Jol re-surfaces, in Premier Guitar Options

[hamersandstrats]

It just seems that Jol has concrete ideas for what his guitars should sound like. I know he seems to change his mind from time to time or whatever, but he also doesnt seem bothered about losing customers to other builders over a set of pickups.

I don't think its all hot air either. For example, I think the SD Phat Cats sound the best in the Newports. I've heard them in 335s, Epiphone Dots, my own Warmoth tele, Les Pauls, and they range from lifeless to mediocre. They fit the Newport perfectly. I would also suspect that the DDs wouldn't sound as good as they do in the Talledega, in a Les Paul.

I will also go out on a limb here and say that a $500 Gibson LP special with Lollar P90s would sound very similar to a Hamer Special with the same Lollar P90s, so why not go for something different?

[HSB0531]

Regarding Jol & pickups, I requested Bartolini's in my custom order 12 bass.
Jol said no.
Greg said yes
Took 6 months of Greg arguing with Jol to put them in.

It really boggles my mind that he would say no to this request. Why, what's the big deal? In the end, it's the customer's guitar, not his.

Greg requested the pup's for me and Jol said no after months of Greg trying to get an answer.

Greg Became a Bartolini dealer and shipped the pickups to Hamer for mounting.

Oh yeah, and he got them to Not charge me for the standard EMG's.

+1 for BCR.

[Devnor]

Jol nailed it with the Earthen Studio. I think Hamer buys the JB/59 set for next to nothing, knowing it's good enough & most folks will change them out anyway. Most of mine are swapped out...WCR, Suhr, Harmonic designs. But I kept all ones with the factory EMGs

[BCR Greg]

Jol wanted to do what Jol wanted to do. Rarely was it about what the customer wanted.

He claimed credit for things that he did not do. He made Hamer his personal "custom shop" that refused to build a lot of easily produced guitars (that customers were begging to give deposits for).

He coined the term "too obvious", the meaning of which nobody has ever figured out.

He did some great stuff when it suited him, but only when it suited him.

[HamerHokie]

Jol wanted to do what Jol wanted to do. Rarely was it about what the customer wanted.

He claimed credit for things that he did not do. He made Hamer his personal "custom shop" that refused to build a lot of easily produced guitars (that customers were begging to give deposits for).

He coined the term "too obvious", the meaning of which nobody has ever figured out.

He did some great stuff when it suited him, but only when it suited him.

I always wondered if his stance was a 'brand' issue, as if he felt Hamer had some sort of brand association advantage that made it immuned from the whole 'succeed by fill our customers' needs' thing. The only kind of business that can have that attitude is the one that has the market cornered.

[hardheartedbill]

Jol wanted to do what Jol wanted to do. Rarely was it about what the customer wanted.

He claimed credit for things that he did not do. He made Hamer his personal "custom shop" that refused to build a lot of easily produced guitars (that customers were begging to give deposits for).

He coined the term "too obvious", the meaning of which nobody has ever figured out.

He did some great stuff when it suited him, but only when it suited him.

I always wondered if his stance was a 'brand' issue, as if he felt Hamer had some sort of brand association advantage that made it immuned from the whole 'succeed by fill our customers' needs' thing. The only kind of business that can have that attitude is the one that has the market cornered.

massive case of hubris IMO, cost him this customer in the long run. Ran Hamer like a 7th grade lunch table

[eightyfour]

Jol wanted to do what Jol wanted to do. Rarely was it about what the customer wanted.

He claimed credit for things that he did not do. He made Hamer his personal "custom shop" that refused to build a lot of easily produced guitars (that customers were begging to give deposits for).

He coined the term "too obvious", the meaning of which nobody has ever figured out.

He did some great stuff when it suited him, but only when it suited him.

Yep. Not that anybody asked, but I don't have 5 min for Jol or his opinions. After nearly 15 years of this board generating, what.. maybe millions of dollars of new and used Hamer sales, he to the best of my knowledge has never once posted a hello or note of thanks to HFC. In my book he sounds like a royal pain the ass, that built some sweet stuff.

