devrock Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 https://reverb.com/item/439062-hamer-californian-1991-aztec-gold-solid-flamed-maple-body So, really confused by this. I know it's difficult to get a slab big enough to book match a flamed maple body. But, this isn't even CLOSE to the same piece of wood! And, no, it's not the angle of the pic. All angles show this clearly. WTF??
cmatthes Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 I'm not seeing your argument here. The seller states that it is a solid flamed maple body - it clearly IS. It's two piece, just like basically all of them were, but he never says anywhere that it is a single piece body. In addition to being a member here, he is one of the most knowledgeable people on Hamers as well, and definitely has the best Hamer collection on the planet. https://reverb.com/item/439062-hamer-californian-1991-aztec-gold-solid-flamed-maple-body So, really confused by this. I know it's difficult to get a slab big enough to book match a flamed maple body. But, this isn't even CLOSE to the same piece of wood! And, no, it's not the angle of the pic. All angles show this clearly. WTF??
Never2Late Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 Personally, I like the contrast, but I'm confused by the necessity of the construction technique - why not just carve it out of a single piece of wood, instead of gluing two halves together? Or is this done for the Trem routing?
diablo175 Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 If that price is reasonable (I've given up trying to track going rates on Cali's), I don't feel so bad for paying what I did for my former FM Cali. There are times when I wish I hadn't sold it. This one of them.
cmatthes Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 It is very difficult to find a solid maple slab/billet that's big enough to do a body as a one piece and have consistent flame/figure throughout. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a 2 piece maple body v. a one piece, and many people prefer the aesthetic. It has nothing to do with the trem routing.The seller refers to this as a "solid maple body", which it is, and is exactly how Hamer referred to it in their literature of the day. This is "solid maple body" v. "Maple capped/topped body", which is not how they built these.
Jason01 Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 I think he's saying that usually it would be bookmatched and look more symmetrical, this one looks like 2 completely different pieces of wood glued together.
atquinn Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 I think he's saying that usually it would be bookmatched and look more symmetrical, this one looks like 2 completely different pieces of wood glued together.Yes, that's what the OP is getting at I believe.Just a guess, but I think this is something of an ode to the slipmatched 59 LP's out there. Cool if you're into it. I'd certainly rock it without a second thought!-Austin
cmatthes Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 I still think that the two halves are from the same billet. Oddly enough, I have a solid quilted maple Chapparal Bass from that era, and the front isn't as well matched as the back, but it's still from the same board. Weird, as I'd think you'd match the front over the back unless there was some flaw that the body template would cut out by doing it that way.
Tres Aardvarks Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 https://reverb.com/item/439062-hamer-californian-1991-aztec-gold-solid-flamed-maple-bodySo, really confused by this. I know it's difficult to get a slab big enough to book match a flamed maple body. But, this isn't even CLOSE to the same piece of wood! And, no, it's not the angle of the pic. All angles show this clearly. WTF??My flamed Cali is a little like this. At certain angles you can tell the two halves are from the same piece, but at most they look pretty different. There's only so much you can do.
DBraz Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 FM bodied guitars are not bookmatched in a typical sense like a "top". They are two parts matched up from similar patterns out of blocks from the same tree.For what it's worth I think this Cali Elite is a barnstormer!
JimiH Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 Dont know if I like it or not, maybe a Friday afternoon job.
devrock Posted February 6, 2015 Author Posted February 6, 2015 I'm not seeing your argument here. The seller states that it is a solid flamed maple body - it clearly IS. It's two piece, just like basically all of them were, but he never says anywhere that it is a single piece body. In addition to being a member here, he is one of the most knowledgeable people on Hamers as well, and definitely has the best Hamer collection on the planet.https://reverb.com/item/439062-hamer-californian-1991-aztec-gold-solid-flamed-maple-bodySo, really confused by this. I know it's difficult to get a slab big enough to book match a flamed maple body. But, this isn't even CLOSE to the same piece of wood! And, no, it's not the angle of the pic. All angles show this clearly. WTF??I think you are misunderstanding me here, Chris. I'm not calling into question the seller at all. I was just pointing out that I'm surprised this would have left the Hamer factory with distinctly mis-matched halves, that's all.
