PSA Hamer Chaparral Elite

[HamerCustomEr]

No affiliation.  https://reverb.com/item/47674209-hamer-chaparral-elite-flame-maple-green

I love this ad.  Yes, I laid this guitar in the grass, and no, I did not check for dog sh!t first, but there is probably none underneath.

The seller says, "This example has led a hard life, and has some issues that I will mention in detail," but then he doesn't mention any.

Oh, what tiny feet you have!  But who cares, when you have Boomers!

[DaveH]

The least he could do is put some fucking socks and/or shoes on.

[Dave Scepter]

Short scale 24.75"

[mrjamiam]

5 hours ago, Dave Scepter said:

Short scale 24.75"

And maple set neck, he says.  Both not likely true - you can see the bolt plate, for one thing.  I'm not a guru, but I thought the short scale Chaps had set necks and mini-toggles, and the long-scale ones had bolt necks and the blade switch.

[Dave Scepter]

1 hour ago, mrjamiam said:

And maple set neck, he says.  Both not likely true - you can see the bolt plate, for one thing.  I'm not a guru, but I thought the short scale Chaps had set necks and mini-toggles, and the long-scale ones had bolt necks and the blade switch.

Not necessarily... I  have a short scale Chappie with a blade switch... & you can tell its a short scale by judging where the trem sits towards the neck & how much body is showing... I think we often forget that Hamer was a "Custom shop" not necessarily conforming to rules... take this 3 single coil Chappie for example 

[Ham Rex]

On 12/7/2021 at 10:48 AM, mrjamiam said:

And maple set neck, he says.  Both not likely true - you can see the bolt plate, for one thing.  I'm not a guru, but I thought the short scale Chaps had set necks and mini-toggles, and the long-scale ones had bolt necks and the blade switch.

I have a 87 long scale Chap with a set neck and 5 way blade and OBLs. It was special ordered for the guitar store owners brother but he said it wasn't bluesy enough... I changed the height of the neck and middle pickup and get awesome strat blues and awesome David Gilmoreish tones along with the best hi-gain rock.

Well that's the story I got true or not.

Sometimes you just got to tinker...

I think a bluesman in Chicago playing an Ice Pearl Pink guitar was the real issue.

Here is my shorter scale 87 Chaparral Elite for comparison.

Again both are set necks.

Thanks,

Martin

[Ham Rex]

5 hours ago, Ham Rex said:

I have a 87 long scale Chap with a set neck and 5 way blade and OBLs. It was special ordered for the guitar store owners brother but he said it wasn't bluesy enough... I changed the height of the neck and middle pickup and get awesome strat blues and awesome David Gilmoreish tones along with the best hi-gain rock.

Well that's the story I got true or not.

Sometimes you just got to tinker...

I think a bluesman in Chicago playing an Ice Pearl Pink guitar was the real issue.

Here is my shorter scale 87 Chaparral Elite for comparison.

Again both are set necks.

Thanks,

Martin

I always add information not needed to my posts.

Sorry about that! I'll try to change.

I'm just sharing not bragging or looking for attention.

Martin

[Jon C]

I reached out to this seller regarding this Green Chaparral on Reverb the first part of 2022 and again recently via Facebook.   

I was a serious buyer.....but he never responded to questions....then or now.  There have been several offers....none accepted (?)  He has as an excellent rating on Reverb so I am truly wondering if he died!  Checked with Reverb staff....ads stay on through eternity unless sold, taken down by seller, or reported as fraud. 

So, if you are looking for immortality, post an ad on Reverb and ignore buyers....you'll live forever! 

Anyway, posted on this site that I was looking for a Cali, USA,  green transparent, flame maple, rangs, etc.  Would take a Chap like the one shown.   Maybe someone has one to sell.

 

[Dave Scepter]

37 minutes ago, Jon C said:

I was a serious buyer.....He has as an excellent rating on Reverb...

