Incoming: Hahn 'Model C' (Jim Campilongo signature)

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BebopperBebopper Frets: 129
Pulled the trigger and sent payment last week. Just missed out on a guitar from the first batch, so looking at up to eight weeks for the second run.

Haven't had a Tele for a few years and this one ticks a lot of boxes for me (pine body, compound radius, thin nitro finish). It's a boutique, small-production instrument for the same money as a Fender American Professional. That Jim Campilongo had a hand in it is the icing on the cake!

https://www.hahnguitars.com/model-c/

"After many years of working together and talking about a signature guitar, Jim Campilongo and Hahn Guitars are now releasing the Model "C" - a high-end guitar at an affordable price.  The most important part of the "C" was that it be the absolute highest quality musical instrument we could make - it plays great, and sounds wonderful.  It is not a standard T style, as we have chosen sugar pine as the body wood, but in all respects it is a top flight, professional instrument.  

The Model "C" really started when we built an orange Model 228 for Jim, and then he played it the next day on the David Letterman show.  Jim was playing with Martha Wainwright at the time and, after setting the guitar up for him, he told me it would be on tv the next night.  I laughed and asked him why he would take a chance like that on a new builder and guitar, and he replied "Sometimes it's just nice to do something nice for someone."  Well, we became friends right there, and the Model C is a result of that friendship.  We have gone through 3-4 iterations, and I think we finally got it.

Specs:  lightweight sugar pine body, one piece maple neck with medium depth (approx .85") and c contour, 7 1/4-9 1/2" compound radius, medium jumbo frets, bone nut, Gotoh/Kluson tuners, string retainer set at the G string, Hahn hand wound pickups by Rob Banta, Hahn hardware (cold rolled steel bridge milled from a solid billet and finished in lacquer (not plated), brass compensated saddles, stainless steel ferrules and .10" neck plate, stainless control plate), CTS 250 k pots, CRL 3 way switch, Orange Drop capacitor and push back vintage cloth wire.

Finish.  Like all Hahn guitars, the Model "C" is finished in nitrocellulose lacquer.  The body receives only 10 coats, so the finish is slightly sunken and is not polished to glass-like shine.  The neck receives a slight amber tint, and also receives only the necessary amount of finish to protect the wood; it is then taken down to a matte finish.  All in all, the Model "C" has a worn-in feel, but is not reliced.

Limited availability.  The Model "C" will only be produced on a limited basis.  We are estimating two per month.  Pre-order is encouraged and we do not anticipate they will make it to the stock shelves of our online reverb.com store.  The price is $1495 with free CONUS shipping and a gig bag."

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Comments

  • Strat54Strat54 Frets: 2331
    Nice! I was tempted myself, but I already have too many Tele's. How much was the shipping? I'm off to NYC in a few months time and hope to go see Jim play, bit of a Tele hero of mine. 
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16253
    Ooh. I've been salivating over these via a longish thread on TDPRI. Not that I have any money to spend but if I'm going to fantasise might as well go top drawer. IIRC those  machining marks on the bridge don't seem to be appearing on the versions being sold, although I think they're fine.
    I guess it will be the first or only or one of very few in the UK.  
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • interstellarinterstellar Frets: 486
    been eyeing up a Hahn for a few months, these look to be great value for money, be keen to hear what you think?
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  • Matt_McGMatt_McG Frets: 321
    I have a deal with my wife, no new guitars until I reach a certain weight target (this was partly my idea, so I only have myself to blame).

    Otherwise, I'd have bought one of these in a shot. Envious. That is everything I'd want in a guitar, more or less.
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  • BluesyDaveBluesyDave Frets: 410
    There's a rather nice YT of Jim with his new Tele.  Looks and sounds great.


    No Darling....I've had that ages.
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  • TeeByrdTeeByrd Frets: 159
    edited May 2018
    My advice is to be a bit wary of Mr Hahn. I put a custom order his way a few years ago. Well over a year after I paid my deposit i’d still not heard a dickie bird, even though i had tried to contact him countless times. After posting about it on the TDPRi he finally got back to me. I had further weeks of him saying the guitar was just about finished. I also had a load of folk pm me saying they were having similar problems. Eventually he admitted he hadnt even begun my guitar and i eventually got my deposit back, albeit, without the 50% shipping he screwed me out of. I found out later that he took more orders than he could manage, but only concentrated on getting guitars done for his “celebrity” clients.