[MCChris]

Yep. Not that anybody asked, but I don't have 5 min for Jol or his opinions. After nearly 15 years of this board generating, what.. maybe millions of dollars of new and used Hamer sales, he to the best of my knowledge has never once posted a hello or note of thanks to HFC. In my book he sounds like a royal pain the ass, that built some sweet stuff.

Let's not get silly now.

[Pieman]

Jol wanted to do what Jol wanted to do. Rarely was it about what the customer wanted.

He claimed credit for things that he did not do. He made Hamer his personal "custom shop" that refused to build a lot of easily produced guitars (that customers were begging to give deposits for).

He coined the term "too obvious", the meaning of which nobody has ever figured out.

He did some great stuff when it suited him, but only when it suited him.

That would work if "Dantzig" was on the headstock.

I would be very surprised if he ever again builds a guitar in a business that he owns or has controlling ownership. Not at his age. Maybe he outsources production. That would be it.

[serial]

Yep. Not that anybody asked, but I don't have 5 min for Jol or his opinions. After nearly 15 years of this board generating, what.. maybe millions of dollars of new and used Hamer sales, he to the best of my knowledge has never once posted a hello or note of thanks to HFC. In my book he sounds like a royal pain the ass, that built some sweet stuff.

Let's not get silly now.

This number actually isn't out of line. I know a few people who put $100k into custom orders and new Hamer stuff since the board started. Combine that with all of the other new and custom orders since 1996 from here and THEN discuss the used stuff... I myself have put up quite a large number (many tens of thousands-probably in excess of $100k since 1996) in custom and used purchases and sales.

[atquinn]

Does the money I've spent on Hamers still count if I bought them and then sold them later? If so I'm good for a fair amount

-Austin

[Devnor]

massive case of hubris IMO, cost him this customer in the long run. Ran Hamer like a 7th grade lunch table

+1 Well said. I had to look it up:

Hubris: "the excessive pride and ambition that usually leads to the downfall of a hero in classical tragedy"

This post has been edited by Devnor: Jul 29 2010, 01:38 PM

[bubs_42]

Alright everyone keep in line here. If I have to brake out a dictionary to understand works in a thread its time for me to part ways.

[ib2010]

I'm gonna stay on the bus with Jol . Yes , Hamer should have been more acommodating to special request, particularly on custom built orders. It would have helped emencely to maintain client loyalty and cash flow . But, it takes a certain mentality , ie strong , focused , and to a degree unyielding on compromise , to birth a company--evolve thru multiple layers of learning curves--- to build SUPERIOR quality instruments -- I really believe the guitars that came out of the conneticut workshop will for many years to come, represent the pinnacle of set neck quality.

[edgar_allan_poe]

I'm gonna stay on the bus with Jol . Yes , Hamer should have been more acommodating to special request, particularly on custom built orders. It would have helped emencely to maintain client loyalty and cash flow . But, it takes a certain mentality , ie strong , focused , and to a degree unyielding on compromise , to birth a company--evolve thru multiple layers of learning curves--- to build SUPERIOR quality instruments -- I really believe the guitars that came out of the conneticut workshop will for many years to come, represent the pinnacle of set neck quality.

Totally irrelevant to the issue at hand. The issue some people had with Jol was his refusal to do *very basic* mods to a guitar. Nobody here is talking about them bringing back a set-neck short scale Chap with boomers.

Nobody disputes that Hamer made spectacular guitars. But when the person who makes the decision speaks out of both sides of their mouth, and expects us not to notice, there is an issue. Case in point... I can't tell you how many times I have heard Jol say (I am paraphrasing) that the pickups he puts in are generic because he knows the owner will "put their stink on it anyway". Then he turns around and refuses to *let* the owner of the new custom order "put their stink on it". Baffling. Or the refusal to do opaque colors on custom orders only to let other people order the same exact guitar a few months later.

Sorry bro, but spectacular guitars aside, Jol cost Hamer at *least* 10K in orders from this member alone with that petty bullshit. I had money in hand wanting to order a Korina Vector in white only to be told "no". Same guitar shows up at NAMM that very year. To say I was livid would be an understatement.