GaryT

Somebody here has or had a Studio with a Switching/Knob configuration like that. Though they aren't built traditionally so. The Wilky Trem is what I don't believe I've seen with that configuration. Thats whats different, too do the specific wood route. But Hamer use to do the special orders back then during the yearly forum runs to Hartford. There's some outragous Hamers here. I remember back when this sight use to be all Yellow and Black. What year was that? Wasn't that long ago? Long as you were ordering a in production model, it could be done to specific Wood, Finish, Inlay, Configuration with electronics etc. You don't see it as much now unless your going through a dealer like Greg. He's put together some very cool and different Hamers. But a few years back here in CT, when Hamers were much more prevalant. Going to a shop in CT and seeing a wall full of Hamers wasn't all that odd. Caught my interest when a wall of USA Hamers was mentioned, sounded like the older days. The Trem is what interests me, I grew up playing Trem electrics with Strats and a Gretch Astro-Jet. I'd like to see that Hamer.

Sounds like a Mitage II ? Was it a 3-way Strat style switch? like this?

Conditioning and Learned Behavior. It really has NOTHING to do with the quality of the guitars, the headstock shape etc . Children walk into a music shop for their first guitar and immediatly want a Fender/Gibson. I know it happened to me when I was a kid, and I never played a Fender? I've seen Moms come in "alone" to buy their child a guitar. All they know is Fender, Gibson.

67 and still able to Tour. Thats something.

I thought my Artist Custom 96 Hamer sounded like a Les-Paul closer than any other Hamer I've played. I was actually looking to buy a LP and wound up buying the Artist Custom. That said I've also played a Gibson V for years and while I believe Vs and Explorers both are excellent sounding instruments. Both have a Tone thats diffent from a LP and in in a Good way. My V I always felt like one of the Bluesiest electrics I've ever played. A Explorer I owned and played I believed was a better chord playing guitar than both the V and the LP. And the Bridge just had a intense impact on tubes with the 500-Ceramic gibson pup. Pushed tube combos so hard that harmonics where pretty impressive sounding. That pup actually became a part of my Tone within itself I liked it so much. Then I owned 5oo ceramics in a Classic LPs that I pulled immediatly and didn't like at all.

And heres some Gibbys! Here's the Strats minus the one I just built.

Here's some HAMERs.......................

Believe it or not my second choice was a ES-339. But I have a friend who records down in the DC area. He has a Newport Pro Custom [Gold Trap-Tail]. And a ES-339. He is really the one that steered me in the Newport direction. And though he loved it it [339], he installed a RS-Kit pots/caps, and a Light weight Stop Tail and bridge along with neck work done where the board meets the neck. So what once a $1799 Gibson quickly involved to a $2500 dollar piece. BTW here's a Ibanez 180 I built with all Gibson Hardware. [Gothic SG] Fron a AS-73 to a AS-180, TO A Set off US electrics. BUT............................Though a Strat player at Heart ... I DIG SEMI's.

I liked my 200 and 180 Ibanez, and as I mentioned I really like the Super 58 pick-ups. BUT............I am very anal about neck profile. My Ibanezs [except for the Artcore custom-5-piece neck] all had thinner necks including my 02 335 Gibson which was a 60's profile Gibson. Many things come into play when buying a guitar. Today a BIG issue for me is neck prifile. I prefer a larger necks like Gibsons 59 profile [like my SG and 135]. Or in the case of my Custom Built Newport, a PRS Wide-Fat carve. It has just become very apparent to me that larger necks do not fatugue my fretting forearm. As for Semi's with No-F-Holes. I owned a 03 135 TOM/Stop-Tail which is actually a inbetween instrument of the 135/137. But IMHO it had a baffled Tone which I honestly believe was a direct result of the missing F-Holes. Here I'll show you a photo. Also on this model the finish is Satin not Gloss Nitro. But I found this same issue to bew true with a BB-King USA Gibby I almost bought. Here's another great example of a KILLER playing sounding Hamer Atrist ustom I let go simple do to the seriously thin neck profile. Semi-Hollows have been elusive for me. Its taken some time to find the ones I felt were "perfect" I also checked out the Elitest Epi which I didn't buy. But I came VERY close to. Great condition and the price was $700 with OHSC but after extensive conversation with the owner, he described the neck profile as Gibson 60 and maybe slightly thinner. Now I realize many prefer this. But I have a gunshot wound to my left forarm [war] from the late 60's which annoys me after a bit of playing. Fat Large necks do NOT bother my arm. But hey, take all this with a grain of salt. Whats true of me might be OPPOSTE for you. Inatantly what comes to mind with the more popular Semi's and Hollowbodys out here today is BANG For The BUCK? I have seen Newport Pro's in EXCELLENT COND. for $1000 w/OHSC used in MINT cond. Thats a HARD price to beat for a HAND BUILT electric as opposed to a Production Line or an electric built from another country. Especially when you figure in SETHS, CTS pots, Schaller Tuners and Bridge's. 14 coats hand buffed Nitro, Dove Tail neck joint and on and on and on.. Hamers quality is second to none. And as I mentioned early in this post, to compare or exceed the Hamer quality you really have look at instruments like Collins for example. This is NOT to say that other Semi's are not cool and you that you can't find a great instrument from other countrys. But the Hamers are the ONLY electric to date I will buy on-line sight un-seen. And should you buy another Brand? I wish you all the luck in the world..Seriously! What I have come to the conclusion too, is my owm personal opiniaon which I developed after playing guitar for close to 40 years. I was VERY lucky buying my Spuce Top Newport. A bunch of us happened to be on the Hamer Forum back in 03 when MF was discontinuing selling USA Hamers. MF made a mistake and listed the TO Newport Pro's for $599.00 instead of $1599.00. Well to make a LONG STORY short MF honored the price and all of us at the Hamer Forum that pulled the trigger were given the $599 price. Only in Transparent Orange though. Its all that was left. And if my memory serves me right 4 of us actually recieved the Newports. Which is just a incredible deal. If the basic 335 shape is your desire? Why not try a Echo Tone by Hamer. They are also pretty Cool electrics that with some electrics will hold their own. Just Saying. BUT THIS IS MY BABY!!!!!!!

