Had a great time on the phone with Paul Hamer today.

[Paul Hamer]

Thank for posting the note, it brings back a lot of memories. I believe you must have bought that from Dom who worked at Mainly Music in Vancouver. He was a great salesman and a very early supporter of Hamer Guitars. He was a really wonderful guy who deserved a lot of success. All the people at Mainly were great to me.

When Mainly Music opened a branch in Edmonton back in '86-ish, I hustled out to meet you and your wares at a clinic that they hosted. If I recall correctly Marcel was the guy running that store.

They had a little jam sesh that night. It was my very first time on stage and in front of you and some of the creme of the crop in our local scene no less... I was crapping my pants that night!!!

Shortly after I placed the order for this:

My pride and joy.

Thanks for all you've done, Sir!!!

Dion

Cool Bass! I remember Marcel and the clinic. I tried to visit Mainly in Calgary and Edmunton every year in the beginning of December. Marcel was a very nice guy, we even went skiing a couple of times together in Banff. We would stay at a small hotel up on a slope near the hot springs that had an incredible view of the valley. At night we would go to the Banff Springs Hotel where there was a sushi bar in the basement. Marcel was the first guy I ever saw ski up hill. He was very nice to put up with me because I am a terrible skier. However by some quirk of fate I have skied in some of the best places in the world with some of the best skiers.

I loved doing the clinics and playing with different musicians, to me it never mattered how good you were, because I certainly wasn't, it only mattered that we were all having fun. Paul Hamer

[Rodan]

Here's my letter from 1981:

I still have the guitar:

That is great! A little of all of us in that time-lapse, I'm sure.

[mc2]

I haven't thought about Howie Hubberman in a long time. He was a partner or a salesman who ended up a partner or ended up an owner somehow at Six String Sales. The first owner was a guy named Dan. Dan ended up as a major player at Fender I think. Dan was the first from Six String to contact me and they were an early dealer. He was a real nice guy and wonderful to work with. Howie took over and I don't think the store lasted too long after that.

Years later I ran into Howie in Los Angeles, he was helping out Tom Petersson when Tom was putting together a band with Mimi Betinis of Pezband during the brief time he left Cheap Trick. I think Howie had a tiny closet of a store near Guitar Center. He also claimed to have something to do with Gun's and Roses but I could be wrong about that. Three early dealer's were Pastore Music in New Jersey, Grayson's in Manhattan and Grayson's on Long Island (which were managed by the guy that later took over Kramer guitar, Dennis) and King James Music. I have an early dealer listing sheet somewhere that when I come across it I can post.

That bass could be an early instrument that Peter Breggar imported to Holland. Thanks for posting the bass photo. Is there any damage to the back of the peg head on that bass? Paul Hamer

Paul...

Thanks for the info. No, no damage to the back of the peghead. Just the normal 30+ years of checking, dings, etc. I LOVE the way you guys did the early big pegheads, sort of overkill in a '60s TBird vibe. The double Jazz PUPs with the Gibson EB-3 pup/bridge was also very cool.

Besides gigging regularly up in Rochester area, I was the all-nite DJ at the big underground FM radios station back then, WCMF. And yeah....Six String Sales only lasted a few years under Hubberman. I remember my stolen gear showing up in his front window one day and after I confronted him...he said come back in an hour and give him time to call the guy who sold it to him. When I went back an hour later it was all gone and he acted like he hadn't a clue what I was talking about. I called the cops. Geez. He's a character.

I ran across him bidding against me on a Hamer on EBAY about 10 years ago. The "hhubberman" in his email was a dead giveaway. He worked with a number of the big L.A. "hair bands" of the 80s as a guitar tech, etc. and had what I think was sort of a used music gear/pawn shop near Guitar Center in Hollywood. One of the HFC members was his partner there. Small music world, no? Everyone eventually resurfaces.

BTW...I bought my first bass cab at Grayson's on LI (and my first bass amp head...a used SUNN 200S at nearby Sam Ash in Hempstead down in the basement) when I was in HS.

