Checkerboard(?!) Prototype FS on Craigslist Los Angeles

[Jellyfish]

Special neck on a Prototype?? Well I never... https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/msg/d/sherman-oaks-1982-hamer-usa-prototype/7871972043.html

[velorush]

That's bizarre!

I for one would absolutely love it were it not for the doubly-ambitious price.

[crunchee]

I'd think that removal of the pickguard would be a must to rule out any boogery to the neck joint, and to rule in/out a neck to body transplant.

[velorush]

7 minutes ago, crunchee said:

I'd think that removal of the pickguard would be a must to rule out any boogery to the neck joint, and to rule in/out a neck to body transplant.

Agreed, but the level of effort  required (and accomplished)to have pulled this off so successfully doesn't seem feasible. Until recently, these weren't expensive guitars:

What would be the odds of finding a shell pink Proto and Special and swapping out the necks? Seeing it person would be helpful, but from the photos the paint fade seems extremely consistent body to neck. 

Edited August 16, 2025 by velorush

[crunchee]

2 minutes ago, velorush said:

What would be the odds of finding a shell pink Proto and Special and swapping out the necks? Seeing it person would be helpful, but from the photos the paint fade seems extremely consistent body to neck. 

Swapping out the necks might have been possible if the break to the neck at the neck joint was a really clean and complete one.  Which is why looking under the pickguard would be so important.

That finish shows up as a peach color on my monitor.  Maybe it's a pearl finish (Ferrari Red?) that went bad, or got hellacious sun exposure in a shop window?

[topekatj]

The paint in the control compartment looks pretty frickin’ red. 
 

The contrast between the neck and body is distinct in the lower photo. 

[Jellyfish]

Turns out, this mystery Proto is also listed on Reverb by Imperial Guitars, a well-respected bricks-and-mortar seller here in SoCal https://reverb.com/item/91723785-1982-hamer-usa-prototype-electric-guitar-faded-pink-finish-w-ohsc

[bsteff666]

I’ve been watching that one on Reverb.  I suppose it is possible that it left the factory with a checkerboard Special logo.

[cmatthes]

It's original.

[bubs_42]

Prototypes are my favorite Hamer, but they’re plenty of sellers that I would gladly tell them where to shove their prices.