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Very sad to hear this news. I don't know the "whys" and whatnot, just that Fender bought them out a few years back. You don't see many Hamers Down Under, but I'm glad to have my own piece of American guitar history in my collection. Just a shame some of the best guitars to come out of the USA wont be made anymore.

Nah - you're overthinking it.

Thanks for the critique guys. I pretty much agree with you except to say that I think the poor marketing, unpopular models, and custom order eccentricity are reasons for the decline (or lack of ability to grow) rather than closure per se - in other circumstances they might be survivable in that the company would just become smaller and tick along at a few hundred US guitars a year, propped up by the import line. Maybe that is wishful thinking. This thread is obviously getting acrimonious and I don't want to contribute to that, but .... if you will forgive me one more graph!? I think this is kind of interesting. I have done a rough estimate of production numbers from the serial number database and graphed them by year, with a few key events in the history of Hamer marked on. My estimates are poor towards the end because here I had to turn to serial numbers from other sources. The line wiggles each year as the company reacted to the market (i.e. each year predicting demand, then correcting the next year etc). My question is what the hell happened in 95-96? I assume this was due to the Strat and Tele copies, and the Mirage and Eclipse? There is a bit of bounce back as they move to New Hartford but ...well. Jeesus, I better go do some real work today!

Clearly you haven't priced out any of the guitars Jol's making now! - Austin

well, even thou a (vintage) Hamer was concieved to fill a small need, gap in the up coming vintage market So players can shelf rising priced vintage pieces, has something very playable, sharp looking and unique, Hamers had some unique ness to them as well. Body styles, construction, woods, scale length, etc. Okay, same as Gibson. But, Hamer also brought to the table shimmed bridge / sustainblock bridge w/ string thru. that alone changed the tone of things in a good big way. More so than modern Hamer realized until the taladega, and custom orders, one offs. That is Hamer stamp (for me at least). When Hamer followed suit with a TOM / Stop tail piece, the comparisons started to make waives. Hamer's started to look like everyones elses TOM/ TP guitars. and the bigger headstocks, and this and that. It appears that they were giving in to pre concieved ideas that if a guitar was spec'd nearly the same as other manufactors, that sales would forward up. When there first inovations of where the actual greatest part. Different, inovative, purposeful. If they had made a taladega "special", stripped down version , to sell along with the High end model, that alone would have, could have.... Hamer new in the beginning, A nice one, a cheap one, a custom one. How many of you (and well documented on threads here) walked in your mom and pop store back in the day, wanted that fuckin Les paul that who ever was slinging. Too much coin. But, you (or mom and dad) opt'd for the lesser "The Paul" (same brand) or an import knock off? I always drift on the topics, sorry, it's my passion speaking. Go back to the roots. The roots have merit more than the modern. Money, sure it can be profitable. In the right hands and everything incompass of.

I was a top dealer as well. I grew up in Evanston and went to Northern Prarie Music as a kid. I was there when the first Standard/s arrived. I remember Paul A/B-ing them with a late '50's Goldtop with buckers through a Marshall stack. Oh what fun! A kids dream. It's what really got me into the music biz. I am grateful to have been a part of it all. I am grateful to Paul, Jol, Frank & Jim. Let's never forget John Montgomery, the man who built the first Standards. This is now the new America. I think the general buying public is to blame. "We want it for cheap". No one is willing to pay what something is worth and weren't willing to support the dealers either. This is what killed the dealer network and consiquently the company. (in my opinion). Unfortunately we will all suffer as a result. Thanks to BCR Greg, Wilcutt's and anyone else who financially supported the Hamer guitar company. I play my USA Elite daily and it is as great as a guitar could ever be. My USA Hamer Standard hangs over my fireplace. I gaze at it daily. Long live the legacy. Pete Flynn, Flynn Guitars, Evanston, IL. USA.

This...

Bummer about the shut down, I hope the guys building still have jobs when it's all said and done. I should have ordered one more B4M when I had the chance. And who gives a shit who sold the most custom Hamers. I'll take good customer service over sales any day.

