Cool guitars, but who's buying?

[DarkHammer]

I see good amount of quite expensive Hamer guitars offered for $10K, $12K, $15K... No doubt they are rare and cool, but are people actually paying these prices? Some of them sit there for months and years without getting sold anywhere near the asking prices.

Checking Reverb sales history I see only ONE guitar marked as sold at such high price ($15K), with next most expensive guitars are in $6K range.

https://reverb.com/item/94996723-hamer-usa-custom-shop-4-digit-standard-natural-1980-w-ohsc?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiIzMTJjMGMzNC1mYTFkLTQ2ZmItOTEzMS0xODQwODZlM2NmNDMiLCJpYXQiOjE3NzM5Mzc1NzUsInVzZXJfaWQiOiI2NjE2ODAiLCJzZXNzaW9uX2lkIjoiMWJhNDFmYTItZTczYS00ZDc4LTk5ZDMtZGIyZWFmNWZiN2RhIiwiY29va2llX2lkIjoiMjY0MjA5M2QtYjllMS00ZDlhLTg4ZGEtNTZjMGJkMjdjNmNmIiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6Ijk0OTk2NzIzIiwic291cmNlIjoiTk9ORSJ9.2Cxh85FuQD4-s6x7UtssEbHBY_ocIoNKMuJuvaNFenM

 

https://reverb.com/item/94344703-hamer-korina-flying-v-mid-90-s-transluscent-red?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiI2ODUwZDBmNi1jYjZmLTRiMGMtYTBjOS03ODE1YzkwNGE1ZmQiLCJpYXQiOjE3NzM5Mzc1NzUsInVzZXJfaWQiOiI2NjE2ODAiLCJzZXNzaW9uX2lkIjoiMWJhNDFmYTItZTczYS00ZDc4LTk5ZDMtZGIyZWFmNWZiN2RhIiwiY29va2llX2lkIjoiMjY0MjA5M2QtYjllMS00ZDlhLTg4ZGEtNTZjMGJkMjdjNmNmIiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6Ijk0MzQ0NzAzIiwic291cmNlIjoiTk9ORSJ9.9OtMI5SthDDM-V7IS0ZOrawPu1-mcPepzVkmWZIRM3k

 

https://reverb.com/item/93873392-2006-hamer-usa-standard-custom-one-off-very-unique-korina-ultimate-quilt

 

https://reverb.com/item/94692510-hamer-custom-order-standard-3-4-size-natural-1980-w-hardshell-case?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiI4ZjY0Y2Y1YS03M2NkLTQxYjEtOWU0ZS00Mzg5NjM1MGU2MWEiLCJpYXQiOjE3NzM5Mzc1NzUsInVzZXJfaWQiOiI2NjE2ODAiLCJzZXNzaW9uX2lkIjoiMWJhNDFmYTItZTczYS00ZDc4LTk5ZDMtZGIyZWFmNWZiN2RhIiwiY29va2llX2lkIjoiMjY0MjA5M2QtYjllMS00ZDlhLTg4ZGEtNTZjMGJkMjdjNmNmIiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6Ijk0NjkyNTEwIiwic291cmNlIjoiTk9ORSJ9.h-pgnhe9hONDjR7xnujsBBodg9eCJ2esZCXbbz-Q3fA

 

[RobB]

13 minutes ago, DarkHammer said:

I see good amount of quite expensive Hamer guitars offered for $10K, $12K, $15K... No doubt they are rare and cool, but are people actually paying these prices?

No one here, and you can take that to the bank. 

[LucSulla]

The funny thing is that there are a number of boutique builders who make killer Vs and Explorers and, as expensive as they are, you could buy two of them for what the above prices are. 

[RobB]

18 minutes ago, LucSulla said:

The funny thing is that there are a number of boutique builders who make killer Vs and Explorers and, as expensive as they are, you could buy two of them for what the above prices are. 

Speaking of which, how is that custom V coming along?

[crunchee]

Like the old saying goes, 'Askin' ain't sellin'.

On  a semi-related note, Fender just introduced their new 75th anniversary Tele collection, none of which list at anywhere near cheap when new:

Limited Edition 75th Anniversary Telecaster Collection – Fender

The only one I really like is the MIM '51 Road Worn Vintera Tele...but at US$1899 list, I think I'll wait a few years for a used one.  Maybe.   Nice to see that Fender can now offer it with a solid Ash body now, though that'll make it even more spendy:

The more I see prices go up, the more I like my old mutt partscasters. 

Edited March 20 by crunchee

[velorush]

16 hours ago, crunchee said:

The more I see prices go up, the more I like my old mutt partscasters. 

This is where I am at now. Sure, if/when the Guitar Account gets built back up I could definitely see grabbing a Hamer or Gibson or other set neck, but as far as the bolt-on variety I am way more satisfied with rolling my own. 

[LucSulla]

On 3/19/2026 at 12:26 PM, RobB said:

Speaking of which, how is that custom V coming along?

No clue! lol

I'm still on pace to have it done in a year, which means end of the summer, but I know he hasn't started yet. 

[RobB]

2 hours ago, LucSulla said:

No clue! lol

I'm still on pace to have it done in a year, which means end of the summer, but I know he hasn't started yet. 

“Guitar builders”…🙄. Buncha over-promising, under-delivering WEIRDOS, every one of ‘em. I’ll never again commission another custom guitar. Just not worth the hassle and frustration. 

Edited March 21 by RobB

[ARM OF HAMER]

                               While I'm pleased to see Hamer guitars finally getting their recognition as really great instruments, the prices on some of them are insane what some sellers are asking. So, the question was "Who's Buying"?, at the prices shown at the beginning of this post............ no one.

Edited March 21 by ARM OF HAMER

[LucSulla]

14 hours ago, RobB said:

“Guitar builders”…🙄. Buncha over-promising, under-delivering WEIRDOS, every one of ‘em. I’ll never again commission another custom guitar. Just not worth the hassle and frustration. 

Well, so far nothing is deviating from exactly what I was told to expect before I ever paid the first dollar, and he is a cool guy. He spent a lot of time taking with me about his misadventures with Marcus King and Brent Hinds when I ordered it and had me cracking up. 

Basically, he said it would be a year, and his FAQ asks to not flood him with emails because generally the answer is "you're in the que." When I've had a couple of questions about money or when I do check in every couple of months just to see if it's still looking like September, he's quick to respond and always affable. 

So, at the moment, if I bitched about anything, it would be because exactly what I was told to expect is what is happening. It's just him and his wife doing everything, so I feel like that's all fair. 

[RobB]

3 hours ago, LucSulla said:

Well, so far nothing is deviating from exactly what I was told to expect before I ever paid the first dollar, and he is a cool guy. He spent a lot of time taking with me about his misadventures with Marcus King and Brent Hinds when I ordered it and had me cracking up. 

Basically, he said it would be a year, and his FAQ asks to not flood him with emails because generally the answer is "you're in the que." When I've had a couple of questions about money or when I do check in every couple of months just to see if it's still looking like September, he's quick to respond and always affable. 

So, at the moment, if I bitched about anything, it would be because exactly what I was told to expect is what is happening. It's just him and his wife doing everything, so I feel like that's all fair. 

Seems like you lucked out. Sounds like all the ducks are in a row.