JJ Paul Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 Pics soon, I promise. The buyer is still away on holiday so I have some more time to spend w/it. Original pics didn't do justice to the one piece flatsawn pinstripey maple top. It's just amazing in a very sober way - must be the effect of the darkburst. The finish has begun to sink in the pores, giving it a very lived-in vibe. The clarity of this guitar's tones reminds me of an 8k (euro) braz R9 that I had a chance to try out not too long ago. Eur 8k (store price, BTW) is sensibly above $10k (note: prices are much higher over here because of 20% VAT)... and I really think those prices are way overdone. Of course I'd want Hamers to see those lofty prices in the future, like all of you, so let's hope the whole "market" collectively realizes that these are amazing instruments! But I am digressing... The "downs" of the specific guitar are that the pots are really hard to turn....hmmm...tone pot looks new and there are traces of new solder. And... she's lacking an original OHSC, all of which may cause some little flack w/ the final owner. Any idea if the original OHSCs are easy to find? What would be it's proper one? Pics later... gotta go and retrieve my camera somewhere where my niece hid it during her stay
JJ Paul Posted August 23, 2006 Author Posted August 23, 2006 Body Detail Another shot at the body The figuring / flames is really sump'n...from certain angles it almost looks like narrow quilt or even a blistertop
Gabe Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 Very nice, Paul. It is like my Sunburst (serial no. 9 0888), that is honey-coloured, but has the same kind of flame, from some angles it looks like a tigerstripe. My pots have the same problem that they are rather hard to turn. I tried some oil, but the effect doesn't last long. Anyone have a solution for this? Maybe graphite spray could help? Gabe Edited to correct the serial no. (hey it's exactly 50 guitars away from Paul's!)
JJ Paul Posted August 23, 2006 Author Posted August 23, 2006 Very nice, Paul.It is like my Sunburst (serial no. 9 0880), that is honey-coloured, but has the same kind of flame, from some angles it looks like a tigerstripe. ... Gabe The thing is that if G*bs*n uses a top like that the whole darn guitar is immediately worth like $4k. Drives me friggin' insane...
Disturber Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 Very nice, Paul.My pots have the same problem that they are rather hard to turn. I tried some oil, but the effect doesn't last long.Anyone have a solution for this? Maybe graphite spray could help?Never ever spray oil in pots!!! That will cause dustto clog up and will with time make them very noisyand at one point probably go all bad. The oil is probablythe reason it gets stiff again.Only use contact spray without oil, made for fine electronics.Spraying a little in the pot almost always loosens anytightness and should make them easier to turn.One little spray usually gets them going for longover a year.
tafkathundernotes Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 The top is actually a veneer about 3mm thick. I have Sunburst # 9 1257, but yours is in better condition. Very nice guitar you have there.
serial Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 Honestly, I don't think that the tops are more than 1mm thick (if that). They are made from maple veneer sheets which are not much thicker than heavy grade paper, but they look fantastic.That Sunburst is beautiful!
tafkathundernotes Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 Wow! That thin?Maybe that's why they sound so good - not enough maple to alter the tone characteristics of the mahogany. I wish they'd do it again!
belgian Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 Great looker, Paul !!It will be hard to hand it over to the buyer.As what concerns the pots, on my '78 I've just changed them with new Hamer pots. I don't think it makes a lot of difference in the value of the guitar, if it has new or old pots. In fact I think the new Hamer pots with the different taper are better than the original ones.The original pots weren't stamped Hamer, the only clue is the production date that you can read on the pots.
JJ Paul Posted August 23, 2006 Author Posted August 23, 2006 Honestly, I don't think that the tops are more than 1mm thick (if that). They are made from maple veneer sheets which are not much thicker than heavy grade paper, but they look fantastic.That Sunburst is beautiful! Interesting indeed.I recently saw a factory in Germany that makes some of the world's most beautiful veneers."Industry Standard" for these is appx 10" wide... was Hamer slicing it's own stuff?JJ
serial Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 Hmmm, that's the ONE question that I don't think I've asked yet! I know that the rough bodies came up from Tom Holmes through '79, but I don't know if they were bound and topped. I always assumed that they were, since I know that Hamer guys actually scraped the binding. I've never seen a reference to them doing the rest of the rough work. I also assumed that since Sunburst production pretty much stopped when the Holmes thing fell through-hence the Special, which was the only guitar coming out of the regular shop for a long time in 1980.
JJ Paul Posted August 23, 2006 Author Posted August 23, 2006 Hmmm, that's the ONE question that I don't think I've asked yet! I know that the rough bodies came up from Tom Holmes through '79, but I don't know if they were bound and topped. I always assumed that they were, since I know that Hamer guys actually scraped the binding. I've never seen a reference to them doing the rest of the rough work. I also assumed that since Sunburst production pretty much stopped when the Holmes thing fell through-hence the Special, which was the only guitar coming out of the regular shop for a long time in 1980. I went through the description of the model (in the links above). I like how they use the term "overlay" to describe the lowly veneer ! Are we talking about "that" Tom Holmes, BTW? JJ
Hamerica Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 Very, very nice. Hope you enjoy her. Yes, that Tom Holmes.
Guest pirateflynn Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 Great guitar. I love those Sunbursts!
gregc Posted August 23, 2006 Posted August 23, 2006 I think I remember Jol telling me the tops were .10"What's that, bout 2.3 mills?
JJ Paul Posted August 23, 2006 Author Posted August 23, 2006 2.54 mils, to be nit-picky (and swiss) JJ
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