NGD: Cort Hiram Bullock Signature

[Maggieo]

Last week I finally got my Gubmintcheez, and, of course, it was burning a hole in my pocket. Because I have a problem.

I was going to do my best and spend it on house fix-up stuff, but then a guitar popped up in my Reverb feed (the Reverb Feed is my pusherman.). Holy cow, a Korean-made (Cort makes Rivoltas in their factories, so the Korean guitars are prized for their quality) Hiram Bullock Signature showed up for...wait for it...$200.00USD! This one’s got a swamp ash body with a super thin finish, a Birdseye maple neck and fingerboard, Wilkinson hardware and trim, and mighty mite pick ups.

So, great guitar at a great price. Also, I have a small, but meaningful, connection to Bullock.

Back in 1984 I went to a taping of Late Night with David Letterman (Teri Garr was the guest and Dave did a bit about a salad bar vacuum), and I got to meet the band! Hiram Bullock, Will Lee, Steve Jordan, and Paul Shaffer, all took the time to sign autographs and talk music, gear, and life, to a goofy kid from Nebraska. All of them were great. So, not only is this a really great guitar, it’s a living memorial to one of my guitar heroes that I actually got to meet. (The entire band are heroes to me, really.)

Anyway, here it is:









The trem arm needs a grub screw, the tone control is MIA, and it needs a setup. Otherwise, it is in great shape, and the "open pore" finish is great. You guys know how I loves me my thin and rustic finishes. I'm not entirely sold on the Mighty Mite pickups, but I'll reserve judgment until there's a proper tone control in the circuit. I might wire it with an S-500 style switch that let's me have the neck and bridge PUPs on and the center one off.

Heh- this could be like the $18.00 dress that I had to put a $20.00 zipper in!

[somanytoys]

Damn, that’s nice and a piece of cool history, especially a personal one. I have a couple of Ibanez Soundgear 5 string basses that were made by Cort, that I bought about 15 years ago or so. They’re not the top of that line, im sure, but they’re nice, and mostly what I use now when I do play bass.

I thought that Anton Fig was the drummer in The World’s Most Dangerous Band (seems like was their name), that played with Ace Frehley on his famous KISS solo album. Was he gone at that point, or am I scrambling memories?

Anyway, nice score! Hopefully you don’t need to mod it much, just a little repair work. I like the Wilkinson hardware, friend had a Strat Plus with the saddles and the roller nut, I loved it.

[marqueemoon]

That looks like like a hell of a guitar for $200.

[Maggieo]

Damn, that’s nice and a piece of cool history, especially a personal one. I have a couple of Ibanez Soundgear 5 string basses that were made by Cort, that I bought about 15 years ago or so. They’re not the top of that line, im sure, but they’re nice, and mostly what I use now when I do play bass.

I thought that Anton Fig was the drummer in The World’s Most Dangerous Band (seems like was their name), that played with Ace Frehley on his famous KISS solo album. Was he gone at that point, or am I scrambling memories?

Anyway, nice score! Hopefully you don’t need to mod it much, just a little repair work. I like the Wilkinson hardware, friend had a Strat Plus with the saddles and the roller nut, I loved it.

Anton replaced Steve in The World’s Most Dangerous Band after a couple of years. About the same time that Sid McGuinness replaced Hiram (who was deep into addiction and was missing gigs), IIRC. The really sad thing about Hiram is that he got clean, only to get throat cancer, which eventually killed him.

[Maggieo]

That looks like like a hell of a guitar for $200.

I'd recommend one in a heartbeat. But it has to be a MIK one.

[somanytoys]

Oh, okay. So they were the originals. Gotcha.

That is a shame to hear about him getting cancer and dying from it. Even cooler that you got his relic and will appreciate it.

[Maggieo]

Guys, I just noticed that Hiram is an OFFSET!!!

[Maggieo]

Offset!

[BoringPostcards]

It reminds me of an Ibanez Roadstar, but sleeker.
I like it.
It's definitely offset. Nice! Add it to the non Fender offset list.

[countertext]

I think it’s pretty dope.

[Maggieo]

It reminds me of an Ibanez Roadstar, but sleeker.
I like it.
It's definitely offset. Nice! Add it to the non Fender offset list.

Thanks, guys!

Looks like the tone pot is shot and will have to be replaced. Otherwise, pretty good. The "quack" positions are great for funky rhythm stuff, without being too quacky. And the 'buckers LOVE my wee Marshall.