What's this Hamer Relic worth?

Hi Bruce.

I've owned a number of guitars, probably a half-dozen or more of the 'Slammer Series'. Great guitars, no doubt about it.

You're questions have gotten answers from some of the MOST KNOWLEDGEBLE Hamer experts in the world. Maybe your guitar has some aftermarket USA parts or whatever, but don't think for a minute that these guys would steer you wrong. They are fully aware of what you have and it's current value.

Hey Tom, quit copying me!

 
If what you say is true, then most likely you have an import with all sorts of aftermarket upgrades. They may have improved tone and playability, but rarely do such things improve resale value.

Granted, $150 is probably the lowest end of the spectrum, but again, you aren't going to recoup your initial investment.

Now hand over the banana ....

 
Bruce, no disrespect, but I've been closely monitoring, buying, selling, trading Hamer guitars for well over 25 years. I have significant knowledge about the new and used market for these guitars going back decades. Several people who have replied to this thread have similar (or even more) experience than me.

When we're telling you you have a $150-$250 guitar, trust us - you have a $150-$250 guitar. Your guitar is not a sought-after collectible model, and even if it had solid 24k gold hardware made by monks on top of Everest on there, it's still a $150-$250 guitar.

Sorry you've been misled.

 
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Bruce said:
Hey guys I'm Sorry but I'm really Surprised at all this.

I really thought someone here would have a better understanding of the Hamer Guitar line... Especially after someone here referred to a few people here as "Hamer Experts" I'm not a Hamer Expert myself but apparently I've gained enough info on my own Equipment to know what I have, compared to what other so called experts THINK I have...

I didn't come here to argue or doubt someones understanding about the Hamer guitars Manufacturing history.

I'm just trying to explain what I already know about my own guitar and was just looking to see if anyone had any more info or advice that they could contribute to what I already know about marketing what I have.

If some here think it's only worth 150 or 200 bucks then they have their reasons for assuming those prices but those are the ones that are obviously wrong about the parts that were installed on my guitar and then when i try to explain what I have I get attacked like a Monkey holding the only banana..

Did anyone ever think maybe this guys Guitar is worth looking a little deeper into???
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I referred to them as "Hamer Experts" because that's what they are. One guy has repaired more Hamer guitars than, dare I say, anyone else (outside of the factory itself). The other two guys have spent the better part of two decades chronicling the assorted models, production numbers, and yes VALUE of Hamer guitars. It's no clever accident that one of them is called "Serial."

All three of these guys are personal friends, by the way, of some guy named Paul who's last name just happens to be "Hamer."

It is no fault of ours that you happen to find yourself in the unique position of being the recipient of misinformation from someone trying to sell you something. It is not the first time that someone has wandered over here, and we've been made the bearer of bad tidings.

So far, you've been wrong about the list price of the guitar, the comparison to the USA models, the current value, and the idea in the first place that we might give a shit about any of it.

At the end of the day, it's worth what it's worth - not what it's worth to you.

It must be incredibly difficult for you to make your way through this big old world of ours, knowing that you're right and everyone else is wrong.

Is there one person so far that has seen it your way?

Maybe it isn't us.

Hell, I'm considering giving you $350 for it just so that you'd drop the whole fucking subject.

When I received the guitar, I'd smash it, box it back up, and ship it back to you.

Everyone knows that the imports smash just as dramatically as the USA models.

 
Bruce,

Welcome to the forum. I'm afraid that there just isn't much interest in the Hamer imports here. We're mostly Zenophobic! It sounds like you have an interesting guitar.

Without meaning to sound harsh, the fact that you may have a prototype Korean guitar with US parts is likely going to be met with a resounding "so what" in the marketplace. I could be wrong - there may be someone out there who is looking for precisely what you have to complete his collection. However, as far as the general level of interest in import Hamers is concerned, there is none. I don't belive that even a rare or "one-off" Korean Hamer has collector value, with the possible exception of the Rick Neilson model.

You may be able to find a buyer on eBay at $400.00 or more, but you'll have to market the crap out of the "rare prototype" angle. No matter what, you're going to have to do a lot of "splainin" to overcome the stigma associated with "Slammer Series" on the headstock. If yours is simply a regular production early Slammer Series archtop, the prices you've been quoted here aren't unusual. Good quality for the money, but the resale value is abysmal.

There is a difference in quality between the early Slammer Series guitars and the later versions (Slammer by Hamer, etc.). I owned an early Slammer Series Califirnian and it was a decent guitar. Worth around $300 in near mint condition, BTW.

Your best bet is to float it on eBay and see what happens. Good luck.

 
Hello everyone, I'm new here but I need some advice about this Hamer Slammer Series Studio Archtop GoldTop that I have.

