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New (to me) Hamer USA Californian inbound


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I finally found it: a Hamer USA with factory-scalloped frets without being a Virtuoso.  And it has Boomers!

So I overpaid for it, probably.  But it was worth it to me to overpay to make sure I got it, so it isn't overpaying if it's the price you're willing to pay, right?

Anyway, so I still have the salmon blush Californian Elite that has just become wall art, because while it plays and sounds fine, it doesn't have a scalloped fretboard.

I figured I'd sell the salmon blush to get money back I put into this one. 

But then I thought: They are both bolt-on necks. The incoming one has a reverse headstock...can/should I swap necks?

Then again, I don't mind this one being beat up. It means I wouldn't have to be as careful with it.  And if I swap the necks, it messes with the serial number database, right?

I guess I'll try swapping the neck and see how it plays and feels, and then decide whether to make it a permanent change or not.

 

Thoughts?

 

syc1bitr7nyktjowrv83.jpeg

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Beautiful neck and scalloping. I’d be interested to understand how the scallops were executed relative to the inlays and frets — it occurs to me that the inlay material would need to have been thicker than usual (in order to maintain the desired shape after scalloping) and inlaid first, then frets, then scalloping. But, I’m aguessin’.

 I hope you enjoy it @NABF!

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3 hours ago, Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame said:

I finally found it: a Hamer USA with factory-scalloped frets without being a Virtuoso.  And it has Boomers!

So I overpaid for it, probably.  But it was worth it to me to overpay to make sure I got it, so it isn't overpaying if it's the price you're willing to pay, right?

Anyway, so I still have the salmon blush Californian Elite that has just become wall art, because while it plays and sounds fine, it doesn't have a scalloped fretboard.

I figured I'd sell the salmon blush to get money back I put into this one. 

But then I thought: They are both bolt-on necks. The incoming one has a reverse headstock...can/should I swap necks?

Then again, I don't mind this one being beat up. It means I wouldn't have to be as careful with it.  And if I swap the necks, it messes with the serial number database, right?

I guess I'll try swapping the neck and see how it plays and feels, and then decide whether to make it a permanent change or not.

 

Thoughts?

 

Just kidding!  Congrats on the snag!  :)

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2 hours ago, veatch said:

How much you want for the salmon blush?   Pics?

Congrats on the scalloped Cali!

I'm strongly considering putting the scalloped neck (reverse headstock) on the salmon blush body.  So at this point, not ready to consider selling.

There is a picture of the salmon blush cali as my AVI photo.

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17 hours ago, topekatj said:

Beautiful neck and scalloping. I’d be interested to understand how the scallops were executed relative to the inlays and frets — it occurs to me that the inlay material would need to have been thicker than usual (in order to maintain the desired shape after scalloping) and inlaid first, then frets, then scalloping. But, I’m aguessin’.

 I hope you enjoy it @NABF!

Literally the first thought that came to mind when I read the OP. Including the order of operations part.

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  • 3 weeks later...

That is my dream guitar, a Hamer USA elite with scalloped neck and boomers. I saw that guitar for sale before you grabbed it.

I have a Hamer Slammer (first gen Korean) series Californian with scalloped Neck that was not a factory job.

I'm wondering how many of the factory scalloped USA models they made.

Did you switch the necks?

 

Scalloped HAMER Californian deluxe,HS,FR,27 frets,89/90, cherry sunburst image 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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13 hours ago, stobro said:

I guess I've never really understood the appeal of a scalloped fretboard. Couldn't you achieve the same effect by using REALLY tall frets?

Same here, I guess you'd have to use a really light touch to play one. Me, I like low frets 'cause I like to dig in.  But, as the saying goes, to each their own.

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On 11/27/2022 at 2:12 AM, rickrock999 said:

That is my dream guitar, a Hamer USA elite with scalloped neck and boomers. I saw that guitar for sale before you grabbed it.

I have a Hamer Slammer (first gen Korean) series Californian with scalloped Neck that was not a factory job.

I'm wondering how many of the factory scalloped USA models they made.

Did you switch the necks?

 

Scalloped HAMER Californian deluxe,HS,FR,27 frets,89/90, cherry sunburst image 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have not yet switched the necks.

I dunno.  When I bought the Elite, the seller was a great guy.  He was hoping his *other* guitar would sell so he could pay what he had to pay for and not have to sell the Cali.  I convinced him to sell it to me.

So I feel sorta honor bound to give him 3-4 years to buy it back, if he can.

On the flip side, as fugly as the neck pickup and humbucker ring are in person, the guitar sounds really nice.  So I'm not sure I really need to mess with it.  With this older, somewhat scarred body, I don't have to worry about dings and chips and such...altho, since I never play out, I don't really have that problem...no guitar has left my possession in worse shape than I got it, so far.

So I'll just continue being lazy a while and playing as is, I guess.

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On 11/27/2022 at 8:35 AM, stobro said:

I guess I've never really understood the appeal of a scalloped fretboard. Couldn't you achieve the same effect by using REALLY tall frets?

some people say jumbo frets give a sort of scalloped feel, but to me, it seems like note slides on a jumbo-fretted guitar are more difficult than on a scalloped guitar.

However, my last two necks I've purchased from Warmoth were both non-scalloped and jumbo fretted, because I wanted some specific color inlays you can't get if scalloped.

So what I've found is playing more on scalloped makes jumbo frets feel and work better.  Could be fooling myself, tho.

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On 11/27/2022 at 10:31 PM, tweed said:

Same here, I guess you'd have to use a really light touch to play one. Me, I like low frets 'cause I like to dig in.  But, as the saying goes, to each their own.

That's what I've learned from them, they really do teach me to play lighter, which ends up being faster.  And it makes me faster and more precise on even non-scalloped fretboards.
But it also really lets you dig in for bends. I find my bends are more precise and more quick on a scalloped guitar than a non-scalloped one.

Again, I could be fooling myself.

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Interesting...... I've got a nephew who's into scalloped boards, jumbo frets and such. Also noticed once on his playing style that he doesn't dig in as hard as I do, but he is pretty quick on the fretboard. You could have some valid points there.

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the ones I see for sale all seem to have a plastic body and neck behind it.

https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=gittler

But interesting, to say the least!

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