Hamer Rising Prices and Market Delusion

[Jeremy]

I 'd like to start a discussion about the present real value of Hamer USA guitars. I'm not really interested in dealer irrational prices like Diablo Guitars and the like. I have a particular disdain for anyone who attempts to push values to the heights that aren't sustainable- you buy it, you probably couldn't re-sell at that price. My opinion is that the values have become very difficult to determine. Hamer owners are posting prices on Reverb that are high and are not selling, but yet the prices don't ever get lowered. The guitars just sit there. What is going on? The Market has changed. The guitars listed at what I would consider a honest value sell immediately, virtually on the spot. This new market seems to be very polar, whereas the years leading up to now prices were very stable, only occasionally I would see a guitar sky-high priced or a low-ball deal. An amazing, really good deal seems to have become a fantastical unicorn. A $4400 Diablo- come on. Whoever you are that is listing these, you should be put in some kind of smouldering purgatory to repent for your sins. You and the Wall-Streeters selling credit swaps in 2005. I hate you both.

Edited Thursday at 01:16 AM by Jeremy
addition

[Steve Haynie]

As we have said many times here, askin' ain't gettin'.  

I agree that higher asking prices make it harder to determine true average values.

 

[Dave Scepter]

Everything has skyrocketed and not to change the subject, but have you seen the prices of vintage audio equipment?.. example: Marantz, Pioneer SX-#### receivers?.. JBL, Klipsch speakers?... USA Jackson's at $7k 😳 and at a time where everyone is flooding the market

Edited Thursday at 01:06 AM by Dave Scepter

[Jakeboy]

Since December 2025, I have purchased two incredibly impeccable Hamers  (Tally and a Monaco2) that were very expensive  but worth every penny. Did I pay too much? Maybe, but I don’t think so. One was ANOS and the other was an EXTREMELY rare Hamer. Both New Hartford craftsmanship at its best. I’d do it again tomorrow, they are that good. Only 0006 is safe…

[Disturber]

Look at the prices of old cameras — Nikons, Leicas, etc. People buy them, collect them, but don’t necessarily use them for photography anymore. I think electric guitars are moving in the same direction.

Hamer is gone. These instruments come from a time when people went down to rehearsal or a gig with a six-pack of beer, lit a cigarette, plugged their 100-watt Marshall into the wall socket, cranked it to ten, gave the world a big FUCK YOU, and played power chords while the band went full nuclear behind them.

Today, kids plug their tiny headless guitars into a computer, put on headphones, and record a one-minute YouTube clip covering Sweet Child O’ Mine just to get likes.

Hamers aren’t made anymore. Just like ’50s cars, they represent an era. Look at the prices of ’70s and ’80s Japanese lawsuit guitars — same thing there. Prices have gone up a lot. A Greco EGF1800 Super Real now sells for over $10,000.

[velorush]

Hold the emotion and let the market work. It will... IF allowed to.

And rate swaps - vilified by an ignorant media with absolutely no understanding of how credit markets work, attempting to establish a "them" bad guy  - were and are an excellent tool for managing rate risk.

[Whoismarykelly]

Aside from Standards and a subset of the Calis, most nice Hamers are going up but they're not eclipsing what a new LP standard costs. At least they don't seem to be selling at the huge asking prices. Its likely there are some Hamer collectors slowly liquidating collections through stores and that's why a place like El Diablo seems to list a new $8000 Hamer every month. There are a decent number of bargains out there. A crazy quilt top Sunburst sold for $1000 on Reverb yesterday. I didn't buy it because it seemed to low to be real. Also it had gold hardware/ 

[django49]

And some of us get priced out. OR our desires change.

I lost track. I think I have owned close to 100 Hamers over the years. Including at least one of most of the "limited editions". At one point, I know I had around 60. I think I have 7 now. One has been listed for sale at what I think is a very reasonable price. Some bites, no follow-through. No big deal. Two others (unique Duo-Tones) that I have been offered what I believe to be above market prices, but I do not wish to sell. The others I am not motivated to sell. 

Of those I have passed along, all (or virtually all) could be sold for more now than then. Such is life. Same as all those vintage Gibsons I sold a few decades back. 

My faves HAVE changed. And there are some great options today for those who want a great playing and sounding guitar at a price comparable to some of the "vintage" pieces. As but one example, a couple Suhrs I picked up in recent months (2 new, 2 used) were very reasonably priced and arguably better than some of my former (or even current) Hamers. And not higher than many current ASKING prices for Hamers. Is that MY taste or just the market? And how many of the subject asking prices make sense for PLAYERS as opposed to collectors?

Not that I MIGHT not ever buy another Hamer. I would certainly buy back some that I have sold IF the price as very right. But to pay a premium price for something when my current choices for playing out are something different.....Highly illogical. Even if my ears are not pointed. 😉 

[DarkHammer]

Guitars are listed for high prices for multitude of reasons - sellers want to test the water, listing price is a starting point, not really looking to sell (but are forced to list by a spouse), super rare instruments, delusional sellers, etc.

Keep in mind that on platforms sellers add fees premium. 

Many sellers are willing to negotiate, their listings are to start the negotiation.

If you want to see realistic prices - check Reverb sold listings.  

[Whoismarykelly]

I've noticed over the years that Prototypes often get listed for high prices and I wonder if people think they are actual prototypes worth extra money.