I purchased the last Holoskull

[Phillip M]

Hi friends.

Around 1992 I went to Big Daddy music in Memphis and ordered a Hamer Holoskull. I was serious so I put about half down. $1000.00 is what I remember.

After 8 months of getting the run around from the store I contacted Hamer in an email.

Paul Hamer called me personally! I did not even know who he was but I heard the name Hamer.

He told me that most of the guitar bodies did not make it past QC either from the hand painting or the glue with the holograms.

He said that Big Dady music was a rep but they were dropping them because they were going under and not reliable.

He told me that if I got my 1000 back he would have the best holoskull he could find finished and sent to me. 

He said that he would give it to me for the 1000.

He apologized for having a crappy rep. 

He said only 200 have made it out of the factory and there would be no more.

I went to big daddy music and became such a pain in his ass that he gave me the money after a month.

I contacted Paul Hamer, got the money to them and he sent me the guitar!

I still have it today.

Gold active EMG's

Is there any interest in this guitar?

77396075608__63EBAF78-9170-4DA0-93B9-CF43EAD74E90.HEIC

replacing the pot, currently

 

Edited July 30, 2025 by Phillip M

[specialk]

Hello and welcome,

Great story, but your picture(s) didn't post. Want to try again? 

[Dave Scepter]

Yes, photos please~

[kizanski]

That is certainly in character for Paul.  

One of the nicest guys you could ever meet.  

[Tortious]

9 minutes ago, kizanski said:

That is certainly in character for Paul.  

One of the nicest guys you could ever meet.  

Yes, but didn't he sell his share/leave the company around 1987?

[Phillip M]

[Dave Scepter]

15 minutes ago, Phillip M said:

Beautiful, I'll take it!.. where do I send the blank check to?

[diablo175]

Umm, this should be in the FS/FT/PSA section, shouldn't it? 

[specialk]

[Cboss]

Where are the "gold active emg's"? 

[kizanski]

10 hours ago, Cboss said:

Where are the "gold active emg's"? 

I think that's in reference to the "EMG" logo on the pickups, which is gold.  

IIRC, that was their hierarchy: silver lettering and gold lettering.  

[Dave Scepter]

1 hour ago, kizanski said:

I think that's in reference to the "EMG" logo on the pickups, which is gold.  

IIRC, that was their hierarchy: silver lettering and gold lettering.  

 

[kizanski]

I knew it was something like that.

[scottcald]

On 7/30/2025 at 5:19 PM, Phillip M said:

Awesome guitar and better story about how you got it. 

[cmatthes]

On 7/30/2025 at 4:47 PM, Tortious said:

Yes, but didn't he sell his share/leave the company around 1987?

Yes.  Paul left Hamer in 1987.  He was not with the company in 1992.

A faulty recollection?

[Phillip M]

LOL, Very possible. Was there another Hamer working there? Maybe I got the year wrong. I have the receipt somewhere.

[Dave Scepter]

1 hour ago, Phillip M said:

LOL, Very possible. Was there another Hamer working there? Maybe I got the year wrong. I have the receipt somewhere.

Perhaps you got the year of the guitar, and the story mixed up as hollow skulls were also made in the late 80s?

[Phillip M]

I do know that I knew nothing of the company except Hamer made guitars, until I got the call. That's when I learned that the company was someones name. That's is why it left an impression.

[Dave Scepter]

8 minutes ago, Phillip M said:

I do know that I knew nothing of the company except Hamer made guitars, until I got the call. That's when I learned that the company was someones name. That's is why it left an impression.

What's the first digit of your serial number located on the back of the headstock?

[cmatthes]

8 hours ago, Dave Scepter said:

Perhaps you got the year of the guitar, and the story mixed up as hollow skulls were also made in the late 80s?

Paul was long gone by the time that the O'Connor Holoskulls were a finish option.

[Phillip M]

On 8/2/2025 at 1:01 PM, Dave Scepter said:

What's the first digit of your serial number located on the back of the headstock?

2299881

[kizanski]

1 minute ago, Phillip M said:

2299881

Yep - That's a '92.

[Phillip M]

On 8/2/2025 at 5:15 PM, cmatthes said:

Paul was long gone by the time that the O'Connor Holoskulls were a finish option.

Very possible, I will look for that receipt, I know I have it somewhere. I do know he said there would be no more released. Each phase of production had lots of quality rejects.

To get passed all of those hurdles and then reject for glue was a heavy loss. That is why he said he would find one of the best he could  find and have it finished for only the down payment I had made to Big Daddy Music. He knew I had been waiting a long time and I only narrowly got my money back. I think he figured I probably would not get my money from a dealer shutting down and behind on all payments. 

[Phillip M]

3 minutes ago, kizanski said:

Yep - That's a '92.

Should also be the last Holloskull produced. He said about 200. See my previous reply about him picking out the best of what was there in pieces and having it finished.

[ArsPo]

Hello, Phillip. Sent you a message

[Phillip M]

Guitar lower res.pdf Seems to be 1991 and I paid 1,820 total.