Checking on the Provenance of a Rare Hamer Californian

Thanks to Doug (Hbom), I ended up with the black USA Californian with a maple fretboard, signed by Ted Nugent.

But tonight I finally got around to watching Damn Yankees Live in Japan 1993, and Tommy Shaw is playing a black Californian with a maple board.

http://youtu.be/vCkjMvztu2Y

Now, as I understand it, the one Doug helped me acquire was a guitar won in a contest, Ted Nugent played it on stage (in Alaska? I'm not clear on this), and the contest winner got to ride in the limousine and everything. I got the pictures as part of the deal, helping prove the signature is real.

But the guitar I have is so similar to the one Tommy Shaw is playing, I just have to ask: is there any connection? Did Tommy Shaw see the contest guitar and liked it so much that he ordered one made for him to play?

They can't be the same guitar, of course, because Ted signed mine in '91, and Tommy was playing his in Japan in '93...

We know there aren't very many maple-fretboard Californians. Mine, and FGJ's green one are the only ones I've seen on this board.

Does anyone know what happened to the one Tommy Shaw was playing in that concert in Japan?

Does he still have it?

If not, did someone else buy it? (Peter, I'm looking at you...)

Anyway, here are my pictures...can't remember if I ever posted them or not.

A couple of differences, maybe, as I watch the video:

I think Tommy's has a bit of sparkle to his black paint job, and I think he has normal pole pieces on his humbucker...

Your Cali is de-lovely! De-goregeous! Congrats!

Sure looks like Tommy's guitar to me. Same pickup and all from what I can tell. Maybe Teddy signed it for Tommy for posterity...

You know what a maple boarded Cali needs? Ebony boomerangs! /emoticons/default_smile.png

That signature will wipe right off you know.......... /emoticons/default_laugh.png

Nice one!

Tres Aardvarks said:

You know what a maple boarded Cali needs? Ebony boomerangs! /emoticons/default_smile.png

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This /\

This is the second time lately that that beat up piece of crap has come back to remind me of what a dumb sheet I am.

But I was much younger then, and didn't know better.

Nathan, I think it would be a much happier guitar if it got played once in a while. /emoticons/default_rolleyes.gif

Lesson #1: Just because its cool doesn't mean you need it.

Nathan that guitar is simplicity at is best.

It's getting played more these days, Doug...

bubs_42 said:

Lesson #1: Just because its cool doesn't mean you need it.

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And I'm not a fan of guitars with levers on the front.

Or standards, or pointy guitars.

But the more I hang around here, I get this G.A.S.y feeling, even for guitars I am pretty sure I wouldn't play.

Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame said:

It's getting played more these days, Doug...

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Glad to hear it Nathan, she'd be a closet queen around here for sure.

I'm pretty much Artist dependent lately.

/emoticons/default_biggrin.png

I plan to play mine until either it or I fall apart. It'll probably survive me, and then my family will sell it on eBay for $50 to some guy who wants it for his kid. This child will then proceed to trash it and then trade it to his buddy in exchange for a rare collection of disco records. Life is cruel...

I am not 100% sure, but isn't Tommy's in that video Nathan posted a Black Cherry Metallic one? I know he had a maple-boarded one in that finish during the DY days.

I am not 100% sure, but isn't Tommy's in that video Nathan posted a Black Cherry Metallic one? I know he had a maple-boarded one in that finish during the DY days.

cmatthes said:

I am not 100% sure, but isn't Tommy's in that video Nathan posted a Black Cherry Metallic one? I know he had a maple-boarded one in that finish during the DY days.

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Looks like you are right again sir, really tough to tell but I found a pretty good shot around the 1:09:20 mark that seems to clearly show dark metallic flake finish - looks a lot like black cherry to me...

cmatthes said:

I am not 100% sure, but isn't Tommy's in that video Nathan posted a Black Cherry Metallic one? I know he had a maple-boarded one in that finish during the DY days.

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As I said in post #3, not only are the humbucker pickup pole pieces different (mine has the parallel axis trembucker split pole pieces, whereas Tommy's look like normal ones), I thought I saw some sparkle/metal flake on his guitar a few times. But I never saw a hint of red, so I figured it was black metallic. It makes sense that it is his black cherry metallic w/ a maple board.

So what about the next question: Do we know who has it? Does Tommy Shaw still have it? Or Peter Fung?

I agree. There is no doubt there has to be a connection, but what connection. Since the guitar is rare and desirable, I would think that the guitar first belong to Nugent and Tommy saw it, liked it, and Nugent either lent it or gave it to him. The quality and rareness probably intrigued Tommy enough to want to start using it on their tour.

coolfeel said:

cmatthes said:

I am not 100% sure, but isn't Tommy's in that video Nathan posted a Black Cherry Metallic one? I know he had a maple-boarded one in that finish during the DY days.

Click to expand...

Looks like you are right again sir, really tough to tell but I found a pretty good shot around the 1:09:20 mark that seems to clearly show dark metallic flake finish - looks a lot like black cherry to me...

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About seven years ago I bought this dark metallic flake cali with maple fb. But there was this guy who was begging me to sell it to him. So I did. Out of 20 Calis I had, I had to sell the only one with maple board....what an idiot ! 2 years later I saw that video and till this day I can't forgive myself for selling it. Could be the one, who knows?