How Did You Get Your First Hamer?

[Morris Davis]

Wow this thread has legs. My brief story: I knew of Hamer from the 90s bc of Vernon Reid. But had not thought of that in years. A few years ago, I went to a local music store, Greg Ginters shop in Madison, when I was busy trying to find the right strat. He told me to find a Daytona because of the Chicago connection, and the fact that they were trading at the time for around $400. (BTW, how sick is that). I had no idea what he was talking about, but that put Hamer back on the radar screen for me. I start tracking the Hamer board. Fast forward to about 18 mos ago. My band decides to do a cover of "I want you to want me." I decide it's time to pull the trigger on a Hamer Korina standard - would be like a specialty guitar for the song, get the crowd all into it sort of thing. Shows you what I knew. I bought my first Hamer, a 2001 us Korina standard from Bloozguy almost exactly a year ago. Big mistake. I now own a bunch - My number 1 gigging guitar is a bound and crowned 97 standard that is the real deal - and I've since sold off almost all my other brands, including Gibson, PRS, etc

[benjammin308]

In 1988 I was taking lessons at a corner music store in Racine, WI and playing in a cover band. We're close to Chicago and there was another local store that sold a lot of Hamers so I knew of them. Anyway, the corner store was going out of business and I needed a backup to my Charvel for gigs. I bought the dark red '80 Special they had hanging there for $135 with case. It was beat up and didn't have the original pickups but it was just going to be a spare. They told me the pickups were Ibanez but it sounded good and for that price I didn't care. Turns out the pickups were really an old set of Gibson T-tops. Still have the guitar (sporting Dimarzio's) and the pickups (in a Les Paul).

[coolfeel]

Posted in another thread here as well:

In 1986, at the age of 14, I went to the noted local guitar shop with my pop to pick out the guitar I wanted for Christmas. I owned a black Washburn V that I would use to trade in on whatever we selected.

I was tinkering with some of the used guitars and spotted a used cream colored Kramer Pacer with black hardware that had been in the shop for a while. I picked it up and played it thinking "yah that's the one". It was cool, played and sounded well and wasn't too expensive.

In the meantime, my pop was asking the shop owner what he recommended in terms of quality, sound and the all the rest - basically what was the top of the line he had in stock. We were directed to the brand new Hamers, namely a brand new Hamer Chaparral Custom. I remember looking at that guitar saying to myself "that is awesome and there is no way I am getting that guitar for Christmas". We chatted with the owner a little while longer and then left with my thoughts centered squarely on how cool I was gonna to look and sound with my new Kramer Pacer. Needless to say I was very excited at the thought of my first real guitar. Christmas couldn't come quick enough for this 14 year old.

So Christmas morning rolls around and my brother and I get up early to rush into the kitchen where the Christmas tree was. I spotted the case for my guitar and hurried to place it on the table so I could open it, noticing the guitar case had been neatly decorated with bows covering the branding on the case.

So I open the case and I guess you know what was staring at me from inside...Let's just say that I was the luckiest and happiest 14 year old in Winston Salem that morning...

For those who care to know, the shop was Sam Moss guitars and here is that beauty that I still own to this day...

[railfanespee]

I'd always heard how great Hamers were, but never had a chance to try a real USA one. Last December, I was in GC and saw this sitting on a stand in the used section. It needed a setup, but thanks to research on their Price Portal computer (heh heh heh) I confirmed it was a '93 USA Special FM, and worth several times the $175 on the tag. Took it home, set it up, and it's now my main axe.

[zorrow]

Nothing very fancy to say. My first one was an import Centaura. I bought it new, after trying many low-profile shredders. I preferred the Hamer because it sounded really great, played even better, the price was right and in addition it had all the features I considered cool back then (Floyd Rose, 24 frets, bridge humbucking and the super strat look).

Still think Slammer Series give you the best bang for the buck out there. I regret selling mine.

