Martin Barre used A LOT of Hamer guitars on Tull albums...!

[Sentinel]

As Martin Barre is one of my favourite guitarists I was happy to find that we share a similar taste...!

Hamer guitars!! As a complement to the Premier Guitar interview (July 2011) I've found more details.

On the gear part of his homepage (www.martinbarre.com) he says that for Jethro Tull albums he used:

---

"...a Hamer Explorer Serial number 0002 bought, of course, from my great friend Paul Hamer.

[earlier] I stuck with Gibsons until Paul Hamer convinced me his guitars were better!

He was right and I must have amassed a dozen of his instruments and played them on Bursting Out,

Heavy Horses, Songs from the Wood and Stormwatch... [and a...] "handmade Hamer Chapparal in

solid walnut on Crest of a Knave and Rock Island..."

---

That was interesting to know, right?! So,I think I'll go to my cd collection and have a another listen

to those albums... right now!

[Jem]

Martin was probably Hamer's highest profile player in the day, quite amazed this is a revelation to you as he was quite vocal in his support for Hamer.

[lincsman]

I alway thought Martin Barre was\is a very underated Guitar player,he has made some great music,and always made sure he had his Hamer at hand

[Sentinel]

Martin was probably Hamer's highest profile player in the day, quite amazed this is a revelation to you as he was quite vocal in his support for Hamer.

Well I knew it earlier, for sure. No, the news here were the information about on which

albums he played them. Haven't seen that specified earlier!

[gorch]

Well, it's a shame that Hamer today is a silent custom shop.

[coolfeel]

Here is a clip of him playing a Chap with a wicked top on it - he used it live but not sure if this is the "Walnut" Chap. Get a decent glimpse at about 1:30

[ROCKO]

Yea ,my all time favorite.He is a kick ass guitar player,I've seen him play live countless times since

my first time in 1970.

Hell,He's the one who turned me on to Hamer's.

That black Special got me hooked ,saw him play that one and a Standard and a Chap and.....

I thick that Chap neck got broken by a roadie some where down the line .

Thanks for the video coolfeel.

Can't wait for the THICK AS A BRICK tour coming up this year.[a

ttachment=3611:HAMER,USA.jpg]

[humfree]

His black Sunburst started it all for me..

There are a few vids of them sporting Hamers - most memorable for me is the Standard on Heavy Horses:

Also look up 'Steel Monkey' and 'Jump Start'

Ian playing a Floyd and a dozen or so toward the end of the latter..

Peace

[serial]

Paul Hamer introduced me to Martin about ten years ago. Tull was playing in ACNJ about 20 minutes from me, so I drove up and met Martin. He is probably the nicest guy in rock music. Unbelievably nice. We chatted for an hour or so and the TM kept coming over to get him to go to catering. He finally very politely replied that he would just grab a sandwich later, that he was talking to me. He did excuse himself for the soundcheck.

I was not a huge Tull freak-I liked and respected them, but never saw Barre as a guy who was a shredder. I was wrong. He absolutely killed during the soundcheck, playing stuff that would take your head off. He wasn't playing Hamers-had a PRS and an Anderson or some other superstrat thing, but wow-he was good. And incredibly gracious.

[Brooks]

big fan here, too

[jwhitcomb3]

Paul Hamer introduced me to Martin about ten years ago. Tull was playing in ACNJ about 20 minutes from me, so I drove up and met Martin. He is probably the nicest guy in rock music. Unbelievably nice. We chatted for an hour or so and the TM kept coming over to get him to go to catering. He finally very politely replied that he would just grab a sandwich later, that he was talking to me. He did excuse himself for the soundcheck.

I was not a huge Tull freak-I liked and respected them, but never saw Barre as a guy who was a shredder. I was wrong. He absolutely killed during the soundcheck, playing stuff that would take your head off. He wasn't playing Hamers-had a PRS and an Anderson or some other superstrat thing, but wow-he was good. And incredibly gracious.

Great story! Thanks for sharing that.

[Joe G]

Huge fan growing up. I played Aqualung to death.

[belgian]

Plenty of Sunburst action on this DVD :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jethro-Tull-Madison-Square-Garden/dp/B002IR3PSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328822112&sr=8-1

[hardheartedbill]

Robin the drummer from Big Block Dodge did the GP article. He remembered Martins love of Hamer. He may have his old transcripts. Ill ask him

[gwayne]

I'm a fan for sure. I love the Aqualung solo. I've played it for years but can't nail it to save my life.

[Diocletian]

In my top 5 of guitar players for sure and the reason I got my Korean black Sunburst - just wish I could afford a USA one like his!

BTW, Martin isn't on the new Thick as a Brick 2 album and wont be on the "Tull" tour either - he's apparently doing a solo tour playing Tull music.

[Moxie]

Plenty of Sunburst action on this DVD :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jethro-Tull-Madison-Square-Garden/dp/B002IR3PSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328822112&sr=8-1

I was at that gig. My first Tull show. Uriah Heep opened and it started at like 4:00 or 5:00 in the afternoon to accomodate the European simulcast.

Anyway, y'all ever heard this Barre trio instrumental from the 1980 A tour, with Martin on his Blackburst, Dave Pegg on bass, and Mark Craney on drums? To me it's as kickass as any of the heavy instrumental bits he wrote for Minstrel..., "Conundrum", or anything else he ever composed for Tull:

[RichRS6]

I remember the broadcast of the Madison Square Gardens gig.

IIRC It was the first ever gig to be broadcast live on both sides of the pond and (probably) the first time I saw a Hamer on TV..

[Moxie]

I used to have a cool poster of Ian promoting that gig, holding a satellite. Long gone, but these are from the same photo session:

[Andrew]

He is yet another great from Birmingham and the Black Country!

[polara]

I saw them in 1982 (I think) because it was Tallahassee and out of pure hunger for any music I'd see pretty much everyone. I was 19. I saw Loverboy. Black Sabbath, the Kinks, Pat Benatar, UK Subs, Ramones all kinds of random acts. Anything to see a band!

I really didn't know Jethro Tull from KISS, apart from "Aqualung" I suppose. Walked up and got a seat very close to the stage on Barre's side. They were freakin' fantastic. Clever, tight, engaging, everything you'd want. I have a vague memory of him playing a black guitar some so it may have been the Sunburst. Very talented, tasteful player.

[Moxie]

That was the Broadsword tour and the last tour Martin played his Blackburst on and had started drifting to Strats and SuperStrats by Fender and Hamer.