Sitamoia50 Posted May 22, 2006 Posted May 22, 2006 O.k. where to start.......Let's start with the fact that at 40 yrs old I have played and owned hundreds of guitars.Finally realised that I am pretty much a "Les Paul" guy.That is the guitar I am the most comfortable with,the feel, the sound,etc. After posting the thread about buying the '92 Hamer sunburst (in need of headstock repair) I got responses along the lines of "once you buy one you will probably buy another","They are addicting" etc. I am a sceptic,I take everything with a grain of salt,figure people like there Hamers and just get a bit excitable about them.Anyways to the review.I opened the box,and for all intents and purposes the guitar looked pretty much new (Ive seen new guitars in stores look worse).Turn it around to inspect the headstock (very minor as far as headstock cracks go)Actually is very stable(obviously going to have it fixed but probably could get away with playing it as is,thats how stable it is).After just sitting back and staring at just how beautiful this guitar is (the top is mesmerising!).The quality of this guitar is just head & shoulders above anything I have ever owned (Ive owned some nice ones).I proceed to plug it in to my Crate (that's right,Crate VFX 5212) the vintage club series is the only crate I would ever own! Herein lies the problem.Me being a Les Paul guy,and owning a couple standards.The Hamer sunburst quite simply blew them away.soundwise the sound could be described as "LUSH",smooth as hell,incredible sustain on this one (also outsustain'd my Les Paul).I guess what I'm trying to say is that it out Les Paul'd my Les Paul.Sound aside.The neck.....Whoa!, the neck.What a neck on this thing.Neck felt like it was custom made for my hands,also put away the Les Paul necks I own.The guy that wrote and i quote"ive owned hundreds of guitars and now all I own are Hamers",I now realize what he was talking about.I won't quite go that far to where all i would own are Hamers but let's just say I threw one of my Les Paul standards on ebay already and probably going on the search for my 2nd Hamer.Being a born sceptic ,I can now say Hamers are really that good.I have never held a guitar in my hand that just felt as good as this one.The build quality is 2nd to none.Damn, this guitar is a beauty!......Honored to join the Hamer club!!!! p.s. I guess i gotta go break the news to the wife that there may be more long rectangular boxes being delivered to the house than usual in the upcoming year!!!!
Disturber Posted May 22, 2006 Posted May 22, 2006 I got responses along the lines of "once you buy one you will probably buy another","They are addicting" etc. I am a sceptic,I take everything with a grain of salt,figure people like there Hamers and just get a bit excitable about them.I guess what I'm trying to say is that it out Les Paul'd my Les Paul. Yes Hamer's are addictive. Once bitten by the bug you'll soon have GAS for another one.I started with one and now have nine.And although that is more elctric guitars than I ever will needI can't sell anyone of them. They are togood damn great every single one.Welcome to the HFC!
Gabe Posted May 22, 2006 Posted May 22, 2006 Welcome to the club. I started with one Hamer in 2002 and I have six of them now. They are all good. Surely addictive. Gabe
princeofdarkness56 Posted May 22, 2006 Posted May 22, 2006 Your hooked. Just surrender to the moment and enjoy.
serial Posted May 22, 2006 Posted May 22, 2006 I played/owned LPs from 1981 until 1998 when I traded my last one (a really good TV Standard) for a near mint Phantom A5 and a '79 Sunburst in similar condition. The Sunburst is perhaps the best sounding guitar I've ever owned of any make or model. I actually pulled that one out yesterday for the first time in a long while and had forgotten how good it is.Of course, being w/o an LP for all of those years, I've been lusting after another Les Paul or two in the past year. I've owned close to a hundred Hamers since the mid 90s and still have a bunch. If I had to have one or the other, I agree that the Hamer is a better guitar in just about every respect (for me at least) and would pick the Hamer.
polara Posted May 22, 2006 Posted May 22, 2006 Yep! I think they tend to use better wood, better seasoned, and take a little more time to make the instruments themselves. I also like that they are usually functional... not that they aren't pretty and some are real inlaid, plated knockouts, but the seem to be designed to be guitars first and objects d'art second.
