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NHD - '88 Chaparral


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Well, this was a nice surprise: my girlfriend bought me a guitar! (I think she was trying to make me feel better about turning 60.)

The description read, "1988 Hamer Chaparral. This guitar was one of the prototypes brought to the 1988 NAMM show by Paul Hamer. There it was signed by the members of Cheap Trick and auctioned off for charity. Has hologram back plate stickers and newer knobs."

Does anybody know the full story on this one?

In any case, it's pretty dang cool. '88 Chap, set neck, boomer inlays, ebony board, Hamer-branded Floyd. And, if the seller's description is accurate, signed by one of my favorite bands!

There are better pictures here, but here are a a few taken indoors right after I opened the case for the first time (and before I brought the strings up to pitch). I'll take better pictures as soon as I have more time and better light.

CT Chap 01.JPG

CT Chap 02.JPG
 

 

 

 

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It’s definitely not a prototype, but is very cool!   Has it been refinished?

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1 hour ago, cmatthes said:

It’s definitely not a prototype, but is very cool!   Has it been refinished?

It doesn't show any signs of being a refin, so I'm pretty sure the finish is original.

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Super cool color!

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/15/2021 at 11:54 AM, cmatthes said:

It’s definitely not a prototype, but is very cool!   Has it been refinished?

 

On 5/15/2021 at 1:05 PM, Dana_V said:

It doesn't show any signs of being a refin, so I'm pretty sure the finish is original.

Upon closer inspection, I believe it is a refin. The stamped serial number looks "filled in," and the yellow of the headstock isn't quite the same as the yellow of the body and neck.

I managed to get a few more pictures, this time with slightly better lighting.

I'd still like to know the full story. The seller said it was "...brought to the 1988 NAMM show by Paul Hamer. There it was signed by the members of Cheap Trick and auctioned off for charity."

Anyone here know any more details?

 

Yellow 06a.jpg

 

\

Yellow 08a.jpg

 

Yellow 07a.jpg

 

Yellow 05a.jpg

 

Yellow 03a.jpg

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Cool !

Happy Belated Birthday!

Put me down for dibs.  
 

Hamerica 

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I don't have any additional details about this specific example, but it helps cement my affinity for set neck Chaparrals. A highly underrated design....seriously.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello,

I recognize the gouge on the upper horn.. and the serial was overpainted.. I am the original owner - purchased at East Bay Music in Concord, California a long time ago - pre-1990 or 1991 I believe. 

I ordered a Sunburst Archtop some six months prior, so I was making weekly stops at the music store.  I walked in and the rep was there - he had a Special and a bright yellow Chap.  He was touching base with a few music stores that were dealers after the NAMM show that year.  I was told it was a custom order and the buyer did not like the different color yellow on the front of the headstock.  As I understood it, the darker yellow visible from the front of the guitar was a standard they used for all Chaps.  The buyer ordered a different color yellow for the body, hence the two tone appearance.  That guitar was $1000 with case (and another $80 or so in California tax).  I want to say they were listing at $1700 at the time.  Long, long, long time ago.  The guitar had black aluminum backplates and all black hardware.  It was all original when I had it.  At some point I dropped my damn headphones on the upper horn causing that  little biff - sorry :).  That's the only damage I ever did.  I'll see if I have a pic somewhere.

Congrats - it's a joy to see it here being loved.

Have a great day!

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Very cool!  The story about the different color yellow on the headstock seems to be a bit far-fetched, because that’s not how they were painted, but the sales reps would probably make up any weird story to sell something!

Still a super cool guitar!

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54 minutes ago, cmatthes said:

The story about the different color yellow on the headstock seems to be a bit far-fetched, because that’s not how they were painted, but the sales reps would probably make up any weird story to sell something!

My baseless theory (based on the sales rep element):  Guitar was hauled around as a sales demo mule and sustained some damage. The repair was somewhat hastily done with a slightly different yellow hue and put back on the road. Perhaps it wasn't even a factory repair, but rather done on the fly wherever the rep was traveling. That might explain the different hue and the sprayed-over serial number.  Rep sees a chance to make a sale as-is at a deep discount and off load it...and does so. 

My Fender Hot Rod Reissue Strat came to me much the same way. Modded in the field by a Fender rep and sporting a couple of small dings. I just happened to be at the shop playing Strats and Jacksons and mentioned how I needed one guitar to cover a lot of bases, but preferred it have a vintage look. Rep overheard me and brought that HRR mule in and offered to have the dealer sell it to me at a silly price. I took it. Played the frets damn near off of that guitar over the following couple of years. 

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On 5/13/2021 at 10:39 PM, Dana_V said:

Well, this was a nice surprise: my girlfriend bought me a guitar! (I think she was trying to make me feel better about turning 60.)

The description read, "1988 Hamer Chaparral. This guitar was one of the prototypes brought to the 1988 NAMM show by Paul Hamer. There it was signed by the members of Cheap Trick and auctioned off for charity. Has hologram back plate stickers and newer knobs."

Does anybody know the full story on this one?

In any case, it's pretty dang cool. '88 Chap, set neck, boomer inlays, ebony board, Hamer-branded Floyd. And, if the seller's description is accurate, signed by one of my favorite bands!

There are better pictures here, but here are a a few taken indoors right after I opened the case for the first time (and before I brought the strings up to pitch). I'll take better pictures as soon as I have more time and better light.

