Hallmark Owner's Corner!

[erksin]

Hey y'all I'm Mike - first post, won't be my last.

My lefty Hallmark Custom 60 in Sunset Sparkle finally arrived this AM. I'm new to these (seriously - have you ever run across a lefty Mosrite? Me either ) and was hoping to pick up some pointers from you guys.

I'm still feeling out this guitar after a few hours playing it. The fretboard radius is a little flatter than I'm used to and the action is a lot lower. I'm going to leave it as is for now and see what happens as it settles in, but I'm really wanting to jack it up a little and see if bending is more precise for me.

The pickups are weird - high output, but low on sustain. Like a P-90 banged a Jazzmaster while a FilterTron watched type sound. I can get LP Junior-ish sounds on the bridge, then flick to the middle and its practically a Gretsch. The neck is bassy but fairly clear sounding. Really screwing with my head as they are so different from anything I've had previous.

The Vibrato is great! In the 35 years I've been playing I've never owned a guitar with a wang bar on it and this one is very smooth - easier than a Bigsby and a little more responsive than a Jazzmaster. The bar kinda gets in my way sometimes but I'll adjust. The one thing I'd like to do with it though is to put some sort of washer between the arm and the rocker - I'm feeling metal on metal and its a tad loose. I'd like to be able to let it swing away a little easier if I could but I don't want to introduce any rattle. I'm thinking a very slim silicone washer might do it? What do you think?

Pics on another day - the light is really crappy here in rainy/snowy mix Oregon and I want sunshine to show off this fricking insane flake. It's a beautiful guitar!

[Bob Shade]

Hello Mike, welcome to the forum!

Yes on the lefty models Jerry ( Jerry's lefty's ) assembled the vibrato's. His tech must have not put the standard washer in. I would highly suggest a leather washer and a couple of drops of thread lock on the pin before you re tighten the arm down. Fingernail polish will also do the job nicely.

Thank you for posting and please let me know if you have any further concerns,

Happy rocking! Bob

[erksin]

Hello Mike, welcome to the forum!

Yes on the lefty models Jerry ( Jerry's lefty's ) assembled the vibrato's. His tech must have not put the standard washer in. I would highly suggest a leather washer and a couple of drops of thread lock on the pin before you re tighten the arm down. Fingernail polish will also do the job nicely.

Thank you for posting and please let me know if you have any further concerns,

Happy rocking! Bob

Thanks for chiming in, Bob!

Think I could find a leather washer at a decent tech's shop?

I assume that I have to remove the strings to get at the arm's mounting screw, correct?

I'm really digging the guitar - its very different than what I'm used to but I wanted to bust out of a rut and this guitar is most certainly helping.

[Bob Shade]

Mike, the simplest way to adjust any parts on your Shade trem with out changing strings is as follows:

First, de tune the strings till they are limp.

Second, take a piece of masking tape, and tape the strings down right below the zero fret. This will keep the in place at the headstock.

Third, take the vibrato off of the body by simply removing the 4 attaching plate screws.

There you have it! You can do any repair work you like, the strings stay in place, and the whole job will take less that 5 minutes including zipping the plate back on and removing tape.

Hope this helps, Bob

[Bob Shade]

Oh one more thing, any piece of thin leather will do and you can cut it out with a pair of scissors from you home.

Best, Bob

[erksin]

Thank you, Bob!

[midwestsurfer]

Welcome to the forum, Mike! I love that sunset sparkle finish. Hope you're loving your H60C so far. And definitely try Bob's leather washer idea, it worked like a charm for me.

[midwestsurfer]

"The pickups are weird - high output, but low on sustain. Like a P-90 banged a Jazzmaster while a FilterTron watched type sound."

BTW, Mike - this is by far most hilariously accurate description of these p'ups that I've ever heard!

[erksin]

"The pickups are weird - high output, but low on sustain. Like a P-90 banged a Jazzmaster while a FilterTron watched type sound."

BTW, Mike - this is by far most hilariously accurate description of these p'ups that I've ever heard!

The mental imagery - well, yeah.

Welcome to the forum, Mike! I love that sunset sparkle finish. Hope you're loving your H60C so far. And definitely try Bob's leather washer idea, it worked like a charm for me.

About how big of a washer did you cut? I haven't taken it all apart yet, but I plan on it in the next day or two.

OBTW - I see you rock a 6G15 Reverb Unit. It's my favorite effect - I live for the splash...

[erksin]

Off work today so I've been playing a lot on the C60 - I feel like I'm finally starting to get a handle on this thing now.

I was so worried that the neck was gonna be too skinny for my taste but man is it a comfy player - very fast, but thick enough to feel substantial. The ergonomics of the body are great too - almost a cross between a Strat and an SG in how it hangs and rests against my body.

These pickups are definitely growing on me - I thought I was pretty well experienced playing different types and these are still different enough to cause me to think on my picking technique and just how hard I'm hitting the guitar. A heavy hand seems to be detriment, and I've always been a bit of a basher. Thing is, I've been trying to break that habit and this guitar finally seems to be the tool to get me to lighten up and pay more attention to dynamics. The cleans are there - you just have to lay back a bit more than with other types of pickups I own. All three settings are distinctive - this definitely doesn't sound like anything else I've owned or played.

I need me a good Rat Fink sticker to put on this thing to complete the California Hot Rod look I think.