Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame

Long rambling rant, probably not worth your time to read: I object to the notion that only Hamer builders (or even only US builders) can make a top-quality instrument. That being said, I agree that there is something about Hamer...unfortunately, what that something might be is history. Unfortunately, I think even if you got all the Hamer builders together on a project, it still wouldn't really be a Hamer. There is something I call a "Second Generation" problem. I've never encountered anyone else talking about it to know what other names it might have...but it is a clear concept: it is almost impossible for lightning to strike twice for success. A team that wins the Super Bowl falls apart the next year, even if the main contributors all return. Usually, a team can only repeat a championship if they change something significant...but you never know what that significant thing is or should be. More often than not, they get it wrong. The reason getting the Hamer builders together wouldn't be a Hamer is because each would be bringing their own understanding of what makes a Guitar a Hamer....but those elements probably wouldn't be what Jol would do, or what Paul would do, and probably even wouldn't be what the Hamer fans would want. Not exactly. The problem is that Hamer guitars are as much vision and design as they are wood and steel and craftsmanship. Which former builder would take precedence? What resentments or pet peeves would he bring to the effort? What personal development would he emphasize or add that would change the direction of vision subtly into something non-Hamer? I'd probably trust Steve Matthes to lead the design and building of a new generation of Hamer guitars...nothing against the guys who have been building excellent Hamers, but it might work better to have Steve lead an entirely new batch of builders, because then he'd have more control over the final result, less conflict of competing visions. I think it was mirrormj who posted a picture of a guitar he built using Hamer materials and equipment... Or maybe it was built at home, but using good quality materials with his Hamer skills. Gorgeous guitar, but it wasn't a Hamer. And unless I'm wrong, it wouldn't command Hamer level prices if he sold it. Why? The build quality is, by definition, Hamer. But it isn't a Hamer guitar. That's why I embraced Jon Kammerer Guitars. They aren't for everyone, apparently, because there are some design elements some can't handle. And he's too stubborn to give up those design elements. But the result is a guitar that plays well, sounds great, is instantly recognizable in its uniqueness (not just a clone of someone else's design), has top-quality craftsmanship, and uses the level of materials you are willing to pay for. You get a boutique guitar for custom prices, or a custom guitar for stock prices, or a stock guitar for less than other stock brand name guitars. That, to me, is the Hamer ideal: a guitar maker that gets back down to making a great guitar at an unexpectedly lower price by cutting the corporate fat out of the construction process. Hamer hadn't been that for years, even before it was shut down. I couldn't afford Hamer when they were doing that, and hadn't heard of them yet, anyway. Jon Kammerer is he next best thing for me. A different path, and Northfield guitars might have been the company I embraced. There are certainly others besides Northfield and Jon Kammerer... Robin is out of business. Schecter? Peavey? But those are big companies, probably difficult to get a top quality guitar from them without paying premium prices. I think the best bet is to give up on Hamer, or trying to recreate the magic. Better to find something new that scratches the itch. Good luck and best wishes to Northfield in doing that! You have an advantage in that you have former Hamer builders as part of your effort, right? Take the Hamer experience to help build Northfield into its own niche, but be Northfield Guitars.

Can't argue with that. Frankly, I pretty much agree. Nothing can replace the USA Hamers in my collection.

I spoke with Jon Kammerer about this. He's willing/able to do a working man's guitar for about $1k. Free options of fretboard wood, hardware color, inlay material, inlay shape, neck carve. He's really resistant to changing the headstock, I tried to talk him into trying something new. Maybe if we get enough people interested, he'd do it. So. Slab body. Wraparound or TOM or fixed strat-style bridge? Bridge only pickup or B and N? P-90 or Humbucker for pickup(s)? He said mahogany is more difficult to finish, due to being more porous? But he'll do mahogany if you want it. Other options: cherry, walnut, maple. He'd do a mahogany w/ maple cap, but that might go above $1k. You'd have to ask him. You get an extremely strong and extremely tight neck joint: aircraft aluminum screws going into aircraft aluminum sockets, not wood. You get "blind tangs" on the frets: the inserted fretends doesn't extend to the edge of the fretboard, so you don't need binding but will never have the fret ends stick out. Excellent craftmanship, excellent materials. If you're interested, contact him here: http://jonkammerercustoms.com/ I get no commission or any benefit from this recommendation.

