ChugD Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Hamer Custom Shop Vector V #2 Rick Nielsen Signature/Artist Signed Black & White Checkerboard 1983 w/OHSC https://reverb.com/item/95448773?utm_source=android-app&utm_medium=android-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=95448773 It is fun to look at. 3 2 Quote
Drew816 Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Do you think they'll take a 2nd party, out of State paycheck?? Bad ass but $30k?!? 1 1 Quote
Steve Haynie Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Factory checkerboard with Rick's permission to sell is rare within the context of Hamer. 2 Quote
bry4321 Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Me after clicking @ChugD link: (That is in no way intended as any kind of criticism of the undeniable coolness or value of that guitar.) 4 Quote
scottcald Posted March 27 Posted March 27 I always thought that Vector of Rick's was the coolest V. The Standard headstock on it takes it over the top. 7 Quote
Menehune Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Oh boy. Now that I'm the overly-proud owner of a checkerboard guitar strap. I need a checkerboard guitar. And checkerboard shoes, socks, trousers, shirt, tie, sport coat and short-billed cap. And then we get into the checkerboarded greasepaint on hands and neck and face. It's the madness of devout consistency. 10 Quote
The_Cali_Kid Posted March 27 Posted March 27 (edited) One man’s wet dream is another man’s abomination. I’m in the latter camp on this one. Still a cool and unique piece of Hamer history. Edited March 27 by The_Cali_Kid 1 2 1 Quote
Joe K Posted March 27 Posted March 27 (edited) Some dude about a week and a half ago posted on some FB Cheap Trick pages that he located “the eye.” The eye was a stage backdrop spotlight from the 1981 All Shook Up tour. I saw it in January ‘81. Anyway, he posted that he returned the eye to Rick Nielsen who gave him a signed checkerboard Hamer V. Bet you he’s trying to make $30K for locating the eye or he sold it underestimating its potential value and somebody else is trying to do it. $30K either way is still arguably and probably too much. Edited March 27 by Joe K 3 Quote
crunchee Posted March 27 Posted March 27 (edited) 2 hours ago, Menehune said: Oh boy. Now that I'm the overly-proud owner of a checkerboard guitar strap. I need a checkerboard guitar. And checkerboard shoes, socks, trousers, shirt, tie, sport coat and short-billed cap. And then we get into the checkerboarded greasepaint on hands and neck and face. It's the madness of devout consistency. And if all else fails, you can always start a Ska band. Edited March 27 by crunchee 5 Quote
topekatj Posted March 28 Posted March 28 3 hours ago, Menehune said: Oh boy. Now that I'm the overly-proud owner of a checkerboard guitar strap. I need a checkerboard guitar. And checkerboard shoes, socks, trousers, shirt, tie, sport coat and short-billed cap. And then we get into the checkerboarded greasepaint on hands and neck and face. It's the madness of devout consistency. Madness, you say!? 6 Quote
Ham Rex Posted March 28 Posted March 28 19 hours ago, ChugD said: Hamer Custom Shop Vector V #2 Rick Nielsen Signature/Artist Signed Black & White Checkerboard 1983 w/OHSC https://reverb.com/item/95448773?utm_source=android-app&utm_medium=android-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=95448773 It is fun to look at. I remember a large controversy about this guitar when PAF sold it to GC and GC listed it for $10,000 and someone returned it to the store. It's not a real 4 digit and if I remember correctly not painted by Hamer. 3 1 Quote
diablo175 Posted March 28 Posted March 28 Yikes. 😬 Been wrestling in recent months with getting myself a V but it won't be this one, even with the cool 6-in-line Standard head stock. 2 Quote
DarkHammer Posted March 28 Posted March 28 11 hours ago, Ham Rex said: I remember a large controversy about this guitar when PAF sold it to GC and GC listed it for $10,000 and someone returned it to the store. It's not a real 4 digit and if I remember correctly not painted by Hamer. I remember that discussion with conclusion that guitar was a copy. Is this the same guitar? 1 Quote
cmatthes Posted March 28 Posted March 28 17 hours ago, Joe K said: Some dude about a week and a half ago posted on some FB Cheap Trick pages that he located “the eye.” The eye was a stage backdrop spotlight from the 1981 All Shook Up tour. I saw it in January ‘81. Anyway, he posted that he returned the eye to Rick Nielsen who gave him a signed checkerboard Hamer V. Bet you he’s trying to make $30K for locating the eye or he sold it underestimating its potential value and somebody else is trying to do it. $30K either way is still arguably and probably too much. No. Rick didn’t give somebody a checkerboard Hamer V. He gave them one of the three checkerboard Flying Vs that Gibson gave him close to a decade ago. He never really played any of those - live or otherwise, and although I’ve seen him show up at a Rock’n Vodka event a time or two wit one of the marching checkerboard Explorers that Gibson also gave him at the same time, I can’t say that I’ve ever seen him