Jol re-surfaces, in Premier Guitar

[edgar_allan_poe]

Man, you carry a grudge better than my wife!

-Austin

P.S. I kid because I love biggrin.gif

ROTFLMAO!! Well, it is the truth. I love Hamer guitars. I have loved them since I first saw the ad for the Specials in guitar mags in the 80's. The fact of the matter remains that if Jol had given me the *tiny* refinements I had wanted at the time, I never would have had to look elsewhere.

I go back to work in Sept. After I get a few things taken care of, I will check into getting that Korina V again. If the upcharge for a custom color doesn't take the guitar into the stratosphere, I will get it. Why *white* would be considered a custom color is beyond me, but I am willing to live with a modest upcharge...BUT, I will not bend over and let them charge me an outrageous fee.

Getting back to the original point....the money I subsequently spent on my Hubers was Hamer's to lose..and Jol lost it. I cannot escape that fact.

I will go on record and say that my full support for the new regime is there, but it is not unconditional. The Korina Vector and a decked out Duotone Custom are on my short list.

[atquinn]

....decked out Duotone Custom...

Decked out? How so? Laura Press style?

-Austin

[edgar_allan_poe]

Decked out? How so? Laura Press style?

Crowns, bound F-hole, Brazilian or ebony, possible custom color.

[crunchee]

+1 at what E.A.P. was saying. I remember reading about Jol criticizing the years where Hamer was trying to be everything to everybody (the early to mid '90's), when he wasn't there. Sounds to me like he wound up 'eliting' (or 'elite-ing') himself right out of Hamer. I wonder how long Hamer will stay commercially viable at this rate, just because it seems the only recent press (within a year or so) that Hamer has gotten has been right here at this Forum. I know about one dealer who carried new Hamers, he participated in the Triple Threat edition, but since Hamer went to 'order only', he's demoted (maybe that's too harsh a word, any suggestions?) Hamer on his website list to the 'misc. electric guitars' category instead of the previous brand name basis, since all he has are used ones now.

P.S. I think Gibson does a 'upcharge' for white on many of their guitars (LP Custom, for instance), depending on the model.

[atquinn]

Decked out? How so? Laura Press style?

Crowns, bound F-hole, Brazilian or ebony, possible custom color.

Nice!

-Austin

[LostArt]

I remember many people that did not play at the HFC jams

and other just got stared at or the "in crowd" walked out.

so it was just like high school and Jol was not interested in participating.

Would it have been cool if he did? Yup but ultimately I can't blame him for not wanting to. just read this thread and it becomes clear.

I am not defending Jol and his actions just understanding his point of view

[elduave]

I remember many people that did not play at the HFC jams

and other just got stared at or the "in crowd" walked out.

so it was just like high school and Jol was not interested in participating.

Would it have been cool if he did? Yup but ultimately I can't blame him for not wanting to. just read this thread and it becomes clear.

I am not defending Jol and his actions just understanding his point of view

I agree it would have been cool for Jol to attend, but we had a good time regardless. If anything I think folks would be more relaxed sans Jol at a "jam".

For the record. I'm usually rejected, by the in crooowwwowwd but I will admit to walking out once, the one time I went, due to a flicted romp through "Surrender". I think it was me, Pam and Johnny Thunders? LOL!

[cmatthes]

For the record. I'm usually rejected, by the in crooowwwowwd but I will admit to walking out once, the one time I went, due to a flicted romp through "Surrender". I think it was me, Pam and Johnny Thunders? LOL!

I believe I also partook of the cool New England evening air at that time.

[MCChris]

I remember many people that did not play at the HFC jams

and other just got stared at or the "in crowd" walked out.

so it was just like high school and Jol was not interested in participating.

Would it have been cool if he did? Yup but ultimately I can't blame him for not wanting to. just read this thread and it becomes clear.

I am not defending Jol and his actions just understanding his point of view

More unsubstantiated bullshit. "Just like high school." Jesus, man. Get over it already.