I thought I was being clever... I usually go wrong when I start thinking...

what do you have against fingerstyle players?

I'm planning on having a bash on June 7th or 8th (probably the 7th) at the Rocketeria in Olney, MD. Free beer and a petting zoo of anything anyone wants to bring. All I can promise thus far are mine: The Blueburst Centaura The CaliTed a maple-boarded tobacco-burst Centaura Standard (not all that impressive, but I like it) a 12-string Chap a transparent red flamed-maple Californian Elite (the CaliRed) a very pretty green Eclipse And maybe a few of my other semi-interesting guitars: Westones, higher-end Yamahas, an Alvarez Scoop, and my Jon Kammerers, if anyone wants to see any of these. But there will be free beer.

I'm in. I live just about halfway between Chris Matthes and Tommy P, so I can be the method it gets from one to the other.

Oh, there won't be anything as cool as that for the 2014 Challenge. The Lame Ripoff of the 2013 Challenge just got a little lamer, if that is even possible.

Dunno. But I like the sound of a Swamp Ash guitar w/ single coil pickups. Even if science says I'm not supposed to be able to tell the difference, I still like a Swamp Ash guitar best. The Cali is just such sheer badassery, tho, that I can accept both a mahogany body and a solid flamed maple in the two that I have...

Sweet!

The Centaura is either ash or alder. No mahogany was harmed in the making of a Centaura. lol. Most probably like the hog, but if you prefer ash or alder like me, the Centaura or Diablo would be my choice over a Deluxe Cali because of price. I'm confused. The original poster found Centaura, not a Cali.

The Centaura is either ash or alder. No mahogany was harmed in the making of a Centaura.

Can't help but think the Hamer Centaura was a slam dunk all the way around. You've got two awesome USA Hamers now! Congrats!

You are pretty spry for a 99-yr old male

(apologies for the thread swerve) Aside from the structural reasons for the potato-looking guitar, exactly why would you say these don't look like electric guitars?

Ugly Jon Kammerer headstocks (I'm indifferent to them...)

Just want to point out that Nathan, while calling attention to the headstock as a potential deal-breaker, never actually showed one. Hah! I didn't notice that. Will rectify tomorrow.

Cherrywood figured top, abalone inlay, ebony fretboard:

I know. I was yankin' yer chain. But in a more serious answer, depending on what you mean by "refined", Jon Kammerer might be the answer for you. The reason I say "depending on what you mean by 'refined'" is because for many people, the headstock is a deal-killer. Blind tangs, direct-mount pickups, no-charge customization of finish, hardware color, fretboard wood, inlay material...proprietary neck joint that is tight and solid (aircraft aluminum set bolts). Extremely low action. Your choice of pickups (the Stew-Mac Golden Age pickups are surprisingly good!) With a Floyd Rose, figured top, and SD pickups, you'd be closer to $1500 than $1000...but it would be new and custom. Here are few examples of what he does: abalone inlay, acrylic fretboard: Maple chambered/f-holed body (not semi-hollow, because it is only the top 3rd), acrylic fretboard, MoP inlays: Not many people like the looks of this guitar. Walnut, but a parabolic hollowbody that eliminates the need for internal bracing, but ends up looking like a bean or peanut. Abalone inlay, rosewood fretboard: Maple body, maple fretboard, abalone inlay: Walnut figured top, acrylic fingerboard (feels/sounds like ebony, but shiny...):

Yamaha RGX 6xx

Don't worry about it unless the first "r" changes to a "c".

