Interesting old Special on Ebay UK

[Rhys]

This was apparently made for Billy Bremner of Dave Edmunds Rockpile fame. Unfortunately it's not one of the ones with the Dan Armstrong style headstock. Don't know if the tremolo unit is original or added at a later date.

(I have not connection with the seller, I just thought it might be of interest on the forum).

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HAMER-SPECIAL-GUITAR...%3A1|240%3A1318

[Jem]

The only trem that Hamer had around that time was the sustain block so as that's got some kind of lock down top and bottom it'll be retrofit.

[serial]

Can't see the pics (blocked here), but it would be easy enough to check out. I have all of the records on the guitars through 1980 around.

[cmatthes]

Definitely an aftermarket trem, but the pics are so small that I can't really tell if it is a regular Floyd or an earlier, non-fine tuner model. It does have the Checkerboard logo.

Rhys - Bremner's "Dan Armstrong" headstock was a Sunburst, not a Special. He did play at least one Special (in sunburst finish) that I know about as well, but don't recall a red one.

[Andrew]

Can't see the pics (blocked here), but it would be easy enough to check out. I have all of the records on the guitars through 1980 around.

Billy's Special was BLUE METALLIC that he can be seen using in some videos - it was available for sale a few years ago and had faded a little, but the seller kept up a story about it being made for Billy Gibbons. (It had 'BILLY' on the truss rod cover.)

See here for the DA headstock Sunburst:

http://www.hamerfanclub.com/images/2xsun.jpg

[serial]

Can't see the pics (blocked here), but it would be easy enough to check out. I have all of the records on the guitars through 1980 around.

Billy's Special was BLUE METALLIC that he can be seen using in some videos - it was available for sale a few years ago and had faded a little, but the seller kept up a story about it being made for Billy Gibbons. (It had 'BILLY' on the truss rod cover.)

See here for the DA headstock Sunburst:

http://www.hamerfanclub.com/images/2xsun.jpg

I remember that one. There are pics in the b/w '82/83 Hamer catalog of Billy with the Blue Special.

[Rhys]

The tremolo looks like one of the very first Floyds (without fine tuners) to me. The thing that makes me think it wasn't fitted at a later date is the locking nut - it's in the correct place rather than behind the nut attached to the headstock as they tend to be when fitted at a later date.

Though, as usual, I could be wrong.......

I knew (thanks to this very site) that the Dan Armstrong headstock Hamers were Sunbursts, I just meant it was a shame this special wasn't made with one too. That headstock is just SO cool.

[Jem]

No matter how much i enhance it i can't see the serial number. Oh, and did they make 4 digit Specials ?