***Any chance you recognize that refinned mystery Hamer bass/6string doubleneck above from 1981 with "TK" on the headstock, that no one at the factory had a record of?

-mc2

[Paul Hamer]

Paul....

Any chance you have any recollection of this Hamer doubleneck? The factory refinished it, so it would have been a different color when originally made.

The pots date it to 1981 and it was not stamped with a SN# when found by another HFC member (Serial Steve.) The large "T K" initials on the headstock are original, so maybe that might help?

I'm told it was found for sale used at, I believe, a Daddy's Junky Music up in New England, partially stripped and pretty beat up. Hamer claimed it was definitely one of their's, so did the refin for Serial Steve and stamped a SN# on it when they had it in for the refin.

Since it would have likely been a four-digit era piece and the pots date it to early or even pre-Cruise Bass....it would be interesting to know anything else about it, if you recall. It's not in any of the factory logs that they do have.

There were two other similar (but later) Cruise/Phantom doublenecks made, that are owned by other HFC members. One was a red/black Zulu finish and the other is SN#0716 (natural finish with twice as many knobs/switches,) which puts it in 1984.

-mc2

Great photo, you refinished it a cool color. I do not remember this piece definitively, however it should show up on Curtis's serial number log, and you are right this should have been a wood stamped four digit number. By process of elimination you should be able to find the original serial number. There is another man whose talent has not been talked about on this web site who I am very indebted to: John McHugh. In all probability John did the woodwork on this instrument.

I have mentioned this to Steve Mathes but have not really talked about it publicly because it remains a sore subject for me. When we first started expanding the pace of building guitars Montgomery was adamant about staying in the basement. He loved to smoke all day while he worked and he smoked Camels. At the end of a normal work day he would go upstairs and have dinner then come back down around 6:30 or so. This is when I usually showed up, the dust would have settled, and we would start spraying. We would sand the previous nite's finish coat to level and spray another coat. About this time Monty would start taking a sip or two from a bottle of whiskey he kept in one of the cabinets. We had wonderful conversations while we worked and Monty would tell stories about the Korean War and growing up in Minnesota. We would frequently work until midnight or one in the morning and I would go back to the store where I slept on my Dad's WWII navy hammock mattress in the back room. During the day when I didn't have customers in the store I would assemble and set up all the instruments in the back room and then put them on display for a day or two in the store before I shipped them out.

In order to expand Monty started gathering a collection of kids to help him during the day and he hired them himself. After a fashion they started taking him on different tangents that led to even less work getting done and a build up of animosity towards me. Monty and I always sorted things out but the kids never could. One by one they left for other fields and so much time was wasted when we could have been building great guitars. The exception to all this was John McHugh. John was into what we were doing he was a great woodworker and I would say that after a fashion he surpassed Monty in ability. I was never able to convince Monty nor even John to work at the factory I eventually built, they were just too comfortable in the basement. Once the first factory opened in Palatine all the spraying was done there. John and Monty eventually parted ways and Monty stopped working. John had a small workshop in the city where he continued doing work for me. John did the woodwork on the first 6 or 7 virtuosos! An unsung Hamer Hero.

Paul Hamer

Paul Hamer

[Paul Hamer]

I haven't thought about Howie Hubberman in a long time. He was a partner or a salesman who ended up a partner or ended up an owner somehow at Six String Sales. The first owner was a guy named Dan. Dan ended up as a major player at Fender I think. Dan was the first from Six String to contact me and they were an early dealer. He was a real nice guy and wonderful to work with. Howie took over and I don't think the store lasted too long after that.

Years later I ran into Howie in Los Angeles, he was helping out Tom Petersson when Tom was putting together a band with Mimi Betinis of Pezband during the brief time he left Cheap Trick. I think Howie had a tiny closet of a store near Guitar Center. He also claimed to have something to do with Gun's and Roses but I could be wrong about that. Three early dealer's were Pastore Music in New Jersey, Grayson's in Manhattan and Grayson's on Long Island (which were managed by the guy that later took over Kramer guitar, Dennis) and King James Music. I have an early dealer listing sheet somewhere that when I come across it I can post.