Anyway, posted on this site that I was looking for a Cali, USA,  green transparent, flame maple, rangs, etc.  Would take a Chap like the one shown.   Maybe someone has one to sell.

 

Sooooooo why don't you just buy this one?

[Jon C]

Great question, Dave....I'm concerned that paying full price gets me into a dead zone and my (approx) $2500 is in limbo out there.  Plus, basic questions I asked regarding the condition were not answered....answers would influence my offer amount or make me pass.   If the seller isn't answering questions or accepting offers, what becomes of my payment if I rolled the dice and payed full price?   Is he alive to ship it? 

And if it has issues that don't show in the pics?  I would hope Reverb would cover me, but their position might be "You should have asked the buyer before you bought it".  I tried.  Hard to pay full price without some response.  This guitar has obviously been banged around....very concerned about the neck to body integrity.  Would like to know that. 

Note:   Seller has other guitars for sale that have been listed for 9 months to a year.   I am okay waiting for a higher priced, but less shaky opportunity for the right guitar.    

Jon

[Dave Scepter]

14 minutes ago, Jon C said:

Great question, Dave....I'm concerned that paying full price gets me into a dead zone and my (approx) $2500 is in limbo out there.  Plus, basic questions I asked regarding the condition were not answered....answers would influence my offer amount or make me pass.   If the seller isn't answering questions or accepting offers, what becomes of my payment if I rolled the dice and payed full price?   Is he alive to ship it? 

And if it has issues that don't show in the pics?  I would hope Reverb would cover me, but their position might be "You should have asked the buyer before you bought it".  I tried.  Hard to pay full price without some response.  This guitar has obviously been banged around....very concerned about the neck to body integrity.  Would like to know that. 

Note:   Seller has other guitars for sale that have been listed for 9 months to a year.   I am okay waiting for a higher priced, but less shaky opportunity for the right guitar.    

Jon

I agree... I wouldn't buy a guitar or anything else for that matter if the seller didn't respond to my messages... but what better way in finding out if he died? 🤣

[Jon C]

Well, I sure hope he is okay.  I wanted to ask him what he uses on his grass to get it looking so good. 😁   I was hoping to make that guitar a project.  I have the skills to repair the finish, do the electronics, fret and neck dressing, etc.  But if something is screwed up in the neck join....bad voodoo.  Too bad, it would have been fun to work on it.  First thing to go would be the Radio Shack volume and tone knobs.  

[Jon C]

Soooooooo....I bought the Green Flame Chaparral.  :<O

Got it last week after selecting "Buy It Now" option to see if the seller was paying attention or dead.  It was out of character for me to take that gamble without the seller providing answers.  But I rolled the dice and am good with the purchase.

The guitar:  Neck to body join is sound.  It is beat up but looks better than the pictures show.  The N and M pickups are (2) JBE passive rails....never heard of them before...looked like OBL's.  The HB is a SD JB....I believe it is original to the guitar.  Pots are original, but some changes in the wiring when the JBE's were added.  Not sure it the 5 way switch is original....looks like a Strat-type.  Maybe Hamer used those type in Chaps back then?  Floyd in great shape and frets look fine.  Came with the trem bar, but not the tremolo back plate or original knobs.  Will send away for plate to a guy in PA and already got the knobs.  Hamer case included.

Now the finish:  Amazing flame, however someone sprayed a clear coat on the original finish sometime between 1990 and today.  It did not flex with the coat underneath and has (had) a million mini checkers on the front.  They buffed out nicely, but WTF was someone thinking?  The back of the neck also appears to have an added coat, but no checking.  Took on a nice mellow yellowing look.  I will probably lightly buff it out and see what happens.  None of this showed in the ad photos.

This guitar was a player....nicks and scratches, but still striking and the rare green flame works on it....Sometimes green can look synthetic.   Not on this one.

So, got the project guitar I wanted and have a lot of buffing in my future.  I will send pics at some point.  Anyone who has some experience with JBE pickups, I would appreciate your thoughts on them.

