful. 
 

I said, if that’s the case, then I should order two more, one for each of us. 
 

Also, my wife’s name is Holly. So, instead of her name on the TRC, I could get leaves of Holly stamped in there. 
 

or, wait...  instead if a “tree of life” inlay like on a Jem, vines of Holly inlays.....

 

[hamerhead]

.....Also, my wife’s name is Holly.....

Yeah, she probably wouldn't like 'Diane' on there then.

My two Hamer COs had my kid's names on them, so I had to do the wife. Hers is removable though, in case....you know....things don't work out.....

 

[Travis]

Yeah, she probably wouldn't like 'Diane' on there then.

My two Hamer COs had my kid's names on them, so I had to do the wife. Hers is removable though, in case....you know....things don't work out.....

Genius!

 

[soli'd]

the last Sustain Block made by me

What's the story here?

 

[Peter Studio Custom]

Absolutely killer guitar and pretty cool on the serial number story!

 

[hamerhead]

What's the story here?

BCR Greg talked Hamer into doing a run of Sustain Block guitars in '02. I made about 30 of them, some going on guitars, some sold separately. I stashed one for a future Hamer CO, then they went away.

I had two questions for Mike: could he put the switch on the upper horn, and would he use my last Sustain Block. Having my parts on a few Hamers and now a Shishkov is pretty amazing.

 

[cmatthes]

Awesome!  Great piece of wood...

 

[soli'd]

BCR Greg talked Hamer into doing a run of Sustain Block guitars in '02. I made about 30 of them, some going on guitars, some sold separately. I stashed one for a future Hamer CO, then they went away.

I had two questions for Mike: could he put the switch on the upper horn, and would he use my last Sustain Block. Having my parts on a few Hamers and now a Shishkov is pretty amazing.

Well my question was more how you came to make a batch of sustain blocks than whether you had.

That's really cool, do you work in fabrication/machine work?

 

[hamerhead]

Machinist for 30 years this January.

 

[Northfield]

While there’s a lot going on with #89, It all came together great and looks really cool!  Josh did a fantastic job with the pickups - I thought It sounded great.  It was fun working on it with you @hamerhead!   Rock on! 

M

we tried to get pics that showed the flame in the top, but it was hard to capture   

 

[Travis]

While there’s a lot going on with #89, It all came together great and looks really cool!  Josh did a fantastic job with the pickups - I thought It sounded great.  It was fun working on it with you @hamerhead!   Rock on! 

M

we tried to get pics that showed the flame in the top, but it was hard to capture   

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LOVE it!  Outstanding job once again!

 

[specialk]

DAMN!

Just when you think you've seen it all and they can't possibly get any better… 

AMAZING!

 

[BubbaVO]

While there’s a lot going on with #89, It all came together great and looks really cool!  Josh did a fantastic job with the pickups - I thought It sounded great.  It was fun working on it with you @hamerhead!   Rock on! 

M

we tried to get pics that showed the flame in the top, but it was hard to capture   

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Dang.  It’s the first steam punk Shishkov.  I mean that as a compliment.   

 

[ArnieZ]

Outstanding in every respect!!.

I really love your choice of inlays

arniez

 

[hamerhead]

I wonder who I stole that from.....Thanks, Arnie!

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Great shot! The flame is tough to get.

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^^^ It's funny because it's really pretty stripped down - no binding, no pickup rings - but Mike still made it look like a jewel. I keep finding new details.

ETA: And because it's 2020 I can't really play it because I got wild parsnip up both arms, which are now burning, itching, and blistered AF. The lone bright spot of the year and even that gets messed up. Damn.

 

[bubs_42]

Send it down here, i'll take it for a spin. I'm going to have to wait until like Wed or Thursday for mine to arrive. 

The last guitar you sent me arrived safe and ... Nevermind, just keep it up there. 

 

[BoogieMKIIA]

Maybe a video would capture the flame as the angle changed. So much to look at on the top, really like the color.

 

[gorch]

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Wonderfully executed! Great pickup selection. What's the character of them? The fake binding nicely plays with the wood figuring. I have really seen this elsewhere, if ever.

 

[hamerhead]

So - finally - I got to open it up a bit and plug into my gig rig WITH THE REST OF THE BAND!!!!   !!!!! 

Before that, I initially thought it was too bright, that maybe the P90 in the bridge wasn't the smartest idea with the Sustain Block, Ebony and Maple. But in a band setting, It. Was. Killer. Not bright or harsh, but articulate and punchy like the 30th Anniversary was, which was the target going in. Great cut in the mix. Josh absolutely nailed it once again, with the neck single coil playing beautifully with the bridge. When combined, it doesn't sound like anything I've had before - I'm having a real tough time describing it - but it's almost like 2 guitars through one amp rather than 2 pickups through one cable. Very distinct but blended perfectly.

And the neck by itself doesn't have the woollyness you get with a lot of neck pickups. It still sounds like a neck pickup, but with a nice crisp edge. Until you roll the tone control back, then it's the 'woman tone' (whatever that means - my woman's tone is waaaay harsher.) in spades.

This thing is something else. Ho. Lee. Shit.

 

[bubs_42]

I cannot say enough about Josh's neck pickups. KILLLER