That bass could be an early instrument that Peter Breggar imported to Holland. Thanks for posting the bass photo. Is there any damage to the back of the peg head on that bass? Paul Hamer

It's funny that you mention the T-bird bass because that was the inspiration for the peg head and the over all feel. The nite that I completed the first guitar I got my first order from Martin Turner of Wishbone Ash for an explorer style bass. Martin played a T-bird bass, as did Tom Petersson who may have gotten his first or second or both early T-Bird basses from me. That first bass instrument had two original early T-bird bass pickups in it as did several of the other early basses including a green sunburst that Tom Petersson ordered Can you imagine a green sunburst anything in 1975? . I even discovered that some of the early T-bird pickup bobbins were cream colored like the late '50's Les Paul's

Paul...

Thanks for the info. No, no damage to the back of the peghead. Just the normal 30+ years of checking, dings, etc. I LOVE the way you guys did the early big pegheads, sort of overkill in a '60s TBird vibe. The double Jazz PUPs with the Gibson EB-3 pup/bridge was also very cool.

Besides gigging regularly up in Rochester area, I was the all-nite DJ at the big underground FM radios station back then, WCMF. And yeah....Six String Sales only lasted a few years under Hubberman. I remember my stolen gear showing up in his front window one day and after I confronted him...he said come back in an hour and give him time to call the guy who sold it to him. When I went back an hour later it was all gone and he acted like he hadn't a clue what I was talking about. I called the cops. Geez. He's a character.

I ran across him bidding against me on a Hamer on EBAY about 10 years ago. The "hhubberman" in his email was a dead giveaway. He worked with a number of the big L.A. "hair bands" of the 80s as a guitar tech, etc. and had what I think was sort of a used music gear/pawn shop near Guitar Center in Hollywood. One of the HFC members was his partner there. Small music world, no? Everyone eventually resurfaces.

BTW...I bought my first bass cab at Grayson's on LI (and my first bass amp head...a used SUNN 200S at nearby Sam Ash in Hempstead down in the basement) when I was in HS.

***Any chance you recognize that refinned mystery Hamer bass/6string doubleneck above from 1981 with "TK" on the headstock, that no one at the factory had a record of?

-mc2

[Pieman]

Is somebody saving this from Paul? This is incredible.

Shouldn't he be given a thread that captures his stories and insight? This is incredible. There could be a book here. (Moseley?)

I have been at this board and its predecessor for a long time and Mr D never gave us anything like this.

Thanks.

* * * * * * ** *

And a question:

Paul:

Where the the idea of "14 coats" come from, especially when some folks would theorize that thin skins allow the wood to breathe?

Thanks

[serial]

Is somebody saving this from Paul? This is incredible.

Shouldn't he be given a thread that captures his stories and insight? This is incredible. There could be a book here. (Moseley?)

I have been at this board and its predecessor for a long time and Mr D never gave us anything like this.

Thanks.

* * * * * * ** *

Thanks

I have TONS of this stuff from several years of interviews with Paul, people who worked with/for him, went to High school and played in bands with them, etc. There is SO much cool stuff there.

[BCR Greg]

I think it's time for "Uncle Paul's Story Corner".

So much of the early stuff has been changed by "revisionist history", it would be nice to have the DEFINITIVE info available.

[HSB0531]

I haven't thought about Howie Hubberman in a long time. He was a partner or a salesman who ended up a partner or ended up an owner somehow at Six String Sales. The first owner was a guy named Dan. Dan ended up as a major player at Fender I think. Dan was the first from Six String to contact me and they were an early dealer. He was a real nice guy and wonderful to work with. Howie took over and I don't think the store lasted too long after that.