We can't force you to play if you don't want to. Sales are not part of the challenge. Mods to existing instruments don't count, because it is still pretty much the same instrument. Do you have a different wife just because she changes her hairstyle? Amps, recording gear, and pedals not included because that's too much to track. Besides, this is a guitar/bass website, mostly. It's also a group of crazy friends and idiots, but I'm not going to have a "Stop Being a Crazy Friend or Idiot Challenge".

We are dropping like flies. Might not make it past April at this rate.

Ladies and Gentlemen, You can buy/trade/build whatever you want. However, if you buy, trade for, or build a guitar or bass, then you shall be disqualified from the 2014 Self-Denial Challenge! If you buy, trade, or build a mandolin, your HFC account will be revoked. If you buy, trade, or build an accordian, your entire music collection will be confiscated and replaced with John Mayer's discography. If you buy, trade, or build a banjo, we'll pretend we didn't notice. If you are disqualified, you must immediately come clean and tell us the story of the acquisition, why you got it, your favorite breakfast cereal, and of course: provide pictures. As such, the point is not to prevent you from purchasing or trading for a wonderful instrument. The intent is highlight such failures of self-denial in such a manner that the rest of us are able to enjoy an entertaining story and see some new guitar pictures. And razz you in a friendly manner. ...and be warned: I have top men on call to deliver the razzing. Top men. Top...men. If you happen to make it to the end of the year without having purchased or traded for or built an instrument between the dates of 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2014*, then you will get a prize. ...which will probably be one of the CDs I got at a bargain bin or pawn shop that's not worth selling on eBay. *fine print: If you paid for the guitar in full prior prior to 31 December 2013, and it arrives sometime in 2014, it will not count.** **why? Dunno. I'm making it up as I go along. Should make for better stories by allowing this loophole. With all that being said, here are our contenders, in the order I encounter them in the nomination thread: - Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame -- Disqualified. 8 Feb 2013. Traded for a Yamaha Weddington Classic, and then purchased a Yamaha PAC312 for cheap. Stories and pics soon. - Cynic 8 Feb 2013. Out for one of the best reasons possible: a blue Talladega - Montelovesco 9 Feb 2013 for an Ovation Hybrid (pictures?) Still Masters of their Domain: - specialk - Thorn (because I can't figure out if he's in or out, but he posted in the thread) - Feynman III (darkhorse contender) - Drendino (you ordered the guitar a long time ago, not your fault they wouldn't take payment in full) - polara (running out of parenthetical statements to make) - tbonesullivan (I'll just stop now) - sirskelt - jwhitcomb3 - gorch - sirDaniel - Toadroller - ghamerinfrance - velorush - carfish7 - belgian If any of you have purchased or acquired guitars since 1 Jan 2014 that you hadn't ordered back in 2013, 'fess up now.

I had the same results. The sound I finally settled was using the tremelo with just a little gain, which sounded professional and authentic. I finally figured out how to turn off the defaulted on noise gate and it made a tremendous improvement if you like to palm muffle, especially on clean with delay. Was bad as a preamp due to the EQ being linked with the volume. Overall a good practice amp, especially with the built in effects, but with so much built in and tied together, not sure how the Spider's would be with pedals. I even did a blog with tips for the small one. I have been disappointed in a lot of the new inexpensive practice amps as compared to the same model from 10 years ago. http://line6spider.blogspot.com/ Thanks, I'll check it out. The thing I like about the Spider IV 75 is it is big enough to take to a small gig, but I can still get decent tones out of it quiet. ...but just too damn complicated. Whereas the microcube sounds great, is portable, surprisingly loud, but maybe just a little too simple...there are some sounds I can't get. Interestingly, I bumped into a Vox Valvetronix VT20+ this morning before I read anyone mentioning it in this thread. It sounded decent, but I was most impressed with its layout. It seems like an intuitive way to get a bunch of sounds (99!) out of an amp, with complete clarity of what you are doing with each change. My only problem with it is it is too small to gig with. I may end up picking one up anyway, but my wife is already irritated with me having 4 amps cluttering up the space. Gotta get rid of two first, I guess.