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Hamer guitars for heavy metal!


Do we want Hamer shred machines back?  

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Time is to get a bunch of new models more oriented to the metal market. Why isn't Hamer seeing the rebirth of metal and shred as a business opportunity? This is a mystery to me, really. Take for example Schecter, ESP/LTD and Jackson, and the way they mass-produce quality models for metal players. Or take the new import Kramer models; or even how Ran guitars in Poland signed Jeff Waters (an ex-Hamer customer). Has the marketing dept in Hamer just decided that metal players won't use Hamer anymore? :P How about Frank Aresti, Glenn Tipton or (again) Jeff Waters? This looks pretty weird to me, really. :)

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Time is to get a bunch of new models more oriented to the metal market. Why isn't Hamer seeing the rebirth of metal and shred as a business opportunity? This is a mystery to me, really. Take for example Schecter, ESP/LTD and Jackson, and the way they mass-produce quality models for metal players. Or take the new import Kramer models; or even how Ran guitars in Poland signed Jeff Waters (an ex-Hamer customer). Has the marketing dept in Hamer just decided that metal players won't use Hamer anymore? :P How about Frank Aresti, Glenn Tipton or (again) Jeff Waters? This looks pretty weird to me, really. :)

It's pretty simple, really. Jol's an aging baby boomer and he's targeting his own demographic.

Metal guitars will never again be produced en masse by Hamer as long as Mssr. Dantzig is at the helm.

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I agree that those new Kramers are pretty neat, and the Jackson and Charvel stuff is really nice. Those companies seem to have recognized the trend that players want cool guitars again and are producing nice stuff.

I question how big of a trend it is. I say it's fringe appeal at best. Metal music isn't all over the airwaves, neither television nor radio, like it was back in the '80s. Not by a longshot.

Those companies you mention are also almost exclusively known for their metalloid designs. Hamer started out as a big power pop brand, then went metal, then went totally Gibsonesque and now is doing classic, jazzier and mellower designs. They have a wider appeal, which generally is a good thing in business. Besides, why would they want to horn in on a market that Jackson, Charvel, Kramer, Schecter et al have cornered?

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The closest thing to a metal guitar that Hamer will make now is a Standard or a Vector with a Floyd. That definitely counts.

Hamer USA is such a low production company that they do not really have to look for a new market.

The Scarab and Californian have been reissued in the import lines, so someone is aware that there are people looking for metal guitars.

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There's a rebirth of shred? Where?

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.

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My band mate back in the 80's bought

a Washburn Vee with a tremolo like that.

Hell, I didn´t know they where called

a Wonderbar until I saw a post here on the

HFC some time back.

We could never get that tremolo system to

stay in tune. And the guitar was not cheap.

I think we messed with it for two weeks

and then returned it to the shop. He bought

a pretty nice Larivee with EMG singlecoils

and an original Floyd instead. That guitar

was about the same price, but about 400% better

quality. Washburn, yeesschh, never treid

a good one. Didn't know there actually was

players out there who actually thought they

where good.

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I've got one guitar with a Floyd - and it really wouldn't bother me to drop that to zero.

But I would love to see USA Daytonas and T-51s come back.

+1

I did dropped my only guitar with a Floyd for a sustainblock guitar, and I don't regret it.

IMHO the import line is quite nice on the shredder side.

What youngster can afford a +2000$ dollar guitar, or will pay it without a large endorser base.

I am glad Hamer uses their skilled builders to the current US production line.

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As far as metal goes, I think any number of current Hamer guitars could be used for that after maybe a pickup swap. All sorts of metal is played on Gibson-scale TOM guitars so Standard, Studios, and Monaco Elites would fit right in. For downtuning, there's the Subtone.

However, I am a bit bummed that Hamer isn't producing anything I'd call a shred axe (24 frets, high-performance trem) nowadays. It's not a big deal for me though because lately I've been buying used and there are still plenty of sweet Hamer shredders available on the used market.

-Austin

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I would like to see the Chapp Custom brought back with just 1 humbucker, or even 2 would be fine, I can`t stand middle pickups. Short Scale and non-recessed Floyd. Hamer probably would cringe at the thought though. Jack.

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I used to have an A10-V that I got from a local shop that was going out of business in '85. I agree, I always liked that slim, V shaped neck. The workmanship was excellent. However, the Washburn non-locking trem that it had was horrible. Didn't stay in tune (the guitar was from the days before it was discovered that if you're not providing a locking nut, it helps to have the strings go straight over the nut), and made clunking noises when I whammied with it. The metal was so soft the knife pooints became dull. The guitar was a metallic magenta - it definitely looked 80's!!

It was headstock heavy too, but hey, I put up with that from my Hamers.

I agree Hamer would be going up against the big boys trying to compete with Ibanez, Kramer etc. I wonder if they made a scaled down Explorer or V with a flame top, black hardware and a slightly altered body... oh wait, Peavey's done that.

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Guest JackButler

I am out there everyday "on the front lines" so to speak..theaching the kids what THEY listen to and what they WANT to play..and the overwhelming majority of it is METAL and SHRED! From 12 and up..whammytappingsweepingpsychoboogiethrashglamgothoheadbangin' stuff!

Everything from Avenged Sevenfold to DT to Malmsteem and Maiden..these kids are digging out Mom and Dad's cassettes and cd's and they are listening and taking notes..and now I've got 16 year old Soccer girls shredding! LOL!

The kids are pretty swift on the uptake to and know that TicketCrapster/Clear Channel/MTV is pretty much shovel feeding them sugar coated crud..everyone from the geeks to the freaks to the jocks..I get 'em all and they all want learn this stuff.

The current Hamer Co. is happy to have become a boutique outfit and that's Jol and Co's perogative..I don't think you'll really ever see the return of any of the shredders from them..its mostly the yippies and yuppies that are all in search of tones from the graves of SRV and assorted acts of the Fillmore..the same guys that want to debate bumblebee caps and vintage blah blah and bling bling as opposed to spending time slumped over one guitar practicing. Its smart marketing to pedal to a crowd that is for the most part able to part with some disposable income for the bragging rights to owning some top shelf wood. There's no wrong or right..its just not where they want to be or what they want to be building..there's more "respect" and legitimacy in building jazz boxes.

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IF Hamer ever did get back into the shred game, they really need to make the necks thinner. IMO

You want the necks thinner, are you crazy man!! Some of those necks were way to thin as it was. I had a sweet Cali Elite, but the neck was like a Wizard neck, paper thin. Hell, I would rather have a 50`s LP style neck on my shredders, but the Chap Custom medium rounded necks are very nice also and the Standard, nice and meaty. If they make them paper thin, I wouldn`t touch one with a 10 foot pole. That been said, I can appreciate everyone liking different neck profiles :-) Jack.

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I wish the Scepter would come back with a sustain block. The Scarab would be cool with a wraparound tailpiece. I don't care for the bolt on stuff though.

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