Hamer First Gen Cruise Bass Questions

[Keoghpjk]

I just impulsively pulled the trigger and got this first generation Cruise Bass.

https://reverb.com/item/1023124-hamer-cruise-bass-usa-custom-order-1992-black

I have a few questions about it after talking to the store owner. He tells me there is no serial number due to it being a custom order. He told me he knows the previous owner, who swears there have been no modifications done that would have covered up the serial number. Did Hamer not put serials on some custom orders? I am not too worried if it has been refinished, but just have not heard of Hamer not serializing an instrument.

Also, this looks to me to be a early first generation, more like a 1982 then 1992, am I right on this?

He gave the original owner my email, and I should be getting a boatload of stories form him.

Thanks,

[serial]

That's a lie. Hamer serialed all guitars-customs or production.

It's possible that it's original-black guitars were inked stamped with yellow ink which faded, sometimes completely. Then again, it could be refinned, although finish is worn. I have an original Cruisebass pickguard around somewhere from an 82-this one looks like it's missing the original guard.

1982, not 1992.

Awesome basses and the cases are hard to find.

[crunchee]

If it's not a refin, maybe traces of the old serial number stamp might show up under black light? It couldn't hurt to have it checked.

[Keoghpjk]

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I'm glad to get the bass refin or not, I'm just a curious sort. I'll post better pics once I get it in my hands.

[serial]

Likely not a refin-the yellow numbers that they stamped on the black guitars disappeared w/o a trace on occasion-my 81 Graphic Special w/black back had no trace even under blacklight and it was original. I got it from the original owner who said it faded completely by 1995 or so.

[Keoghpjk]

I should have it on 9/3 and will take a blacklight to it then. I'm looking again at the posted pics, and do see what look like filled in pick guard screw holes however. If it is was refinished it must have been done a long time ago.

[Andrew]

It's probably later than 82 (83-85) as the Hamer logoed Schaller hardware wasn't fitted until the very end of 82. And the plain knobs are 83 onwards.

[mc2]

That bass was on Craigs List in Sacramento for less $$ a week ago. The original owner sold it to this guy, who flipped it.

Original owner claimed it was gotten for him by his father in 1992, who "was a friend of Jol Dantzig's"...and that it has a "bigger, chunkier neck than normal." He also claimed it was made without the SN#.

I remember this same bass being listed for sale several years ago, either on CL or EBAY by the original seller with similar claims.

The seller would not send photos or pot dates, etc. as this guy who flipped it was on his way over to see it. If he hadn't bought it, the seller was going to send more info.,,,but did not. The CraigsList listing also lacked ANY photos, which I always find suspicious.

Original owner said he "still had the Lindsay Fralins pickups," so it had supposedly other pickups in it at some point.

So...."maybe" the story is true. Or maybe his recollections from "1992" have deteriorated over time?

Maybe his dad made up parts of the story? Or maybe he made up parts of the story? As stated above, could be a faded away inked SN#. Being black, it could also be an over-sprayed headstock for some reason (broken, stolen,) that covered the original SN#.

The neck profile does appear more like the wider late 80s ones but the headstock is the 1981-84 type. But it has the larger Stadium logo and Hamer stamped hardware, which was mid-83 or later, as well as the later big plastic knobs. The lack of a pickguard is also usually later, although I've uad a couple 1981-82 ones without 'guards.

1992 is REAL late for a first-generation Cruisebass. i would guess it is "possible," if the original owner's story is true about his dad having it done as a special favor by Jol in 1992.....BUT Jol was gone from Hamer at that time (although he WAS living out in CA.) The pot code dates should at least narrow down the year, unless those were changed when the Fralins were in it.

If NOT some strange "special favor by Jol" 1992 bass......from the looks, I would guess 1984-85 transistional with the early headstock but later other appointments. If I had to bet....I would say 1985.

The suspicious flags are that it was for sale/sold a few years back by the orig owner but then popped up again now by the same seller on CL last week....and the new buyer flipped it. So perhaps the buyer took a chance on the "story" but it turned out to just be a normal 84-85 Cruisebass, so he resold it? Or repaired and he flipped it? It seems odd that the original owner would sell a "special one-off Hamer Cruisebass" that his father had made for him via a favor by Jol Dantzig FOR $399!! (If I recall the recent CL price.) Normally these emotional sales are at higher, not lower, asking prices. Will be interesting to see what the pot dates say.

