WTB: Mint 85-87 Candy Apple Red Neck-Through Chaparall

[cmatthes]

Talk to Stike at ROWYCO Kustoms.

[Lagunascorpio]

I'll look into that, thanks!

Can anyone on the board attest to whether the Jim O'Connor painted guitars had the same paint formulation/consistency as Hamer factory painted guitars?

Has anyone on the board ever seen a Chap in the same (factory) red color I've shown in my photos?

[coolfeel]

Have you tried to contact the person you sold your guitar too? Maybe they would want to sell it back to you?

[Lagunascorpio]

Have you tried to contact the person you sold your guitar too? Maybe they would want to sell it back to you?

Sold it 20 years ago in a galaxy far far away. I honestly don't even remember who it was even though it was one of my many guitar students at the time.

[Andrew]

The soft feeling is due to damage to the cellulose nitrate paint, which would normally feel quite hard. I believe several silicone polishes cause softening of the lacquer and have witnessed several guitars with a tacky, soft feel. I don't know if waxes have a similar effect but they could also wreck the finish ultimately with build up.

I will cause controversy here but NEVER put anything on a cellulose nitrate (nitro) finish, just lightly polish it. Ignore the hype about guitar polishes - many companies exist to sell you shite that is of no value or use.

Jim O'Connor graphics are usually finished in a clear coat of nitro the same as the Hamer paintshop. I don't know what he used for the graphic itself and it probably varied according to the pattern.

The usual colour for Chaparrals was metallic Candy Red or non-metallic Ferrari Red. I have seen a darker non-metallic red finish than Ferrari Red on them but I don't know what it was called.

[murkat]

Just checked his site. Really nice work.

It seemed "soft" with no lacquer clear coat over it... almost a "rubbery" feel. Can anyone back me up on that?

Is that original paint process something that can be replicated?

Thank you:)

What Andrew says below

I suppose...

The soft feeling is due to damage to the cellulose nitrate paint, which would normally feel quite hard. I believe several silicone polishes cause softening of the lacquer and have witnessed several guitars with a tacky, soft feel.

^ this.

here are plenty of botch products out there that F up a nitro lacquer finish to go soft.

I have not experienced too many, very few Hamer nitro finishes that have "turned" due to

Owner's application of who knows what.

Plenty of Gibsons thou. While resident at the Gibson custom Shop, Pro shop department,

Guitars would come in attempting a warranty refin due to the owners negligence.

Some would get honored, most would not when questioned appropriately with key questions.

A reoccurring question around here is what to clean a guitar finish with... (naptha)

Also, polish.

Cleaning and polishing are two different applications.

Most owners do not take that into consideration,

end result a buildup of a nasty polish that turns a finish into a soft sticky gummy mess.

[coolfeel]

In terms of the finish on the Chaps, when I got my 86 Chap new in 86, the original finish of the guitar was indeed different. I don't know the official name of the finish but it was a Candy Apple red type finish with some metal flake in it. The finish seemed to be very thin, the pores of the Mahogany were apparant through the finish, and the finish wore very quickly on the back of the guitar - around the tummy bevel. I have seen the same wear pattern on other original finish Chaps from that era. I actually liked the finish and thought it was neat how I could see the pores, it gave the finish a somewhat textured appearance - it just didn't last long and I took really good care of my geetar...

[Lagunascorpio]

VERY interesting info, guys.

So my guitar then was the non-metallic Ferrari red. Amazing that you said this because I am a huge Ferrari fan and I was just telling my wife that I was sure my old Hamer was the same color.

Was it really the exact paint formulation (Rosso Corsa) used on Ferrari vehicles... or just something "really close"?

Very helpful!

[carfish7]

Here is another Chappy in the Ferrari red for confirmation:

Not a hint of metallic in it.

[cmatthes]

My FIRST Hamer was a Ferrari Red Special. Love that color!

[Lagunascorpio]

Here is another Chappy in the Ferrari red for confirmation:

Not a hint of metallic in it.

Most excellent. Thanks. I definitely prefer how the set neck version causes the same red color to appear as accents on the headstock. Can't get enough of that red.

This guitar throws me though because it has 2 switches. I thought 1st gen had 3 switches and 2nd gen had none. I guess these switches were a custom mod.

[cmatthes]

Those are for the Sustainiac. They're stock!