Restoration of vintage Hamer bass. Yes or no?

[Justin Warren 15]

Is it better to leave this vintage Hamer Standard Explorer bass in original condition or is it ok to have pro refinish, upgrade work done by a pro shop (Mike Lull guitars, Bellevue, Washington)? The bass plays and sounds great but the color is probably my least favorite of any color. Please advise. 

[Justin Warren 15]

4 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

Leave it as is.  Save your money. 

When you say "upgrade work" what do you mean? 

Well... I was thinking of a creme color, maybe Lull T-Bird pickups and possibly T-Bird bridge with “claw” tailpiece. It would be an amazing bass... but it would degrade the collector/historical value and honestly, for what this work would cost I could buy a whole new bass. I’m going to leave it alone and enjoy it as it is. The neck is amazing as is the tone. 

[Steve Haynie 11,952]

Leave it as is.  Save your money. 

When you say "upgrade work" what do you mean? 

[DaveH 2,190]

You know what "restoration" means in French?

Don't fuck with it.

[specialk 3,511]

Gorgeous as is! If you don't like, try to sell it here and get what you want. Looks like 0734. A beauty! 

[Steve Haynie 11,952]

Yeah.  That drastic of a change would devalue what you have.  You have something you could trade toward a vintage Thunderbird now.  You won't if you change it up. 

[kizanski 14,590]

And... change the bridge, change the tone.  

[cmatthes 19,730]

If you're looking for a "project", I've got a Blitz Bass that would be a much better candidate to rework/refinish/re-imagine.  Doing anything that drastic to a Standard is likely a felony in at least 48 states!

 

[Dutchman 2,145]

I may be one of very few, but I like that color! I’ll be it looks cool under different colored stage lights!!

[Steve Haynie 11,952]

If you want a Thunderbird, get a Thunderbird. 

[mathman 2,674]

21 hours ago, cmatthes said:

If you're looking for a "project", I've got a Blitz Bass that would be a much better candidate to rework/refinish/re-imagine.  Doing anything that drastic to a Standard is likely a felony in at least 48 states!

 

How much????

Says the guy who can't afford it...

[Russell Beard 60]

Hey Justin, we don't know each other but we have both made music with the incomparable Francis Theodore P.  No, I won't sell you my Hamer bass but I will entertain the idea of a home for the one you are thinking about taking to Lull.  Mike is a good guy and would do very good work but you really shouldn't change much about the perfection of what you have in your hands.  The Hamer I play is as different from yours as could be possible but they are both works that should be savored and kept. If yours needs a home, hit me up, before you change it....

[killerteddybear 7,240]

Scratch your T-Bird itch with this:

or this:

Edited December 1, 2020 by killerteddybear

[hamerhead 15,919]

Would you restomod a vintage Shelby?

Your bass has earned every one of it's dings, scuffs and scrapes the old-fashioned way. That means something. If the color really bothers you, maybe see about having it wrapped. That way you won't destroy an amazingly cool old bass, and actually preserve/protect the original finish. And when you're tired of that, have it re-wrapped.

Short story: waaaay too cool to ruin with a refin.

[Steve Haynie 11,952]

Here is an example of a modification that should never have happened. 

Someone did that to another '57 Chevy around here decades ago.  It always seemed like a waste of a good car to me. 

[kizanski 14,590]

Just now, Steve Haynie said:

Here is an example of a modification that should never have happened. 

Someone did that to another '57 Chevy around here decades ago.  It always seemed like a waste of a good car to me. 

But in fairness it started as a 4-door so the builder gets a pass.

[velorush 5,554]

2 hours ago, kizanski said:

But in fairness it started as a 4-door so the builder gets a pass.

And a 4-door post, at that.

[tbonesullivan 2,387]

What color is it? Looks like it was originally black, and the finish has faded? Or is it some type of blue?

[cmatthes 19,730]

14 minutes ago, tbonesullivan said:

What color is it? Looks like it was originally black, and the finish has faded? Or is it some type of blue?

Dark Gray, per Jol.

[cmatthes 19,730]

On 11/30/2020 at 10:20 PM, killerteddybear said:

Scratch your T-Bird itch with this:

or this:

I think you'll be able to do MUCH BETTER than that soon.

[velorush 5,554]

1 hour ago, cmatthes said:

I think you'll be able to do MUCH BETTER than that soon.

Are we Shistalking here?