[Bennyboy-UK]

Mentally scarred by the Get Serious Ad in Guitar Player mag when I was maybe 12ish. I had unconscious desires for Calis. I had a go on a set net cherry sunburst flamed Cali in Musical Exchanges in Birmingham in about 1995(?) added to my dodgy disorder. It sat latent until about 2004 when I was a year into my new job and had discovered eBay...

Spotted a local well worn Cali - 10 miles away missing the bridge pickup and a bit battered but honest. I won it for £311! met up with the seller, an absolutely top chap who happened to suffer badly with Crohns (like me! and Shannon Doherty, and Anistasia - Randomly) his was much worse than mine - touch wood touch wood! - loey bloke great guitar - turned out to be a 1988 Cali Elite (think it was called Custom in those days before the set neck ones came out) non bookmatched solid flamed body. Guitar is known by the name Mr Stripey and received a PATB-2 into the bridge and swapped out the neck slammer (PIF'd on here since!) for a PA stack (thanks for the help Andy Schlosser!). And in an AB test it killed my early 93's LP standard in every area - so much so that the LP went to help fund new house.

Helped fulfil the ingrained guitar need from my past!

Never looked back...!

Here it is...

and to think... Up until I found this one I was seriously looking at the late model slammer model at about the same money...!

Ben

[gi_zuk]

I lucked upon it on Ebay-a lefthanded Korina Vector. It's definitely the nicest guitar I own.

[Pierre07]

My officemate asked me to go with him to a pawnshop to look for some powertools on our lunchbreak and saw a crisp stellar1. That time I knew that hamers are kinda boutique, quality guitar but not sure about the imports. I was broke, so I convinced him to buy it since its dirt cheap.

He end up giving to me after a few months, realizing gutars not for him.

So thats when my craving for a US sister starts, and still craving ... one of these days eh

[Rocktuna]

About 5 years ago I wanted a PRS. I had $1700.00 burning a hole in my pocket so I went to the local Sam Ash and tried out all the PRS guitars. Nestled in amongst them was a used Hamer Studio that played and sounded amazing. I had heard about Hamer but didn't know if $550.00 was a good price on it. I went home and checked prices on the net and found that it was going market price. I called Sam Ash the next day and they told me the guitar was sold.

About 2 weeks later I went to Sam Ash and there amongst the PRS guitars was the Hamer. I've stupidly since sold it and have yet to buy a PRS, I doubt I ever will, but there will be another Hamer in my life.

A Monaco Elite will be mine

[gorch]

Hamer came to me through Cheap Tricks Budokan album in 1978 (age 14). From that day on I was caught by the Standard shape. On the small island I grew up there was not a great selection of music teachers. So, I ended up with an old lady teaching classical guitar. My parents had presented a classical acoustic for Christmas that time since they had been told that would be a good way to start. I think I made a good job holding up lessons with the old lady for even 6 months, didn't I? I remember myself trying to catch up on Mandocello.

Later on, our second son came up with electric guitar playing attempts at the age of four, I thought he should not have to make the same experiences. At the age of 6 we asked him if he would like to learn electric guitar that he agreed. Happily I found a decent e-guitar for him and a teacher. Now 14, he's still playing.

Two years later, him 8, 2004 now, I sat on the computer in the home office just finishing up daily work, laying back and thinking I had just to switch off the PC. Laying back forward I went straight into ebay typing Hamer Standard or Hamer Explorer. I remember 2 MIKs where listed of which one looked nice coming with a Hamer hardshell case and a DP100 in the bridge. It took about one or two weeks to sort out shipping since I never had made an import before. It ended up, the guitar being sent off in NY city on Christmas eve, reaching Paris at Christmas day, then passing customs in Frankfurt the day after, still a bank holiday in Germany. At 8 o'clock in the morning on the 27th a little lady stood at the front door holding a package twice the size of her. That was my first Hamer.

Over the years I replaced nearly any hardware part and tried various pickups, now, it being a Strat style guitar that I love to play and would never give away. Pickups are custom wound pure single coils under a P90 hat.

The guitar is documented here (German language content):

http://www.guitarmaniacs.de/cgi-bin/galler...ery&id=2135

[price33]

I bought my lefty hamer in 1992 at Chelsea Guitars in NYC.

