New member and NGD (Sunburst Slammer series)

[Diocletian]

Hi guys, I'm Steven from Scotland, I've got a few guitars - Jacksons, Epiphones, a Gibson Studio Les Paul, a Dave Murray style Squier strat I modded myself. I'm mainly into hard rock and metal (classic, death, black) but my favourite band are Jethro Tull.

Which is why I've wanted a black Hamer Sunburst like the one he used to play in the late 70's, early 80's. Hamers like that appear to be pretty rare in the UK, especially one in the lower end of the price range. I've had my eye open for something for about a year and found exactly ZERO. I've seen the newer XT range but they either have no binding on the body or really flashy binding which I don't want.

Anyway I found pretty much exactly what I was looking for in a music shop in Glasgow, purely by chance (I don't normally get to guitar shops). It's a Slammer Series, made in Korea, and looks to me to be about 15 years old at least. It has a really deep archtop, the binding and "cream" pickup rings are near enough yellow now and it's got some scratches and stuff.

Given how rare they appear to be, I knew I'd be lucky to ever find anything as close to Martin's guitar in my price range so I bought it for £220. I put a DiMarzio PAF (original one) in the bridge. It plays, sounds and looks fantastic, I'm really pleased with it. The neck is ideal for my hand. I think I'm more excited about this guitar than the Gibson LP Studio I got a couple of weeks ago!

It does say "Slammer Series" under the Hamer, but I put black tape over it as it looks kinda naff (a trick I found on here!). I read as many posts about guitars like this as I could on here before I bought it and the concensus seems to be that the older Korean Slammer Series guitars are decent instruments which certainly seems borne out in this guitar.

Anyway, here's some pics and a video of the exact performance that made me want a Hamer like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL4hf_EBSdY

P1010008 by stormwatch1977, on Flickr

P1010001 by stormwatch1977, on Flickr

P1010006 by stormwatch1977, on Flickr

[Thundernotes]

Welcome!

Many of our members have the Korean imports and love them - especially at the low price. Stick around and enjoy.

[specialk]

Welcome, Steven!

That's a fine looking Sunburst there. Congrats. Some of us here had Hamer imports as out first Hamer guitar, then found out more about the USA models. My first was a Korean Echotone. Great guitar for the money, which led to some USA models.

Stick around and enjoy!

[mathman]

Hide your wallet. For years and years. It is never safe.;-)

[BTMN]

Welcome!

I have been lucky to own several Hamer Slammer series Sunbursts. I prefer the Flat top Sunbursts. I have a Trans Red and a Trans Amber one.

BTW, Martin Barre called and told me to let you know you can ship his guitar back now! I have seen Black Flat top Slammer Series ones like Martin's you are looking for. Martin's old Sunbursts were Flat topped but you knew that right?

[Brooks]

welcome. you done good broseph, that's a good lookin ax. the slammer series were the 1st (and very best quality) of all the hamer imports. my 1st hamer was also a slammer series sunburst that i bought used around 1997 as a gig backup for my LP studio. i soon realized that it looked/played/sounded/held tuning better, so i sold the LP. then i found this place around 1999, many hamer usa's followed soon after, i think i've owned around 20 usa's since (down to 3 right now).

save up and keep an eye on the for sale board here, your next step is a usa hamer, and they do pop up pretty cheap every once in awhile.

ps- i dig jethro tull too, saw 'em live w/ govt mule opening in the 90's.

[Diocletian]

Martin's old Sunbursts were Flat topped but you knew that right?

Yeah I know, it's clear enough in the "Heavy Horses" vid, but like I say, this was the ONLY one I found in a about a year that looked anything like Martin's. It's close enough for me.

Thanks guys. I had posted on the Jackson forum before I bought the guitar and everyone there said the Slammer Series were the worst of the worst so I'm glad I found this place and got to read your opinions before taking the plunge. I think the Jackson guys must have been talking about later Slammers.