Years later I ran into Howie in Los Angeles, he was helping out Tom Petersson when Tom was putting together a band with Mimi Betinis of Pezband during the brief time he left Cheap Trick. I think Howie had a tiny closet of a store near Guitar Center. He also claimed to have something to do with Gun's and Roses but I could be wrong about that. Three early dealer's were Pastore Music in New Jersey, Grayson's in Manhattan and Grayson's on Long Island (which were managed by the guy that later took over Kramer guitar, Dennis) and King James Music. I have an early dealer listing sheet somewhere that when I come across it I can post.

That bass could be an early instrument that Peter Breggar imported to Holland. Thanks for posting the bass photo. Is there any damage to the back of the peg head on that bass? Paul Hamer

It's funny that you mention the T-bird bass because that was the inspiration for the peg head and the over all feel. The nite that I completed the first guitar I got my first order from Martin Turner of Wishbone Ash for an explorer style bass. Martin played a T-bird bass, as did Tom Petersson who may have gotten his first or second or both early T-Bird basses from me. That first bass instrument had two original early T-bird bass pickups in it as did several of the other early basses including a green sunburst that Tom Petersson ordered Can you imagine a green sunburst anything in 1975? . I even discovered that some of the early T-bird pickup bobbins were cream colored like the late '50's Les Paul's

Paul...

Thanks for the info. No, no damage to the back of the peghead. Just the normal 30+ years of checking, dings, etc. I LOVE the way you guys did the early big pegheads, sort of overkill in a '60s TBird vibe. The double Jazz PUPs with the Gibson EB-3 pup/bridge was also very cool.

Besides gigging regularly up in Rochester area, I was the all-nite DJ at the big underground FM radios station back then, WCMF. And yeah....Six String Sales only lasted a few years under Hubberman. I remember my stolen gear showing up in his front window one day and after I confronted him...he said come back in an hour and give him time to call the guy who sold it to him. When I went back an hour later it was all gone and he acted like he hadn't a clue what I was talking about. I called the cops. Geez. He's a character.

I ran across him bidding against me on a Hamer on EBAY about 10 years ago. The "hhubberman" in his email was a dead giveaway. He worked with a number of the big L.A. "hair bands" of the 80s as a guitar tech, etc. and had what I think was sort of a used music gear/pawn shop near Guitar Center in Hollywood. One of the HFC members was his partner there. Small music world, no? Everyone eventually resurfaces.

BTW...I bought my first bass cab at Grayson's on LI (and my first bass amp head...a used SUNN 200S at nearby Sam Ash in Hempstead down in the basement) when I was in HS.

***Any chance you recognize that refinned mystery Hamer bass/6string doubleneck above from 1981 with "TK" on the headstock, that no one at the factory had a record of?

-mc2

I think you're talking about Gracin's in Hempstead LI.

I remember going there often. They had ads describing Gracin's Music Zoo, where all the salesmen had nicknames of zoo animals.

They always had a killer guitar/bass department.

Pop Gracin was the owner, and Dan Vitalo, who went by the nickname of "Snake" was in guitars.

Also, there was King James Music in Bayside (then later - Bellrose?) and Brooklyn. Richie Carnese was a guitar salesman there, who convinced me to buy #0531. He was always passionate about Sunbursts.

Jim

[specialk]

Lovin' it! This info is great and so is this thread!

[HSB0531]

We HAVE to give Paul an HFC Party!

[chap]

Is somebody saving this from Paul? This is incredible.

Shouldn't he be given a thread that captures his stories and insight? This is incredible. There could be a book here. (Moseley?)

I have been at this board and its predecessor for a long time and Mr D never gave us anything like this.

Thanks.

....

Good ideas with a sep. thread or book or Hamer resurrection / second coming whatever you want to call it, but I say just leave it and let fate decide the future.

$.02

[cmatthes]

Is somebody saving this from Paul? This is incredible.

Shouldn't he be given a thread that captures his stories and insight? This is incredible. There could be a book here. (Moseley?)

I have been at this board and its predecessor for a long time and Mr D never gave us anything like this.

Thanks.

....

Good ideas with a sep. thread or book or Hamer resurrection / second coming whatever you want to call it, but I say just leave it and let fate decide the future.