It was Elliot Easton's cardinal red prototype. It had great

pickups but it's neck profile was too thin. I sold it a few

years later to purchase a lefty black phantom which was pretty

cool.

[shredmeister]

Happen to pick up a Cali off of ebay. Wanted to try a Hamer and specially one with 27 frets. Could not stand the EMG's in it though. And frets were too small - mediums or something. And neck was a bit skinny - 1-5/8" but not a deal killer like those pick ups were. Ended up selling it.

Then got an import V and ended up selling that.

Finally ended up with a rare TLE which is going no where - purchased from Benny up above.

[Jones]

I was a Hamer fan via Night Ranger, CT, The Crue, etc. Sent a letter to the Arlington Heights factory and they sent me back a handwritten note with 3 Minnesota Hamer dealers.

I was a junior in high school. My mom and I took a trip to LaVonne's music in Savage - the closest dealer on the list. Walked in the door and saw exactly what I wanted - bright red Chap bass with white binding. It was well out of my price range. While I was dejectedly looking at a few other basses, and Charlie the owner came back to me with a price I could afford and I ended up leaving with that red bass. I'll never forget that. Still have the bass too!

[Bennyboy-UK]

Happen to pick up a Cali off of ebay. Wanted to try a Hamer and specially one with 27 frets. Could not stand the EMG's in it though. And frets were too small - mediums or something. And neck was a bit skinny - 1-5/8" but not a deal killer like those pick ups were. Ended up selling it.

Then got an import V and ended up selling that.

Finally ended up with a rare TLE which is going no where - purchased from Benny up above.

don't EVER sell that guitar m8! if my puny Brit mitts could have handled it it would have not have gone anywhere! Absolutly loved the look and idea of the thing, but couldn't

t make it go! At least you had the pleasure on unwrapping the bugger!

B

[Jimbilly]

In about 1994 I was shopping for a 5 string bass, I was very aware of Hamers, seeing them everywhere at the time. I found this '89 in my local Hamer dealer shop, it was used. I remember I paid $560. Of course I still play it, it's very nice.

[HamerHokie]

Read an early 90s Guitar Player review of the Special FM, went out and bought one - $750 with case from Master Musicians in Glen Burnie, MD (they had the cherry Special P-90 for $100 less). Carried me through about seven years. Then went on a spree starting around 2000 that took me through various Artists and Specials to my present lineup.

In all honestly, though, my G&L Legacy Special sounded better through my rig than the Special FM. I attribute it to the JB Bridge pup.

[Caddie]

Pure serendipity. Coming back from an old girlfriend's house on the SW side of Milwaukee. Spotted a small guitar shop on Forest Home Ave. so I went in for a look around. Yup, there is number 0399 Standard hanging on the wall looking quite sorry, beat up, chipped up, nut looked gouged out with a church key, then hammered back in. Of course whenever there is an old Std in WI it's always "previously owned by Rick Neilsen". Uh huh. Damn that guy has owned hundreds, maybe thousands of Hamer Stds.

I had been lurking around here (HFC) for a while so I knew that a 4dig Std was like the Holy Grail Hamer. This one had an $1100 price tag on it. We talked, I went to the ATM (WI had the TYME machine), I gave him $950 and walked out with#0399. This was in oh...maybe '95.

Unfortunately the guitar just didn't sing to me and it didn't fit my near-midget size body. So I sold it a few years later. For $400 more than I paid for it. I thought I did well. Not very long afterwards prices for these 4digs got stoopid high. Son of a b!+(#. Hindsight is what?

Last I heard it is in the loving hands of our very own RacerX. It took the scenic route getting into his hands but its there. It better be there because he promised that I would have 1st call if he was ever going to sell!