Guest pirateflynn Posted May 22, 2006 Posted May 22, 2006 That's great.........it's cool when you come across something that really inspires you!
Sitamoia50 Posted May 23, 2006 Author Posted May 23, 2006 Of course, being w/o an LP for all of those years, I've been lusting after another Les Paul or two in the past year. I've owned close to a hundred Hamers since the mid 90s and still have a bunch. If I had to have one or the other, I agree that the Hamer is a better guitar in just about every respect (for me at least) and would pick the Hamer. Don't get me wrong.I still have my trusty '89 Les Paul standard.Probably gonna swap out the pickups on it now though.Honestly, It just kinda shocked me that the Hamer Sunburst sounded better,actually quite better.Therefore I am going to try a few different things on the Les Paul.1st thing is probably puttin' the same pickups as are on the Hamer (a '59 and a JB).It'll be interesteing to hear em' with the same pickups in each.I usually have Duncan's on my guitars anyway,but with my Les Paul I always "thought" it sounded fine.That is 'till now......LOL!
Mad Man Mike Posted May 23, 2006 Posted May 23, 2006 First of all welcome aboard. There is a problem with owning a Hamer they are addictive for sure. When I first brought my Hamer I was hooked from owning my first Hamer to now owning four Hamers. It is like a drug you can not get enough of it. Whenever I go into a music store my wife gets a look on her face. I can just hear her say oh no not again. Like a said before welcome to the family.
Sitamoia50 Posted May 24, 2006 Author Posted May 24, 2006 That's great.........it's cool when you come across something that really inspires you! Your avatar inspires me!!!!!!!!! LOL!!
kanegon Posted May 24, 2006 Posted May 24, 2006 Here's my Hamer story. I knew I wanted a Les Paul type guitar. Knew that there were gripes about Hamer necks being thin, but once I decided that I could live with a 60s taper, I started looking. Then three days ago, I found a red sunburst "Hamer Studio" listed on Craig's List in NY for $475. Dropped everything to check it out.As I cradled it, I wasn't sure. Cosmetically, it looked okay for a ten-year old. The flame top looked good except for a few small chips in less than obvious places. But the neck was seriously bowed and the action was like - suspension bridge high. Of course, I bought it anwyay. But on my way back, I started to regret it. What's the deal with the nut being crazy glued? What if the neck's f#@*ed? is it a real good Korean copy? Was I duped? Maybe I don't know anything about guitars, I thought...So I corrected the bow and lowered the bridge. I replaced the spring on the bridge PU (confirmed it was a Duncan JB) to keep it from popping. A few more tweaks here and there. Then all at once, it came together --- like an orchestra tuning up. As I lowered the strings closer and closer to the fingerboard, I began to realize how well-made the guitar was. It had an almost perfect neck! And now after changing the strings and giving it a well deserved cleanup, I am shocked that I've got a very photogenic USA hand-made Les Paul eater hanging on my wall. I played it until 4:00am the first night! Man, what a difference quality makes. Was I just lucky?
BTMN Posted May 25, 2006 Posted May 25, 2006 Hey Sitamoia50, I had a feeling you were getting a good deal. May I suggest a touch of Korina in this model for your next venture to Hamerland. It is the Hamer Artist Korina HB. Available in a killer P90 version too. Mine is a 2002 and some of the best money I have ever paid for a guitar. kanegon, WELCOME. Lucky? Maybe, but I bet it just needed a lil love and sounds like you delivered. Telling us how photogenic it is and not posting something to view is NOT a good way to start. Start us a thread and tell us about yourself and your Hamer.
black magic Posted May 25, 2006 Posted May 25, 2006 Welcome aboard bro!! I have bought and sold many Hamers, well because I am very frugal ;-) I am down to one, but is a smokin one!! A 2003 custom ordered Sustain Block Special with the vintage neck profile(read BIG), I love it. The only thing I would change is to 6100 frets from mediums, but the quality is amazing isn`t it!! I have played a few LP`s, and the god ones are really good, but you have to really look. Jack.
kanegon Posted May 25, 2006 Posted May 25, 2006 BTMN, you're right. Iwas being lazy. LET'S GET RIGHT TO THE GUITARPORN! This is the new old 93 Studio Standard. The music will be another thread.
