MIK Question

[Crimsontider]

I found a MIK Hamer (SS) Californian in the music store the other day and I decided to buy it, after 14 years without, due to the sound/price ratio and the brand. I knew who Hamer was, but didn't research the USA vs Shop vs. foreign manufactured until I got home with it.

After a little research comparing this Korean manufactured Hamer to the USA Californian built around the same time, it's appears that the USA models have held up better around the edges. I see that the pickups are Duncan Designed, but they are very responsive to harmonics and are great with distortion.

Compared to the USA I see different pickups, licensed by Floyd, non stretch one part neck, inferior details around the cutout spots, tuners and I am sure a few others, but is the body wood the same? What type of wood is it? I am guessing maple or alder?

For $125, even with the missing whammy, neck nuts, bar and a back plate, I am very happy to have it. Even if it's not the USA Hamer I remember from back in my metal years, it has good parts and is sturdy.

It sounds better than my old Japanese Charvel, as good as a late 80's BC Rich I had. Only my long lost 79 Strat beat it overall.

Any comments on this guitar, wood, pickups, quality, is appreciated. From my reading I am under the assumption that the first MIK's that didn't display the Slammer Series underneath are the best and the Slammer by Hammer is probably not as good. The USA Hammers are in a different ball park and maybe I can find a good one on line in the next couple of years. I am impressed by this one.

I am happy that I found this forum and have been reading a lot of the posts.

Greg

[specialk]

welcome and congrats on a great score! $125 is a good price for that. And kudos for pics on a first post.

I'm no expert, but the grain of the wood sure looks like alder to me.

[Crimsontider]

Thanks.

A found a pic online of one that looked very similar to mine and the owner thought his was Alder. Sure beats plywood and plastic for something new around the same price!

The guitar weights around 7.5lbs and has a finish that has a few chip marks around the tremelo system. Tan looking.

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

FWIW, I did lots of posting on Hamer on my blog when I first discovered my Hamer Stellar (and other imports, then shading in the USAs). They have ended up pretty high in the Google search strings.

And one thing I got wrong is that the Hamer Slammer Series are actually better than the MIK Hamers that don't say "Slammer Series".

So you got the best import Hamer Cali, certainly. The color is the import version of Aztec Gold.

Those are hella good guitars, near professional quality, if not actually there. Not as good as the USAs, of course (even though I insisted they were for more than a year, even after getting a few USA shredders...all it stubbornness and good luck w/ 2 amazingly excellent imports).

You should be well pleased.

Rock it hard.

[ton13]

Congratulation for ur Hamer . This very big value guitar.

[gorch]

Today's XT line models are made from Alder. I have Slammer series bass at home that could be of the same period than your guitar that acoustically definitely has more strength than my younger Korean Standard. So, I would say that wood could be of Ash.

[Crimsontider]

FWIW, I did lots of posting on Hamer on my blog when I first discovered my Hamer Stellar

Yes, you have the most pertinent information on my guitar on the web in those blogs. It is hard to find a lot of information due to the whole wide range use of "Slammer" in different guitars. I also believe that this guitar is confused with the slammer by Hamer when being priced by many.

I was hoping that your listings of quality would shift this guitar up a notch It has a professional sound quality to my ears, especially if you are a Heavy Metal type player. I compared it to a couple of new guitars in the music store and it's tone and punch stuck out pretty convincingly.

I am going to restore it the best I can. It looks like the parts I need are pretty standard. The back plate can be home made.

Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated.

[Crimsontider]

I would say that wood could be of Ash.

I would be very happy if it was ash . Not sure if the later 70's Strats were made of ash, but this guitar feels heavy like my former 79. Two other main guitars that I've had, the 80's Charvel model 3 and a B.C Rich superstrat were a little lighter it seemed than this Hamer (SS) Cali.

