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*************Californian Fan Club***************


ton13

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gibsongeek:

I believe, that the last MIK's before they pulled the plug at the Korean Cort facility did not have the Slammer Series. That would make sense with the condition of your Californian maybe. It also looks more like a Deluxe?

Maybe they removed the Slammer Series the same time they added the USA to the headstock's? This is just a wild guess and I have not read this.

I heard the same that 'Slammer Series' was removed in the latter stages of Korean production.

US Hamers only have USA added to the headstock as far as I know.

Was a lovely pink yeah - much better in real life than the pic shows, thx

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What's a Deluxe? Mine looks like an Elite, but I was under the impression non-USA models are not called Elite, even though they look the same (neck binding, boomerangs). Hell, I dunno, I tend to obsess over new (to me) instruments until I learn all about them. Guitars, effects, etc... perhaps its a disorder lol. I appreciate the info.

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The first post has a good history. Many of the upper end Californians had the boomerang inlays and I have not seen them on imports. It must have been one of the later ones at the Korean factory. It;s very nice.

I did a little dabble with FL Studio. Not great, but much better than a $100 guitar I think.

Californian History

While Hamer was undergoing its business restructuring, the company continued to roll out more progressive models in '87, including two high-performance models in the Strat style, the Californian and the Virtuoso.

The Californian was basically a hot-rodded version of the Chapparal, but with a slightly downsized mahogany body that shared the same contoured offset double-cutaway profile. To increase access up the neck, the cutaways were scalloped. Hamer literature touted the added sonic resonance of solid mahogany "...that cannot be obtained by a neck-through design," a clear dig at competition such as the high-end guitars of Kramer and Jackson. The rock maple neck was bolted on and had a droopy Hamer six-in-line headstock. To facilitate real pyrotechnics, the Californian featured an extended fingerboard, slanted trebleward to 27 frets! The scale was Fender-style at 251/2". The Californian was outfitted with a bridge humbucker and slanted neck single-coil, either Hamer Slammers or OBLs. Controls included a volume knob set below the picking position on the strings and a three-way select down under the bridge, set at the angle your hand would take when reaching down to switch. The bridge system was double-locking Floyd Rose.

Initially there were two Californians available, the Standard and the Custom, both bolt-necks. The Standard had a rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays and Slammer pickups, the Custom had an ebony fingerboard with boomerang inlays and Seymour Duncan pickups.

In '90 the Californian line changed around slightly. The Standard remained as before. What had been the Custom was now renamed the Californian Elite, still with a bolt-neck, ebony fingerboard, and boomerangs. The Elite had either OBL, EMG, or Duncan pickups. This had a figured maple body option. The Californian Custom switched to a glued-neck design, with a heel-less neck joint. In around '90, only some Californians were equipped with a Sustainiac pickup and circuitry.

In '91, a Californian Doubleneck was offered. This was similar to the Elite, but with six-string and 12-string necks, both glued-in. The top neck featured a straight headstock, the lower a droopy. This was available until '97, when the factory moved.

The Californian Standard lasted from '87 to '91. The glued-neck Custom was available until '92 or '93, although the concept would live on.

In '92, only a Californian 12-String was offered, basically an Elite with a figured maple top and fixed bridge. Also, the Californian Deluxe was added. It had the same styling but featured an alder body with a bolt-on maple neck. The fingerboard was ebony, with pearl dots and boomerangs on the third and twelfth frets. Hardware was gold. Pickups were stacked-coil active EMG humbuckers. The volume control was push/pull and served as a coil tap. The Californian Deluxe was also available until '96.

By '96 only the Californian Elite (Model GCAE) was left. This had a mahogany body and bolt-on maple neck. The fingerboard was unbound ebony with boomerangs. The headstock was droopy. Cutaways were scalloped. Pickups were Duncan Trembucker and Tremstack. A locking Floyd Rose vibrato completed the picture. Finish options at the time were black, Aztec gold, cherry transparent, emerald green, and natural.

Around '98, coincident with Hamer's relocation, the Californian became a Korean import, which we'll discuss in due time.

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It could mean it's an early Slammer or the model after the Slammer Series. I had my SLAMMER SERIES logo removed (see below)...

09Second-modification_headstock.jpg

And here's my Diablo pre-mod (original) then modded (Trem rout fill, Gotoh FR upgrade, EMG HZ's p-ups upgrade & Pink paint)...

Cost with Mods over £700 (GBP) & eBayed for a measly £230...

Vic, I really liked your Concrete Sox recordings from your link. I have always liked a metal guitar sound with a dominant bright high end. Probably due to my liking of jangly Post Punk especially out of Manchester.

Your guitar sound reminds me of the band Coroner, which I always have liked. What are you using in the recording? I may have missed that on your page.

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Vic, I really liked your Concrete Sox recordings from your link. I have always liked a metal guitar sound with a dominant bright high end. Probably due to my liking of jangly Post Punk especially out of Manchester.

Your guitar sound reminds me of the band Coroner, which I always have liked. What are you using in the recording? I may have missed that on your page.

Aww man! Thanks for that...