Shortly there after I found a Hamer dealer that was going out-of-biz. They had a '95 Koa top Mirage that got me all lathered up. The day I went in to buy it there was a '96 Artist wraptail hanging next to it. Oh damn, now I'm gonna have to buy 2 Hamers??!!! Yup, money to burn, single guy (aka no one to esplain to). I come to find out later, that I got them for pretty close to dealer cost. That helps offset the instant devaluation of a new Hamer purchase. Both were great guitars and like most of us I sold it to another HFCr only to finance the purchase of another Hamer from another HFCr, Hamers seem to get passed around among us like a drunk sorority girl on homecoming night. The Artist was sold to JGale, the Mirage was sold to Lord Nelson.

So that's my sorry tale of "How I Became a Hamerholic".

caddie

[cmatthes]

I was tinkering with some of the used guitars and spotted a used cream colored Kramer Pacer with black hardware that had been in the shop for a while. I picked it up and played it thinking "yah that's the one". It was cool, played and sounded well and wasn't too expensive.

For those who care to know, the shop was Sam Moss guitars and here is that beauty that I still own to this day...

I kid you not - I have one of Sam's old flyers around that has a white Kramer Pacer listed for something like $395. Of course, it also has a '50s LP Jr refinned in TV Yellow for $700...

Coincidence?

[Carl.B]

I was a Hamer fan via Night Ranger, CT, The Crue, etc. Sent a letter to the Arlington Heights factory and they sent me back a handwritten note with 3 Minnesota Hamer dealers.

I was a junior in high school. My mom and I took a trip to LaVonne's music in Savage - the closest dealer on the list. Walked in the door and saw exactly what I wanted - bright red Chap bass with white binding. It was well out of my price range. While I was dejectedly looking at a few other basses, and Charlie the owner came back to me with a price I could afford and I ended up leaving with that red bass. I'll never forget that. Still have the bass too!

LaVonne's is a great mom and pop shop, I was just there 2 weeks ago and they still have a few Hamer's hanging on the wall.

[coolfeel]

I was tinkering with some of the used guitars and spotted a used cream colored Kramer Pacer with black hardware that had been in the shop for a while. I picked it up and played it thinking "yah that's the one". It was cool, played and sounded well and wasn't too expensive.

For those who care to know, the shop was Sam Moss guitars and here is that beauty that I still own to this day...

I kid you not - I have one of Sam's old flyers around that has a white Kramer Pacer listed for something like $395. Of course, it also has a '50s LP Jr refinned in TV Yellow for $700...

Coincidence?

Sounds like the one, I would love to see that flyer.

[Russ]

I've been a gigging bass player since the dawn of time...Perhaps longer...Anyway, since 95, my

main 6er was a PRS Custom 24, birds, emerald green. One of the last from the old factory. I absolutely

LOVED that guitar (note, I still own it, and will continue to, so, don't bother). After a good run on bass

with a band, I decided it was officially time to see what I could do on guitar in a band. Landing a spot,

I decided that I needed to have some additional, backup guitars. I tried a couple of Carvins for a while,

but, never really bonded with them (got some nice blues tones out of a Bolt Plus, but, didn't really cut

it in a classic rock environment - too nasally imo). So, I'm looking and looking, and see an online listing

for a 95 Studio in blue (I like blue) for around $900 (this is about 6 years ago), more than I wanted to

spend, but, the guy had a few guitars that I was interested in, so figured I'd check out a few. I picked

up that Studio and DAMN it just fit perfectly. Plugged it in, went to town, and walked out $800 poorer,

but richer for the experience. I have added another 9 Hamer USAs since, am sort of in the process of

obtaining number 11. Unless I become poor, I have absolutely no intention of removing any of them

from inventory. There are a couple that don't get played very often (the Vector as it's a neck dive bitch,

and the Standard as it's just WAY to freaking nice to expose it to the bar scene regularly), but, they all

make it through the gigging rotation eventually...

The PRS comes out of the case long enough for me to occasionally show it to someone. It's become

more of an investment piece than a guitar. Funny thing, with as loudly as I sang it's praises for pushing

a decade, I have yet to actually miss playing it...go figure.

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

Feel free to skip if you are already familiar with this story from previous mini-novelizations.

I was in Montgomery, AL, on a 4-week business trip (so to speak). At the time, I still believed it was possible to find great guitars for cheap prices at pawn shops.

