HAMER RICK NIELSEN

[Guest bayfreak]

Hi there!

I am in desperate need of a HAMER RICK NIELSEN. No matter if made in the US or in Korea. I have owned the Korean version before, sold it but it was quite possibly the best standard, glued-in-neck, 2 humbuckers guitar I have ever had (although I am a longtime Parker user).

I will be VERY grateful for every tip, hint where I can find one.

No worries I am willing to pay top Dollars/Euros!

Cheers friends, may da power be with you!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best regards from Germany

bayfreak

[BCR Greg]

I will have one of the 7 made BEFORE the Neilsen series soon. Bill Kaman had 7 made YEARS before, and one of them is coming available. More info when it arrives.

[m chops]

I can't help you in your search, but welcome aboard. Make yourself at home.

[belikerick]

I have had a favorite search set up on eBay for more than a year for a USA RN Sig and none have come up. I do still have the import, but would love to get my hands on a real one. Of course, I assume one will be made available right at the time I'm in the worst financial situation - never fails!

Good luck in your search...

[belikerick]

I will have one of the 7 made BEFORE the Neilsen series soon. Bill Kaman had 7 made YEARS before, and one of them is coming available. More info when it arrives.

Hey Greg, what's the difference between the first 7 and the production run?

[peedenmark7]

greg, is this the one in AZ ? if so ... I think think you may be late.

[kizanski]

Hey Greg, what's the difference between the first 7 and the production run?

They're older?

Just guessing...

[HamStd]

Actually there are only 4 of them that were made for Bill Kaman. One was given to Frank U. (and that guitar was used as a loaner to Artist and others that were interested in playing a Hamer version of the old Gibson Futura). The other three are in the hands of three collectors. There was a 5th futura made for Bill Kaman that was done in TV but that was the only one done in TV yellow.

The basic differences between these guitars and the RN signature are very small:

1. These prototypes have a Gold Hamer logo vs. the RN signatures having a white

one and the checkerboard on there.

2. Regular metal control plate cover (black) on the prototypes, No sterling silver

control plate with the RN signature/Japanese writing and charactericature.

3. The shape of the control cavity backplate is different on the TV yellow one, but

all of them have that giant "kidney bean" shaped backplate.

4. They are a bit more "pointy" on the lines than the RN signature guitars.

5. The pickups maybe different as well. I have seen one that has Duncan

antiquities in it while three other ones have the more standard duncan 59s in

it.

I have played 4 of 5 of these guitars and all of them tended to have much higher action than the RN signature guitars as well. I think they were experimenting with the neck angle on these guitars so the "bugs" didn't get worked out til the RN signatures which play great.

Beware if the one you have is the "stolen" one (the serial number is known) as I am sure Frank U. and Hamer want it back.

Peter.

[BCR Greg]

Actually there are only 4 of them that were made for Bill Kaman. One was given to Frank U. (and that guitar was used as a loaner to Artist and others that were interested in playing a Hamer version of the old Gibson Futura). The other three are in the hands of three collectors. There was a 5th futura made for Bill Kaman that was done in TV but that was the only one done in TV yellow.

The basic differences between these guitars and the RN signature are very small:

1. These prototypes have a Gold Hamer logo vs. the RN signatures having a white

one and the checkerboard on there.

2. Regular metal control plate cover (black) on the prototypes, No sterling silver

control plate with the RN signature/Japanese writing and charactericature.

3. The shape of the control cavity backplate is different on the TV yellow one, but

all of them have that giant "kidney bean" shaped backplate.

4. They are a bit more "pointy" on the lines than the RN signature guitars.

5. The pickups maybe different as well. I have seen one that has Duncan

antiquities in it while three other ones have the more standard duncan 59s in

it.

I have played 4 of 5 of these guitars and all of them tended to have much higher action than the RN signature guitars as well. I think they were experimenting with the neck angle on these guitars so the "bugs" didn't get worked out til the RN signatures which play great.

Beware if the one you have is the "stolen" one (the serial number is known) as I am sure Frank U. and Hamer want it back.

Peter.

Not quite. It's in the hands of a personal friend of Bill Kaman. I will be brokering the sale. You have not played all of them, obviously.

Let it be known that we are not in the business of stolen guitars.

Nice try.

[HamStd]

HI Greg: Not implying that you were trying to sell a stolen guitar.

It is a fact that the one that Frank U. had was stolen. It was even posted on the HFC about it being stolen.