$.02

Serial started working on the Hamer book many years ago, but took a break from it for the last few. He's interviewed Paul and tons of the guys who built and played Hamers since the very early days. He has the most complete record of the history out there apart from the guys who lived it!

[mc2]

I think you're talking about Gracin's in Hempstead LI.

I remember going there often. They had ads describing Gracin's Music Zoo, where all the salesmen had nicknames of zoo animals.

They always had a killer guitar/bass department.

Pop Gracin was the owner, and Dan Vitalo, who went by the nickname of "Snake" was in guitars.

Also, there was King James Music in Bayside (then later - Bellrose?) and Brooklyn. Richie Carnese was a guitar salesman there, who convinced me to buy #0531. He was always passionate about Sunbursts.

Jim

Oh yeah...Gracin's WAS spelled that way. huh? Oops....appologies to Pop.

[mc2]

Great photo, you refinished it a cool color.

......John and Monty eventually parted ways and Monty stopped working. John had a small workshop in the city where he continued doing work for me. John did the woodwork on the first 6 or 7 virtuosos! An unsung Hamer Hero.

Paul Hamer

Paul Hamer

Paul...

Wow! Thanks for the new info on this. Much appreciated.

Steve Matthis actually picked the refin color before I got it from him. Yeah, cool color.

May I ask a few more question?

I've been a bassist forever it seems but I also play guitar. Because of my really big hands/long reach I especially LOVE the Virtuoso (the design I heard was not especially loved by all at Hamer?)

Since you mentioned the Virt....here are mine. I recently let the marble one go. The korina one I think is a prototype...all small dot inlays, deeper scallops, slightly different body bevels? The SN# predates any of the dates of the original run of 10. Some previous owner hacked off some of the upper frets and put a humbucker in it with the pole pieces off. So, I put blade PUP in it so I don't get dropouts on bends w/a 6-way. It's actually my favorite Hamer 6-string I've ever owned.

Also...I have a couple Hamers with YOUR SIGNATURE on them under the clearcoats. Any recollections about the axes/owners and why they got signed?

The fancy Scepter was made for "George Gryparis" (name on headstock) and your sig in the trem cavity....and the '82 fretless Cruise Bass has "Scooter" on the truss cover, with your (and Jol's) sigs on the back.

Last oddball Hamer ID question for the moment.....The Standard 8 pictured (SN0599) has a 4-to-8 headstock conversion that I was told by two different people was done while new at the factory for Jon Brandt...but he was out of CT by the time it was ready and he never picked it up. Supposedly the first long-scale Hamer root-octave bass? True/False/Myth? I was also told that the same "Scooter" guy bought it at the factory after Brandt didn't claim it. My info came from John Tooke, a friend who ordered a number of early custom Hamer basses (Quad 12, B12A, B12S, etc.)

-jon/mc2

[Paul Hamer]

Great photo, you refinished it a cool color.

......John and Monty eventually parted ways and Monty stopped working. John had a small workshop in the city where he continued doing work for me. John did the woodwork on the first 6 or 7 virtuosos! An unsung Hamer Hero.

Paul Hamer

Paul Hamer

Paul...

Wow! Thanks for the new info on this. Much appreciated.

Steve Matthis actually picked the refin color before I got it from him. Yeah, cool color.

May I ask a few more question?

I've been a bassist forever it seems but I also play guitar. Because of my really big hands/long reach I especially LOVE the Virtuoso (the design I heard was not especially loved by all at Hamer?)

Since you mentioned the Virt....here are mine. I recently let the marble one go. The korina one I think is a prototype...all small dot inlays, deeper scallops, slightly different body bevels? The SN# predates any of the dates of the original run of 10. Some previous owner hacked off some of the upper frets and put a humbucker in it with the pole pieces off. So, I put blade PUP in it so I don't get dropouts on bends w/a 6-way. It's actually my favorite Hamer 6-string I've ever owned.