CT Chap 01.JPG

CT Chap 02.JPG
 

 

 

 

Lucky you! Congrats and enjoy! 

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12 hours ago, humfree said:

Hello,

I recognize the gouge on the upper horn.. and the serial was overpainted.. I am the original owner - purchased at East Bay Music in Concord, California a long time ago - pre-1990 or 1991 I believe. 

I ordered a Sunburst Archtop some six months prior, so I was making weekly stops at the music store.  I walked in and the rep was there - he had a Special and a bright yellow Chap.  He was touching base with a few music stores that were dealers after the NAMM show that year.  I was told it was a custom order and the buyer did not like the different color yellow on the front of the headstock.  As I understood it, the darker yellow visible from the front of the guitar was a standard they used for all Chaps.  The buyer ordered a different color yellow for the body, hence the two tone appearance.  That guitar was $1000 with case (and another $80 or so in California tax).  I want to say they were listing at $1700 at the time.  Long, long, long time ago.  The guitar had black aluminum backplates and all black hardware.  It was all original when I had it.  At some point I dropped my damn headphones on the upper horn causing that  little biff - sorry :).  That's the only damage I ever did.  I'll see if I have a pic somewhere.

Congrats - it's a joy to see it here being loved.

Have a great day!

That's so cool! Thank you! I'm glad to know some of the history.

So did it have the signatures on it when you owned it? How long did you keep it?

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  • 4 weeks later...

So sorry for the late response.. I don't get around here much these days.

I never really questioned the story I was given about the headstock color, but I never gave it a second thought.  It seems more likely to me that someone bumped it at the NAMM show and they had someone touch it up locally.  Guitar was in perfect condition when bought it.  The slightly mismatched paint was a non-issue with me. 

I can't tell you exactly when it sold.. somewhere between 2003-2006 to my best recollection.  Didn't play it much.. at the time I did not know how to care for a Floyd, so it was frustrating.  Great guitar though.  I just wasn't mature enough at the time.. hehehe.. still want to capture that color on another fiddle.  They guy who bought it from me never played it before taking it home.. I've run into a few of those types.. never understood it.. wasn't part of the deal I guess.

At any rate, these are the only pics I could find.. I know I have more somewhere and I'll drop them here if they surface.

Have a great one!

 

chap1.jpg

chap3.jpg

chap2.jpg

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47 minutes ago, humfree said:

So sorry for the late response.. I don't get around here much these days.

I never really questioned the story I was given about the headstock color, but I never gave it a second thought.  It seems more likely to me that someone bumped it at the NAMM show and they had someone touch it up locally.  Guitar was in perfect condition when bought it.  The slightly mismatched paint was a non-issue with me. 

I can't tell you exactly when it sold.. somewhere between 2003-2006 to my best recollection.  Didn't play it much.. at the time I did not know how to care for a Floyd, so it was frustrating.  Great guitar though.  I just wasn't mature enough at the time.. hehehe.. still want to capture that color on another fiddle.  They guy who bought it from me never played it before taking it home.. I've run into a few of those types.. never understood it.. wasn't part of the deal I guess.

At any rate, these are the only pics I could find.. I know I have more somewhere and I'll drop them here if they surface.

Have a great one!

Thanks! A few more pieces of the puzzle!

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On 7/3/2021 at 4:16 PM, Jakeboy said:

A very cool guitar and backstory…now, how does it play and sound?

It plays and sounds great! Exactly what you would expect from a Chap. The pots were a little scratchy when I got it (I don't think it had been played for a while), but that was easy to fix.

Of course, like I said before, even though it goes against my usual "guitars are meant to be played" policy, I don't really plan on playing it all that much because I don't want rub off the signatures. If it was going to see more playing time, I would set it up for .010s (it currently has .009s) swap out the Schaller strap locks for Dunlops and get an appropriately yellow Couch strap for it.

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  • 9 months later...

It took a while but I finally got it in a display case mounted on the wall (away from direct sunlight, of course).

I'm a firm believer in "guitars are meant to be played," but in this case I don't want to risk rubbing off the Cheap Trick signatures.

Yellow Chap in the Case 01.JPG

 

Yellow Chap in the Case 02.JPG

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HOLY MOLEY......It is beautiful.  I am a little late on the congratulations of acquiring it back in '21, but congrats on the guitar and display case anyway !!!!

Tell her that it is that time of year again, and the only way to top last years birthday gift, will be to have Rick Nielson and the boys play your backyard birthday bash !!

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On 5/7/2022 at 3:06 PM, scottcald said:

Looks cool.  You still can play it, but it's a heck of a conversation starter too!

Yes, exactly!

On 5/7/2022 at 5:57 PM, OUTLAW1969 said:

HOLY MOLEY......It is beautiful.  I am a little late on the congratulations of acquiring it back in '21, but congrats on the guitar and display case anyway !!!!

Tell her that it is that time of year again, and the only way to top last years birthday gift, will be to have Rick Nielson and the boys play your backyard birthday bash !!

Thanks!

Hmm, it's worth a try... 😏

On 5/9/2022 at 9:05 AM, Drew816 said:

Happy Birthday (again shortly it appears) and super cool axe! Love it.

Thanks!

18 hours ago, murkat said:

best thread alert 2022! Congrats!, great story. welcome to your 60's!

Thanks!

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