diablo175

Save for my acoustic and an old Peavey bass, every one of my axes has a Floyd or Floyd derivative (Edge, Schaller) Contrary to Shredmeister, I DO use the bar- alot- either for subtle coloring of the pitch or for flat out, extreme dive bombs, wide vibrato, wicked pull ups, trills, and a whole host of wacky and weird effects. I'm not Vai, Stevens or Van Halen but the bar is integral to my style and Jacksons, with the right locking trem, stands pretty much neck and neck with my beloved Hamer Diablo for that style of playing. If that body was routed and the Floyd set to float, I'd take it in a heartbeat- tree-fiddy? Seriously, I'd snag that save for the flat mount trem.... Freakin' beautiful.

Indeed. I really wish I could figure out a way to get along with Floyds. I wish I could figure out how to get along without Floyds... I'd save a bunch if/when I purchased a new or custom ax.

Oh HELL yeah, another fan of the 80's! Thank you for reminding me that I'm not alone out here! I have owned numerous Jacksons over the years- couldn't afford the really good stuff until the last 10 years, had to settle for the (then) cheaper Japanese made stuff. Had a black Model 3, a purple Kelly Pro Standard, a faux stone-finish Randy Rhoads Pro Standard, a BEE-U-TEE-FULL San Dimas Dinky Strat in yellow desert crackle (MY god, why did I trade that for a Washburn N4???) and now I'm down to a black Charvel Star- OFR SD JB/'59, a 90's black Kelly Pro Standard that I've pimped out- OFR, reverse headstock replacement neck w/sharkies, Seymour Duncan Dimebucker bridge, a Bill Lawrence L500 in the neck and Dimarzio K500 pot. Just pimped out a Randy Rhoads Ex not too long ago- I stripped it, gutted it and painted it. Then I added an OFR, Seymour Duncan Blackouts (active), swapped the blade style 3 pos. selector for a toggle 3 way switch, and Schaller strap locks. Here's the body after I painted it. http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk148/v...50/DSCF0756.jpg

I was told (7-8 years ago) that there was no way to get boomers done - they were over, and we'd never see them again. I placed an order through Elduave in the Fall of '04, and requested boomers anyway...what could it hurt, right? It worked out, and now I've got a great custom bass with boomers that I was told a year or two before would never be possible. I think stuff like that will be open here and there for specific requests. What I think Hamer DOES NOT WANT TO DO, is get all the goofy requests for things they don't make, like a checkerboard 5-neck, a copy of Tipton's ugly mutant guitar, or something with a meat slicer and a kitchen sink and an LED array with an iPod interface. I think people looked at some of the crazier things that Hamer did in the 80s and thought that's the kind of stuff the company did on a regular basis. I don't think they want to become "that" place, and that they wish to focus on pushing their current designs forward. Think of it like this; Fender has a Custom Shop. Gibson has a Custom Shop. Paul Smith has his Private Stock program. These are all "Real" custom shops that build "real" custom guitars to a customer's specs. HOWEVER, none of them are going to make you a totally customer-spec guitar - they'll ALL use existing or available platforms. Want a Strat with a fish tank in it? Fender will do it if you pony up. Want a Les Paul with some NASCAR guy's face carved in it - they'll make it for you. Want a PRS Santana with Gold-rimmed fossilized Wooly Mammoth ivory "old" bird inlays? They'll do that if your wallet's fat enough. None of them will make you a 5 neck monstrosity or a model they no longer make or no longer have the capacity to do. It isn't worth it for any company to go through the R&D, mock up a prototype or two and then try to make a one-off guitar. My challenge still stands: Of all the people complaining that Hamer won't build them a Californian, call your dealer with a minimum of a $5,000 deposit in hand (fully prepared to pay a second $5k or more upon delivery), and see what your answer will be. Still no takers after 6 years! If Hamer wants to run their business as a custom shop then more power to 'em. The question then becomes can they thrive and grow as a boutique CO shop. Maybe they don't want to grow. But stats show that businesses that don't plan and work for growth go belly up eventually. I, for one, can't afford to, and am not inclined to support a custom shop that charges what they do for guitars. Not saying they're not worth every penny of it but I'll hold on to my 2 Cali's and Diablos and when I feel the urge to drop some bank on a bout of GAS, I'll look to some other manufacturer. Charvel is putting out some decent USA models...

+1. Too full up on guitars to afford a custom ordered. 4 Hamers, 3 BC Richs, 2 Jackson, 2 Ibanez, 1 Charvel, 1 Gibson, 1 Fender, 1 Dean and 1 Peavey.

Not knowing much about the biz, I'll still ask, can a company stay solvent, or even flourish, as a custom order only operation?

Huh? Is Hamer likely to stop production on any new guitars?

I dunno. I'm on the fence. I like some of the tones I've created over the years with SS and SS/Tube hybrids. One o' my faves was with a stock green USA Diablo through a 100 watt Marshall Valvestate with a little digital delay. I'd guess that in the more erudite and refined realms of tone connoisseurs, I'm somewhat primitive. But I like what I like and that's how it's gonna be. Funny thing is I'm now going through an all-tube Mesa Dual Rectifier RoadStar...

There's still an interest in it. I teach middle and high school age guitar students and I've had a number of them who were hugely into Yngwie, Paul Gilbert, Vai, etc. It doesn't have huge commercial appeal, but the scene is certainly still there. Not all young players today just want to play down-tuned power chords. But back to the subject. I am perfectly fine with the guitars Hamer is making today. Monaco's rock!! Would I be fine with them introducing a couple of shred models? Sure! Offset double cutaway guitars with Floyds aren't necessarily JUST for neo-classical metal or glam rockers. Fusion players like Frank Gambale, Allan Holdsworth, Vernon Reid, and Scott Henderson play or have played Floyd equipped guitars. Some of David Torn's coolest solos were on his late 80's/early 90's CD's when he was playing Steinbergers with TransTrems. I think the mindset that Floyd equipped guitars are just for one kind of music has to be broken. I don't foresee it happening, but I think it'd be cool to see an offset double cutaway model with a more classic look - something like some of Schecter's guitars, with flame maple and binding - from Hamer. I agree that there is a growing crop of new guitar players that wants to shred and could be seen as a potential thriving market. Moreover, there's been a resurgence of shred and more technically proficient playing. Just check what the guitar rags are featuring. If you can find one that doesn't feature either some old school or newer metaller or shredder, Petrucci, Vai, Satriani, Gilbert, Rhoads, et al. I'd be surprised. Yes, they all have their signature axes, none of which endorse or use Hamer but there is market. Additionally, the mindset that only metallers use Floyd-equipped, shreddy guitars is inaccurate. I'd love to see some floyded Vectors or even the reintroduction of the Blitz with Floyds!

There are a few country guitarists who play them. That's the market they should be hitting hard. I don't see their newer models resonating with today's rock or metal players. That said, it sure seems that Hamer could care less about artist endorsements, other than a handful of Jol's personal favorite players. One of the many things about Hamer that's at once maddening and admirable. If Hamer started to make the kind of guitars rockers and metal players wanted to play, we wouldn't need to be prowling E(vil) Bay for their older no-longer-in-production models! Those are some damned fine gee-tars!

Hate to sound completely out of touch but WTF is TGP?