Also...I have a couple Hamers with YOUR SIGNATURE on them under the clearcoats. Any recollections about the axes/owners and why they got signed?

The fancy Scepter was made for "George Gryparis" (name on headstock) and your sig in the trem cavity....and the '82 fretless Cruise Bass has "Scooter" on the truss cover, with your (and Jol's) sigs on the back.

Last oddball Hamer ID question for the moment.....The Standard 8 pictured (SN0599) has a 4-to-8 headstock conversion that I was told by two different people was done while new at the factory for Jon Brandt...but he was out of CT by the time it was ready and he never picked it up. Supposedly the first long-scale Hamer root-octave bass? True/False/Myth? I was also told that the same "Scooter" guy bought it at the factory after Brandt didn't claim it. My info came from John Tooke, a friend who ordered a number of early custom Hamer basses (Quad 12, B12A, B12S, etc.)

-jon/mc2

Scooter was the nick name of a really talented man named Scott Stephenson. He was living in Denver when I first heard from him. He was playing in a locally popular band and previously had toured as a roadie on a world wide Bob Dylan tour. He was always calling with guitar ideas and I believe he worked during the day at a chain of Colorado music stores. I did several guitar clinics out there that Scott helped with, I even went to his apartment one time where he showed me all his guitars. Scott is most famous Hamer-wise for coming up with several guitar ideas that were built including a double neck and a guitar shaped like a saxophone. I always wanted Scott to work for me but I could never afford it. I really admired his musical talents and his big personality, I wonder where he is today? The four string was one that Scott ordered very early on. Scott was very creative, I think he really wanted to be a graphic designer. I still hang from our Christmas tree every year an ornament Scott made out of styrofoam in the shape of a checkerboard standard. I can't say enough about how talented he is.

I don't remember the eight string per se, but with that serial number it well may be the first long scale multi-string. It rings a bell with me about the bass staying at the factory and if Scooter ended up with it that is a possibility.

The Scepter is one I remember for the color combination, though I do not remember who George is. When someone asked me to sign a guitar when it was being made at the factory I always signed the bottom of the bass pickup route. When I signed guitars on the road I always signed the inside of the back plate. I was never comfortable signing on the front or back of a guitar though I did on occasion when someone was insistent.

I remember John Tooke who should have some reliable early information.

What is the serial number of the virtuoso! that you think is a prototype?

Paul Hamer

I think you're talking about Gracin's in Hempstead LI.

I remember going there often. They had ads describing Gracin's Music Zoo, where all the salesmen had nicknames of zoo animals.

They always had a killer guitar/bass department.

Pop Gracin was the owner, and Dan Vitalo, who went by the nickname of "Snake" was in guitars.

Also, there was King James Music in Bayside (then later - Bellrose?) and Brooklyn. Richie Carnese was a guitar salesman there, who convinced me to buy #0531. He was always passionate about Sunbursts.

Jim

Thanks for correcting my spelling!!! Paul Hamer

Oh yeah...Gracin's WAS spelled that way. huh? Oops....appologies to Pop.

[HSB0531]

Paul:

Thanks for all this input and all the great stories.

Jim

[Paul Hamer]

Is somebody saving this from Paul? This is incredible.

Shouldn't he be given a thread that captures his stories and insight? This is incredible. There could be a book here. (Moseley?)

I have been at this board and its predecessor for a long time and Mr D never gave us anything like this.

Thanks.

* * * * * * ** *

And a question:

Paul:

Where the the idea of "14 coats" come from, especially when some folks would theorize that thin skins allow the wood to breathe?

Thanks

I don't remember promoting fourteen coats, but I can tell you how I feel about guitar finishing. I love nitrocellulose lacquer. My concept from the beginning started out trying duplicate the way the great Gibson's of 50's were made and later evolved to creating new ideas for the guitar but with the same techniques from the 50's. Finishing was a big part of that. When Monty and I started spraying guitars in the basement from the start we used nitro thinned out with lacquer thinner. This required many coats of lacquer, hand sanded every other coat, to get a finish build that could be buffed to a high polish. When we moved finishing to the Wood st. factory we continued the same procedure and at some point thereafter added a new procedure that heated the lacquer to thin it out to spray, rather than having to thin it out with lacquer thinner to spray it.

