How Did You Get Your First Hamer?

[Hamerhack]

Here's how I got my Artist Custom...

Several years ago, I did some remodeling at my wife's office (she's the owner), so she suggested I deserved a new toy.

By that point, I had hoped to own a Hamer some day. (I'd never had a decent guitar... I was still playing my cheapo Gibson Marauder, which I bought new in '75.)

Anyhow, I asked here at HFC for model suggestions, and a few people suggested an Artist Custom, so that's what I ended up looking for.

I went to the nearest dealer (2 hours away), and they didn't have one in stock, so they called Hamer and they said they had 3 Artist Customs ready to go. I picked the trans red one, and had it a week later. So I really bought it sight unseen... I guess it's just a run-of-the mill Hamer, but I sure do love it!

Hopefully my wife will think I deserve another new toy one of these days, so I can add another Hamer to my "collection"! (Duotone or Newport).

How did you get your first Hamer?

[HSB0531]

Probably the only company that you can order a bass, or guitar from, & know it will exeed your expectations.

I bought my Standard Bass purely on Hamers' reputation.

Ordered it from the local music store site unseen.

Only thing I specified was the color - transparent red.

[Guest pirateflynn]

Makin' Music had a store here in North Hollywood for a while and they carried a lot of killer brands including Hamer. My 1st Hamer was a '95 Studio wraptail. I had it for about 10 years.

[tomteriffic]

I'd been aware of Hamer almost from the beginning, but it seemed that the guitars and my money never met up. There were few to be had in St. Louis at the time, and when I was in Chicago, I was usually broke.

Finally, in Dayton, I walked into a store that had a whole gang of 'em. I picked out my Special FM since I needed 'something with humbuckers' at the time. I still have it. One of the Goldtops followed soon after along with a koa Mirage.

[seeker]

I was feeling pretty blue and out of sorts after 9/11 (plane that that hit pentagon flew 50 ft over my head, engines screaming). That weekend, walked into a shop that had a Special FM. Picked it up and was dumbstruck how sonically alive it was even unplugged. Bought it on the spot. IMHO, Special FMs are one of the most underated Hamers. Still sounds great, but it was also a magical moment for me.

[Submariner85]

Ebay. It was an SATF. Very nice for the cheap price.

[KH Guitar Freak]

My Hamer was my first ever guitar...

After two lessons or something, my dad brought me to a Hamer dealer and asked the nice salesperson what guitar would suit my needs...

First of all, the salesperson though a mid range guitar would be a good start, hence he brought out some sort of Korean made guitar, which was decent none the less...

However, dad objected as he knew Korean guitars at that time wouldn't appreciate much, so he asked the salesperson to go to the back of the store and bring out a USA guitar...

None the less, the salesperson did that, and brought out my Hamer Diablo II USA, and she's still with me, and will forever be mine...

I feel very fortunate to have gone home with her, as I could have easily brought home another guitar, and since I was a n00b, I didn't really know what was good and what wasn't...

[gwayne]

eBay. I was jones-ing for a McCarty and found out I could get a used Studio for a fraction of the price of a McCarty. Got a mint black Studio with bound body and OHSC for $550!! Guitar is a killer and is now owned by our own Guitar George. That guitar sold me on Hamer. I've owned a couple dozen since including 3 that I bought brand new. Never did get a McCarty!!!

[HamerHokie]

Back in '94 I needed a humbucker guitar for my new band gig. I remember GP had just ran an article on the Hamer Special FM. Found one at a Glen Burnie store, played nice, very cheap, bought it, used for several years.

[BubbaVO]

I graduated school and wanted to give myself a gift. I played everything I could get my hands on. Played all sorts of Les Pauls, Strats, Teles, SuperStrats...you know the drill. I kept coming back to the Hamers because at the time and price point I was looking for, the best made best sounding guitars. I think I drove those guys at Makin' Music in Chicago crazy.

I ended up loving the Specials with P-90s, Mirage I, Standard Custom and Studio Archtop Custom. For what I was into at the time, I thought either the Standard or Archtop would do the trick. I didn't like the feel of the Standard when I played it sitting down... so I've had the Archtop since 95.

[Sentinel]

In 2005 I had just got myself my first American made electric - a brand new Am Series Fender Strat and was quite happy with it, well so I thought...

Then I brought it when I visited my friend who has got ONLY Hamer guitars. Since earlier he had 10 Hamers from the eighties and nineties, that I had tested earlier and was non-plussed about. I just didn't get them.

But this time he had just bought a new Monaco Elite in a beautiful '59-burst finish. I tried it and was blown away, sort of. The feel, finish and playability was just perfect. My actually very fine Strat just faded in my opinion... I just HAD to have an Elite of my own.

I went back home and later I saw a photo of an Aztec Gold Elite at Willcutt's webpages. I ordered it last spring... just like that. I trusted it to be as good as the one that my friend had got.

The guitar was shipped safely and is a dream guitar. It's a 2002 model - one of the first made - that I bought last spring. It had been stored safely in its case and was virtually unplayed. It even smells sweet - of oranges, curiously enough!!

[Devnor]

I bought my first Hamer (Chap 12 string) from a second hand shop around 1987 for $600.00.

[Brooks]

i was looking for a gig backup for my LP.

saw a used hamer in the paper for dirt cheap

(slammer series sunburst). bought it, soon realized

it was better in every way (except resale) than the LP.

upgraded the pups and gigged it for a year or two.

next i discovered the HFC and how all hamers were a safe bet

to buy used off the net w/o playing them 1st, so

a slew of hamers came and went

(i enjoy trying all the models that appeal to me);

25th annv, 3 hole duotone (1st keeper), 3 hole goldtop duotone,

artist custom, newport, import duotone, SSI, cali, mahogany special,

special FM (2nd keeper), slammer series diablo, 2nd goldtop duotone.

