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Anyone own a Hamer USA?


heymisterk

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Posted

Hi,

 

In order to do my part to stimulate the economy, I'm still mulling through options for a new (used) solid-body guitar with humbuckers. I'm still looking, but I have seen some very nice USA Hamers lately. They claim that their whole shop IS a custom shop, and I've heard their quality is impeccable.

 

Does anyone have an experience with the newer, "post-Hameritis" guitars?

 

Thanks!

Posted

I've read some good things about Hammer. They are beautiful. My only gripe, and I suppose you could say this about everyone, is the Hammer that looked the coolest looks exactly like a LP. I wish these other guitar makes could just use their own body designs.

Posted
I've read some good things about Hammer. They are beautiful. My only gripe' date=' and I suppose you could say this about everyone, is the Hammer that looked the coolest looks exactly like a LP. I wish these other guitar makes could just use their own body designs. [/quote']

 

Yeah, I get it. One of the best guitars I ever owned (which I stupidly sold) was a '01 Guild Bluesbird. Its fit and finish and sound were amazing, but yeah, looked like a Paul...but a lot lighter.

Posted

I have a Hamer 1992 Special P90 and it's a great instrument.It has a 3 piece mahogony neck that is incredibly stable,one piece mahogony body,Seymour Duncan Custom soapbar and hot soapbar pickups that are almost too hot but sound like regular P90 's when turned down to 6 or 7.They actually get brighter when you turn them down on the guitar not muddier.This is one of my keeper guitars,I'll never get rid of it.Much more stable then the Gibson equivalent but not quite as good looking.The best thing is they can be found on Ebay and graigs list for about $500.All of the used Hamers are smoking deals dollar for dollar.Highly recomended by this long time player.

Posted

Hamer USA is first rate stuff.

I've been looking at them for years on Ebay and such but the prices are always a little high for me.

 

The Standard (Explorer) and Vector (V) are probably everything the original Gibsons are - and more.

 

I also have a 2001 Guild BluesBird with P-90's. Killer guitar.

Posted

I have a brand new Hamer Newport Custom Pro (it is close to perfect out of the box) Incredibly to play (like driving a Porsche. Perfect

 

NEWPROCRRG_sm.jpg

 

The tailpiece puts the stress on the end of the guitar not on the top (so it actually tunes BETTER. -- Just like the Gibson arch tops. The fretboard is Ebony and nicely inlaid pearl .. very easy on the fingers .. nice round frets.. easy to play chords and riffs. Solid hardware -- input jack, tuners. ONE set of knobs and a selector switch. Hamer makes other models (with Bixby and some set up for rock/blues -- like BB King). I play with an easy hand. Soft. No rough stuff (but I did have a pick guard put on it)

 

I also have a Washburn J6 and always her all kinds of great comments about the looks and the sound! I got it in 86 and I understand now they are "rare" because they did not sell manu in the first place.

 

I cannot for the life of me find a picture of a J6 (sunburst finish) on the web. But it is a clone of a Gibson L5 CES.. down to the last detail. I bought it for $700 in 1986 and would not part with it -- OK I put a picture of it in the Avatar. It is not on the web.

 

DOES ANYBODY MESS WITH THE SCREWS ON THEIR PUP? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY1UDWxPkY8&feature=related I have not been messing with them? Any opinions on that? Recommendations?

Posted
If I didn't have a Gibson obsession' date=' I'd have a Hamer obsession.[/quote'] Well they are both excellent brands (of course). I used to work for Chicago Musical Instrument Co. at 7300 N. Cicero in Lincolnwood (Chicago). They were GIBSON at one point. I was in high school and they were supreme guitars. (I should have hung on to the Gibsons and got rid of the wife as soon as she objected). After the divorce I could not afford anything (but I bought the Washburn -- a clone of the L5 CES ) and I still had to pay for 2 girls finishing HS and going to college and -- you know the drill on that -- well now the girls are 35 and 38 and recently I bought the Hamer Newport Special. I play it at least twice a week. In fact, now I need to rotate the Washburn just so it will not feel neglected. ALSO I play the Gibson about twice a week... only in high-class acoustic circles. I play the Tacoma and Washburn d10 in low class circles. And the Yamaha -- Ihave no plans to ever sell any of them (is that an obsession?)

 

Someone asked how many guns do you need? Need??? -- none. How many guitars do you need? Well I can survive without any. So why do I have so many guitars. well I am walking through a guitar store minding my own business -- not even looking for a guitar -- and then DAMN there it is! Oh wow. It bites you.

 

Or I am reading Craigslist (just browsing) note even looking for a guitar (over in the Musical Instrument section) .. I wasn't really ... and then DAMN ... it bites you again.

 

You look at it and and thing "No... I don't need this one ..." But then .. what's need got to do with it?? And so you play it -- sounds nice. Looks nice. Nothing bad about it...

 

Next thing you know it is going home with you. Then the lying starts ... does anybody believe we only pay a $100 or so for a guitar? Maybe, I don't know. My daughter went to the guitar store with me once time and said "Gee, I didn't realize they cost this much Dad..." (no, because I have not been quite accurate about that .. )

 

But what does it matter once you have it. Is that an obsession? I never really thought about it. I always thought others were obsessed but my choices were perfectly logical. Rational. That's me. Conservative too. Reason for everything. But then ... how many guitars DO we need? Why is there not way to satisfy the "need?" Why would be spend the whole lottery on guitars? I cannot explain it.

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