Jol's Website

[RobB]

While everyone seems to be enjoying piling on, fact is without his vision and efforts this forum doesn't exist. Maybe he is quirky and difficult to deal with at times, so are many creative types. Why not just wish him well and see where the chips land?

This.

Geez, guys. You finally got the Hamer you wanted and now all you can do is kick Dantzig in the ribs? Let it go, ferchrissakes.

Ironic, though I must admit, that one of his first projects was a Telecaster!

[BCR Greg]

I don't see a realistic market at that price point. While everyone seems to be enjoying piling on, fact is without his vision and efforts this forum doesn't exist. Maybe he is quirky and difficult to deal with at times, so are many creative types. Think his prima donna customers are better?

Why not just wish him well and see where the chips land?

The guy screwed UP the company that this forum pays homage to.

He ridiculed this forum constantly.

Get your facts straight and try again.

And Rob....we do not "have the Hamer that we always wanted". That Hamer was 8-10 years ago. THAT Hamer invited us to the factory. Dr. No never came to a jam.

I DO wish him well. And when we can get the Hamer company unfoogered and back on track, I hope he's got his thing going well enough that he won't come back.

[RobB]

I DO wish him well.

Don't sound like it..."The guy screwed UP the company that this forum pays homage to. He ridiculed this forum constantly."

And when we can get the Hamer company unfoogered and back on track, I hope he's got his thing going well enough that he won't come back.

Make sure you post to let us know when high-volume, Authorized Hamer Dealers like yourself and other "we's" turn things around. As a consumer, I can't imagine having that much pull myself!

[DarrenD]

Uh oh - here we go again.

I think everybody here respects Jol for what he's done in the past for Hamer. He is, of course, one of the starts of the company and still make awesome guitars. But there's no denying he perhaps wasn't the best fit for the company in recent years (denying good $ and awesome custom orders among other things). That being said, I'm sure he is happy parting his own ways and doing what he wants to do.

I think the asking price for his guitars is what's taking this thread by storm. 16k-25k is quite interesting to say the least, but I think Jol knows he probably won't even get 1-2 customers per year. I honestly don't know anyone within this market who would spend that much on a new custom order, nor do I see it ever increasing in value. Most collectors roll with vintage LPs or Fenders...something that has a good vintage market with high resale potential. I sure as hell wouldn't want to play or gig with a 20k guitar no matter how good it plays.

Either way, I'm dying to see the first Danzig guitar.

[gorch]

If he'd draw boomers in his sketch book gaggle would change ... seriously.

[onguitar]

When I looked at Jol's site a few days ago it had a different header image - which I think some of you guys might appreciate! Fortunately Google has a cached version you can check out. And yes that is genuine!

As for the asking price, I kind of thought of Ken Parker who sold his company in 2003 and now makes archtops for around $30,000. Of course Parker's guitars appear to be amazing, innovative, works of art. If Dantzig is going to be building variations of Monacos and Teles with nice paint jobs, then the price is steep. If he does something truly wondrous, then ok. But chances are ...

Well that was a random first post. Perhaps I'd better do a proper intro one.

[atquinn]

When I looked at Jol's site a few days ago it had a different header image - which I think some of you guys might appreciate! Fortunately Google has a cached version you can check out. And yes that is genuine!

...

-Austin

[Guest Guitarist]

Ok I'll try again.

From my reading, it appears your business mirrors the beginnings of Hamer. You are doing some repairs for famous clients, have established a reputation as a go to repair guy.

The divergence seems to be that they (Jol for the sake of this discussion) took the initiative to go out and roll their own. Not being satisfied with what Gibson was making, they went into competition against them.

Show us what you are made of. Either buy Hamer and run it as you see fit, or start building guitars and make your own mark. Anything short of those seems like jealousy to me, YMMV.

I don't see a realistic market at that price point. While everyone seems to be enjoying piling on, fact is without his vision and efforts this forum doesn't exist. Maybe he is quirky and difficult to deal with at times, so are many creative types. Think his prima donna customers are better?

Why not just wish him well and see where the chips land?

The guy screwed UP the company that this forum pays homage to.

He ridiculed this forum constantly.

Get your facts straight and try again.

And Rob....we do not "have the Hamer that we always wanted". That Hamer was 8-10 years ago. THAT Hamer invited us to the factory. Dr. No never came to a jam.

I DO wish him well. And when we can get the Hamer company unfoogered and back on track, I hope he's got his thing going well enough that he won't come back.

[Siaip Ciuvas]

I want a white Hamer.

I have two. And if not economy, had nearly completed custom order on white Monaco Elite when my brother was a dealer here

lookin at Jol's thing I just can wish him all the best

[Devnor]

I have a white factory Hamer. Seems like everyone got what they wanted no? Hamer is building classic shredders again & Jol is doing his own thing and seems to be setup as stay out of our hair. All we need is the economy to come back. Only then will folks be able to enjoy an uptick in the 'Twas a good day posts.

[burningyen]

I just had a look at Jol's blog. He says "Serving the client is only one side of the coin; just as fitting my designs into a template dictated by a company policy isn't my priority any longer."

I don't get it. Who was dictating company policy to him?

[Siaip Ciuvas]

its easy - he dictated the policy and then had to comply with it :D

[MCChris]

I don't get it. Who was dictating company policy to him?

My guess would be someone at FMIC.

[Zork]

Dantzig Design must have an extensive dealer channel in Dubai.

[Siaip Ciuvas]

and Moscow.