Many of the folks who are you giving you advice you asked for know as much (probably more) than Hamer in regard to product history and current used market values.

If you really think you guitar is worth much more than the numbers the experts are quoting, put it on the market and see how the market reacts. If you do sell it for what you think it's worth, good for you, but you may want to prepare yourself for cricket sounds in your inbox based on the opinions above.

I share their opinions BTW. While I'm not an expert on the imports and I can appreciate their bang-for-the-buck factor, I can't see one going for more than $300 on the used market. That's top dollar for a shit-ass clean piece from someone who hasn't thoroughly researched the market or shopped around.

No one's offered to buy the guitar from you for the $150 or $200 or whatever. That kind of indicates to me at least that no one here is trying to deceive or lie to you in order to cheat you out of your guitar, huh?

 
TomTerrififfic I fully understand that the pick ups are ducan design's and they are Imports but that's what i said in My original Post the pick ups are the only difference between what I have and the USA Model.

and Now The REASON I'm here is because I have searched the net over the last few days and from what I see there isn't another Hamer like mine on the net except the made in USA's they are the closest to what I have SO,,,, before I opted to let it go for the $ 450 that I was offered 2 days ago,,, I figured I better take one last look SO you see I'm as baffled about this guitar as I guess some of you folks are... and NO it hasnt been modified or altered, I know this because I was at the STORE when it was being opened and prepared for Display. At that time the store owner and I commented on how it was set up and both of us were surprised at the quality and sound this guitar had as we both tried it out. I was the first customer of his to actually touch it and only 2 days later I bought it. and NOW again I'm not quite sure i'm ready to part with it just yet...

and dude,,,, get yer own Banana !

 
Likewise, no disrespect intended, but I would guess that this board counts among its membership 99% of the Hamer collectors in the world BECAUSE it is the best source of information on the brand-often more than what Hamer has itself. If you can't get a true sense of the value of the guitar or its collectibility from this board you aren't reading the posts. NO import Hamer that I've ever heard of, even celebrity owned is "collectible" by anyone. The bare fact is that few people are interested in ANY imported Hamer for anything other than a half-decent player, which many of them can be. As for parts-check out what any "Duncan Designed" pickup goes for on eBay. Import pickups have little value for resale anywhere.

You asked what the guitar was worth. You got several answers from people who know what they're talking about. No offense intended either-the guitar doesn't appear to be what you want it to be worth. Even if the guitar was assembled in Korea completely with USA hardware, pickups (which is not the case clearly) and lumber, it would have almost zero collectibility (if any) and just have import guitar player value. I can say this because I probably have (although I don't follow it as closely as I used to) some of the best Hamer guitar and resale information of anyone on the planet. Not bragging...

Just stating facts.

Edited to add that you are a fool to NOT take $450 for that guitar if someone offers it if indeed you purchased it as a "collectible". If it plays as well as you claim (of which I have no reason to doubt you), you should play the snot out of it.

 
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It's no clever accident that one of them is called "Serial."

I always thought he called himself "Serial" because it was his hip hop way to say he loves Captain Crunch! /emoticons/default_rolleyes.gif

Truthfully, I love Hamer guitars. Believe me now or believe me later, but anytime I've had a question here, I've asked and been given the correct information or helpful information. You have a cool guitar and that's a cool thing. There just aren't many import guitars that hold that type of value. If it's worth more to you than the monetary value of selling it, then just keep it and enjoy it.

rock

bford

 
Bruce said:
TomTerrififfic I fully understand that the pick ups are ducan design's and they are Imports but that's what i said in My original Post the pick ups are the only difference between what I have and the USA Model.

and Now The REASON I'm here is because I have searched the net over the last few days and from what I see there isn't another Hamer like mine on the net except the made in USA's they are the closest to what I have SO,,,, before I opted to let it go for the $ 450 that I was offered 2 days ago,,, I figured I better take one last look SO you see I'm as baffled about this guitar as I guess some of you folks are... and NO it hasnt been modified or altered, I know this because I was at the STORE when it was being opened and prepared for Display. At that time the store owner and I commented on how it was set up and both of us were surprised at the quality and sound this guitar had as we both tried it out. I was the first customer of his to actually touch it and only 2 days later I bought it. and NOW again I'm not quite sure i'm ready to part with it just yet...

and dude,,,, get yer own Banana !
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Take that $450 and RUN! Then pat yourself on the back for having gotten the best possible price ever for that guitar...and then hope to hell you never run into the buyer again!

-Jonathan

 
Bruce said:
the pick ups are the only difference between what I have and the USA Model.
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Well, there's the wood.

And the "Slammer Series" logo.

And the fact that it was made in Korea.

