NGD - 1978(?) Sunburst

[currypowder]

I took a chance on this one. It was listed for sale in Japan for a very reasonable price. From the posted pics, I was fairly certain that the back of the neck had been refinished and probably indicated a headstock break or other issue, but that wasn't enough to dissuade me. It also had a pretty good amount of playwear and a couple of screw holes where, I'm guessing, a pickguard was installed.

It was delivered today and the neck has definitely been refinished, covering up the serial number. However, there is a wood spacer under the sustain block bridge and the headstock is the early long version. So I'm guessing that it's a '78. It also looks like a layer of clear coat was sprayed on the headstock front as some of the dings look to be covered with it.

The good news is that the neck is straight and it plays well up and down the neck. The frets are in great shape, so probably a refret at some point in its life. The pickups are older Dimarzios, so are hopefully original. I confirmed that everything works as it should, but haven't had the opportunity to really dig into it yet.

Definitely a player grade, but still a vintage Hamer that I can play without worries.

Here are a few pics, so if anyone wants to add their thoughts or correct any of my assumptions or conclusions, please do.

I may bring this one up to Chicago this weekend for the get together.

[murkat]

score! very nice.

[cynic]

Bridge pickup doesn't have the beveled slugs so it's likely been replaced.

Great looking guitar!  Nice score.

Edited October 15, 2024 by cynic

[tommyh]

I have Sunburst SN 8 0253. 'Andrew' ('Budlea Garden' (?) @HFC) commented 'big dots'. It also has a shimmed bridge and long headstock but bullseye Grovers - however, it looks pretty similar, maybe yours is around that SN? Cheers, T.

[zorrow]

What a BEAUTY 😍

[ARM OF HAMER]

                                                                             Love that shading on the top! Cool guitar! Wear wise just looking at the photos there is nothing there that would make me turn away from the guitar at the right price. Any Hamer that's in one piece is a good piece and should be saved and played.....................I mean they aren't making any more now are they.

[Bennyboy-UK]

Yeah I reckon you are spot-on with the neck refin - super guitar - I wonder where you spotted this one - I do pour over lots of Japanese sites and aggregators looking for guitars - but can't remember seeing this one - so I'm guessing it was off the beaten track somewhere?

[currypowder]

Thanks for the responses and thoughts. I think I agree with @cynic that the pickups are probably not original, the slug posts on both look a little flatter than I would expect were they original. Still, they sound pretty good. 

Unless I'm willing to try to remove the refinish on the back of the headstock, I doubt that I'll ever know the serial number and exact year. I may try to date the pots, though they are messy (another indication of non-original pickups). I did notice that the Grovers are not bullseye like the one @tommyh shared. Maybe they were swapped, too. Or maybe it indicates a late 78/early 79 model. Given what a player it is, I don't really care that much.

@Bennyboy-UK It was listed on the Yahoo Auction site. The title said "Hammer Sunbirst", so maybe it fell under some searchers' radar. I was the only bidder. No case, but did come with a decent gig bag.

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e1155455559

[Bennyboy-UK]

Ahhhhh - the misspelt thing has worked for me in the past - [Hammer California anyone  !]

 

Thats a great shout - well done!!

[kizanski]

19 hours ago, currypowder said:

Or maybe it indicates a late 78/early 79 model.

If we go by the shimmed bridge (pre Sustain Block) alone, that would put it at no later than mid '78.  

[luis]

Great Score!

I am looking for one but do not found any.

[donner]

Congrats on that one!

Time to put a post over to this Sunburst-Collector's thread, too:

Let's count them!

[donner]

On 10/17/2024 at 1:58 PM, kizanski said:

If we go by the shimmed bridge (pre Sustain Block) alone, that would put it at no later than mid '78.  

It also looks like there were a 2-hole TRC as well as a bell 3-hole one. This pics shows two 78s, only 2 serial nrs. away from each other (both are Hamer Dave's).

The left one was the one I snatched in Germany and sent it over the pond „back home“.

All 3 screwholes in the headstock underneath were original, not any hint of a later change from 2 to 3.

[kizanski]

Clip. Those. String. Ends.

I have never seen the 3 screw TRC before.  That's an odd one.

Edited October 23, 2024 by kizanski

[donner]

@Hamer Dave

Agree on Those. String. Ends. 😇

Also on the Odd One:  None of my other Hamers has more than 2 TRC-screws. Odd, indeed.

Edited October 23, 2024 by donner