P Franco Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Heading out tomorrow to check out an 8 string Hamer bass. Is there anything specific I should be on the lookout for other than the normal cracks, fret wear, action -neck relief etc. ? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthes Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 42 minutes ago, P Franco said: Heading out tomorrow to check out an 8 string Hamer bass. Is there anything specific I should be on the lookout for other than the normal cracks, fret wear, action -neck relief etc. ? Thanks! Depending on the year, the biggest issue is the single truss rods on the earlier ones (pre-90s) can have twisting issues - not all, but the necks on some of the older ones should definitely be checked out. Sometimes, the preamps go on the older ones too, and they don't make replacements. If it's a '90s or newer bass, you have very little to worry about. The twin truss rods and 3 piece stressed maple necks made a huge difference in stability. Apart from that, it's tough to go wrong. Definitely check the neck for any issues, but as mentioned, on a newer bass, things should be fairly stable. What model 8 string bass are you looking at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Franco Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 42 minutes ago, cmatthes said: Depending on the year, the biggest issue is the single truss rods on the earlier ones (pre-90s) can have twisting issues - not all, but the necks on some of the older ones should definitely be checked out. Sometimes, the preamps go on the older ones too, and they don't make replacements. If it's a '90s or newer bass, you have very little to worry about. The twin truss rods and 3 piece stressed maple necks made a huge difference in stability. Apart from that, it's tough to go wrong. Definitely check the neck for any issues, but as mentioned, on a newer bass, things should be fairly stable. What model 8 string bass are you looking at? It’s a B8S with dual EMGs and a 6 digit serial number (I’m thinking it’s on the newer end). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Haynie Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Dead strings make a difference. If the octave strings are fresh the 8 string will have that wonderful bite you are looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Franco Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 We’ll I’m now the new ‘first time’ owner of an 8 string bass now. Everything is great on it , a few surface scratches & tiny nicks but a great instrument. It does have dual truss rods. Now some follow up questions, is the tuning normally just an octave on each respective string? Also, with string changes - is there a trick to it - or straight forward if I use the same gauge strings? I don’t want the action changing just because I removed all of the strings at the same time. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hbom Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Congratulations! Kind of an unwritten rule that you have to post pictures before you can get answers to questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Franco Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthes Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 Whoah! That’s a nice grab! What’s the first digit of the serial number? “1”? “2”? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Franco Posted August 22, 2021 Author Share Posted August 22, 2021 5 hours ago, cmatthes said: Whoah! That’s a nice grab! What’s the first digit of the serial number? “1”? “2”? The first digit is a 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthes Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 Gotcha - I thought it was either a ‘91 or ‘92! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Franco Posted August 22, 2021 Author Share Posted August 22, 2021 Good to know that it’s a ‘91 thanks for the info. Anything else that stands out to you, especially the color - is that original (like what’s the official name of the purple hue”). the fretboard appears to be ebony. All in all I am extremely happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGale Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 Looks like sparkleberry to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HamerCustomEr Posted September 8, 2021 Share Posted September 8, 2021 On 8/21/2021 at 12:39 PM, P Franco said: Oh, God, I think I'm in love!! Where did you find her, and does she have a sister? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNC2 Posted November 3, 2021 Share Posted November 3, 2021 Nice that it has a stadium logo. Ive only had 1 with that and it was a natural B12s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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P Franco
Heading out tomorrow to check out an 8 string Hamer bass. Is there anything specific I should be on the lookout for other than the normal cracks, fret wear, action -neck relief etc. ? Thanks!
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