gwayne Posted February 24, 2008 Posted February 24, 2008 This story begins around 1979. Molly Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ With Disaster” was all over the radio and all of my friends and I loved it. Our local civic center had just opened and the very first rock show was Molly Hatchet with .38 Special and Nantucket opening. (Aerosmith was supposed to be the first show but they cancelled). So my friends and I all pile in a car and go to the show. This was my first rock concert and I had never experienced anything like it; tons of people smoking pot openly, power drinking, and one couple trying to f*ck right on the concert floor. Security came running up and literally drug them out by their hair. It was something else. Anyway, Hatchet finally takes the stage and Dave Hlubek is playing the coolest looking guitar I’d ever seen. I’m reading the album’s liner notes a few days later and there’s a mention of Hamer guitars. I had never heard of them, but I never forgot that guitar. The 80’s came and went; I finished high school, went to college and pretty much lost interest in guitar. I would occasionally pick up guitar magazines, but whenever I saw Hamer ads they were Super-Strats which I had no interest in whatsoever. Fast-forward to the late 90’s. By this time, I had decided to TRY and get serious about the guitar again. PRS were all the rage and I wanted a McCarty. “Wanted” is the key word here because I couldn’t afford a PRS. I start reading the Harmony-Central reviews and come across a name I had forgotten – Hamer. By doing a little research I found they have a model similar to the McCarty called the Studio. I started watching eBay and bought a black, body-bound, dot-neck, insanely cheap Studio. It arrives and I’m floored by the quality, playability and tone. It was my main guitar for several years. I sold it, got it back and re-sold it to fund a Studio Custom (HFC’er Guitar George has the black Studio now). After I first got the black Studio, I found the HFC and start reading it religiously where I rediscovered the Standard. My finances improved over the years and I was able to buy and sell quite a few guitars, mostly Hamers. For some reason I never bought a Standard. I don’t know if I thought I was too old, too bald, or too white-bread for one but I never got up the nerve to buy one…..until last week. Feynman sold me his ’97 Standard Custom that was previously owned by LordoftheThighs. I need to have my ass kicked for waiting. This guitar is perfect. I know some people don’t like the ergonomics of the shape, but I love it. My arm sits just right on the top edge and it balances just right. Tonally, it’s exactly what I want in a balls-out rocker; i.e. smooth woman tone in the neck (SD 59), bright crunchy tone from the bridge (SD Custom 5) a weird mix in the middle position. To top it off it has that perfect mid-90’s neck carve that a lot of us here really dig. When I strapped it on I couldn’t help but think of that gawky 9th grader checking out Hlubek and his Standard all those years ago. I feel like my Hamer experience has come full circle. The only piece that’s missing now is to play Hlubek’s former standard that BTMN now owns. Maybe one day...
LordOfTheThighs Posted February 24, 2008 Posted February 24, 2008 Feynman sold me his ’97 Standard Custom that was previously owned by LordoftheThighs. I need to have my ass kicked for waiting. This guitar is perfect. I know some people don’t like the ergonomics of the shape, but I love it. My arm sits just right on the top edge and it balances just right. Tonally, it’s exactly what I want in a balls-out rocker; i.e. smooth woman tone in the neck (SD 59), bright crunchy tone from the bridge (SD Custom 5) a weird mix in the middle position. To top it off it has that perfect mid-90’s neck carve that a lot of us here really dig. I'm glad it's stayed in "the HFC family". That Hatchet concert sounds like a couple of concerts experiences I've had ... LOL! I'll miss the ole girl. I didn't think I'd ever part with it, but things change I reckon. It freed up some $$$$, for other things. Congrats on picking up a really nice guitar!
bubs_42 Posted February 24, 2008 Posted February 24, 2008 Congrat's! I didn't know that guitar was floating around, that's a must have and one of the best looking Standards ever..
BTMN Posted February 24, 2008 Posted February 24, 2008 You are welcome to play Sherry Baby anytime you are near. Dave has nightmares about this guitar. Congrats on your purchase. Enjoy it well.
Steve Haynie Posted February 24, 2008 Posted February 24, 2008 Molly Hatchet was the first band I saw play Hamers live. Banner Thomas was the first I saw playing a Cruise Bass, but he still favored his Fenders. It was a guitar player in the Henry Paul Band that was the first I saw playing a Hamer Prototype, and probably the only one I ever saw. I think a Standard or Explorer style guitar was mandatory for every Southern Rock band. Rick Medlocke played an Ibanez Destroyer that looked like korina forever.
Brooks Posted February 24, 2008 Posted February 24, 2008 I know some people don’t like the ergonomics of the shape, but I love it. My arm sits just right on the top edge and it balances just right. yeah, they look like they wouldn't be comfortable, but indeed they are perhaps the most comfortable shaped solidbody ever. kickass.
cmatthes Posted February 25, 2008 Posted February 25, 2008 Ricky Medlocke also played a few Hamer Standards. One of those came up for sale here locally, and a bandmate of a longtime HFC'er scored it (60s era Gibson vibrato removed).
Feynman Posted February 25, 2008 Posted February 25, 2008 Man, whoever sold that to you must be a real idiot!That's a fantastic guitar for sure, and couldn't have gone to a better person.As I mentioned earlier, I never thought of it as MY guitar. I think I just borrowed it from LOTT for the week on its way to you.Great story - great guitar.For the record, for anyone who might not know, both LOTT and Gwayne are absolutely top notch - deal with either with total confidence.It wasn't the guitar for me, so it makes me happy to see it in such happy ownership now.
gwayne Posted February 25, 2008 Author Posted February 25, 2008 Ricky Medlocke also played a few Hamer Standards. One of those came up for sale here locally, and a bandmate of a longtime HFC'er scored it (60s era Gibson vibrato removed). Oh, and there was this guy: For the record, for anyone who might not know, both LOTT and Gwayne are absolutely top notch - deal with either with total confidence. Mitch, Thank you for one of the smoovest deals evuh! It couldn't have gone any better. I also need to thank "srvwannabe" for buying my Jr, which 1)Helped finance the Std and 2)Ensured the Jr stayed with the HFC.
cmatthes Posted February 25, 2008 Posted February 25, 2008 Here are some shots of Ricky M. with his Hamers, just for kicks: (borrowed from Jol's archives)
tommy p Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 Love Ricky Medlocke and Blackfoot, Standards, and the quality of the folks on this forum. Great story and congrats!
gorch Posted January 26, 2015 Posted January 26, 2015 Don't know if fueled by the thread, but it was a Standard weekend for me. Played them throughout the whole weekend and have the Custom hanging for grabs for weeks. The MIK had a nut change the other day. The new Tusq nut is slippier and much better serves the floating trem. I love classic single coils on short scale necks and big alder body and neck.
jettster Posted January 26, 2015 Posted January 26, 2015 Killer story. That is one of two Hamer models on the list to try that I haven't. The other a Virtuoso.
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