I bought one of these Artcore Customs for under $500. and was very surprized at it quality. I wound up trading it for a USA Telecaster but they are worth $5 bills all day long used. I didn't care for the Custom 58 pups though I do like the Super 58's. But that a small issue. Also my 135 and Spruce-Top. The 335 I sold, it had a 60's profile neck and next to the 135, just no comparison. The 135 with the Trap blew the 335 away. 57's sounded much better more open and airy. I had a 03 135 with a TOM and Stop-Tail and I also didn't care for that as much as the 02 135 w/Trap same deal as the 335 basically. Out of any Hollow or Semi-Hollow I've played over the years by far I like my Birdseye Newport the best. I bonded with it immediatly and frankly just haven't put it down since purchase. And the Trap tail 135s are cool piece's BUT. they do have QC issues. I bought mine from a Hamer dealer in CT that phoned me when the 135 came in. He suggested I come down and play it, he was impressed with it and thought I would also be. He was 100% Right.

Ya the Heritage were coming out for a bit with Seths and Tune-o-matics instead of roller bridges. Cool though, be interesting to hear how ya like it. There nice guitars. The Seths in my Maple-Top pro just seem much differently EQ'd than the Spruce Top NP. Just a hair difference in resistance makes a difference in the EQ and listening. Though PAF style pick-ups the Maple-Tops set are more mid-range focused than my Spruce Top. But I agree a set of Pearly Gates would make a nice change. I like Gibsons BB-Pro in the neck with their 498 in the bridge also. I use that set in my SG Standard and it Rocks with the Alnico V.s Here's the Maple Top NP.

You don't see to many SA-2200 used either. And when you do they are around the $1200. mark. My instant thoughts when thinking about ALL these Semis and Hollows is body construction. The idea of a Solid hard wood electric as opposed to a Laminated body IMO is a significant difference. I just feel the Newport, or a 336/356 is going to continue to sound better and better as time passes. [same theory with solid acoustics] The laminated could be a hit or miss. When I bought my 335 I had played 6 different 335s at Sam Ash. A few were just out and out Dogs. dead-wood that sounded almost Dull instead of vibrant with great projection like I feel the NP is. Anyway thought I'd throw that out.

Well you guys have seen my Birdseye Maple-Top Newport Pro I recently posted. I also own a TO Spruce Top NP, and have owned a 2002 Gibson 335 and MIJ Ibanez Artists including the 200, 180 I believe the other was. All nice guitars but my new Maple-Top Newport is just an amazing axe. Instant LOVE with Incredible Quality and Craftsmanship. IMHO the current Newport Pro Maple body/Mahogany neck with the Seths is by far the NICEST. Collins would be an equiv. IMHO. BTW the one I always wanted to and haven't owned yet is the Yamaha SA-2200. Another worthy Semi, and the East Coast Guilds. Just Sayin.

Really Sad, another 6-stringer gone.

Blues... Showdown, Collin, Copeland and Cray........ The Dream Blackjack Johnny Copeland....... Blues Ain't Nothing Cut off my Right Arm Robert Cray...... I was Warned Still Around Jimmy Johnson...... Ashs in my Ashtray Buddy Guy..... Cold Cold Feeling Joe Lewis Walker... Gods Hand [w/Taj Majal] Lucky Peterson.. 6 O'Clock Blues Ever hear Freddie Kings version of Ain't No Sunshine? Unreal Just a few off the Top of my head.

My thinking is this. If you play the guitar now? Then you will REALLY dig it upgraded. On the other hand, I would never upgrage a electric I don't play. But I also agree that sinking Something into just about every guitar is almost unavoidable.