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JEM-style Hamer prototype guitar built for Steve Vai going back up for auction – with a starting bid of $2,500
Hamer made the guitar for Vai between 1985 and 1986, according to its letter of authenticity.
Credit: Julien’s Auctions
A JEM-style Hamer prototype which was built for Steve Vai is going back up for auction after it reportedly failed to sell in April earlier this year.
Originally, it was listed with a minimum bid of $20,000. The guitar is now back on the market under Julien’s Auctions with a much lower starting bid of $2,500.
The guitar was originally listed for sale under auctioneers Gotta Have Rock And Roll but fetched a final bid of $0 (as Guitar World reports). The axe is now estimated to reach a final total between $10,000 to $20,000, and it comes with a letter of authenticity, a photograph of Vai holding the guitar and its body is also signed by the man himself.
An Ibanez hardshell leather case will be included for the lucky bidder, which has pink fabric lining, one functional draw-latch closure, and two non-functioning combination locks.
The body of the guitar also has a Virgin merchandising sticker and a sticker of a skull with the words “DD Ghosts Vision” on it. The Julien’s Auctions website also says that the body and back of the neck have signs of finish checking.
“The ‘Monkey Grip’ prototype was created when Vai was searching for companies to make the ‘Jem.’ The design, created by Hamer, was developed based on Vai’s specs for the ‘Jem’,” says the company. “According to the accompanying letter of authenticity, this is a rare guitar that Hamer made for Vai around 1985-1986, this is a pre-Jem prototype that Steve Vai used in the studio.”
Other specifications include 24 frets, two single coil pickups – one in the neck and one in the middle position – as well as a humbucker at the bridge. This makes a change from the final Jem, which houses a HSH configuration instead. It hosts a five-way pickup selector switch, one master volume knob, one master tone knob, a Floyd Rose bridge, a locking nut and has a set neck.
Take a closer look and find out more over at Julien’s Auctions.