It would take a lot for Brad Gillis to sit his beloved ’62 Strat down for five minutes to play something else, but in the late ’80s, Hamer had it. Here we take a (quick) trip down memory to learn a little more about the guitar that put Bubba in the corner.
Oh, and before we get to the story of the guitar on the cover, a word on the cover itself, and an ancient GW typo alert. On page 4 of the February 1989 issue, Gillis’ guitar (below) is misidentified as his 1962 Fender Strat, aka Bubba.
BTW, Jeff Watson is holding the prototype of his custom signature Hamer Watson. Watson and his namesake guitar would start appearing in full-page Hamer ads by the early ’90s.
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Where did you get this guitar?
Oh, yes, my 1985 Hamer Strat that appeared on the Guitar World cover! Night Ranger had hooked up with Paul Hamer, and he wanted to build us a few different guitars. I started playing this guitar live, but I’d always revert back to “Bubba,” my main 1962 Fender Strat.
Did you modify the Hamer at all?
In some ways, it was similar to Bubba. In 1983, after I left Ozzy Osbourne, I rejoined Night Ranger, and in the mid-’80s, I started using PJ Marx pickups. At one point in the mid-’80s, my brother built me a wireless switching unit that we mounted inside my guitars.
At that time, it switched delay, chorus and lead/rhythm on my Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC [Simulclass]. That gave me the freedom to walk anywhere on stage and switch components. Ronnie Montrose caught wind of my brother’s wireless system, which I also had in Bubba, and he built Ronnie one for his guitar strap.
Did you use this guitar on any recordings or tours?
Well, Paul Hamer also built me a Hamer Scepter, which appeared on the cover of my solo record, Gilrock Ranch [1993]. I used the Hamer live a bit, but I played Bubba on all of the Night Ranger records and live around the world. We were playing more than 200 shows a year.
Why did you choose this guitar for your Guitar World cover shoot?
I was just stroking Hamer, to be honest! [Laughs]
Do you still have this guitar?
No, I sold it years back.