As for USA Hamer's - I don't know. I'm pretty happy with what I have now, my two most expensive guitars (Jackson SL3 Soloist and Gibson LP Studio) along with some various lower priced but decent quality others are plenty for me. I have a young family and big mortgage so, USA Hamers will just have to wait 20 years or so!

[Thundernotes]

We were just discussing this one which sold for about twice yours

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hamer-USA-Sunburst-E...=item2a0c07ba20

We do see the USA models pop up from time to time.

I played one identical to yours a couple of years ago in a shop not far from here. I found the workmanship to be of a very high quality.

[Diocletian]

We were just discussing this one which sold for about twice yours

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hamer-USA-Sunburst-E...=item2a0c07ba20

We do see the USA models pop up from time to time.

I played one identical to yours a couple of years ago in a shop not far from here. I found the workmanship to be of a very high quality.

Wow, that looks pretty awesome for four fity! Don't tempt me, I still haven't told the wife about the one I already have!

[Diocletian]

BTW, any way I can get an idea of when this guitar was made?

[Diocletian]

Welcome!

I have been lucky to own several Hamer Slammer series Sunbursts. I prefer the Flat top Sunbursts. I have a Trans Red and a Trans Amber one.

BTW, Martin Barre called and told me to let you know you can ship his guitar back now! I have seen Black Flat top Slammer Series ones like Martin's you are looking for. Martin's old Sunbursts were Flat topped but you knew that right?

You post (or used to anyway) on the Seymour Duncan forum right? I'm sure we had a short conversation there about Martin's guitars and Hamer's in general a couple of years ago.

[cspot]

Wow, that looks pretty awesome for four fity! Don't tempt me, I still haven't told the wife about the one I already have!

You'll fit in just fine here! I use this board as part confessional whenever i get new gear. As long as we tell someone right?

[zorrow]

Welcome to the board!

Slammer Series are the sh*t!

[psc3251]

Hey Diocletian,

Hi Steven- welcome from a fellow Scotsman.....where abouts are you man?... I'm up in Aberdeenshire!!! Always good to here from someone in the uk- nevermind Scotland. Nice guitar.... i've got a bit of a passion for Sunbursts and Studio's- got 3 at the moment- had 5 at one point....just sold my 92 Sunburst in red (went to Italy) and sold my 07 Studio custom a few months back.

Welcome again- oh, and I guarantee you will end up with a USA Hamer before long !!!!!!!

Cheers, Dave

[Diocletian]

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

Dave I live down in Old Kilpatrick, by the Erskine Bridge (Glasgow pretty much). Sounds like everyone here is like me and has too many guitars (from the wife's POV - not enough from our POV right?!)

[psc3251]

Hi Steven,

Eh- yeh- you got that right! Years ago I used to bring new guitars home in the old guitar case, just so she'd think it was the old one! "Why have you got 5 guitars- you can only play one at a time"......they'll never understand!

Been through the Ibanez, Charvel phase- had the 'Nothing but Gibson Les Paul' phase for about 10 years ( had around 13 in total- not at once)....the bought my 1st Hamer on Ebay 2 years ago........

Needless to say, the 4 Gibbo's went on Ebay, and the Hamers kept coming...... only glitch was a PRS desire- which I've now got out my system- my last purchase was a Studio again! One PRS will stay ( I customised it with a floyd) the other has been on Ebay over the last few weeks- no serious takers though.....

I haven't posted a pic of my new guitars on the forum....so maybe I'll post a current collection pic later on today or tomorrow....keep a look out....

Cheers, Dave

[Punkavenger]

I had a mint cond. 90's Hamer Korean made Standard w/duncan distortions a few years back ... I sold it because the fret ends were rough. I wish I had thought to take it to a luthier to have that sorted out. It was a great guitar!

[kevinbower1959]

Hi Steven,

Welcome from another fellow Brit (albeit a filthy Sassenach).

Cool guitar, and the right colour too It reminds me (shapewise) of my first 'proper' guitar - a cherry-red Gibson Les Paul P90'd doublecut special which I bought many moons ago (1978?) using the money my parents gave me to go to college with. Mirroring your admiration of Martin Barre, I bought the doublecut because Pat Travers (my hero at the time) was playing one.