Kim was the one who made the factory jams happen. Can you imagine Jol lowering himself to schlepping gear? LOL! Please.

[stonge]

More unsubstantiated bullshit. "Just like high school." Jesus, man. Get over it already.

Kim was the one who made the factory jams happen. Can you imagine Jol lowering himself to schlepping gear? LOL! Please.

as one of the folks onstage when the stampede for the door started, I could understand if they waited until I started to play. I wasn't even plugged in yet when the in crowd did the "strut of shame". It was JV at best lol...

Kim provided most of the backline for all the HFC and OFC jams. Busted his arse on the load-in, setup, and load-out. All we had to do was showup and play. He didn't get enough credit for everything he did to help out. Now, that Ken Keller guy - now he's a real jerk...

[elduave]

More unsubstantiated bullshit. "Just like high school." Jesus, man. Get over it already.

Kim was the one who made the factory jams happen. Can you imagine Jol lowering himself to schlepping gear? LOL! Please.

as one of the folks onstage when the stampede for the door started, I could understand if they waited until I started to play. I wasn't even plugged in yet when the in crowd did the "strut of shame". It was JV at best lol...

I must be missing something. I never noticed any purposeful exodus by others, and the music wasn't the only reason we ducked out. I march to the beat of my own Bun E (or Daxx).

[LostArt]

I remember many people that did not play at the HFC jams

and other just got stared at or the "in crowd" walked out.

so it was just like high school and Jol was not interested in participating.

Would it have been cool if he did? Yup but ultimately I can't blame him for not wanting to. just read this thread and it becomes clear.

I am not defending Jol and his actions just understanding his point of view

More unsubstantiated bullshit. "Just like high school." Jesus, man. Get over it already.

Kim was the one who made the factory jams happen. Can you imagine Jol lowering himself to schlepping gear? LOL! Please.

\

I missed the first year because I was very ill. I was at every other one.

don't like what i have to say read what stonge says. junior high is probably a better description.

I saw you at one Jam Chris nothing I sad is bullshit or unsubstantiated.

[cmatthes]

I must be missing something. I never noticed any purposeful exodus by others, and the music wasn't the only reason we ducked out. I march to the beat of my own Bun E (or Daxx).

Ditto here. In fact, I believe I actually caught most, if not all of that on video and/or 35mm!

I believe Mr. Stonge offered me a tidy sum to destroy the evidence at one time or another...

[crunchee]

I remember many people that did not play at the HFC jams

and other just got stared at or the "in crowd" walked out.

so it was just like high school and Jol was not interested in participating.

Would it have been cool if he did? Yup but ultimately I can't blame him for not wanting to. just read this thread and it becomes clear.

I am not defending Jol and his actions just understanding his point of view

More unsubstantiated bullshit. "Just like high school." Jesus, man. Get over it already.

Kim was the one who made the factory jams happen. Can you imagine Jol lowering himself to schlepping gear? LOL! Please.

\

I missed the first year because I was very ill. I was at every other one.

don't like what i have to say read what stonge says. junior high is probably a better description.

I saw you at one Jam Chris nothing I sad is bullshit or unsubstantiated.

You guys must have interesting get-togethers. The last time I think I compared anything in life to high school or junior high was...in high school or junior high. That was roughly back when SNL was in it's first seasons. Having a military career took that out of my system pretty quickly.

[MCChris]

You guys must have interesting get-togethers. The last time I think I compared anything in life to high school or junior high was...in high school or junior high. That was roughly back when SNL was in it's first seasons. Having a military career took that out of my system pretty quickly.

Yep. Damn shame that some grown people can't get past the fact that they were shoved in lockers by the jocks in h.s. to the point where they apply the dynamic to everything that doesn't go their way in adulthood. It's pretty commonplace, though. Read an "are you going to your class reunion" thread on The Gear Page sometime.

If your leg is broken, go to the doctor. If you're that scarred psychologically over what happened to you during your teenage years, go to the doctor.