He said in the interview I did with him long ago that is on the site that he once wanted to buy part of Hamer. The dress code for employees under Rick Nielsen might have made it hard to recruit employees.

I did read this post a couple of days ago and I think Arnie has stumbled on something in the ashes of the fire here. This was one of the few thought provoking posts on the subject. There are still some custom orders to be completed - very interesting. Hamerica Does anyone think Fender will answer us if we write them a collectively signed letter asking them about their thoughts on Hamer. Is it possible they'll only put the USA manufacturing on a hiatus? Will they build again if they get enough custom orders? Will they consider selling the brand, (or part of it), etc? We are enough fans here to put some weight behind these questions, if only asked politely and in the right way.

BCR became a dealer in 1994 and was outdoing all the others by 1996.

I did read this post a couple of days ago and I think Arnie has stumbled on something in the ashes of the fire here. This was one of the few thought provoking posts on the subject. There are still some custom orders to be completed - very interesting. Hamerica

Grrrrrrrrr! That is a company that makes motorcycles that are dressed up to look somewhat like classic Triumphs. It's not better, it's different If a Triumph doesn't mark its' territory, it AIN"T a real Triumph!

I don't think your logic works as almost nothing is made by the people who started the company. Are Ferraris still Ferraris? Prof. Porsche is long dead. Leo Fender? Many companies outlive their founders. The better comparison is an orchestra where the personnel change, even the leaders, but the entity continues. Things move on - it is the natural way.

Greg started the thread. If he or anyone else didn't expect what this thread has become, then I don't know what to tell you.

Thanks for noticing, Rich And as I've said before within these hallowed columns - I'm only on that list because I asked Frank H if he'd put me on there - which he did. I did it because I love these guitars and I'm proud to be seen wearing one - which I bought and paid for with my own hard-earned. But I agree with everyone who says this has been a matter of 'when' - not 'if'. To me, it also ties in quite significantly with the 'guitar mogul' thread as follows...... I hold myself personally responsible for generating sales of at least 20 Standards - bought exclusively by young fans who have contacted me, and asked me about the cool black guitar they've seen me play. They've saved their money and bought one off ebay or wherever, and at least half of them have sent me pictures of their guitars, fitted out with the same chrome pickup rings as mine etc. etc. etc. And you know what - they've all bought XT's. They bought them because their budget is $300, not $5000. Some of these kids have had their woodworking Dads rout for a licensed Floyd - and at least two of them have also taken a belt sander to the underside of the oversized XT headstock to make it look more like a 'proper' Standard. One kid spent three whole days with masking tape and paint, putting fake binding all the way up the fretboard edges and around the headstock......... And this kinda stuff tells me that if 20 kids are prepared to do this because of me (a relative nobody) - then the Jacksons, ESP's and Deans of this world, blowing outrageous sums of money giving away free guitars to anyone even remotely famous - have got it totally right. It's money well spent, because these low-cost import versions of Guitar X are aspirational products at a totally affordable price. I did it myself. My first 'proper' guitar was a doublecut cherry red Les Paul Special. I bought it because Pat Travers played one and I wanted to be like him. Before that, I had a maple-necked Strat copy because I wanted to be like Robin Trower. I also had a black Flying V because I wanted to be like Michael Schenker. The same holds true in any other industry you can care to mention. Anyone here remember the Honda FS-1E? It was a 50cc moped - but it sold in its zillions because it was the world's first moped which looked like a proper motorcycle. The sad fact is that the damage was done years ago - the lack of foresight and unwillingness to capitalise on the brand's relative success in the '80's has well and truly come home to roost. I just read this back and I realise that I've wandered off on a pointless rant. I guess that's what folks do when they're upset about a situation - but they know there's nothing they can do to change it....

Saddened of course, but don't really understand the rationale. What could Hamer really cost FMIC. They don't market it, They really only build it in their spare time. I don't see where there is any huge demand for Guild. Are they looking to build more Guild electrics? Or are they just going to shut down New Hartford altogether? ArnieZ