Hamer95USA

I'm not affiliated with the seller, but there is a seller that is local to me that is selling a Hamer USA Newport Pro: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/msg/d/san-jose-2005-usa-hamer-newport-pro/7825382257.html

This amp will be a true " bucket list" 100 watt amp head to own with all of the Jose Arredondo mods installed. If you're a high gain amp head fan, this will be on your radar! I'm happy that the Arredondo family has given Friedman their blessing to move forward with it, share the profits from the amp, and letting their father's legacy live on as one of the master amp models of his time. I wished that EVH had given Jose the support of his modified amp builds before his death than going with Soldano amp purchase, or Peavey amp endorsement, but it is what it is.

Is the color of that guitar finish from the factory or has it been sanded down/refinished?

Cool guitar! I have a 1990 Chaparral Elite 90 with the same iridescent finish/boomerang inlays. I bought mine from a seller on E-bay located in Nashville. He also had a Hamer Callifornian with a holoskull finish on the body & boomerang inlays. He wanted me to buy it. I just had enough money to buy the Chaparral Elite 90 at the time and I had to turn him down on the Californian Elite. 😞 Someone got a nice Chaparral Elite with a Sustainiac and boomerang inlays!

My 1982 1st generation Cruisebass looks equally as worn & dinged as that bass minus the damaged headstock. I sure want that OEM hardshell case though.

Being from the East Bay and getting to know both Leonard Haze & Joey Alves when they were both alive and not in Y&T, was a great privilege for me. Both of them were good people and treated me as a friend. Buying this 1993 Special w/P-90 pickups for me was inspired by Joey Alves. Yes, his tone was killer too! I use this guitar as my main guitar in my AC/DC tribute band.

I own and use a Marshall 6101 & Soldano Astroverb 16 combo amps, a Rocktron Vendetta, and an ADA Depot 3TM mod MP-1 preamp. I would have to say amp overdrive is the king tone!! If I have to use a borrowed amp for a jam night or as a backline (e.g. Fender Deluxe or Twin), then I would use an overdrive or distortion pedal preferably either an Xotic AC Booster or an MI Audio Crunch Box. I'd like to try the Suhr Riot one of these days though. Guitar George

I like practicing through either my Reverend Goblin, Soldano Astroverb 16, or my latest amp I got on a trade, my Laney Cub 12R with a Celestion Blue speaker that I installed in it. I use a Zoom G9.2tt effects processor pedalboard for effects/MIDI controller and a Lehle Dual SGOS for switching between amps. I'm enjoying playing through the Cub 12R combo amp, being able to go from clean to dirty just from the amp's gain knob, effects loop, and the 3/4 & 15 watt amp inputs which allow me to play at low volumes. Guitar George

Hey rugby1970, Reunion Blues (very nice, but pricey) and Mono (state of the art, expensive) are the top of the line for gig bags. I currently use/recommend a Pro Tec Contego electric guitar gig bag for one guitar. It gets the most use for rehearsals or gigs where I need to carry one guitar. They go for around $125 new or less online. For a double electric guitar gig bag, I use/recommend Pro Bag leather double electric guitar gig bag. I bought mine new for $175.00 which is far less than you will pay from either Reunion Blues ($400-$500) or Mono ($300 plus, non leather). I found the Pro Bag to be well made and durable for my needs. It doesn't have a lot of features like the Mono gig bags, but I like the stylish look. Guitar George

Great job on the restoration. Why does the finish on the side of the guitar have holes in it though? Are you relicing the guitar? Guitar George

You would have to remove the EXG/SPC module circuitboard and buy/install the SPC module and a 25K tone pot in its place which is what I did. Guitar George

Hey seeker, I bought the EMG SA pickups and the EXG & SPC modules seperately since I was trying out active pickups to see if I would like it or not. The DG pickup set has both modules integrated as one circuitboard with the pots attached to the pickguard. If you have the DG pickup set, you can't seperate the two modules unless you buy them both seperately. Single coil pickups, whether active or passive, are bright, twangy, and snappy sounding which is what most folks want in a Strat or Tele type guitars. The EXG modules emphasize more lows and highs when you turn the pot clockwise. It's great for clean tones and really brings out the lows & highs it was designed for. I eventually got burnt out on having to tweak the EXG module to get the extra lows/highs, installed a master tone pot in its place, and left the SPC module for its midrange boost for leads or to fatten things up when I need it. I basically made my EMG pickups configured more like the Vince Gill pickup set, but using the SA pickups instead of the S pickups that come with his signature pickguard. If you're interested, I'm selling the EXG module. Guitar George

I have the EMG Gilmour pickup set in my Fender Japan Strat. I've gone through numerous pickups trying to find single coil pickups that wouldn't hum or sound thin. I took out the EXG module off of the pickguard and installed a master tone pot so I have master volume, master tone, and SPC module. I found the pickups/module configuration to be a lot more versatile and only had to adjust the volume knob & SPC knobs and not have to deal with the EXG module. I'm happy with this setup and won't be changing pickups for awhile. Tomterrific stated the advantages of active pickups. Guitar George

Hey savethematches, Sorry to hear that IndianScout is making a bunch of drama over a bad trade on his part. I hope you get paid and have your trade issue resolved. I definitely won't make any trades with this guy for anything on any forum ever. I noticed he uses family emergencies and other excuses to scam people on the other Internet forums. Guitar George

I'm sad to hear that Ronnie Montrose died from a suicide. If you were from northern California and played guitar, Ronnie Montrose, Neal Schon, and Dave Meniketti was a heavy influence on guitar players in this area. One of my favorite rock guitarists with a great sounding vibrato. "Town Without" Pity", the first 3 Montrose albums with Sammy Hagar, and Gamma were my favorites. I listened to Montrose on the local rock stations which they promoted in the northern California Bay Area heavily. Yes, if you lived on the west coast, you had to play Montrose in your cover band or you weren't cool. LOL I had the privilege of watching Ronnie Montrose twice in 2004. I saw him at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz with Y&T. Then I went on tour as a road crew member for Hirax to the 2004 Swedish Rock Festival in Sweden, used my all access pass, and watched Montrose on the side of the stage, standing next to Phil Kennemore of Y&T while he was taking pictures of Montrose onstage. Dave Meniketti & his wife were on the other side of the stage watching Ronnie as well. I also got to hang out with John Nye in Sweden watching Judas Priest from the audience. I'm glad I got to see Montrose with his last lineup while he was still alive. Guitar George