brand loyalty cntd.

[MCChris]

I don't see it as my responsibility, to pay an inflated price to support a company.

A price for a new item (and especially a custom item) that's considerably more than used isn't necessarily inflated. Often it's justified, especially when you consider the craftsmen who work at Hamer.

I'm sure there's not a single person here who would appreciate having the value of their livelihood dismissed as "inflated" simply because what they create can be had for less on the used market, or the service they provide can be done for less by someone with less experience or talent.

[Rodan]

I had a big, long-winded dissertation about where Hamer is these days and included my irk at Jol being published in Guitar Aficionado Magazine... Apparently, I was at it for too long and it was blown away.

Oh well.

Suffice to say that my loyalty to Hamer quality and affordability is a matter of nostalgia. I've bought their '90's models new and used and have never paid more than $1k for them. Beautiful, handmade guitars! Nobody's been cheated in this - I pride myself in knowing how good and, more recently, how under-valued they are. I've loved all of them and I'm grateful to have had the opportunities.

There are alot of beautiful guitars out there that are completely unattainable for me. I think I'll always admire James Tyler, Teuffel and Old Steinberger in the way that I admire players like Allan Holdsworth and Shawn Lane. No need to throw them under Hamer's wheels... Non-sweatshop guitar quality is ridiculously expensive, these days, across the modern-economic-board. I believe that there's a price point above which a guitar can no longer be your right arm - your better voice, a thing of value because-you-say-it-is. Expensive guitars are investment objects that derive their worth from external, fluctuating resale markets. If you're strapped or you need a walk-in humidor, you unload one.

Old Hamer won my loyalty with design innovation, service and accessibility as a philosophy. I'm glad to see the brand survive, but it's sad to see a period that disposes of favorite designs and embraces big price tags, greatest hits, traditions set by other companies and...well, Guitar Aficionado articles.

Short version, yeah, I DO love Hamer! Always will.

[LordOfTheThighs]

I don't see it as my responsibility, to pay an inflated price to support a company.

A price for a new item (and especially a custom item) that's considerably more than used isn't necessarily inflated. Often it's justified, especially when you consider the craftsmen who work at Hamer.

I'm sure there's not a single person here who would appreciate having the value of their livelihood dismissed as "inflated" simply because what they create can be had for less on the used market, or the service they provide can be done for less by someone with less experience or talent.

I'm not dismissing or belittling the work, talent, or integrity of those out there that put in a hard days work. As

a guy who gets up at 3:30am everyday, start work at 5am, and usually doesn't get home until almost 6pm, I wouldn't appreciate my

work or the products I manufacture being slagged upon. I also know that when my company charges $175 / hr, for the work I do, they're making lots of $$$.

But to take that one line out of my comment, and imply that I think inflated equates to looking down upon the hard work of others, well that just isn't so.

If people think it's OK to pay, what I consider big $$$, for a product, and

have it devalue by half, just because they took it home, then they probably have more disposable income than me.

I understand that economics are against the smaller companies, and that plays against their resale. But those

same economics work against me, also. So I try to buy smart, not out of loyalty.

Just saying ...

[stobro]

I don't have any particular brand loyalty, but I do take an opposite tack at times: Certain brands and companies (and retailers, for that matter) have been so aloof and/or unprofessional that I am not interested in doing business with them.

There are more Ford trucks around than there are Lincolns, and if I was considering a (new) utilitarian instrument, I would probably gravitate, perhaps surprisingly, towards Peavey first, because Hartley's mantra still seems to be "quality equipment for working musicians at fair prices", as it's been for decades. Factors into that orientation would include my minimal musical talent (I don't need anything fancy), + most patrons at most venues where most of us play don't know or care about the name on a headstock + I play bass, and Peavey basses have a good reputation over their history, if one looks at what the company was/is trying to accomplish + Hartley Peavey's done me a coupla favors and I would want to try to reciprocate by purchasing and using his company's products.

I have to agree with this, plus I have my own reasons for considering Peavey first. Back in 1982, when the job market was just about as bad as it is today, Hartley took a chance on this Yankee kid fresh out of college when 75 other industrial design firms and product manufacturers I sent resumes to never gave me the time of day. Peavey sat me down in front of a drawing board (anyone remember those?) and got me involved in the design of all sorts of guitars, basses, electronics, packaging and you-name-it.

I stumbled upon Hamers about a dozen years ago not knowing anything about them other than their connection with Rick Nielsen. A local shop had a special FM on the wall that looked, felt and sounded great for a very reasonable price. I eventually found the HFC and that started me on my path of Hamer "collecting" although I still have more Peavey gear than any other brand.