[moozak]

there was a local group from the indianapolis area back in the 70's called "Roadmaster" (mellencamp bass player, toby myers, came from this group).

anyway... their guitar player, rick benick, had a hamer at the time that i really admired. so, one day... back in 1979... i walked into a music store in greenfield indiana and saw a 78 bound and crowned sunburst on the wall. it was just like the one i had seen. i played it for a little while and bought it.

that was a great guitar and i still miss it to this day... but i wound up losing it during a divorce in the 80's... haven't seen it since.

after that, i wound up sort of forgetting about hamers until the past several years and i feel like the new ones that i have are even better than the sunburst i had years ago.

anyway, that's how i got (and lost) my first one.

by the way... if you're interested you can read a story about "Roadmaster" here... (toby is 2nd from the right) http://www.angelfire.com/ma/strutteraor/ROADMASTERSTORY.html

[belgian]

I played a little in the '70's in some local bands. I bought my first electric (Yamaha) in than period. Then went on working, married, raised kids and stopped playing.

A uncle (a priest who had always despited my R&R attitude) died and left me some money (5000 euro). For a long time I hadn't had the chance to buy something really for myself, so I decided to buy a guitar. In some way as a ultimate revenge as he was always preaching to me.

I was thinking on a Gibson es335 - tried a lot out, but none were great. Then I came in a guitarshop and there was'96 Hamer Artist (with wrap-around) that was a wallhanger for a long time. Tried it out and that was THE best guitar I tried in the whole search.

Bought that one for 1000 Euro, and then discovered this forum......

Now I am a lot of Hamers further, but this one will never be for sale.

[Camstone]

In 1978 I was working at a music store in Bellevue Washington called Bandstand East. A used 1977 Hamer Sunburst came in on a trade and my then girlfriend (now wife) came up with the $275.00 to buy it for me. She used to play flute and was a big Jethro Tull fan. I sold it in 1982 for $400.00.

[Guest pirateflynn]

In 1978 I was working at a music store in Bellevue Washington called Bandstand East. A used 1977 Hamer Sunburst came in on a trade and my then girlfriend (now wife) came up with the $275.00 to buy it for me. She used to play flute and was a big Jethro Tull fan. I sold it in 1982 for $400.00.

She's obviously a keeper!

[alantigold]

I've been aware of Hamers since I was aware of Cheap Trick, but the Standards were out of my range way back then.

Fast forward a number of years, and ex-Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally is selling a 12-string Strat. I lost out on the auction by $10, which is probably a good thing because I don't really have a use for one.

A week or so later, Mike announces that he's selling a DuoTone. I hemmed and hawed and debated and eventually decided to pull the trigger on it. Good idea.

Alan

[BTMN]

Hamer Fan since '76. Bought my first in a Jacksonville, Fl. pawn shop in 1982 with a $50 deposit and paid off the 1979 Standard in about 60 days. Have it still today.

[Camstone]

In 1978 I was working at a music store in Bellevue Washington called Bandstand East. A used 1977 Hamer Sunburst came in on a trade and my then girlfriend (now wife) came up with the $275.00 to buy it for me. She used to play flute and was a big Jethro Tull fan. I sold it in 1982 for $400.00.

She's obviously a keeper!

Our 25th anniversary is in two weeks!

[Steve Haynie]

I kept picking up the Specials on display at the local music store in the early 90's. I finally had to have one.

My Blitz bass was used when I got it. It was another one of those try/like/buy experiences.

[stonge]

While perusing the selections at Ron's Guitar's, Mrs Stonge saw an aztec gold quilt-top Sunburst Archtop Custom with gold hardware and exclaimed that was the most beautiful guitar she had ever seen. I asked her if she wanted me to try it, and she replied 'no, I want you to buy it'. I knew better than to argue with her lol.

Our second Hamer was a natural quilt-top Virtuoso, but you already know that story.

[Gino]

I went to my fav music store in 1979 to trade in my '64 Gibby 330 for a solid body. I was in for a Les Paul, but as these were rare over here back then, he didn't have anything decent. So he took out that case and said: "This is just like a Les Paul!" Inside the case was a beautiful black and crowned Hamer Sunburst - which I got.

Unfortunately that Sunburst (one-piece-neck!) had a bad neck break that was ruined by an unqualified repairman and I sold it.

Got my 92 FM Special (must be one of the first) a year ago off German e-bay. It was NOS - never played, including all the case candy. Was sold by a studio gear supplier who probably got it together with a whole lot of studio gear from some dealer who went out of business. When I bought it (875.- EUR), I thought I could trust Hamer's quality, even if the guitar had been sleeping for 14 years. I wasn't dissapointed! The setup was still perfect and it rocked right out of the box.

[mathman]

I was learning bass in 1984 and owned a Fender bullit bass. I was really into Cheap Trick and wanted a bass like Peterson's. Didn't find a 12 string but did find a Used Cruise at a shop in Fort Walton Beach. Paid $400 for it and still play it till this day.

[guitarzandstuff]

I'd been aware of Hamer almost from the beginning, but it seemed that the guitars and my money never met up.

Ditto that.... then I forgot all about them in the 80's/90's until I saw a Standard Custom (new) on Ed Romans site. Took an old Dean Elite, BC Rich Gunslinger and Gibson EDS1275 up to Connticut to trade him. POS made me pay extra for the case and said his listed price was a misprint. I left with my Gibson, the Hamer and a much lighter wallet. I still have the Hamer tho... my last one.