The seller:  Was locked out of his account for months and finally had Reverb resolve the issue.   That's his story anyway.

[rickrock999]

Normally not a fan of green guitars, but that looks cool as hell. Have fun fixing it up.

[HamerCustomEr]

 

11 hours ago, Jon C said:

Soooooooo....I bought the Green Flame Chaparral.  :<O

Got it last week after selecting "Buy It Now" option to see if the seller was paying attention or dead.  It was out of character for me to take that gamble without the seller providing answers.  But I rolled the dice and am good with the purchase.

The guitar:  Neck to body join is sound.  It is beat up but looks better than the pictures show.  The N and M pickups are (2) JBE passive rails....never heard of them before...looked like OBL's.  The HB is a SD JB....I believe it is original to the guitar.  Pots are original, but some changes in the wiring when the JBE's were added.  Not sure it the 5 way switch is original....looks like a Strat-type.  Maybe Hamer used those type in Chaps back then?  Floyd in great shape and frets look fine.  Came with the trem bar, but not the tremolo back plate or original knobs.  Will send away for plate to a guy in PA and already got the knobs.  Hamer case included.

Now the finish:  Amazing flame, however someone sprayed a clear coat on the original finish sometime between 1990 and today.  It did not flex with the coat underneath and has (had) a million mini checkers on the front.  They buffed out nicely, but WTF was someone thinking?  The back of the neck also appears to have an added coat, but no checking.  Took on a nice mellow yellowing look.  I will probably lightly buff it out and see what happens.  None of this showed in the ad photos.

This guitar was a player....nicks and scratches, but still striking and the rare green flame works on it....Sometimes green can look synthetic.   Not on this one.

So, got the project guitar I wanted and have a lot of buffing in my future.  I will send pics at some point.  Anyone who has some experience with JBE pickups, I would appreciate your thoughts on them.

The seller:  Was locked out of his account for months and finally had Reverb resolve the issue.   That's his story anyway.

Love that fretboard!  Congratulations!  I take comfort that this instrument has wound up in the hands of somebody who will restore it to its former glory.

[Drew816]

Glad it worked out, it was on my list too but no response to questions and I am OUT! Learned that lesson more than once...

Keep us up to date and enjoy!

[specialk]

On 12/26/2022 at 7:56 AM, rickrock999 said:

Normally not a fan of green guitars

Hamer Green (whatever the actual color is) is cool as hell!

[Jon C]

Done with the buffing and have it all back together.  Chose to use (2) SD Hot Rails and a SD Dark Winter I had in another guitar.   Fret job, set-up, intonation all done and it is a beautiful beast!  A small adjustment on the truss rod and the strings can be .020 without buzzing.....

Crisp but not shrill.  Very spongy when playing with distortion and that Black Winter does clean up when backed off.  Joy to play.

The original 5 way switch is toast....crackle and pop even after cleaning.  Very corroded on terminals.  Waiting for new 3 way blade....this guitar would not enjoy the 2 and 4 positions anyway....too tame!

Once that is done, I'll post some pics.  VERY happy with this guitar.

[Gabe]

JBE (Joe Barden Engineering) pickups are great.

Clean sound, no hum, even not when overdriven.

Danny Gatton used them on his tele.

I regret having sold the ones I had a long time ago (even before I had my first Hamer).

If I were you I'd add a JBE Two-Tone in the bridge position.

 

 

Gabe 😀

[Jon C]

11 minutes ago, Gabe said:

JBE (Joe Barden Engineering) pickups are great.

Clean sound, no hum, even not when overdriven.

Danny Gatton used them on his tele.

I regret having sold the ones I had a long time ago (even before I had my first Hamer).

If I were you I'd add a JBE Two-Tone in the bridge position.

 

 

Gabe 😀

Thanks for the input on JBE pickups.  The Two-Tone caught my attention.  May end up doing that....not shy about changing them out on this guitar.