I walked into about the 5th shop, and saw a Hamer hanging on the wall. Cherry Sunburst, wood figuring that practically glittered, and just the word "Hamer" on the headstock. He wanted $200, and I didn't want to pay that much, so I declined. I had heard of Hamer, of course, but my impression was that it was like Harmony or Hohner or maybe even Cort: some import company that had guitar lines ranging from "disposable" to "semi-professional".

But I plugged it in and it really sounded great. It looked beautiful, too.

So I went to the hotel and researched on the internet.

What I found was extremely confusing and disjointed. I figured I had a USA model on my hands.

So I bought it, and over the next few weeks, I just marveled over the tone. After the business trip, my wife had gone back to China for some time with her folks, so I had the freedom to buy/sell at will, as long as I kept the final balance sheet in good shape.

I found this site and said some foolish/ignorant things about USAs vs Imports, some of which were actually true/accurate, but most of which were not.

I finally realized I had a Korean import Hamer Stellar 1.

I ended up selling it after I got my first USA Hamer: a Diablo from SteveB that I never actually played. It is a great guitar, but I jumped and some a $400 Centaura, Chap, and modified 1980 Special, found a maple-boarded Centaura on Craigslist for $300 (+$50 for shipping to make it tree-fitty), then went to Iraq and bought a Centaura Deluxe and Chap 12-string for about $1k each...

But I digress. And ramble.

I ended up missing the look and the feel of the Stellar 1 so much that I started looking for another one to replace it. I finally found a replacement from a guy that added stainless steel frets (did a good job of it, too). It isn't the best guitar in my stable, not by a longshot. But it is the one I tend to pick up when I want to noodle around.

[ROCKO]

Ok what the heck,

Being a huge Jethro Tull fan I noticed the cool guitars that were being used in concert and in their videos.

Great sounds and the double cut-away was what I wanted.

When I started to get back into guitar playing ,I lusted for a Hamer based only what I heard Martin Barre playing in Tull.

I collected all the Hamer catologs I could get over the years and decided which model I wanted,sadley I decided ,even when my buddy tried to get them from some one at Kaman at " COST "

I didn't have the cashola.

Scew it ,I'll get a new case for my "67" Gibson SGS. [it came with semi hard case and it's shot.]

I went to Daddys Junky to check out a case and low and behold, there it was [AND ALL THE ANGELS SING]

Hamer sunburst studio archtop in 59' burst.

I started to shake.

Get guitar in hand!!!!

NOW, before someone else gets it.

Ok the salesmen comes over ,I tell him I can get a Gibson Les Paul Studio for "x" amount at guitar center [sweating profucley]

He drops the price on the Hamer,I buy it[it's rung up as a fm special].

SCORE!!!!!!!!!!

I added 7 more since 1997.

Hey " coolfeel" what the #@^% a chaparral custom at 14 WOW.

And "railfanespee" a special fm for $175.00

SCORE!!!!!!!!!

[coolfeel]

SCORE!!!!!!!!!!

I added 7 more since 1997.

Hey " coolfeel" what the #@^% a chaparral custom at 14 WOW.

And "railfanespee" a special fm for $175.00

SCORE!!!!!!!!!

That is a cool story!

And yes, I was floored when I got the chapparal custom. It's the guitar I really learned to play on. In fact, I like the guitar so much I placed an order for a Custom Chapparal Custom from Hamer back in November. I truly can not wait to get my hands on it!

[Toadroller]

I'll summarize:

Cheap Trick fan since "i want you to want me"

Hobby guitarist, collected upwards of 7-8 various entry and midlevel guitars (Kramers, Xavieres, Nelsonic, Peaveys)

Sold fancy Snell Acoustics D audio speakers, had cash.

Hamer Standard Korean import, ebay, with case. Bing-sold.

SATP90 for Christmas, and Stellar1 and Korean import Studio soon followed.

USA Studio to arrive this coming Tuesday via UPS.

I'll play, photograph, and post when I return from business trip this coming Friday.