So - How Much *Should* a Custom Hamer Cost?

[belgian]

I did one CO, paid 2350 Euro (3300 $) for it, and still considered it as a good price for what I got.

Upgrades were 2 bound F-holes, color and ebony fretboard, they didn't charged for the color.

(Consider that guitars are at least 25 % more expensive (VAT and import Taxes) over here...)

[cmatthes]

Well, I admit I'm confused.

This article says it was Ted, but it also says Ted played bass.

So it was always just Martin Turner, then? Ted never picked up a Hamer guitar on the strength of Martin's happiness with the bass?

There is a good bit of incorrect information in that Michael Wright VG series. He tapped into the resources here (DocLarge, Serial, PFung), but kind of ran with the ball and didn't check all facts.

It's not a bad read, but don't look to that one as gospel.

Besides, everybody knows that TED Turner played Scarabs exclusively.

[moparmagic]

wasnt the idea for the *Hamer guitar* back in the day to be a cheaper/ better alternitive to a vintage Gibson or Fender?

[Rocktuna]

I think I paid about $600-700 for my wife's engagement ring.

That leaves me to buy Mexican Fenders

Of coarse that was in the early 70's.

It appraised at over $5,000.00 about 10 years ago so can I get that custom order now.

[Steve Haynie]

wasnt the idea for the *Hamer guitar* back in the day to be a cheaper/ better alternitive to a vintage Gibson or Fender?

I thought the point of early Hamers was to have a guitar with vintage quality and modern features. Ultimately it was supposed to be a better product than what was normally available in new Gibsons.

[LostArt]

it should cost as much as the buyer is willing to pay. otherwise they don't build guitars

[belgian]

What would be a price of a Gibson es335 with some personal touches by the Gibson Custom shop ?

[eightyfour]

The answer to how much should a custom order be is this: as much as a company can charge to satisfy its current and future business objectives. If Hamer can thrive on 5k dollar co's than that's how much it should cost. The market (we) will set the price for them.

[cmatthes]

wasnt the idea for the *Hamer guitar* back in the day to be a cheaper/ better alternitive to a vintage Gibson or Fender?

The original idea was definitely to be better, but certainly not cheaper than the then current Gibson/Fender stuff. I am actually old enough to remember the early years of Hamer - they really shook things up, but they were almost always more expensive guitars back then.

The "production" guitars, like the Special, Blitz, etc. were a different story, but those came later on in the line.

[gorch]

I don't think Hamer charges more for their guitars than any other true custom shop charges.

The gibson custom shop i.e. I would not say is a true custom shop in the way Hamer and comparable workshops are that put enormous effort into the details.

[kriszguitar]

wasnt the idea for the *Hamer guitar* back in the day to be a cheaper/ better alternitive to a vintage Gibson or Fender?

Yes, the original idea (as related repeatedly in interviews, articles and even catalogs) was to be an alternative to VINTAGE guitars for professional players, not to compete with the big factories. They don't even refer to themselves as a factory, they call it a "workshop."

At the time, vintage Gibsons were several times more expensive than a new Gibson. And to a large degree they still are, the difference is that there are a lot of amateurs who collect expensive guitars now and a lot more builders who compete in the market niche that Hamer created.

Hamer slots in right between mass produced "custom" guitars and true vintage guitars.

I think the idea of being a "working man's" bang for the buck instrument was a distribution model that Kaman envisioned for the brand.

[cmatthes]

I think the idea of being a "working man's" bang for the buck instrument was a distribution model that Kaman envisioned for the brand.

The exceptions would be the aforementioned "Production" lines, like the Special, Blitz, original Vector, etc. Those started in 1980 as more of a budget-oriented Hamer, as opposed to the 4-digits (Standards, other custom guitars and basses) and Sunbursts.

Those were out nearly a decade before Kaman took over.

[kriszguitar]

I think the idea of being a "working man's" bang for the buck instrument was a distribution model that Kaman envisioned for the brand.

The exceptions would be the aforementioned "Production" lines, like the Special, Blitz, original Vector, etc. Those started in 1980 as more of a budget-oriented Hamer, as opposed to the 4-digits (Standards, other custom guitars and basses) and Sunbursts.

Those were out nearly a decade before Kaman took over.

Well, not really a decade, more like seven years. But I think you may have a point.

Comparitively, were those Vectors and Blitz models cheap compared to Gibsons?

[cmatthes]

Well, not really a decade, more like seven years. But I think you may have a point.

Comparitively, were those Vectors and Blitz models cheap compared to Gibsons?

I rounded up('80 to '88)!

I'd have to pull some old Hamer price lists out of the archives, but list price for an Explorer 2 or Vee 2 (which is what Gibson was making back in the early '80s) was $1,099 to $1,199, IIRC. I think the Blitz and Vectors (rough equivalent in body style only) listed for a little less than that.

The Special, Blitz and Vector models had more "production-friendly" neck joints, no binding and basic appointments relative to the Sunbursts, Standards and other 4-digit models of the time. Those were always great values in my opinion, and I know a lot of people (myself included) who had one of these as a "gateway drug" Hamer. Mine was a Ferrari Red Special - great guitar, and it laid the path for many more over the last 25+ years!