How do I find details about my 2003 Standard?

[rj2858]

I recently purchased a 2003 Standard from a fellow member here, and was curious as to whether it was solid or chambered. It feels too light to be solid, and acoustically, it sounds different than the two '79's I used to have. Knocking on the back of the body sounds different from my other maple topped guitars too. Many months ago it appeared with some other guitars in a post, and it's owner previous to the member I bought it from, described it as solid, but I don't think so.

It doesn't matter, as I love it (5 years without a Standard, after having had at least one for 20 years will do that) , I'm just curious.

Is there someone at Hamer that I can call or email with the serial number?

Thanks in advance, RJ

[cmatthes]

Probably not chambered.

That became a (uh) standard feature in 2007. I know that several people tried to order chambered Standards in the 2002-03 era and were told it couldn't be done. Not sure when the first was done, but pretty sure it was later than yours.

[serial]

Kiz would know-I think he got the first one in 03/04.

[rj2858]

Thanks Steve, I'll trust your thinking on this, but even though neither of my '79's were "boat anchors", this thing is really light, and unplugged has a little bit of a "335" quality to it. It's serial is just over 53XXX.

I know that all Standards were special orders, but due to the color on this, and what looks like real "MOP" crowns, I thought maybe chambered was an option back then.

[murkat]

First chambered standard

[crunchee]

What exactly is 'too light to be solid'? I had two solid Korina Standards once, one was about 8 1/4 lbs, and the other one was 10 lbs 2 oz.. I had them weighed at my local UPS to be sure, but you could definitely tell the weight difference, and they were definitely solid. I sold them as I preferred the sound of Honduran mahogany over Korina, still do.

[cmatthes]

I have owned many Standards. Not a single one was a heavy guitar, and in fact, a few were among the lightest guitars I have had.

[kizanski]

Kiz would know-I think he got the first one in 03/04.

First chambered standard

Yep. There she be.

Completed January 3rd, 2005.

I sold it because "it was too nice." lol

Sometimes I wonder what goes on in this head of mine.

[rj2858]

What exactly is 'too light to be solid'? I had two solid Korina Standards once, one was about 8 1/4 lbs, and the other one was 10 lbs 2 oz.. I had them weighed at my local UPS to be sure, but you could definitely tell the weight difference, and they were definitely solid. I sold them as I preferred the sound of Honduran mahogany over Korina, still do.

Thanks for the thoughts, but I never said that it was Korina, and I did mention that tapping on the body, it sounded different than my other MAPLE-TOPPED guitars, so even if I didn't know that Korina is frequently much lighter than mahogany, (which I do, especially having had one of the original 72 1997 Korina Vectors), this being a maple topped guitar, I wouldn't expect it to weigh what a Korina Standard would, especially because having a maple top, it would not likely be Korina, which it isn't.

The unplugged sound, the weight, and again, the fact that it resonates differently from my '89 PRS Custom, not to mention my late '70's and early '80's Hamer Sunbursts (thin maple veneer instead of a roughly 1/2 inch of maple topping them), are all what made me think that it may have been chambered. I'm sure that due to the body shape of a Standard, the weight is spread out and therefore it balances better, it just surprised me how much it differed from my '79's.

That said, thanks to all who weighed (no pun intended) in, and it sure was nice to see the 1st chambered Standard, (shades of Lita Ford! How the hell could you let that one go?). Happy Holidays to all.

[kizanski]

How the hell could you let that one go?

If I had a dime for every guitar I owned that I shouldn't have sold, I could well... buy a few more guitars.

And then sell them.

[cmatthes]

Korina does not always equal a lightweight guitar. One of the heaviest guitars I recall playing was one of the '95 Korina Standards.

[crunchee]

Korina does not always equal a lightweight guitar. One of the heaviest guitars I recall playing was one of the '95 Korina Standards.

+1. My point previously was in asking 'what is too light to be solid' (I should have said 'HOW MUCH is too light?') The reason why I used the example of the two Korina Standards I had is because (1) they were solid, (2) they were Standards, (3) there was a wide gap between the weight, and (4) I actually took the trouble to weigh them in order to make a comparison between the two. The fact that they were Korina was incidental. I had two all-mahogany (no maple veneer top) solid bodied USA Standards once (one '96, one '97), their weight was somewhere between the two Korinas I mentioned (I'd call the mahogany Standards 'medium weight' for lack of a better description), probably on the low side of 9 lbs, and one was a little lighter than the other, but I didn't bother to weigh them for a accurate comparison. Sorry to confuse.

Actually, I didn't like my lightweight 8 lb + Korina Standard because it WAS too light in weight (edited to add: for me) and sounded a bit thin. I didn't like the 10 pounder KS either, as it definitely felt like 10 pounds and seemed kinda dead. Just because it was Korina didn't justify me keeping them, IMO. If I had one that weighed between the two I mentioned, it might have been a different story. I loves me a nice, solid wood, medium weight guitar with a balance of resonance and heft, and I love the sound of Honduran mahogany. Just my two cents.

[cmatthes]

Well, you is a picky bostid, isn't ya?

[kizanski]

Where is the custom order sheet?

That would answer this question fairly quickly.

[Punkavenger]

I had a friend that went to GIT and was taught in class that the perfect weight for a electric guitar is 7lbs 7 ounces ... I shit you not.

[veatch]

I had a friend that went to GIT and was taught in class that the perfect weight for a electric guitar is 7lbs 7 ounces ... I shit you not.

Well, i'm certainly glad they cleared *that* one up!

[kizanski]

I had a friend that went to GIT and was taught in class that the perfect weight for a electric guitar is 7lbs 7 ounces ... I shit you not.

Oh Christ...

[RobB]

Korina does not always equal a lightweight guitar. One of the heaviest guitars I recall playing was one of the '95 Korina Standards.

Yessir. That thing was HOG (see avatar to the left).

Recorded nicely, though...