Billiam Posted September 26, 2008 Posted September 26, 2008 I knew I should have laid off that bottle earlier in the evening. Halfway through it I searched for Hamers on eBay, and this one was minutes away from expiring:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=170265280127So I bought it. I've always wanted a semi-hollow electric (335 style) guitar, but pulling the trigger on this one was an impulse buy, fueled by a cheap red. The saving grace: I didn't wake up with buyer's remorse! A hangover, yes, but buyer's remorse, no!Screw guilt!
specialk Posted September 26, 2008 Posted September 26, 2008 You got a good buy! I was watching that same guitar in a previous auction, but he was asking a bit too much at the time. Congrats. You'll love Korina!sk
Siaip Ciuvas Posted September 27, 2008 Posted September 27, 2008 I'd say pretty decent price? Congrats!
Gabe Posted September 27, 2008 Posted September 27, 2008 I'd say pretty decent price? Congrats! +1 Good buy, congrats! Gabe
veatch Posted September 27, 2008 Posted September 27, 2008 Very good price on what should be a great guitar. These things are uber-light and sound incredible.Nicely done.
Hamer of the gods Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Nice Grab! I was looking at that one too...Is the bridge p/u backwards or am I crazy?
gwayne Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 The one Hamer model I haven't tried, but really want to. Tone report ASAP, please.
Travis Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Nice Grab! I was looking at that one too...Is the bridge p/u backwards or am I crazy? You're not crazy. The bridge pickup is mounted backwards. Those are killer guitars. Nice score on that one. I love mine. In fact, I think I'll clean it up, restring it and play around with her today.
kurtsstuff Posted September 29, 2008 Posted September 29, 2008 ahhhh..The old Ebay + Alcohol = UPS truck showing up at your house and you have no idea why scenario??? Nope....never happened to melol!!
Billiam Posted October 16, 2008 Author Posted October 16, 2008 My "impulse buy" showed up this week. Herewith, my "tone report": First, let me say I'm primarily a Fender-style guitar player (mass produced slab body, bolt on neck, single coils) so this axe, with its set neck, hollow body and humbuckers is quite the paradigm shift for someone like me. And I've never owned such a finely crafted instrument, so there was a fair amount of oohing and aahing as I inspected the build quality. I've read very few Hamer reviews that don't vouch for the craftsmanship in the USA shop, and I must say I now understand why. The finish is gorgeous. It’s smooth and glassy from top to bottom, from front to back. I’m digging the guitar's vintage vibe and the classic double cutaway. I’ve always loved the looks of the Les Paul Junior but could never reconcile myself to the necks on most Gibsons. I like the size and profile of the neck very much—it’s chunky, but the fret board is kind of narrow so I can get my hands around it fine, though the string spacing will take some getting used to. The overall ergonomics of the instrument are very nice. It’s extremely light and the body is smallish. It’s not balanced too far toward the headstock, as I’d feared it might be given the hollow body. My first order of business was to restring it with 10s. Not being used to this style of tuners on an electric, I managed to repeatedly impale myself on the ends of the B and high E strings, resulting in involuntary yelps and several spontaneous blue streaks, followed by a truss rod and action adjustment. Speaking of tuners, these have a very low ratio compared to what I’m used to. A little twist results in big pitch changes. And their action is silky smooth. Unplugged and in tune, I started hitting open chords and was pleased (but not surprised) by the zingy acoustic sound of the Artist. Plugged directly into a Matchless Spitfire 1X12 clone (set clean), open chords jumped out big and full in the middle position with plenty of bass response. These are round, pleasing sounds of a different character than that produced my single coil guitars. There’s more wood in these chords. I worked my way through all manner of amp and guitar settings from jazz to blues rock to hard rock when I found a gap in the tone palate: with the bridge pickup active my treble response seemed weak or rolled off. I half expected this, though, as a sharp-eyed member of this board already noticed the reversed bridge pickup. The previous owner hadn’t seen it necessary to reorient the pickup, though, and I can see why: the guitar was great for all the styles I threw at it, except for higher gain bridge pickup settings, where treble response was weak. I rectified the issue and went at it again, pleased to find the missing treble frequencies. I was also pleased to find interactive volume controls for each pickup. The middle position provides for a huge variety of tonal options allowing me to blend each pickup with its volume control. Nice! Overall, the Artist fairly kicks ass for almost any style you can throw at it. From a playability standpoint this guitar is a dream. I did several direct comparisons back and forth between the Hamer and my Strat, and I couldn’t help but notice that the Hamer is every bit as easy to play, perhaps more so in terms of the effort needed to fret notes. I wonder, is it the shorter scale that makes this guitar so playable? I noticed something else about this guitar—sustain. Sustain like only a set neck can produce, I assume. Amplified and slightly overdriven chords hang for a long time. Strumming the Artist creates a pleasant vibrational state, making for rich, complex rhythm sounds I can feel as I play. It’s a sum of parts thing, I suppose: fine tone wood, a set neck, a tune-o-matic style bridge, a stop tailpiece and fine workmanship add up to a blissful harmonic convergence. I like the neck pickup in this guitar very much. It seems to have much more personality than the bridge pickup, which seems somewhat shrill and flat in comparison (though they're both SD '59s). I’ll try and cure it by adjusting the pickup height. As much as I like the sounds coming out of the Hamer, I wonder if some different model pickup might make sense in the bridge position. Opinions? This is a great guitar, suitable for any style I’d want to play. It’s beautifully crafted with a vintage vibe. Any player would be happy to own one. I’m fairly bursting.
bubs_42 Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Congrat's. Korina has to be experianced to be appreciated.
atquinn Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Glad you like the new guitar. Now get a Seth Lover and put it in the bridge!-Austin
bizzwriter Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Congrat's. Korina has to be experianced to be appreciated. Hey -- when did you get THAT?!?!?
specialk Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Lay in another case of that wine, Glad you are pleased with it and thanks for the excellent tone report! You got a good one.
veatch Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Glad you like the new guitar. Now get a Seth Lover and put it in the bridge! ...i'd go with a Lollar underwound Imperial muhself... Opinions vary: trust yer own ears.
bubs_42 Posted October 17, 2008 Posted October 17, 2008 Congrat's. Korina has to be experianced to be appreciated. Hey -- when did you get THAT?!?!? Shortly after Kids' put it up. I just pulled it out last night and I'm still impressed as hell with it. Set the Jb at about 8 and leave the 59 alone. It is truley louder than any other guitar I have. Hell I can play it acoustic if I wanna. First of my guitars with a big neck and I love it!
Billiam Posted October 17, 2008 Author Posted October 17, 2008 That is a heck of a well done review. Thanks, Bub!
cmatthes Posted October 17, 2008 Posted October 17, 2008 Very cool, Billiam. Welcome to the nuthouse...
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