Any Nighthawk Owners Out There??? Need a quick answer

[smileradio]

There is one for sale on eBay that looks nice... first and foremost, how do you like your nighthawk? I hear they sound similar to a S-500... similar. How do you think it sounds different?

And secondly, how much should I expect to pay? I just bought a Broadcaster (which is AWESOME), and this one would look really nice next to it... What do you guys and gals think?

Thanks so much for your opinions!

Paul

[smileradio]

also... do you think the sound of the Nighthawk would be "too" similar to my broadcaster? Or should I go for something closer like a Legacy to have a big variation in tones?

Thanks.... now go ahead and answer away

[jonc]

The Broadcaster and Nighthawk/early Skyhawk will definitely sound different from each other. Here's a 2 links that might helpful:

http://www.ggjaguar.com/nitehawk.htm

http://www.ggjaguar.com/84skyhawk.htm

[smileradio]

Thanks so much for the links... Those descriptions, unfortunately, are the only things that I am basing my decision of whether or not to try and buy a Nighthawk... I was hoping that someone would own one and could elaborate on whether they are happy with their purchase, or if they had "one that got away" because they bought the Nighthawk and not something else...

Any chance you have one, Jonc???

[jonc]

i've played a couple of nighthawks and have owned and still own, an early Skyhawk. I like these guitars although the thin necks (depth-wise primarily) are off-putting for some. since you already have a B-caster a Nighthawk would be a nice addition but owing that it's a "rarebird" you could end up paying a premium for it over what an early Skyhawk would go for. then again, you could get it cheap. i have no idea what the one on ebay will go for but possibly $1100-1200.00? if you're referring to it sounding like an early S-500 then yes, it's in that ballpark. Later S-500's including the current issues are of course much different. basically decide how much you want to pay to have a Nighthawk and what you might pay for an early (or even a mid-84+) Skyhawk. as for buyer's regret. you can prolly always flip a nice Leo-era G&L especially if you don't pay too much for it in the first place. if for some reason you don't bond with the guitar i'm sure you can trade it for another G&L you might like better.

[smileradio]

Thanks so much, again, for the response. Another rarebird would be nice, but definitely hard on the wallet. We'll see. It was hard for me to rationalize to my girlfriend (future wife) that i "need" this guitar... as i already used that excuse for the broadcaster... but maybe i will get the urge. Man, i wish law school loans weren't as much as they... or that i was rich and wouldn't have to worry about money. yeah, that'd be nice.
Thanks

[jonc]

personally and if it were me i'd save the dough for now, play the hell out of the b-caster and get a small-MFD G&L (Leo or BBE era) when it makes sense. sometimes if you just gotz to have it, then you gotz to have it and that's it , but i would keep my dollars near and dear right now. $4.30 (and rising) gas in my area is quickly changing the game and school loans are the gift that keeps on giving. just my 2c.

[Craig]

Here's another link (in the Rarebird section of the G&L Registry) on the Nighthawk.

Hope this helps.

[smileradio]

It does... Thanks so much Craig. I don't think that I am going to pull the trigger on it. I would really like to play an S-500 or a Legacy before I buy one. Now I just need to find a store that carries them in Wisconsin (and not just the Tribute Models)...
Thanks everyone!

[Dick Seacup]

Were you looking at that 1985 Nighthawk that just ended for <$600? I was totally going to bid on it, but then I read this thread and thought, "Sounds like smileradio is more into it than me" followed quickly by jonc's "it's a rarebird and going to fetch a premium." Of course, when I absently mumbled "I'm buying another guitar" at dinner, my wife--she of the supersonic hearing abilities--made it quite clear that I may be doing many things but adding guitars wasn't one of them. :\ I think that one went cheap, though.

[smileradio]

That was indeed the one i was looking at... and when Jonc said that it would fetch a premium (I also assumed that it would go for closer to $1,000) I thought that having just bought a Broadcaster for $1,600, that I didn't "need" (as your wife and my girlfriend would attest to) another guitar. Whoever got that for less than $600 is a lucky man. If one comes up again I will probably bid on it, so looks like it will be you... against me.... some time in the future

kidding of course... have you played a Nighthawk before? Or a Skyhawk for that matter? Or were just thinking about it because it was a rare bird? My Broadcaster has a really similar neck it sounds like to the Nightawk, which is nice... but REALLY thin. I wasn't sure if I wanted another guitar with a realllly thin neck. What are the guitars do you have?

[jonc]

in this market you can never tell. SC's that used to go for 600.00 now go for 1100.00 - - sometimes. i didn't check the auction but if someone got the Nighthawk for 600.00 then that was cheap and they got a good deal.

[Dick Seacup]

Smile: Naw, I probably won't bid on it. I only had that Nighthawk on my watch list because the bids were low with no reserve and I have a weakness for crinkle painted plates. Heh. What I'd really like is another Comanche (or a Steinberger again, but that's a different board...hahaha).

[Dreamer56]

I have a Nighthawk and Skyhawk. If I pick up the Skyhawk, Hours go by unnoticed. Super Guitar, I won't play the Night hawk K, Knowing the only difference is the Name on the Headstock. They are exactly alike. They could have been produced a month apart for all I know. I won't take the neck off to check. The serial #'s indicate their closeness of Birthdays, enough for me. $600 bucks is a steal, If Trem Bar and Original case is with the Guitar, That is!!!! I also have a F100 II, Super action and All the Sounds you can Imagine. Keep Rockin'. I've got GAS..... Real Bad. Can't Stop buying Guitars. G&L is my Problem, They are Quality Art Pieces, I have an ASAT also. Next, Like DS says, Maybe a Commanche, Maybe not, I like the Older G&L Guitars. Perhaps and Active F100 I.

[jonc]

$586 plus the shipping is a good price for that guitar and having the OHSC is a plus. i personally would have passed as i don't like buying instruments that have headstock repairs although i have a 60's SG Jr. with a solid repair that has stood up to years of "abuse" just fine. and although much more expensive, the NAMM Nighthawk with gold hw would be imho, a better buy.

[smileradio]

Cool... Thanks for writing back and forth Jonc... This is the first real "forum" of which I have ever been a part. It's a pretty great community and getting feedback from other G&L Owners is really helpful. I am only 27 but am hoping to build up a pretty good collection.