playing any of those onstage either. Although he hasn’t bashed them, the fact that he won’t play them, but has given a few away kind of speaks volumes about how they aren’t his Hamers. Rick does have a dead on copy of his Checkerboard Hamer V that was built by Mark Grant in the fall of 2022 (along with a second one built for Michael Adamany), and he’s been playing that live a good bit and it shows up regularly in his stage rack. It was built using his original V as a template and for measurements. His original hasn’t been onstage since the very early ‘80s. It currently resides at the Rockford Hard Rock Casino. The Reverb one has long been confirmed as a conversion by two of the people who would know (one is actually named “Hamer”), and I remember seeing it listed for sale in a VG classified in the ‘90s. It’s really cool, but not one of Rick’s and it didn’t leave the factory like that, 7 10 Quote
specialk Posted March 28 Posted March 28 (edited) Thanks,Chris, great pics! Question: Rick's cab? Asking for a friend Edited March 28 by specialk 2 Quote
cmatthes Posted March 28 Posted March 28 35 minutes ago, specialk said: Thanks,Chris, great pics! Question: Rick's cab? Asking for a friend Ha! No, that’s Mark’s shop and one of his cabs. 3 Quote
Ham Rex Posted March 28 Posted March 28 3 hours ago, DarkHammer said: I remember that discussion with conclusion that guitar was a copy. Is this the same guitar? Yes, the autograph and picture from "The Ultimate" book. 1 Quote
Ham Rex Posted March 28 Posted March 28 2 hours ago, cmatthes said: No. Rick didn’t give somebody a checkerboard Hamer V. He gave them one of the three checkerboard Flying Vs that Gibson gave him close to a decade ago. He never really played any of those - live or otherwise, and although I’ve seen him show up at a Rock’n Vodka event a time or two wit one of the marching checkerboard Explorers that Gibson also gave him at the same time, I can’t say that I’ve ever seen him playing any of those onstage either. Although he hasn’t bashed them, the fact that he won’t play them, but has given a few away kind of speaks volumes about how they aren’t his Hamers. Rick does have a dead on copy of his Checkerboard Hamer V that was built by Mark Grant in the fall of 2022 (along with a second one built for Michael Adamany), and he’s been playing that live a good bit and it shows up regularly in his stage rack. It was built using his original V as a template and for measurements. His original hasn’t been onstage since the very early ‘80s. It currently resides at the Rockford Hard Rock Casino. The Reverb one has long been confirmed as a conversion by two of the people who would know (one is actually named “Hamer”), and I remember seeing it listed for sale in a VG classified in the ‘90s. It’s really cool, but not one of Rick’s and it didn’t leave the factory like that, Chris, These pictures are amazing. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insight to our club, world and love of "Hamer"! Thanks! M 5 2 Quote
bry4321 Posted March 28 Posted March 28 So Gibson copied a Hamer copy of a Gibson? 🤪 Anyway I wonder if someone should let Diablo know, they seem like a reputable shop. 3 1 Quote
DarkHammer Posted March 29 Posted March 29 On 3/27/2026 at 5:00 PM, Menehune said: Oh boy. Now that I'm the overly-proud owner of a checkerboard guitar strap. I need a checkerboard guitar. And checkerboard shoes, socks, trousers, shirt, tie, sport coat and short-billed cap. And then we get into the checkerboarded greasepaint on hands and neck and face. It's the madness of devout consistency. Make sure you get the pants, they are a must! 3 3 Quote
ZR Posted March 29 Posted March 29 So true! Here I am playing in my full checkered outfit. It takes awhile to get everything perfectly lined up, but you can barely see me. 😝😄 12 Quote
cmatthes Posted March 29 Posted March 29 On 3/28/2026 at 2:39 PM, bry4321 said: So Gibson copied a Hamer copy of a Gibson? 🤪 Anyway I wonder if someone should let Diablo know, they seem like a reputable shop. No. Again. The Diablo Hamer didn’t leave the factory anything like that. Also, Gibson built Rick 3 Explorers and 3 Flying Vs several years ago, after the demise of Hamer. Rick gave (or sold/traded) one of those to the guy who found the Tour prop Eye. It wasn’t a Gibson copy of a Hamer, just a checkerboard finished, off the line Flying V. I’m not sure Diablo cares to know the truth if it would mess up their sale. 2 2 Quote
RobB Posted March 30 Posted March 30 10 hours ago, DarkHammer said: Make sure you get the pants, they are a must! Damn. Bun could really bring the thunder. Funny how the audience sits on their hands until Robin steps up, and they realize what song they're doing. 7 Quote
crunchee Posted March 31 Posted March 31 (edited) On 3/29/2026 at 8:55 AM, DarkHammer said: Make sure you get the pants, they are a must! You can find some through Walmart (no affiliation) on the cheap: Chef Code Modern Fit Unisex Cargo Chef Pants, Elastic Waist, Checkered White, L - Walmart.com Chef Code Modern Fit Chef Pants with Zipper Fly, Checkered White, L - Walmart.com Edited March 31 by crunchee 1 1 2 Quote
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