Hamer USA customs-Californian and Virtuoso avail?

[tritheory]

Anyone know if you can have the custom shop make a USA Californian or Virtuoso?

Thanks,

Steve

[edgar_allan_poe]

LOL!! Sure....you got 10K?

[serial]

Much cheaper to buy an original of either, even if they WOULD build one.

[Nuclear Wessel]

This topic should dominate the top spot on the board for a while.

[cmatthes]

After playing Hamerica's Virt over the weekend, I can certainly see why somebody would go to some expense to do that, but as far as I know, all requests to build one in the last 8 years have not gotten off the ground. I guess you could always talk to your favorite dealer and see if they can get it worked out.

I'd expect that the $10k number wouldn't be too far off though. Probably easier and cheaper to try to find something already out there!

[JohnnyB]

I'd expect that the $10k number wouldn't be too far off though.  Probably easier and cheaper to try to find something already out there!

Especially since Joe Barberi has 3 Virts for sale, not cheap, but a lot less than $10K.

[tritheory]

Spoke with Mr. Keller at Hamer today...Said no on the custom shop californian or virtuoso...Didn't realize they sold for that much...They really are nice.

Dont want to get flamed on this board, but...

I guess if you want a custom shop guitar with a floyd these days, Jackson, ESP are the companies to look in to for SHREDDER Type guitars?

If anyone has a californian elite or chaparral elite that they are looking to sell let me know....

Thanks,

Steve

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[silentman]

There are other companies out there: Tom Anderson, Suhr, and Robyn will make shredder style axes.

[darc]

All of a sudden I'm wondering whether Greg could fabricate a "prosthetic" for frets 30-36 of Joe's Korina Virt. I'll bet he could.

[cmatthes]

I don't think that would be too tough to do - the biggest issue with that one is that I think it was routed for a Humbucker.

Trying to remember if that was a Sustainblock one - I think it was/is...

[Inazone]

If you want something close to a Californian, I guess a Caparison Horus would be worth looking into. The only American dealer is Guitar Asylum, and the Horus has a 24.75" scale length, but it does have the same 27-fret layout (angled fretboard, slanted neck pickup) as a Cali, and with Schaller trem. I'm sure you could get one under $2K new.

If I had the cash, I'd jump on a Horus despite the scale length, but I also have two Californians already, and have been able to get by fine with "only" 24 frets on my Jacksons.

[ArnieZ]

Joe sold his Virts and celestial Chapp as a package, if I remember correctly, to help defray the cost of his midlife crisis/divorce Ferrari he bought

ArnieZ

[tritheory]

Those are the guitars that Killswitch Engage uses...I didn't know you could get those in the USA...Mr. Keller said not enough of a push for floyd guitars and Joel doesn't want to go back to the eighties....lol....

Steve

[JohnnyB]

All of a sudden I'm wondering whether Greg could fabricate a "prosthetic" for frets 30-36 of Joe's Korina Virt.  I'll bet he could.

It may be modified, but on the other hand, that one is korina with a sustain block bridge. That's almost enough to trump the modifications.

The frets that were shaved off are the "barely playable" range, and a full-size humbucker (especially if it's splittable) would provide loads of tonal possibilities.

[JohnnyB]

Joe sold his Virts and celestial Chapp as a package, if I remember correctly, to help defray the cost of his midlife crisis/divorce Ferrari he bought

ArnieZ

You mean this Ferrari?

I know Joe listed the Virts on eBay, but never knew if he sold them. Are you pretty sure he sold the lot together?

Hmmm...Fung perhaps?

[tritheory]

Any pics of the virtuoso's anywhere? Would be cool to see them...

$1699 with case for Caparison Horn from guitar asylum...

Steve

[Guest galejt]

WTF?

[Jason01]

Go on ebay and look at the completed auctions with the key word Hamer, you'll see them.

[JohnnyB]

Go on ebay and look at the completed auctions with the key word Hamer, you'll see them.

I looked, and didn't see them, other than the Improv that didn't sell. Didn't see the Fath, the Virts, or Chap. Did a search for Hamer Virtuoso in completed auctions; didn't find it there, either.

[mattb]

I think there was a thread about who bought them on the museum. They didnt go to Mr. fung if I remember correctly.

-MattB

[Jeff R]

If you want a custom shredder and have that deep of pockets, I'd go to Jackson and see what they say.

Go to www.jacksonguitars.com and check out the photos of stuff coming out of their custom shop lately. If they make a King V with "Jenna Jameson givin' head to the guitar's bridge" graphics, they can surely extend a fretboard.

FYI, the original Jackson Phil Collins model, was a neckthru with a 27 fret fingerboard.

[darc]

Tried and failed to find the Museum thread concerning the outcome of Joe's sale. I would love to see that Korina Virt in person one day, and I'm hoping it didn't wind up on a boat/ plane to Japan.

[silentman]

http://hamermusuem.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1180

[serial]

Someone could have a dozen Virts and not have the greatest Hamer collection, although it is always cool to hear other people getting into the funky stuff. Although I'd guess that one HFC member has the coolest and most varied collection of Hamers, I imagine it'd be a long time before any real ground would be lost. Peter's been in the game a long time from when these things were cheap and he knows Hamers well.

There are several other people who keep a much lower profile and rarely post online anywhere who have some killer collections though.

[MCChris]

FYI, the original Jackson Phil Collins model, was a neckthru with a 27 fret fingerboard.

I believe it was known as the "Su-su-sudio" model.