Imports

[Teknical Difficulties]

I was just curious

[mathman]

How god do you find the hamer imports?

I was just curious

I guess I am the only "god" here.

I find them at stores or using the internet.

Seriously, ain't nothing like the real thing but the Hamer imports are some of the best if not the best cheap import. The slammer is cheaper than the hamer named import.

[marcnorth]

I had a import Standard a few years ago that was a nice guitar. The flame top was nicer than I've seen on some USA models. Played good too but it was not of the USA quality. The tuners and the pickups sucked pretty bad.

[Steve Haynie]

I recommend any Hamer import but the "Slammer by Hamer" guitars to someone on a budget.

[Brooks]

i voted "great", but w/ the qualifier "for the price".

esp the early "slammer series" imports.

stay away from "slammer by hamers".

[straightblues]

The Korean made imports are great for the price. The old original Slamer Series are maybe the best of the lot. The "Slamer by Hamer" are bad. The new China made guitars are ok but not near the quality of the Korean made stuff.

If you get one, play it and enjoy if for what it is. Don't go spended a lot of money on upgrading it like I did. They are good guitars (great for the price) but even upgraded, they will never be equal to a Hamer USA guitar. You can get plenty of used Hamer USA guitars for a very low price comparable to the cost of buying an import and upgrading it.

[Teknical Difficulties]

I have an arch top (blueburst). It is pretty good. But what import is amazing is the nicest import cali, with the floyd rose and stuff, wow!

[Jerry L]

What everybody else said. I have a few of the Korean made imports and there pretty darn good.

[Teknical Difficulties]

What everybody else said. I have a few of the Korean made imports and there pretty darn good.

Yea the korean made are great.

[Matt Mattson]

My microphone died yesterday so I ran down to Sam Ash in Tampa (Dale Mabry store) to get another. While there I went back into the acoustic room and my trained eye notices a row of mandolins -- pretty, Korean made, with multiple U.S. manufacturers stamps on them, and all the same . . . Hardware the same, tuners the same, neck joints the same, wood the same (two were completely identical in finish), sound cutouts obviously cut by the same machine, with only the headstocks cut different. Thank you Sam Ash employee for lining all those up.

Are all these Korean import guitars coming from the same mill as well?

[Steve Haynie]

Are all these Korean import guitars coming from the same mill as well?

In some cases, yes. Samick was making guitars for a few manufacturers and the same goes for almost every other factory in Asia. I swear that a Washburn Les Paul copy looked the same as an Epiphone Les Paul at one time. Only the headstocks were different.

[Brooks]

Are all these Korean import guitars coming from the same mill as well?

In some cases, yes. Samick was making guitars for a few manufacturers and the same goes for almost every other factory in Asia. I swear that a Washburn Les Paul copy looked the same as an Epiphone Les Paul at one time. Only the headstocks were different.

yeah, samick & cort make maybe 90% of all imports, w/ various brand names on the headstock.

[Jeff R]

Yup, for all those "manufacturers" there are only a handful of factories that spit out guits based on specs they're handed.

Here's a funny one...I'm sure some of you metal heads remember the first series of Charvel imports from Japan circa '86 to '88ish, the Model 1, Model 2, 3, etc. Those who remember them will also recall those were incredibly high-quality import guitars. Fit and finish, materials, craftsmanship, it was all there.

My local Charvel dealer back then once laughed about them being made in the same factory by the same folks as the dirt-cheap entry-level Hondo electrics he also sold. I called him out on kidding me. He told me "no" and that he got the information from both his dealer rep and the guys in Fort Worth.

[Matt Mattson]

What got me with the mandolins was the price differences you'd pay for the various names on the headstock, when the mandolin itself was the same cookie cutter item. I'd have never noticed if they hadn't lined them all up like that. We've finally come to one world order (at least with mandolins).

[Brooks]

my pal dave just got this slammer series t5 (from jazzfusionguy, whom he said was EXTRA nice when he met him to pick it up)... fookin' GREAT guitar, esp for ~$140!!

dave jammin on the slammin..

[Submariner85]

The Korean ones I've had/have are very nice. Quality workmanship with average electronics. Change the pickups and you're in there.

[cordroad]

Just bought a P90 made in China XT series SATP Goldtop. For the money, I don't think ya can be it. Great neck, fit and finish pretty damn good. Pups are more than adequate. Can't really find fault with it.

Thanks again, Ernie.

[tomteriffic]

The original "Slammer Series" are a great bang for the buck. I still have an SATF around that plays and sounds great, but the neck was set a bit sideways. Also have a Slammer Series Daytona body and neck that I resurrected from a junker. An Import Eclipse I had was a pretty different anumal from the USA one, but a very cool axe in its own right.

[David B]

I've had a Korean Standard & a Scarab. Also, I had a Sunburst Slammer Series like 10 years ago. All were pretty good with a few changes, but I sure didn't keep them long.

[CamptownShaker]

I've been playing a Slammer series strat/daytona copy for about a while now. Everything works OK but I have been fixing it up a bit better. I noticed the trem bridge saddles were plated brass and wearing a groove where the plain strings press against them. I've sanded/polished the grooves out but the brass seems way to soft for this application (I'm thinking of upgrading). What are the saddles made from on a US made Daytona?

[zorrow]

I own a Korean Vector XT and it sounds and plays sweet. Still my main axe, though I am forcing myself to play more my Vector KK (you know, USA-made, mahogany, it sounds great and everything… but my Asian babe is sooo sweet! ).

I also owned a Chinese Standard. Sounded, looked and played great; but I have big hands (and wrists and forearms), so I let her go because I couldn't reach the higher frets easily because of the Explorer-shape. I guess I'm stuck to Vees forever.

In any case, I can recommend safely both models. I've only remarked some very minor painting flaws: my V has a thin line of about one inch on the upper side of the body that looks like a crack, but it actually is the painting. The Standard had a small drop-like paint protuberance in the back of the headstock. Both defects are barely noticeable, even when looking from very very close.

[paults]

What are the saddles made from on a US made Daytona?

They're made of steel. You might be able to put the vintage-style Fender saddles on it for not to much moolah.

[Dutchman]

I don't own any Hamer imports but I've played several, they where OK, better than the new Epiphone and Squire guitars being pedaled. However they can't hold a candle to any of my USA Hamers.

As a matter of fact IMHO my USA Hamers are better built than my Fender Custom Shop Guitars, and my 79' Walnut Les Paul.

I want more......

[Siaip Ciuvas]

I have XT series Standard and its is O.K. guitar and amazing value for money.

[Dasein]

On principle I don't support branded "imports" --- it totally dilutes the brand equity and identity of the original brand. I'm philosophically opposed to it. "Imports" are dead to me.

R.