[Pierre07]

I wish I still have my stellar1

[Crimsontider]

I wish I still have my stellar1

Due to the confusion of the different generation MIK model's, from the web;

"The first generation had “Hamer” in big letters, and “Slammer Series” in smaller letters underneath that. People I’ve talked to consider the Hamer Slammer Series to be the best import Hamers, followed by the 2nd generation Korean imports, followed by the Hamer XT series (made in China) followed by the Slammer by Hamer guitars made in Indonesia, followed by the Slammer (by Hamer) guitars that are made in China or the Philippines or somewhere.",

I believe that these earlier models are way undervalued. People looking at a blue-book may even get confused. But after seeing that my old 80's import Charvel Model 3 goes for up to $700 on ebay and the

older MIK Hammer's sometimes in the $200 range, it leads me to believe the reason is that you know what you are getting with the Charvel, and seller knows the value of what he has, but my MIK Slammer sounds and plays better than the old Charvel. Here's me playing it around 94.

Even though it's not considered a true Hamer by many, your old Stellar1 and mine are a lot closer than today's Slammer line is to their USA counterparts. There was probably a whole lot less disconnect between parties.

I sure think I know a lot for someone that owns a Korean Hamer for 2 weeks Honestly I am just going by intuition off of what I've been tirelessly reading.

I have enjoyed the educational benefits of this site. Their are some quality threads to learn from.

I am one of the ones that like Hamer's superstrats from a bye gone era. I will never buy a new Hamer, nor a current design used. It will always be a Strat style body, no matter where it's made. I can understand Hamer wanting to concentrate and evolve by continuing to craft their own designs rather than making a bunch of overpriced Strats.

I do wish the quality of their spin off, or licensed name imports were a step up. Maybe a Japanese line of the Cali with a cheaper Floyd and budget Duncan's and quality wood.

Rant

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

I wish I still have my stellar1

Due to the confusion of the different generation MIK model's, from the web;

"The first generation had “Hamer” in big letters, and “Slammer Series” in smaller letters underneath that. People I’ve talked to consider the Hamer Slammer Series to be the best import Hamers, followed by the 2nd generation Korean imports, followed by the Hamer XT series (made in China) followed by the Slammer by Hamer guitars made in Indonesia, followed by the Slammer (by Hamer) guitars that are made in China or the Philippines or somewhere.",

I believe that these earlier models are way undervalued. People looking at a blue-book may even get confused. But after seeing that my old 80's import Charvel Model 3 goes for up to $700 on ebay and the

older MIK Hammer's sometimes in the $200 range, it leads me to believe the reason is that you know what you are getting with the Charvel, and seller knows the value of what he has, but my MIK Slammer sounds and plays better than the old Charvel. Here's me playing it around 94.

Even though it's not considered a true Hamer by many, your old Stellar1 and mine are a lot closer than today's Slammer line is to their USA counterparts. There was probably a whole lot less disconnect between parties.

I sure think I know a lot for someone that owns a Korean Hamer for 2 weeks Honestly I am just going by intuition off of what I've been tirelessly reading.

I have enjoyed the educational benefits of this site. Their are some quality threads to learn from.

I am one of the ones that like Hamer's superstrats from a bye gone era. I will never buy a new Hamer, nor a current design used. It will always be a Strat style body, no matter where it's made. I can understand Hamer wanting to concentrate and evolve by continuing to craft their own designs rather than making a bunch of overpriced Strats.

I do wish the quality of their spin off, or licensed name imports were a step up. Maybe a Japanese line of the Cali with a cheaper Floyd and budget Duncan's and quality wood.

Rant

Man, whoever wrote that explanation you quoted above is brilliant! Someone should probably give him a paying job writing about guitars.

[Crimsontider]

Man, whoever wrote that explanation you quoted above is brilliant! Someone should probably give him a paying job writing about guitars.

I agree..............did you write that?

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

Man, whoever wrote that explanation you quoted above is brilliant! Someone should probably give him a paying job writing about guitars.

I agree..............did you write that?

Um. yeah.

[Crimsontider]

You da man!

[Crimsontider]

Nathan or any member. I have to purchase some parts as mentioned above. I would like to buy a tremelo arm and the locking nuts as soon as I get the information. Do you know the correct arm to get? I have a feeling this is going to be a long process. I also need the string tree bar. If you have any knowledge of the specs I need, I would be extremely grateful. Most importantly the arm and locking nuts for the licensed by Floyd system. Or even a good recommendation of a online site that deals in parts.

I appreciate the replies to my post.

Greg

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