    I understand that the guy is a one man band and a single parent, but If he had told me to start with that the build time would be 2-3 times longer (one guy was waiting a year longer than me and still not heard from him) that he stated then that would have been fine with me. A bit of honesty and integrity go a long way!

    Really hope you don’t have any problems with him fella.
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  • pluckbuddypluckbuddy Frets: 266
    I've been looking at the model c for ages. Would be interested to read your impressions when you receive it. On the face of it seems great value but would still be a fairly sizable investment of cash for me on my current budget. I usually buy secondhand.

    My current Tele is an MJT ash bodied partscaster which does everything I need to but pine has always intrigued me and the headstock, bridge and other details look great on the C. Jim Campilongo is fantastic too which helps peak my interest. 
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  • BebopperBebopper Frets: 129
    Well eight weeks became almost six months but my Model C arrived today.

    First impressions of the guitar are fortunately very good. Nice neck, light weight and rings out unplugged. The super thin, almost sunken finish on the body is just what I like. It'll wear if you look at it the wrong way.

    I'm not sure yet what pickups are in the guitar. It was initially advertised as having his in-house Banta pickups, but Hahn posted two days ago on Jim Campilongo's own forum that the majority of Model Cs had their pickups upgraded to custom Fralins.

    @EricTheWeary - Mine does have the machining marks on the bridge.

    Photos to follow tonight.
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  • Bebopper said:
    Well eight weeks became almost six months but my Model C arrived today.

    First impressions of the guitar are fortunately very good. Nice neck, light weight and rings out unplugged. The super thin, almost sunken finish on the body is just what I like. It'll wear if you look at it the wrong way.

    I'm not sure yet what pickups are in the guitar. It was initially advertised as having his in-house Banta pickups, but Hahn posted two days ago on Jim Campilongo's own forum that the majority of Model Cs had their pickups upgraded to custom Fralins.

    @EricTheWeary - Mine does have the machining marks on the bridge.

    Photos to follow tonight.
    Nice. I've read some of the responses on TDPRI  which are similar in terms of wait times. But they love these guitars. Maybe if you've waited six months and paid a lot of money you don't want to admit that you don't but certainly the reviews couldn't be more glowing.
    IIRC Hahn has stopped taking orders on them but that just makes your guitar even more special. I look forward to the photos.    
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • Strat54Strat54 Frets: 2331
    edited November 2018
    Did it work out cheaper than buying the one on sale in the UK, its £1950. 
    I actually met him when I was in New York last month, went to see Jim Campilongo. I'm a big fan of Hahn's, A friend has a nice 228 blackguard. The only disappointment for me is that Jim still doesn't use one live. I didn't even notice he'd brought one as a back up to his old '59. I guess its THAT good. 
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  • Lovely, can I have it please?
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  • BebopperBebopper Frets: 129
    Strat54 said:
    Did it work out cheaper than buying the one on sale in the UK, its £1950. 
    I actually met him when I was in New York last month, went to see Jim Campilongo. I'm a big fan of Hahn's, A friend has a nice 228 blackguard. The only disappointment for me is that Jim still doesn't use one live. I didn't even notice he'd brought one as a back up to his old '59. I guess its THAT good. 
    With shipping and import charges, it worked out to £1603.

    Have to say I was miffed to see that Music Street got one in stock a couple of weeks ago, when I and others were waiting for months with no response to emails.
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516
    Bebopper said:
    With shipping and import charges, it worked out to £1603.
    I've never seen, let alone tried, a Hahn, but based on their reputation that seems as cheap as chips in today's guitar market.
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  • BebopperBebopper Frets: 129
    The guitar came with a Road Runner RR2EG gig bag (worth about $100). 

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/6455xsc1ihpdd3p/IMG_5459.JPG?raw=1
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  • Strat54Strat54 Frets: 2331
    Nice guitar, and at that price you can't go wrong. Hope you bond with it. Bloody love Jim Campilongo, Tele legend and a really nice guy. 
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  • Strat54Strat54 Frets: 2331
    Have you bonded @Bebopper ; ?
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