Also, if you're getting stared at and people are walking out while you're onstage, you might want to consider that maybe your playing has something to do with it. You know, take a look at yourself before you automatically start blaming others. What a concept.

[jwhitcomb3]

Jol marched to his own drummer. As a result he was involved with making some beautiful things, and pissed off some folks with seemingly arbitrary and sometimes inconsistent decisions. Isn't that pretty much the definition of an artist?

After reading this thread, I can't imagine why he didn't want to hang out in this forum. After all, it's fun to be a punching bag.

If he'd just done everything that everybody wanted of him, he would have been much more popular. But I don't buy the most popular guitars. I buy Hamers. However he ran his ship, it worked for me.

-Jonathan

[hamerhead]

PEOPLE!!PEOPLE!!PEOPLE!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!?

He brought us the SUSTAIN BLOCK!! He gets a permanent pass!

...oh how quickly we forget............

[MCChris]

Jol marched to his own drummer. As a result he was involved with making some beautiful things, and pissed off some folks with seemingly arbitrary and sometimes inconsistent decisions. Isn't that pretty much the definition of an artist?

Whether or not he was in fact an artist, he was a terrible businessman toward the end, and he was shown the door as a result.

After reading this thread, I can't imagine why he didn't want to hang out in this forum. After all, it's fun to be a punching bag.

He didn't hang out here because he thought he was above it all. That attitude was evident in the way he approached marketing and customer relations. His prerogative, of course (until FMIC showed up and booted him out) but let's not make him out to be any sort of victim here.

If he'd just done everything that everybody wanted of him, he would have been much more popular. But I don't buy the most popular guitars. I buy Hamers. However he ran his ship, it worked for me.

Clearly you were in the minority. Otherwise Jol would still have a job at Hamer.

[Lockbody]

Man... this thread just has "MEOWRR FTTT FTTT" all over it.

[atquinn]

If he'd just done everything that everybody wanted of him, he would have been much more popular. But I don't buy the most popular guitars. I buy Hamers. However he ran his ship, it worked for me.

Clearly you were in the minority. Otherwise Jol would still have a job at Hamer.

Umm, everyone who has ever bought a Hamer is in the minority guitar-buying wise, so...

Anyway, I agree with Jonathan's statement myself, but then I never had any problem getting what I wanted

-Austin

[jisham]

I've been very vocal that I too stopped buying Hamers when Jol turned down what I requested for a custom order but did the exact same thing for someone else a few months later.

I'm glad some of the people here were able to get their dream guitars. I was not and as a result, I started buying guitars from other makers. A lot of us did apparently.

I don't buy all the "Jol the guru" crap personally but see why some of you admire him.

[phoenix]

Do we know if he left or was let go?

[BCR Greg]

Well there are attitudes and there are attitudes. For instance, "Give me everything I want all the time or I'll publicly piss all over you despite anything you've ever done for me."

-Jonathan

If that is about me, sonny, it's time to take a break.

The behind the scenes bullshit would confound and amaze you. Suffice it to say, tongues have been held for years in the interest of not sullying Hamer's reputation. As time goes by, honesty will become a growing trend and people like you will understand that a lot of things were not what they seemed.

[edgar_allan_poe]

Well there are attitudes and there are attitudes. For instance, "Give me everything I want all the time or I'll publicly piss all over you despite anything you've ever done for me."

Nonsense... Show me *ONE* person with that attitude. Since when is *anyone* above being criticized? People on this thread has been critical of his business sense AND given him his due for the things that he *did* get right. None of it has been personal, all of it has been business. I have met Jol, he seems like a great guy. That doesn't mean that I have to agree with everything he does or says and when I *don't* it doesn't mean that I think less of him as a human. "Piss all over"...give me a break.

For a smart guy, you sure say some dumb sh*t. LOL!!!!!

[atquinn]

...I don't buy all the "Jol the guru" crap personally but see why some of you admire him.

I would think most people's "relaionship" with Jol is a bit more nuanced that either drinking all the koolaid or dismissing him entirely. Or, make that "hope".

-Austin