The concept of using lacquer in my mind is firstly; the finish ends up being thinner and more a part of the wood, it doesn't stifle vibrations, secondly; the beauty and warmth that is created by the finish when observing a fine wood grain beneath it. Lacquer is difficult to work with at all stages of production but I feel it is worth it. Too many builders use polyurethane's and other synthetic finishes that encapsulate the instrument, deaden the sound and crate a cold sterile appearance. It is true that with synthetics it will probably look cold and sterile for a very long time, whereas lacquer ages. But I love that aging of lacquer.

Paul Hamer

[BTMN]

I love the finishes on my '77-'81 Hamers!

[The Shark]

No Florida history mentioned yet. I bought a black Sunburst with crowns in 1978 from Wanda and Jimmy at Music City in Orlando. It was a 1977 or early '78. Here's a couple of pics that are all I have....

The last time I got a chance to talk to Paul was back in the repair area at Ace Music with Martin Barre. Martin was playing a few cuts from his solo album. It was a great day and Paul was there until the last person left. A great memory to be sure.

[Paul Hamer]

No Florida history mentioned yet. I bought a black Sunburst with crowns in 1978 from Wanda and Jimmy at Music City in Orlando. It was a 1977 or early '78. Here's a couple of pics that are all I have....

The last time I got a chance to talk to Paul was back in the repair area at Ace Music with Martin Barre. Martin was playing a few cuts from his solo album. It was a great day and Paul was there until the last person left. A great memory to be sure.

Ace Music; what a great store. I had a great relationship with Freddy (the owner) for many years. He was so nice to work with, he believed in the product and in return I worked very hard to make sure his store always had a great selection of instruments. I did several clinics with Martin Barre around the state of Florida. We had the best time meeting people.

Back in 1975 I did the first clinic with Martin at Amazing Grace in Evanston. Martin played solo for a time, took questions and then we jammed with a pick up band for a while. I can't say enough about Martin and what a wonderful man he is and how he is truly one of the great guitarists. Along with Jeff Beck he is one of the few who get better every year. Paul Hamer

[Lockbody]

Wow, what a great thread! Thanks for all your contributions Paul.

[RacerX]

Back in 1975 I did the first clinic with Martin at Amazing Grace in Evanston. Martin played solo for a time, took questions and then we jammed with a pick up band for a while. I can't say enough about Martin and what a wonderful man he is and how he is truly one of the great guitarists. Along with Jeff Beck he is one of the few who get better every year. Paul Hamer

I was there!!!

Mark

[tschebbi]

Hi there, thought this great threat deserves a little bump on a Sunday morning...

I started playing in a band here in Germany in the late 70s and saved all my money for a Les Paul, that's what I always wanted, nothing else.

We went to Prosound Koblenz, one of the biggest shops at the time with hundreds of guitars.

I spent many hours and kept coming back to this Hamer no one ever heard of.

It played and sounded so well and was so exceptionally finished, there was no way to go for any of the Gibsons, as much as I wanted.

So finally Standard #0345 followed me home on June 28, 1980 for an expensive DM2400 (~$5000 US at the time) and I never regret it.

She's still with me, joined by a couple of other Hamers over the years, and will sure never leave me. A truly inspiring instrument.

(proud four digit owner in fabulous 80s outfit - where did all that hair go...?)

Paul, would be great to get some insights of the sales channels into Europe back then. Hamers were (and still are) quite rare over here in Germany.

Back then I was looking for Hamers all the time, but the one I bought was the only one I ever saw in shops.

Was there ever some successful distributorship here, or where these just ad hoc orders kind of thing?

Anyway, it's really a pleasure and honour to follow your side of these stories here. And thanks for some wonderful guitars... Jurgen

[atquinn]

Great story and pic!

-Austin