[Citrus]

"I don't see a realistic market at that price point. "

All you need is a high profile player to be known for using a certain model. Just look at Gibsons artist models

Billy Gibbons

Jimmy Page

Eric Claptons bluesbreakes gibson

etc..

crazy ass prices

[serial]

"I don't see a realistic market at that price point. "

All you need is a high profile player to be known for using a certain model. Just look at Gibsons artist models

Billy Gibbons

Jimmy Page

Eric Claptons bluesbreakes gibson

etc..

crazy ass prices

There's a bit more to the equation than that. Right now, guitars and guitar players don't have the attention that they did in the 60s/70s, etc.

[mc2]

There's a bit more to the equation than that. Right now, guitars and guitar players don't have the attention that they did in the 60s/70s, etc.

...but if Jay-Z starts wearing one around his neck on a gold chain or they put a digitaized one in the hands of an animated rocker on Guitar Hero 3.......Jol might sell zillions.

[jisham]

its easy - he dictated the policy and then had to comply with it :D

This.

I think Hamer's recent willingness to make all the cool guitars people wanted for so long is indicative of why things got so crappy toward the end with Jol at the helm. I guess the guru looked great in all those cigar magazine ads and all though.

[BCR Greg]

Ok I'll try again.

From my reading, it appears your business mirrors the beginnings of Hamer. You are doing some repairs for famous clients, have established a reputation as a go to repair guy.

The divergence seems to be that they (Jol for the sake of this discussion) took the initiative to go out and roll their own. Not being satisfied with what Gibson was making, they went into competition against them.

Show us what you are made of. Either buy Hamer and run it as you see fit, or start building guitars and make your own mark. Anything short of those seems like jealousy to me, YMMV.

Buy Hamer? Take another hit of the pipe, son. I am a guitar retailer/repairman. I have no interest in creating guitars for others, with the exception of those that are produced by high quality manufacturers to the exacting specs of my customers. AND, I am already out on my own. Have been for 16 years in a ever more difficult industry.

Jealousy? You are so far off the path that you might never get back on.

For years, my shop designed and begged for fully custom guitars and battles were fought to get guitars improved over the already high standards. Many of the ideas that I had to fight for became Jol's ideas when they public first saw them. His TRIBE facebook shows guitars that he had NOTHING to do with the design of, and myself and the customer had to FIGHT him to get them done. Many features and models that are now stock in the line came from these sessions.

Show you what I am made of? Take a look, zippy. It's clear. You are some faceless poster on an internet board....I am available in every capacity.

I do not want to change the world of guitar building, I just want the assholes to get out of the way of those that truly believe in the common man customer...the one that is loyal, values their purchases for what they do and not for the bragging rights.

This puts a significant distance between one Jol Dantzig and I.

So....Mister Faceless Authority....anything else you need to know?

Oh, and tell Jol that I said "Hi". He's still good guy.

[GusS]

There's a bit more to the equation than that. Right now, guitars and guitar players don't have the attention that they did in the 60s/70s, etc.

...but if Jay-Z [...]

man's 41 years old.. just goes to show how in with the times you are

[JohnnyB]

I was reading the bio on this website...it says that Jol was out of Hamer from 1993 to 1997. Funnily enough, that's my favorite year groupings for Hamers. Coincidence?

This piqued my interest, so I made a little list of the instruments designed and produced during this period:

• Artist
  
• Artist Studio with wraptail
  
• Daytona
  
• Duo-Tone
  
• Eclipse, Eclipse-12
  
• Mirage
  
• Special FM
  
• Return of the Standard (1995)
  
• Studio archtop with wraptail
  
• T51
  
• And lest we forget, the almost-legendary Boltneck 2Tek Cruise basses (4-string, 5-string, fretted, fretless)--one of the very best Jazz-type basses ever conceived and made, created in 1995 and killed upon his return in 1997
  

In fact, several of these were killed or dramatically changed within a year of his return, such as the T51 (killed along with all boltnecks) and the 3-hole flattop Duotone (too Plebian?) in favor of an f-hole archtop version.

[Stubb]

These guitars are $20k because I hand paint each of them in this stylish leather jacket.

[atquinn]

I was reading the bio on this website...it says that Jol was out of Hamer from 1993 to 1997. Funnily enough, that's my favorite year groupings for Hamers. Coincidence?

This piqued my interest, so I made a little list of the instruments designed and produced during this period:

• Artist
  
• Artist Studio with wraptail
  
• Daytona
  
• Duo-Tone
  
• Eclipse, Eclipse-12
  
• Mirage
  
• Special FM
  
• Return of the Standard (1995)
  
• Studio archtop with wraptail
  
• T51
  
• And lest we forget, the almost-legendary Boltneck 2Tek Cruise basses (4-string, 5-string, fretted, fretless)--one of the very best Jazz-type basses ever conceived and made, created in 1995 and killed upon his return in 1997
  

In fact, several of these were killed or dramatically changed within a year of his return, such as the T51 (killed along with all boltnecks) and the 3-hole flattop Duotone (too Plebian?) in favor of an f-hole archtop version.

Interesting. I like some of those models (especially the Eclipse), but I definitely wouldn't call that any sort of golden age for Hamer. I mean, all the bolt-ons and the Mirage were pretty much reactionary moves weren't they? I personally think the Eclipse is awesome, but I can't think of any setneck Hamer makes that gets less love. I kind of see why Jol came back.

-Austin

[Steve Haynie]

I personally think the Eclipse is awesome, but I can't think of any setneck Hamer makes that gets less love.

The Mirage takes a lot of hits. People either love it or hate it.