I too have gone down the import (XT) route although I use these imported guitars as spares because I'm fortunate enough to own a USA one. Here are a pair of my babies pictured below, complete with blacked-out 'XT series' logo on the import on the left. Not as good as the US original obviously, but with decent pups (S/D SH1 and SH5), decent wiring/switchgear and better hardware, a £200 ebay purchase was transformed into something which is just killer for the money.

Finally, as a metal fan you might like to know that the 2nd guitarist in my band is Nevermore/Exodus/Cradle/Arch Enemy/Megadeth producer Andy Sneap. We've just been signed to Metal Blade, our album's due out in the 1st quarter of next year, so PM me with your address and I'll post you a copy when it's out.

All the best, Kev

[psc3251]

Hi Kev,

OMG- that US Hamer rocks....and it has a floyd !!!! Mmmmm, maybe I need to go down that route instead of buying another floyded Sunburst...

Anyway- love the Hamers!!

Well done the UK Hamer players........

Cheers, Dave

[kevinbower1959]

Hi Kev,

OMG- that US Hamer rocks....and it has a floyd !!!! Mmmmm, maybe I need to go down that route instead of buying another floyded Sunburst...

Anyway- love the Hamers!!

Well done the UK Hamer players........

Cheers, Dave

Cheers Dave!! I just sent a mail to Hamer US requesting a price on another standard (we have a small record deal advance which I just have to utilise in the most sensible way possible, y'understand) - I've asked'em for another Floyded one with a reverse headstock, abalone binding, 666-pattern custom fretboard inlays and a black cracked mirror top.

We'll see................

All the best, Kev

[Diocletian]

Hi Steven,

Welcome from another fellow Brit (albeit a filthy Sassenach).

Cool guitar, and the right colour too It reminds me (shapewise) of my first 'proper' guitar - a cherry-red Gibson Les Paul P90'd doublecut special which I bought many moons ago (1978?) using the money my parents gave me to go to college with. Mirroring your admiration of Martin Barre, I bought the doublecut because Pat Travers (my hero at the time) was playing one.

I too have gone down the import (XT) route although I use these imported guitars as spares because I'm fortunate enough to own a USA one. Here are a pair of my babies pictured below, complete with blacked-out 'XT series' logo on the import on the left. Not as good as the US original obviously, but with decent pups (S/D SH1 and SH5), decent wiring/switchgear and better hardware, a £200 ebay purchase was transformed into something which is just killer for the money.

Finally, as a metal fan you might like to know that the 2nd guitarist in my band is Nevermore/Exodus/Cradle/Arch Enemy/Megadeth producer Andy Sneap. We've just been signed to Metal Blade, our album's due out in the 1st quarter of next year, so PM me with your address and I'll post you a copy when it's out.

All the best, Kev

That's amazing Kev, I'll definetely PM you my address, I'd love to hear your CD. Andy has worked on some of my favourite albums by Megadeth, Opeth and Kreator. I'm guessing your album will sound pretty awesome.

Your Standard's are great looking guitars, I had a Jackson Kelly I just sold (to buy my Gibson) - for metal you can't beat something Explorer shaped eh?

[Diocletian]

I just put an orange drop in this, the tone control just seemed to go from bright to mud. Much better now! :angry:

I went in and sat it on a stand next to my Gibson LP - I'm surprised at the quite large difference in size. Are all Hamer Sunbursts a lot smaller than Les Pauls? It doesn't FEEL that small!

BTW does anyone have any idea how old this guitar may be?

[specialk]

BTW does anyone have any idea how old this guitar may be?

You can't tell the age of the imports from the serial number as you can with the USA models. I'm guessing the Korea models were made in the mid 90s.

[dalep]

I am happy with my sunburst archtop with p90's.

[gorch]

Great thread so far. And a warm welcome to our new member. The old Slammer series are supposed to be excellent, especially for the money. It might make sense to replace parts of the electronics to more quality. It looks like you've turned to this path already.