Ok, let me try this THIS way...

[USA Hamers]

I'm going to post pictures of some Hamer guitars one at a time. If you recognize what model the guitar is, any "special" atributes it has, and/or aproximately what the guitar is worth, please reply. When I feel like I have the info I need on each guitar, I will post it in the for sale area. Hope this works for everyone?

Anyway, Here is guitar number 1

 

[Steve Haynie]

You have a Special.  Look at the serial number and tell us the year. 

Knobs and pickups have been changed.  The case is not original. 

Also, there were some of those with skinny necks.  It is important to put that in a description. 

[USA Hamers]

39 minutes ago, Steve Haynie said:

You have a Special.  Look at the serial number and tell us the year. 

Knobs and pickups have been changed.  The case is not original. 

Also, there were some of those with skinny necks.  It is important to put that in a description. 

THANK YOU! awesome info! So, the serial number is very hard to read on this one. To me it looks like it's 118758, but as you can see in the pic it's pretty worn away. Also, it appears to me that the tuners have been switched out

[USA Hamers]

...also, it's very likely that the correct knobs are in his guitar shop somewhere, just as likely as the original tuners may be as well. It's possible that the original pickups are as well, but I doubt it. I DO think that the neck pickup IS original, but I'm not 100% sure.

  Randy was the bassist for our band while I was living in Colorado Springs, and I was always over at his house. He would switch parts out on certain guitars from time to time, but he usually kept the original parts handy in case he decided to sell the guitar. I'll ask Lisa about the parts, but it's likely that I'll need to make a trip up there to see what parts he's got. Luckily am AM planning on going up to Colorado Springs at the end of this month, so I can check then, and get more pictures of things.

[Tortious]

A UV/blacklight may be very helpful in reading those inked numbers, as evidenced here: https://www.hamerfanclub.com/forums/topic/93653-1980s-sunburst-can-you-help-read-this-serial-number/   Scroll down a bit in the thread, you'll see what a difference it can make.

I will boldly guess it's a 1, then a space, then the 8xxx, which would make it an 81. It looks to be from around that era.

As Steve mentioned, people after these models will usually want a neck thickness/thinness evaluation, as they were somewhat variable. However, if someone asks for caliper measurements or for you to describe the 'acoustic voice' of an electric guitar, you will likely be better off discontinuing contact with them and politely suggesting they go elsewhere.

Good luck with the whole project. It's a fair amount of work for you to take on, that's very good of you to be so helpful to her.

 

[stobro]

Also, be prepared to field offers of $350 for each guitar- that's the default HFC opening bid for any transaction. 🙂

[USA Hamers]

14 hours ago, Tortious said:

A UV/blacklight may be very helpful in reading those inked numbers, as evidenced here: https://www.hamerfanclub.com/forums/topic/93653-1980s-sunburst-can-you-help-read-this-serial-number/   Scroll down a bit in the thread, you'll see what a difference it can make.

I will boldly guess it's a 1, then a space, then the 8xxx, which would make it an 81. It looks to be from around that era.

As Steve mentioned, people after these models will usually want a neck thickness/thinness evaluation, as they were somewhat variable. However, if someone asks for caliper measurements or for you to describe the 'acoustic voice' of an electric guitar, you will likely be better off discontinuing contact with them and politely suggesting they go elsewhere.

Good luck with the whole project. It's a fair amount of work for you to take on, that's very good of you to be so helpful to her.

 

Very helpful info there! THANK YOU!

[USA Hamers]

13 hours ago, stobro said:

Also, be prepared to field offers of $350 for each guitar- that's the default HFC opening bid for any transaction. 🙂

Yea, I'm sure there will be a few lowballers. I don't easilly get riled up by that sort of thing though. I simply steer them back into the price range that I'm looking for. When Lisa ends up approving a price range for each one I'll post the guitar in the "For sale" thread with what she and I agree to be a reasonable price. Both she and I know that she's not going to make a mint on them all, so they'll be priced to sell, but at a reasonable price.

[tommy p]

2 hours ago, USA Hamers said:

Yea, I'm sure there will be a few lowballers. I don't easilly get riled up by that sort of thing though. I simply steer them back into the price range that I'm looking for. When Lisa ends up approving a price range for each one I'll post the guitar in the "For sale" thread with what she and I agree to be a reasonable price. Both she and I know that she's not going to make a mint on them all, so they'll be priced to sell, but at a reasonable price.

If (when) you get an offer for $350, don't take it as someone trying to lowball you.  It's an inside joke here at the HFC.  There are people who have been here so long that might have been a legit offer for many guitars, but everybody knows those days are long gone; hence, the joke.  There's also the South Park/Loch Ness Monster tie-in.

[Montelovesco]

^ this ^
And I would be seriously interested in that Firebird II…

[JGale]

Wait! There's a South Park joke in this somewhere? Why wasn't I told!

[Hbom]

These may be helpful,

Hamer Model Index (buddlejagarden.co.uk)

The Ultimate Hamer USA Guitar Archive (buddlejagarden.co.uk)

Good luck with your sale. I wish I could participate. There are some nice Hamers in that list.         

                                                                                       

[Biz Prof]

 

"Someone" meaning Kiz.  And yes, this tends to be another HFC inside joke. 

2 hours ago, tommy p said:

If (when) you get an offer for $350, don't take it as someone trying to lowball you.  It's an inside joke here at the HFC. 

19 hours ago, Tortious said:

However, if someone asks for caliper measurements or for you to describe the 'acoustic voice' of an electric guitar, you will likely be better off discontinuing contact with them and politely suggesting they go elsewhere.

[kizanski]

15 minutes ago, Biz Prof said:

"Someone" meaning Kiz.  And yes, this tends to be another HFC inside joke. 

I've moved on from a guitar's neck measurements and acoustic voice and primarilly focus on its molecular aura and general buoyancy. 

[Biz Prof]

10 minutes ago, kizanski said:

I've moved on from a guitar's neck measurements and acoustic voice and primarilly focus on its molecular aura and general buoyancy. 

 

[cmatthes]

It's an '81 Special.

DEFINITELY both pickups have been changed (even the neck pickup).

As Steve pointed out, also changed tuners, knobs, non-original case and can't tell from the pic if the toggle switch has been replaced or not. 

Serial is "1 8758".

 

[Gabe]

So the current worth will be somewhere between &850 an $1650, or am I far off?

 

A Sunburst from that era would be worth more easily, especially when bound and crowned.

 

However the fact that there are a lot of things (tuning machines, pickups, knobs, case) non-original may devaluate the guitar.

 

Anyone els have an opinion on the worth of this 1981 Special?

 

 

 

Gabe 😀

[JGale]

$1100 max.