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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | I posted this on the Hamer message board and I thought I would share it here too. Since Hamer and Ovation are sisters I figured you may want to read this.
Some of you may remember this picture. Many of you tried to guess which guitar was ordered for this top. No one guessed correctly. Well I guess it was sort of a trick question. the top was for a bass. This bass I wanted to order for my wife Sue. It all happened when she attended last year's Hamer Open House and lamented that Hamer did not make a 4 string bass that she could play.
So when I was in New Hartford to pick up Mike C's 12 string standard bass and deliver his triple pickup standard. We wandered into the wood room. Jol asked if I was looking for flame or quilt and i said neither. I wanted something unique. We started to look through the stacks of wood. Dave Brown jumped up on the pile and started passing tops down to Mike C. ONe top caught his eye and he passed it along to me. I told everyone to stop we found what we were looking for and thus we have the picture below.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/jolal.jpg
I was concerned about the weight of the bass. I know that solid maple can be heavy and I was not sure that the bright sound of a solid maple bass would be the sound Sue was looking for. Jol suggested that we do a sandwich with mahogany in the middle. He assured me he would pick out a light piece of wood and then mentioned we can tone chamber it so that it would be light. I agreed. the final bass weights 8 lbs 4 oz
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b1.JPG
I supplied a schaller bridge for the bass since I like them better than gotoh. It is simply a matter of preference nothing more.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b8.JPG
the back is a mirror of the front. I am not sure which side I like best.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b2.JPG
this is another view of the back. The color is aztec gold.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b11.JPG
I was very concerned about the headstock. I did not want the big 12 string paddle with 4 tuners I thought that it would just look out of place and would add too much weight to the bass. The matching headstock is usually hit or miss but I thought I would go for it. So inlaid logo, and I wanted a couple of inches chopped off the end of the headstock. Jol agreed that he would do that. When I was up in the factory a few months later, Dave Brown cornered me and asked if I saw the headstock, I had not. He told me to make sure I stop up in the shop and check it out. Jol had designed a whole new forked headstock for the 4 string. I was awestruck. it is perfectly proportioned and looks awesome.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b4.JPG
It even looks sexy from the back.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b3.JPG
the MOP ultimate binding was not originally in the plans but after seeing Laura Press' duotone 12 and mobbie's bass I knew that I would order only one custom bass for Sue so I went for it. The headstock is stunning and I was told it took many man hours to get it that way.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b5.JPG
one more pic because it is so cool.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b9.JPG
The fingerboard is ebony and it has all nine planets inlaid in order. I was working with a customer gettinginlays approved when I had the idea for the planets. I know that Ovation did the planet inlays on their 2000 guitar and I liked them. I asked Frank R if they would consider doing it on a Hamer he said no, but I cc: Frank U on the request and he agreed that they would do it on a one time only basis with no reorder. So the planet inlays were set and I did not have to go out of house (technically well at least not out of the Kaman family) to get them.
Sue was very ill a number of years ago and is very interested in astronomy. I bought a telescope for her one Christmas and would tease her that when you come close to joining the stars and the planets you get very interested in them.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b6.JPG
from the bottom up
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b7.JPG
So medium scale EMG pickups and just a whole lot tone is included in this bass. To say I am pleased is an understatement. this instrument is spectacular. No it was not cheap. but Sue really needed to play a Hamer. She had a cruise bass for a while but never bonded with it. She always like the bass "Nick Lowe" played so I guess she got one. Here are a couple full length shots.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b10.JPG
and just for clarification no multiple of $350 can make Sue part with it.
http://www.hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/b12.JPG http://www. hamermuseum.com/hosting/alpep/jolal.jpg"> |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | sorry I can't understand how to get the pics to load in the thread. just click on the links |
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February 2004
Posts: 2487
| Wow Al! That Bass leaves me speachless and you know my postings! I guess I wish I could get my wife to have a custom Bass made for me! That is a museum piece! I converted my Ric 4003 4 string to a 5 and am currently building an older Horse shoe pickup for it but this is way, WAY, out of my league! Nice Work! Randy |
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Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Al-
You. Are. My. Hero. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | I am just an idiot that sells gear for a living. |
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April 2003
Posts: 2503
Location: Fayetteville, NC | AL,
Great Looking Bass!! The Hamer Guys did an Awesome Job. What makes it even more special is that you were able to help them design it and it's One of a kind. say No Multiple of $350 will make sue part with it. What about $550.? Do I hear $650???