Biz Prof Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 I'm not offended at all by the look of that body, but count me amongst those who might opine that the two halves came from different billets. It's not just the flame I'm seeing differences in, but rather the linear grain of the wood underneath.ETA: I think it's worth stating that either scenario is plausible. Hell, I wouldn't kick it to the curb if I had the scratch and the price was right.
cynic Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 I like it just the way it is. Wood is natural folks, any attempt at making it look perfect takes away from it.
6onthesly Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 Let me just go out on a limb here and say I think it looks Rad!I believe this is from the same owner I got my Copper SSII Custom from HamStd.
6onthesly Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 Yes, Chris, I looked on Reverb and saw it was from W.T.F. Guitars in S.F. I didn't want to post Peter's name because some people are weird about that. ....Wait, your not weird about that are you, lol.I still want to drive up to his place and drool a bit.
Jem Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 It is very difficult to find a solid maple slab/billet that's big enough to do a body as a one piece and have consistent flame/figure throughout. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a 2 piece maple body v. a one piece, and many people prefer the aesthetic. It has nothing to do with the trem routing. I'd have to disagree Chris, there's plenty of broad leaf maple around wide enough to do one piece body's, and with fairly consistent figure but, it IS expensive, and we have to also take in mind that sawmill's and merchants can make much more profit by chopping things up than selling it whole. On the subject of this guitar though, i thought by '91 they'd stopped gluing random pieces together and bookmatched everything, most of the 'seasick' one's (Benner knows what I mean) I've seen were of the '88 and early '89 vintage and all the one's I've seen or owned from '90 onwards have all been bookmatched. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with using non matched halves, I just thought they'd grown out of it by then, perhaps these were just some billet ends left after cutting stock.
mc2 Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 If you look closely at the various photos, the flame IS matched pretty well. It just looks like one of those pieces where the visible flames change with the angle of light hitting it.Nice Cali !
ARM OF HAMER Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 Peter has some of the finest [And rarest] Hamers on the planet ...................I would have to believe that his ownership confirms that this guitar IS something special. ..................no matter what angle you might want to view it from.
JustKid Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 That's quite normal for mapled Calis not to be bookmatched. I have 2QMs and 3FMs ( one with the setneck) and none of them are bookmatched, except for the setneck. Merchants usually sell maple slabs in specific sizes, that's only enough for half of the guitar's body width and in thickness ( about 3in) that's only enough to cut it and bookmatch it making the top about 1-1.5in thick. To make a full bookmatched body the slab should be about 4.5+in thick ( rather than about 3in generally used), and that's more expensive. So I guess they just used random pieces with more less close pattern. Doesn't bother me.
LucSulla Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 I think it's cooler than the other side of the pillow, and if my employment situation were a bit more firm, I'd be very tempted.
sixesandsevens Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 I only met Peter once and he was the nicest, mellowest guy. I'd buy from him in a heartbeat. Nothing like that rabble-rousing cmatthes... That's quite normal for mapled Calis not to be bookmatched. I have 2QMs and 3FMs ( one with the setneck) and none of them are bookmatched, except for the setneck. Merchants usually sell maple slabs in specific sizes, that's only enough for half of the guitar's body width and in thickness ( about 3in) that's only enough to cut it and bookmatch it making the top about 1-1.5in thick. To make a full bookmatched body the slab should be about 4.5+in thick ( rather than about 3in generally used), and that's more expensive. So I guess they just used random pieces with more less close pattern. Doesn't bother me. Not to derail this PSA, but they come in quilt? *thud*
proxmax Posted February 7, 2015 Posted February 7, 2015 that quilt is darn sexy.all my maple calis were "bookmatched" - ok, not that exactly like PRS does.....but i wouldn't worry about - this is a great guitar!
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