Coolest Hamer ever!

[Hamerphite]

This is the first one. To make a short story even shorter, Rick Neilsen in 1973 is known as a guy with good guitars living in Philly in band called Sick Man of Europe. A mailman in Illinois named Paul calls him and wants to buy one Rick's '59 LP's for $2500 (Rick paid $500). Rick sells guitar. Paul resells the LP to fund a repair shop in Evanston IL called Northern Prairie Music. Rick brings in guitars for work and gets to know the guys and they want to build a guitar and asks Rick what he'd like. Rick says Explorer. Paul gets a hold of one of the originals (about 18 ever made) and creates this jobby to Gibson specs using real Gibson bridge and PAF's. The rest is history. And that, my children, is the story of why this is the coolest Hamer guitar ever. Serial number 0000.

[serial]

Ohhhhhh yes.

[Disturber]

Those tuners look all out of whack. That aint' cool

Where is that guitar now, is it still with Rick, (I'm at the office, don't have my guitars of the stars book around). 'cause that is not the same guitar as the Martin Barr Standard that was sold on ebay.co.uk some years ago, right? What was the serial number of the Martin Barr Standard? (Wish I bought it now, dumb fool I am).

Edit: What mag was this article in?

[Hamerphite]

Magazine is "Guitar Aficionado". Jeff Bridges is on the cover. Rick Nielsen has a monthly column on the last page where he tells the story of one of his guitars.

Those tuners look all out of whack. That aint' cool

Where is that guitar now, is it still with Rick, (I'm at the office, don't have my guitars of the stars book around). 'cause that is not the same guitar as the Martin Barr Standard that was sold on ebay.co.uk some years ago, right? What was the serial number of the Martin Barr Standard? (Wish I bought it now, dumb fool I am).

Edit: What mag was this article in?

[HSB0531]

Beng a bass player, I'd have to nominate Martin Turners 0001 Standard Bass.

Besides, the control knobs are all wrong on 0000.

They go straight up & down.

[serial]

The tuners look odd because they're installed upside-down. They're a set of 6 Grover left-handed ones (for the right side of a headstock in 3+3 set).

Nielsen still owns this one and #0004. #0001 is Turner's, #0002 was Barre's, #0003 is a greenburst Standard bass that used to pop up for sale a good bit. #0005 is in private hands and is the first Standard with crown inlays. Just found out a little about another old one yesterday (just it's existence and condition), but there are lots of gaps between those and my #0017. Hamer really didn't start keeping records until 1977 or so, so the stuff I've collected on the early four digits is more complete than the factory records. And I have pics of most of them too .

[BCR Greg]

I have held that guitar, and it is cooler than anything.

[Disturber]

so the stuff I've collected on the early four digits is more complete than the factory records. And I have pics of most of them too .

Prove it

[Steve Haynie]

Rick let people fondle his guitars at a Trickfest and RoyB is pictured with Enola. How hard do you think it would be to get him to let someone try that first Hamer?

[Feynman]

That's one significant instrument right there.

[specialk]

That's one significant instrument right there.

[HamStd]

The tuners look odd because they're installed upside-down. They're a set of 6 Grover left-handed ones (for the right side of a headstock in 3+3 set).

Nielsen still owns this one and #0004. #0001 is Turner's, #0002 was Barre's, #0003 is a greenburst Standard bass that used to pop up for sale a good bit. #0005 is in private hands and is the first Standard with crown inlays. Just found out a little about another old one yesterday (just it's existence and condition), but there are lots of gaps between those and my #0017. Hamer really didn't start keeping records until 1977 or so, so the stuff I've collected on the early four digits is more complete than the factory records. And I have pics of most of them too .

Might be able to update this list alittle.

Peter

[BlueRedWhite]

Wow...the one that started it all...and it's all Rick's Nielsen fault!!!

[ib2010]

If this isn't cool, we should recognize the concept of cool as over.

[in_the_pocket]

I regret selling many of the guitars I've owned, but the one I regret selling the most was the Hamer Standard serial number 0008 that I bought from Roy Buchanan circa 1978. We both lived near Lovettsville, in Loudoun County, VA, and met at Melodee Music in Leesburg where we both did a lot of business. It was in "like-new" condition and came with a HUGE (and HEAVY!) ATA flight case. I paid him $800.00 for it. I should have gotten documentation from him, but I was a dumb kid at the time (as I was when I sold it).

I think I have some photos of me playing that guitar at a couple of gigs. I'll try to find them, and post them when I do.

[serial]

I regret selling many of the guitars I've owned, but the one I regret selling the most was the Hamer Standard serial number 0008 that I bought from Roy Buchanan circa 1978. We both lived near Lovettsville, in Loudoun County, VA, and met at Melodee Music in Leesburg where we both did a lot of business. It was in "like-new" condition and came with a HUGE (and HEAVY!) ATA flight case. I paid him $800.00 for it. I should have gotten documentation from him, but I was a dumb kid at the time (as I was when I sold it).

I think I have some photos of me playing that guitar at a couple of gigs. I'll try to find them, and post them when I do.

Please do!!

I owned #0148 (IIRC) that was also rumored to be owned by Roy. Story was very similar to yours and I got it from a guy in Baltimore who bought it in 1983/4 from Levin's or one of the DC-area shops used. He was looking for a metal guitar and that was less expensive than the Gibsons with those horrid Kahlers. He said the guy told him it was owned by some famous DC-area blues guy, but he didn't know the blues from polka music (his quote). Was never able to get any more info because Hamer doesn't have that really early stuff well-documented in the records. I'd love to hear more about #0008!