I AM NOT SAYING IN ANY WAY THAT YOU ARE SELLING THAT GUITAR!!!!!!!

Never implied or inferred that I had played them all.

I was told by Bill that there were four made (I know he kept one for himself, Frank U kept one and two friends got the other two). Where did you hear there were 7 of them??

Peter.

[cmatthes]

There were/are a number of the Korina Futuras available (only) for the Japanese market in the late 90s.

The catalog description is freakin' hilarious in English!

(All typos, duboius grammar and misplaced apostrophe below as in orig. copy)

KORINA COLLECTION'S

Korina Standard Antique Fut

(pic of Korina Futura, FUT-VKC)

Looks excentric. This Korina made wier styled guitar is produced to be proven it sound. A precision construction brings mellow but snarly tone. An excentric looks, attract our attension. It doesn't have special but it is special itself. Feature special selected specifications to suit it sound. To millennium instead of it look vintage. Try this at your local Hamer dealer and feel the mellow gold!

Features:

Lubitrak nut * 1-piece stressed Karina neck, 1.66" at nut * Korina Split "V" Head Stock * Rosewood fretboard with Mother-Of_pearl Dot Inlays * 14.5" Neck Radius * 24.75" Scale Length * Seymour Duncan '59 & JB Pickups with Pickup Covers * 14 Coats of Hand-Buffed Lacquer * Tune-O-Matic Stop Tailpiece * Chrome Hardware

with GC-7 Hardshell Case in Yellow Transparent (YT)

this one lacks the gold Hamer logo (it's white dry-transfer), no fancy-schmancy silver engraved plates and no checkerboard headstock or case!

[HamStd]

Chris: I heard that Hamer did a run of korina futuras for a Japanese distributor that didn't have all the RN signature stuff on it. Wasn't there one at the Open House (HFCIV??) that they were doing the electronics on??

Peter

[cmatthes]

I remember those! I've got a few pics around of those in the racks and getting wired up. If I recall correctly, this catalog dates from '97 or '98 (I think?!!)

By the way, I've had the rare pleasure of trying out Hamerica's Korinas. Some of the finest guitars I've ever been privileged enough to get my hands on!

[cmatthes]

Hamerica's TV yellow one is the KING, by the way...

[BCR Greg]

HI Greg: Not implying that you were trying to sell a stolen guitar.

It is a fact that the one that Frank U. had was stolen. It was even posted on the HFC about it being stolen.

I AM NOT SAYING IN ANY WAY THAT YOU ARE SELLING THAT GUITAR!!!!!!!

Never implied or inferred that I had played them all.

I was told by Bill that there were four made (I know he kept one for himself, Frank U kept one and two friends got the other two). Where did you hear there were 7 of them??

Peter.

So noted.

The owner told me of 7 Futuras, Bill told me of 7 Futuras.

[peedenmark7]

hi peter....

[Bob P]

The original run for BK was made by hand in Arlington Heights.

The later Connecticut ones were set up to be more like a production model.

I hope Frank U gets his back. Wasn't it stolen at a NY concert or something?

BTW, the ABSOLUTE FRIGGIN" HOLY GRAIL for me would be ONE known split headstock (like a futura) Korina Standard. I think it was made for Make N Music back in the Arlington Heights days. AFAIK, it was not part of the numbered series.

I want it (or at least want to know its whereabouts).

[bruce919]

Wasn't there one at the Open House (HFCIV??) that they were doing the electronics on??

Peter,

That was my Indigo Mahogany RN.

I love that guitar but I see why they made it from Korina, my Mahogany version weights a TON.

[cmatthes]

I think Peter is talking about the 4-5 Korina ones at HFC 4 (2001). They had 3 in the rack at the set-up room and one on the bench getting wired up. I just pulled out some pics over the weekend and came across those shots. I thought your Indigo mahogany one was a little newer than that.

For those of you who haven't seen that Indigo one, it just looks, well...killer!

I never thought that Indigo over mahogany would work and that one really does.

[Freddie K]

I think Peter is talking about the 4-5 Korina ones at HFC 4 (2001). They had 3 in the rack at the set-up room and one on the bench getting wired up. I just pulled out some pics over the weekend and came across those shots. I thought your Indigo mahogany one was a little newer than that.

For those of you who haven't seen that Indigo one, it just looks, well...killer!

I never thought that Indigo over mahogany would work and that one really does.

I have a like new condition Rick Nielsen Korean model with case that I would part with if anyone is interested.