On the 1st album 'Your Turn Next' [1985] (recorded at Pavilion Studios, Nottingham [8 track]) I used a £20.00 Harmony Les Paul copy with a Boss HM2 for the rhythm & a £20.00 Hondo II strat copy with Boss HM2 & a Crybaby Wah-Wah for the lead. Third album 'Whoops Sorry Vicar! [1987] would have been a Charvel-Jackson through a HiWatt 100 head (both borrowed) & again at Pavilion Studio but on 16-track. I'd not been playing a year when I wrote/recorded the 1st album - never had lessons that's why my fingering is so odd :P

The new line-up is going back to this style of music once I've cleared up a legal issue with a b'stard of an ex-member...

PS: I never heard Coroner but will check them out

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damn vic, you looked pretty wild in the 60ies.

(and still, congrats!)

Sixties? SIXTIES? B) 80's man, EIGHTIES :P

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I found and purchased the correct locking nuts for my MIK cali from this thread which I appreciate a lot.

Does anyone know the size or can provide a link to the Tremelo Bar for these imports that use the "Licensed by Floyd"?

Thanks,

Greg

61995010.jpg

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I want a whammy so bad for this guitar that I would listen to a top 40 music station for an hour in return. Just wish I knew what size I needed to get.

Should be standard 6mm threaded by the looks of it. Plenty cheap on eBay...

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Thanks Vic. I'll do that.

I'd kinda measure the thread width first dude. In my experience, any collared 6mm Floyd-type (replacement) trem-bar will do. Some have 5.5mm or even 5mm threads, but in my experience, it's always been 6mm...

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Thanks Vic. I'll do that.

I'd kinda measure the thread width first dude. In my experience, any collared 6mm Floyd-type (replacement) trem-bar will do. Some have 5.5mm or even 5mm threads, but in my experience, it's always been 6mm...

It's probably pretty remote that it's not 6 like you elude but I will check the best I can. I want to order today and get back ASAP. I am a left handed but right handed playing guitarist and I can get out of hand with the vibrato and string bending. This MIK stays in near perfect tune, even the g string, for long periods of time. Can't wait to get the whammy.

Thanks

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well, just received a PM, confirming three snakeskin Virtuosos - the catalog ice pearl one has been found. Mine isn't that one; it's a twin, and made two years after the catalog one, which is an '89. And there's that crazy rainbow snakeskin left-handed Virt with the 2" nut width...

My first Hamer was an MIK Californian. I threw out all the hardware and installed Sperzel tuners, a Floyd Pro bridge and nut, and Seymour Duncan Trembucker pickups. It was a very nicely made guitar, and the only Californian you could get with a 24.75" scale. I sold it a couple years ago; not sure if I should have done that, but I wasn't playing it.

I thought *I* had been obsessed with the Californian, but the OP has me beat by a mile. Nice info! Except....the Doubleneck. Come on, post up pics of those!! The neck pickup on the 12 string neck has since been changed to a Full Shred (was a '59), but I might go back to a '59 if they can wind one on a Full Shred bobbin. The '59 was actually a bit hotter; important because I usually play that pickup coil-tapped.

Hamer_Californian_2.jpg

Photo_Dat00019Photo0009-1.jpg

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we need some more pix!

Those are both great shots. My fist guitar Hero, Alex Lifeson, used a double necked Gibson I believe, and the electric 12 string melodies were many of my favorite parts of Rush's early concept albums, like Cinderella man and closer to the heart. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands ushering in the 80's followed by the LA bands rarely if every played double necked guitars. Only the guitarist that were maybe a little older might have used them, so it is is stuck in many minds that the Double Neck is kind of a 70's relic or icon. It is an awesome thing to have and I wish I could run across one in a pawn shop...........which is still the best place to find steals imo :lol:.

Great shots!

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i've only owned 1 cali, i didn't dig it. but i'd love to try another, esp a sparkley one.

Wow! What's there not to like? :lol: Are you talking from a $ standpoint or just didn't care for it period.

My goal now is to obtain a good priced diablo somewhere and do whatever needs to be done, if anything. I think many of the Cali's are probably overpriced just from my own situation with a son in college. Plus I like Alder.

Nice guitar's keep them coming.

we need some more pix!

cali89.jpg

Dam... I love full maple bodies... I need this!!!

Kev

Yes this is a dream guitar for maple lovers, me. Bet is plays like butter.

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There used to be a music store here in Charlotte called Reliable Music, back in the late 80's they had a really cool Californian. If I recall it was a candy apply red, maybe a bit darker, and had several skull holograms on the top side. That's the only way I know to describe it. It had a reverse headstock and some boomers. I wish I had thought to take a picture of it. I have wondered where that guitar ended up. :lol:

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I remeber a tribal/zulu Cali at a music store in Tacoma, Monte Vista Guitar, it's been out of business for more than 10 years. During their going out of business sale that Cali was on sale for around $1200, that seemed like a lot at the time. That guitar has got to be around somewhere.

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i've only owned 1 cali, i didn't dig it. but i'd love to try another, esp a sparkley one.

Wow! What's there not to like? :lol: Are you talking from a $ standpoint or just didn't care for it period.

i got a good deal on it, but it didn't sound/play/look cool enough. i like thinner necks and lower action, i tried adjusting the neck/bridge, but couldn't get it to buttah territory.

There used to be a music store here in Charlotte called Reliable Music

i remember reliable!! do you remember "rehearsalot"? i was the owner/operator.

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