No Can Do?? I can't say as I blame her!
Congrats. |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by alpep:
I am just an idiot that sells gear for a living.
You should never say 'just' when you're referring to yourself. It makes you sound inferior. It's better to say:
I'm an idiot that sells gear for a living.
See the difference? Compare:
a) I'm just an idiot that sells gear for a living.
b) I'm an idiot that sells gear for a living.
Now, if you were dealing with two people, one who uttered a) and one who spake b), which would you rather deal with? I'll bet it's Mr. b). He realizes that, although he may be an idiot, he is not just any old idiot. I'll bet you'd feel lucky to do business with an idiot like him. You know Mr. a) is just going to screw you over somehow...probably through his own incompetence.
Of course this is not to say that you, Al, are 'just an idiot' or even 'an idiot', because I don't think that at all. I think you sell quality stuff, are knowledgeable, honest and I highly doubt you're an idiot. I have read some posts by some other instrument dealer on another message board whom I would suppose might be our Mr. a), and rest assured, even if you were our Mr. b), you would get *my* business!
OK, kids, now repeat after me:
I am not 'just' anything.
Hrmm...now, don't you feel better? More self-assured? See, I knew you would.
:D |
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December 2001
Posts: 7237
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Simply put... Now that's a bass!!! |
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November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Beautiful bass Al, thanks for sharing the pictures with us. I see you went with EMG pickups. EMG makes great sounding pickups, that bass must really ring. Classy looking bass! :) |
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December 2001
Posts: 7237
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | The more I look at it, that really should be a production model. It's obvious Jol and the gang had some fun with this one. |
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November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Wow, quilted maple back. I just looked at that picture. I just love the look of quilted maple. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | How is this???????
amongst other things that dominant the focus of my existence, I am just an idiot that sells gear for a living. |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | How about "dominate" . . |
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Posts: 1614
Location: Converse, Texas | Al: Is that wood Australian Lacewood? |
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August 2002
Posts: 623
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!
Brilliant piece of artistic workmanship.
Congrats, Al. I wish Sue many happy hours of bliss with that one!
Johnny |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | a true "Millennium"
great instrument... |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | maple cap sandwiched between mahogany
maple neck.
ebony fingerboard.
Sue is loving it.
sorry I have not been too active lately, I spent some time in the ER ....long story. |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 383
Location: Indiana | As bass is my main instrument of enjoyment, and has been for many years, I feel kinda qualified to voice my opinion. That is one of the most beautiful basses I have ever seen.I like the choice of the EMG's and the chrome hardware. There is one angle that we need a pic from ,though.The angle with Sue (w/smile of course) holding it.
I'm not real familiar with the Hamer line. Is there a model similar to this w/o all the custom features? Or maybe one in the future.
Bill |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Al
I love that bass, I just saw one exactly like it at Mary's Pawn Shop on Solana Ave. It was made in Free Cambodia and they wanted $112 for it, $150 with HSC, The headstock said SHAMER but you can see what they were hinting at. I picked it up and tried a few chords, and the wood grain showed up on my shirt when I put it back. The sales clerk said they could get all of them I wanted from some mafia guy in New Joisey (that's what he said "New Joisey', and he was a mexicano), he said the original design was obtained from some guy named Gov McGravey who was retiring and needed money. He said they came "straight from the factory".
I hope you got a better deal on yours and I'll be glad to give anyone who wants one a note that says "Bailey sent me" that will get them one too.
OOPS, I just noted that yours says HAMER on the headstock. Damn good SHAMER copy you have there, that should have been really cheap.
I don't play bass but I have to say I really want one of those.
Beautiful Bass!!!
Bailey |
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Hamer bass