Sitamoia50 Posted May 25, 2006 Author Posted May 25, 2006 Damn,what beauties in this thread!.....I gotta be honest ,I am "struggling" right now.I am seriously thinking of selling what was once my main guitar ('89 Les Paul standard).My logic is simple.If I can sell it and get another Hamer as good as the '92 Sunburst (which by the way is now my main)......then why not? DRIVIN ME NUTS!!!!! p.s. Hamer also does the "little" things top notch.I mean for the price I paid for the Les Paul you would think they could put real real MOP inlays in the fretboard and not the mother of toilet seat.The Hamer has real MOP.I dont know.I'm still just amazed at how much better the Hamer is.......I do know that if I had discovered Hamers a long time ago,my guitar buying history would have been a helluva lot different.You guys are definately not helping me by posting all these freakin' Hamer beauties!!!!
riffpowers Posted May 25, 2006 Posted May 25, 2006 I'm a les paul man wanting to buy his first Hamer.I hope I like it as much as you like yours!!
iownit4 Posted May 25, 2006 Posted May 25, 2006 I love les pauls and will never sell any of mine ,but my main gigging axe is a 91 suburst ChuckY.... http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/iownit4/IMG_0004.jpghttp://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/iownit4/100_0025.jpghttp://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/iownit4/edb4d538.jpghttp://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/iownit4/e46cd54b.jpghttp://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/iownit4/IMG_0024.jpghttp://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/iownit4/f707350a.jpghttp://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/iownit4/c22947f8.jpg U can't just own 1 __ you'll see
Sitamoia50 Posted May 25, 2006 Author Posted May 25, 2006 I love les pauls and will never sell any of mine ,but my main gigging axe is a 91 suburst ChuckY.... U can't just own 1 __ you'll see.. Holy Shit!...had to do a double take and make sure my orange sunburst was still here.theyre practically identical...the quilt top is even eerily similar.I here ya as much as i like my Les paul's the Hamer is definately going to be/is my main from here on.......nice collection ya got there.If I ever get divorced (ya never know) .my collection will also be as large!....LOL!!!!
Brooks Posted May 26, 2006 Posted May 26, 2006 rob's hoarding all the good ones!! bastard!!!! nice rawk face , tho. sell me a floyded sunburst and buy yaself a better PA!!! haha
BTMN Posted May 27, 2006 Posted May 27, 2006 Ok quit torturing me with Chucky!! I sold Rob that Sunburst after I just HAD To have the AK pictured above. (reaches for inflatable Hammer to whack forehead!!) He wont even reply to my pleas to sell it back!!!
tomteriffic Posted May 27, 2006 Posted May 27, 2006 First off, welcome to the new Hamer owners. Lock up your wallet! I've been aware of Hamers since the get-go, got my first one about 10 years ago and have about a dozen USA's and a couple of imports at any given time. Guys, one of the clues to the "I don't know what it is about Hamers" mystery: It's the wood! The guys up there way the hell outbid everybody else for the best wood by the train carload. Then they go through it and only keep a tiny, tiny portion of what they bought and return the rest. They gotta buy it, sell it, and ship it both ways to get the cream of the crop, but, I believe that between the wood selection and the neck and neck joint construction, those are the often-overlooked keys to the Hamer superiority. Oh, and Gene, show 'em some of the pointy stuff!
Jack C Posted May 27, 2006 Posted May 27, 2006 I love les pauls and will never sell any of mine ,but my main gigging axe is a 91 suburst ChuckY.... Dude - are those pick scratches? If so, your aim sucks!
iownit4 Posted May 27, 2006 Posted May 27, 2006 Thats how the old Goldtops get !! they check and crack ..That les paul is a 71-72 ,it looks cool
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