And Peter...you are SUCH the tease!!

;P

[Hamerphite]

I regret selling many of the guitars I've owned, but the one I regret selling the most was the Hamer Standard serial number 0008 that I bought from Roy Buchanan circa 1978. We both lived near Lovettsville, in Loudoun County, VA, and met at Melodee Music in Leesburg where we both did a lot of business. It was in "like-new" condition and came with a HUGE (and HEAVY!) ATA flight case. I paid him $800.00 for it. I should have gotten documentation from him, but I was a dumb kid at the time (as I was when I sold it).

I think I have some photos of me playing that guitar at a couple of gigs. I'll try to find them, and post them when I do.

Did you sell a 59 LP for 2500 like Rick N? That's gotta hurt right in the keyster

[crunchee]

Did you sell a 59 LP for 2500 like Rick N? That's gotta hurt right in the keyster

$2500 was a fair amount of money in 1973, and my guess is that Paul Hamer made at least a little profit from selling that LP to get the shop started. Besides, what would have happened if it wasn't for these transactions with Rick Nielsen? Not related to this story, but I think there was an interview where RN said he traded a original lefty LP (I think it was a '60) to Paul McCartney for some sound gear much later on (80's? 90's? I'm not sure), back before original LPs REALLY soared in value. Rick said in the interview that Macca got the better part of the deal.

I remember a extensive article in Guitar Player magazine, back in the late '70's, written by Tom Wheeler--it had a few of the 'big player' collectors weighing in on the guitar market back then, the interviews I remember were with George Gruhn and Charley Wirz, probably including others. There was lots of chatter about where LPs and Explorers and Flying V's were going value-wise in the article--it seems that there was some disbelief among some collectors back then about original LPs going for $5000 and more, and Explorers and Flying Vs hitting $7500 and going higher. I don't think anybody at the time would have thought that the same guitars would hit what they go for currently. BTW, this probably would've been the time that Hamer had ads in GP magazine using 'The Ultimate' tagline. Those were the days!

[cmatthes]

I regret selling many of the guitars I've owned, but the one I regret selling the most was the Hamer Standard serial number 0008 that I bought from Roy Buchanan circa 1978. We both lived near Lovettsville, in Loudoun County, VA, and met at Melodee Music in Leesburg where we both did a lot of business. It was in "like-new" condition and came with a HUGE (and HEAVY!) ATA flight case. I paid him $800.00 for it. I should have gotten documentation from him, but I was a dumb kid at the time (as I was when I sold it).

I think I have some photos of me playing that guitar at a couple of gigs. I'll try to find them, and post them when I do.

I just drove by Melodee yesterday coming back into DC from Leesburg - still there...

[Jason01]

Its my understanding that there were 3 '59-'60 lefty les paul's made. John Mcenroe owns the '59 (pictured in a recent guitar afficionado mag), Paul owns a '60 and I'm not sure where the other '60 is (its not under my bed but I'll keep checking anyway). Thats cool to hear that Rick traded it to Paul, I never heard how he got it before.

[marcnorth]

The tuners look odd because they're installed upside-down. They're a set of 6 Grover left-handed ones (for the right side of a headstock in 3+3 set).

Nielsen still owns this one and #0004. #0001 is Turner's, #0002 was Barre's, #0003 is a greenburst Standard bass that used to pop up for sale a good bit. #0005 is in private hands and is the first Standard with crown inlays. Just found out a little about another old one yesterday (just it's existence and condition), but there are lots of gaps between those and my #0017. Hamer really didn't start keeping records until 1977 or so, so the stuff I've collected on the early four digits is more complete than the factory records. And I have pics of most of them too .

Might be able to update this list alittle.

Peter

Are you trying to tell us you got 0001 from Martin????

[HamStd]

The tuners look odd because they're installed upside-down. They're a set of 6 Grover left-handed ones (for the right side of a headstock in 3+3 set).

Nielsen still owns this one and #0004. #0001 is Turner's, #0002 was Barre's, #0003 is a greenburst Standard bass that used to pop up for sale a good bit. #0005 is in private hands and is the first Standard with crown inlays. Just found out a little about another old one yesterday (just it's existence and condition), but there are lots of gaps between those and my #0017. Hamer really didn't start keeping records until 1977 or so, so the stuff I've collected on the early four digits is more complete than the factory records. And I have pics of most of them too .

Might be able to update this list alittle.

Peter

Are you trying to tell us you got 0001 from Martin????

Here's a clue

Peter

[bmenary]

Excuse me Mr. Hamerphite, correction requested in your article. Northern Prairie Music was located (In my home town) Wilmette, IL, Not Evanston, IL.

"Northern Prairie Music, a vintage instrument shop owned by Hamer and Dantzig in Wilmette, Illinois" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamer_Guitars

[BCR Greg]

Owned by Paul Hamer.

[serial]

Might be able to update this list alittle.

Peter

Are you trying to tell us you got 0001 from Martin????

Here's a clue

Peter

But you already KNOW where the Comita 12 is!

Oh no, tell me you did NOT get #0004 and refinish it tiger stripes like RoyB's just so you could have a matching set?!