But otherwise, I guess you have a point.

 
ford said:
I always thought he called himself "Serial" because it was his hip hop way to say he loves Captain Crunch! /emoticons/default_rolleyes.gif
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I thought it was because of all the corpses he has sealed in the foundation of his house.

 
MCChris said:
ford said:
I always thought he called himself "Serial" because it was his hip hop way to say he loves Captain Crunch! /emoticons/default_rolleyes.gif
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I thought it was because of all the corpses he has sealed in the foundation of his house.
Click to expand...
Not the house I live in NOW.

Oh, and I do loves me some Crunchberries.

As for differences, the finish would also be different-Korean guitars were not finished like or with the same materials as the USA ones. Ever.

 
Bruce said:
TomTerrififfic I fully understand that the pick ups are ducan design's and they are Imports but that's what i said in My original Post the pick ups are the only difference between what I have and the USA Model.

and Now The REASON I'm here is because I have searched the net over the last few days and from what I see there isn't another Hamer like mine on the net except the made in USA's they are the closest to what I have SO,,,, before I opted to let it go for the $ 450 that I was offered 2 days ago,,, I figured I better take one last look SO you see I'm as baffled about this guitar as I guess some of you folks are... and NO it hasnt been modified or altered, I know this because I was at the STORE when it was being opened and prepared for Display. At that time the store owner and I commented on how it was set up and both of us were surprised at the quality and sound this guitar had as we both tried it out. I was the first customer of his to actually touch it and only 2 days later I bought it. and NOW again I'm not quite sure i'm ready to part with it just yet...
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Dude.

If somebody actually /emoticons/default_rolleyes.gif offered you $450 for that guitar, and assuming you have no moral issues with overcharging somebody for something, PLEASE do everybody a favor and jump on that deal. You will not see close to that kind of money for that guitar again in the foreseeable future.

And finally, PLEASE stop saying that the pickups are the only difference between your guitar and the USA model. You couldn't be more wrong in that statement. The USA models are made from premium wood, hands-on in a small shop by some of the best luthiers in the biz. Your Korean guitar comes off of an assembly line from a factory that mass-produces guitars for close to a dozen other brands and is made of what is typically graded as firewood in this country. The people who slapped your guitar together are probably making cheap furniture today in that same factory.

 
Bruce, like Jonathan said-- take the $450 offer that you have. You will get back most of what you spent. If the buyer is happy at that price he is getting a nice guitar.

 
kizanski said:
Bruce said:
Hey guys I'm Sorry but I'm really Surprised at all this.

I really thought someone here would have a better understanding of the Hamer Guitar line... Especially after someone here referred to a few people here as "Hamer Experts" I'm not a Hamer Expert myself but apparently I've gained enough info on my own Equipment to know what I have, compared to what other so called experts THINK I have...

I didn't come here to argue or doubt someones understanding about the Hamer guitars Manufacturing history.

I'm just trying to explain what I already know about my own guitar and was just looking to see if anyone had any more info or advice that they could contribute to what I already know about marketing what I have.

If some here think it's only worth 150 or 200 bucks then they have their reasons for assuming those prices but those are the ones that are obviously wrong about the parts that were installed on my guitar and then when i try to explain what I have I get attacked like a Monkey holding the only banana..

Did anyone ever think maybe this guys Guitar is worth looking a little deeper into???
Click to expand...
I referred to them as "Hamer Experts" because that's what they are. One guy has repaired more Hamer guitars than, dare I say, anyone else (outside of the factory itself). The other two guys have spent the better part of two decades chronicling the assorted models, production numbers, and yes VALUE of Hamer guitars. It's no clever accident that one of them is called "Serial."

All three of these guys are personal friends, by the way, of some guy named Paul who's last name just happens to be "Hamer."

It is no fault of ours that you happen to find yourself in the unique position of being the recipient of misinformation from someone trying to sell you something. It is not the first time that someone has wandered over here, and we've been made the bearer of bad tidings.

So far, you've been wrong about the list price of the guitar, the comparison to the USA models, the current value, and the idea in the first place that we might give a shit about any of it.

At the end of the day, it's worth what it's worth - not what it's worth to you.

It must be incredibly difficult for you to make your way through this big old world of ours, knowing that you're right and everyone else is wrong.

Is there one person so far that has seen it your way?

Maybe it isn't us.

Hell, I'm considering giving you $350 for it just so that you'd drop the whole fucking subject.

When I received the guitar, I'd smash it, box it back up, and ship it back to you.

Everyone knows that the imports smash just as dramatically as the USA models.
Click to expand...
I'm really starting to come around to the new moderation tactics here at the HFC! /emoticons/default_rolleyes.gif/emoticons/default_laugh.png

 
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