Still a decent price for a first-gen Cruisebass w/case if it is, indeed, unbroken. The "big, chunky neck" with no serial number had me wondering if it was a broken headstock repair, with some neck reinforcement around the nut area and oversprayed. Maybe you will get lucky.

[cmatthes]

Craigslist BS stories and completely far-fetched seller's hype seem to be as bad or worse than eBay lately.

I'm just surprised that Rick Nielsen didn't build that bass out of a 2,500 year old beam from a Viking ship, using a dragon tooth saw.

[Keoghpjk]

Thank you all for your input and information. It looks like I have some investigating to do when it arrives. I know that the guy I bought it from straight out flipped it. He just parroted the story the "original" owner gave him. Outside of my borderline OCD need to know what I can about each instrument I get, I just hope it's a good player and am happy to give it a good home.

I lived not far from Chicago for many years and according to every seller in Illinois and Wisconsin, Rick Nielsen has looked at, touched, previously owned or played every used guitar known. I also used to get the Paul Hamer/Jol Dantzig connection story an awful lot.

[cmatthes]

I hear ya - I recall one eBay jagoff from a few years ago who claimed that Paul Hamer himself told him that any Hamer guitar with a checkerboard logo was a custom built piece that Paul personally made for Rick Nielsen. Anything it takes to sell a stripped body, run of the mill, '81 Special with replacement pickups I guess...

[mc2]

I lived not far from Chicago for many years and according to every seller in Illinois and Wisconsin, Rick Nielsen has looked at, touched, previously owned or played every used guitar known.

Well, THAT's actually true.

[serial]

It had a guard at one point from the pics.

[Keoghpjk]

The bass arrived today, and after a cursory inspection, it seems to be in OK shape. No obvious signs of repairs or damage. All looks normal and unbroken under the truss rod cover and around the neck above the nut. If there was a repair done to the headstock, it was done well. It has been clearly refinished to one degree or another, I can see the dimples where the pick guard screw holes are, and the serial number has been covered outside of a partial digit. Looking at chips on the body do not show any paint that is overly thick, or a different color. The pots look original (the shielding plate is missing), but the pickups have been out, and back in at some point (if they are indeed original). I've attached pics of the pots and the best shot I could get with my phone of the partial serial number. This evening I will get in and take a closer look at things. I do not know how to read the codes on the Hamer pots, so any assistance on that would be appreciated.

[serial]

The year code is the 2 digits after 137 (CTS code). Looks like the first is 8, which would be correct, but the second no. is obscured. Can't tell from the pic, but is the serial inked or stamped? Some of the very earliest Cruisebasses were four digits, but this has post-81 features, so I'm assuming there's ink there.

[tomteriffic]

Craigslist BS stories and completely far-fetched seller's hype seem to be as bad or worse than eBay lately.

I'm just surprised that Rick Nielsen didn't build that bass out of a 2,500 year old beam from a Viking ship, using a dragon tooth saw.

He didn't but Ricky Nelson did and ol' Paul "Thor" Hammer helped.

[Keoghpjk]

The digit after the 8 is 3 on the two pots I can make out. The partial digit looks like ink, and I do not see any evidence of stamping on the back of the headstock. I actually see what looks like a round sticker over the area of the serial number. I can't tell if it was clear coated over, or painted over however.

[Keoghpjk]

Actually it looks like sticker residue under the clear coat.

[mc2]

The digit after the 8 is 3 on the two pots I can make out. The partial digit looks like ink, and I do not see any evidence of stamping on the back of the headstock. I actually see what looks like a round sticker over the area of the serial number. I can't tell if it was clear coated over, or painted over however.

Wouldn't be a 4-digit one. Those had the wide-spaced 12th fret dots.

Plus, your's has the later Hamer stamped hardware.

Not to be a downer but the only two reasons you would paint over the serial number are

1) Headstock repair with touchup over repair

2) Stolen......but you would likely spray over the entire number and not leave a digit visible.

Try and blacklight it to see what parts are oversprayed.

[Keoghpjk]

I'll take the blacklight to it this evening and see whats what. One other question, did they use mahogany for the necks of these at any point? My '88 Cruise has a maple neck, but this one sure looks like mahogany in some of the chips in the paint on the neck.

[Andrew]

Three piece mahogany necks until 85ish. Thereafter maple, but there is an overlap.

[velorush]

The pots look original (the shielding plate is missing),

No shielding plate on my unmolested example, either. I don't think you're missing anything there.

[mc2]

Yeah....I'm still betting it's an '85 with a headstock repair.

Still would be an OK deal, since you also got the original case.