cmatthes Posted February 8, 2010 Posted February 8, 2010 http://cgi.ebay.com/Hamer-Californian-Flam...=item3359ff8be3I've only seen this color once before - it's called "Smoke Gray". I've got a flamed Chap bass in that finish.Pretty cool, but shame the seller doesn't have the other parts!
atquinn Posted February 8, 2010 Posted February 8, 2010 I was wondering if that was legit! Unfortunately the only thing rarer than a Cali body is a Cali neck.-Austin
esquared Posted February 8, 2010 Posted February 8, 2010 Didnt you see the pictures? The seller has the cali neck mounted on a 3 hole 60s Fender strat... Just kidding.Might take a long time to find a neck, but it looks like there is lots of interested in the body???
Bennyboy-UK Posted February 8, 2010 Posted February 8, 2010 Is that quite an old one - with the centreline strap button?B
Jem Posted February 8, 2010 Posted February 8, 2010 Is that quite an old one - with the centreline strap button?BWell it has a centre strap button, but it's been refurbed so it could have been changed, although i can't see a mark where the redundant hole would have been so yes, it could be an older one like yours.
Jason01 Posted February 8, 2010 Posted February 8, 2010 Thats going to make someone a happy cali owner.
proxmax Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 i'm not sure if it is legit. never saw that beltpin position at a cali. compare foreign pic from ebay! all my calis are like this!
Jem Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 They changed the button location up a bit sometime over '89, much better balance. I'd say it's legit although it has been repainted. Mind you, even if it was not 'Hamer' produced (which it is or someone has been very painstaking in their woodwork) the wood alone would cost $200 and up so, anything under $400 would be a realistic price if you look at it from that angle.
Jason01 Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 Just curious but what makes you say its a refin?
Jem Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 Just curious but what makes you say its a refin? A few things Jason: Firstly the neck pocket - Hamer always used to hang their bolt on's by a batten for painting. If you take the neck off you'll see that there's an area (normally on the left hand side) in the pocket that hasn't got any paint on it....this one's fully painted. Secondly the copper foil - why do this when they were painted with sheilding paint. I've never had any problems with shielding on a Hamer even when i used to use a transmitter. (although i never did play an airforce base ) Thirdly, if you look at the picture taken from the arse end there's a very distinct line where the body joins. You can get this when you use a dye to colour it - Hamer, as far as i'm aware, always used tinted clear coat. And lastly - it just doesn't look right, i may be wrong but it just doesn't look like a factory finish.
proxmax Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 i have to apologize:my 89 maple cali has the button at that position,the others don't - like i wrote.but: up to 89 calis were not painted with shielding paint.
gatorbyte007 Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 This is a cool body, It is worth every bit of $500.00 bucks. 2 months ago I sold a plain White Usa Cali Body for 300.00. I had a few people ask if it was a copy, I was told Ed Roman had some of these made up in Quilt And flame years ago. they were copied right from a Hamer body. But his builder never used the brass inserts for the pickup mounting. So the buyer asked for a closeup pic of the cavity. very interesting... Jem is correct about the paddle mark in the neck pocket. Allso the foil is strange. But I have seen more than a few Hamers that were not Sheilded. could be a 1 off. But who in there right Mind would have taken it apart. And it looks like its brand new. You would have to inspect this one in person and really know what to look for... Happy Bidding!!!!!
Jem Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 Just for info the brass inserts are Ez-Loc 4/40's, if anyone's got a Toad Roman body about Steve, as i said earlier, i'd charge 400Gbp to make a body like that for someone so it's easily worth the money it's on at the moment and let's face it, if it is a refin thank god whoever did it didn't slap loads of tung oil over the body like those poor fixed neck Chaps we see around !
Jason01 Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 Thats some good info Jem, thanks! Good thing its backwards for me or I might be tempted to make a twin of mine.
Bennyboy-UK Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 Jem=Calipedia!Top knowledgemonger, without all the mucky muck!B... Could be a benny-project here!Reckon that finish would come off...?B
BadgerDave Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 Quick word of caution to anyone who may be considering picking up this body and adding a Warmoth or Stat neck. The intonation will be off. I purchased what may have been the last Cali neck sold on ebay several years ago to use on this: I had to order the body with a custom bridge placement. The standard rout would not work with the Cali neck. IIRC the bridge had to be moved 5/8" closer to the neck pocket. So, if you don't have a Cali neck, you'll likely need to do some major modifications to the body or neck to get the intonation right. I don't know if a Diablo or Chap neck would work. I'm pretty certain a Daytona neck wouldn't.
esquared Posted February 9, 2010 Posted February 9, 2010 I think a Chap neck would work, with the 24 frets it just doesnt have the extra three angled frets which extend out past the end of the neck???I had asked the seller some questions about the body and this is the questions and response I got:Hello,Is this an original body and color that has just had the hardware and neck removed or is this a refinish?Do you know where or what happened to the neck? Any chance you know what the serial number was?ThanksResponse:This is a original body but not a orignal color. No idea were the neck is. And there are no numbers on it. I got it from someone just the way it is. He got it from someone who used to work at Hamer. Thanks
LadyScary Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 perfect i've got a couple of spare cali necks around
proxmax Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 so go for it - i'm sure you'll present us a great guitar! good luck! i'll stay away
Jem Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 I think a Chap neck would work, with the 24 frets it just doesnt have the extra three angled frets which extend out past the end of the neck??? Response: This is a original body but not a orignal color. No idea were the neck is. And there are no numbers on it. I got it from someone just the way it is. He got it from someone who used to work at Hamer. Thanks Well that's cleared that up then Esquared - a Chap, Centuara or Diablo neck will work. What's important is not the scale length but the actual measurement from the nut break to where the heel end's in relationship to the body. Hamer's are 19" - i would pressume Strat's and Tele's are less becouse of less fret's. I've got a Cali that's testament to this as the guy, according to BCR, tried to fit the neck to a strat - even sawing off the last three frets ! - but even after that and he got it on he found out that not all 25.5" scale necks are the same ! Oh, this is also why if you see a 24 fret conversion neck for a Strat (do they still do things like this ?), the extra frets extend beyond the neck heel. but: up to 89 calis were not painted with shielding paint. This i wasn't aware of, in my mind i thought they started in '87 and seeing i was in a hotel in Vienna at the time of writing i didn't have anything to check on. As i don't like floyd nuts that are bolted from the back all of my Cali's are after they changed. Anyway - seller's cleared it all up now.
proxmax Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 all my 89 hamers had no shielding paint.no i found in my archive even some 90ies without.my 91s all have it.but who knows - hamer is a custom shop.
veatch Posted February 12, 2010 Posted February 12, 2010 When it comes to Cali's i don't question Jem.But my '89 did not have shielding paint either...
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