import Hamer 335 thingy... any good?

[murkat]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/331124692501?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I need a nice, but cheapo semi hollow type.

I see these come up once in a while, and I know of nothing on them.

something like this or a used Hagstrom import Viking...

Basically, here's the deal.

a local client came in few months back,

Had a real late 60's, early 70's hagstrom viking that needed some restore work

http://www.hamerfanclub.com/forums/topic/62917-ntl-haps-1292013-wips/?hl=viking

The sound, tone has haunted me since.

after some patients, I scored on a vintage pair of Hagstrom pups (very unique).

So, looking for a donor, carcass to the job on.

what say you?

[hamerhead]

I like mine, but I've never been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed. You definitely want the Korean version over the later Chinese one. I played a few Epiphone semi-hollows around the same time (early 2000s), and the Echotone was clearly a better instrument - but still an import.

I changed the tuners (Sperzels) and pickups (GFS Liverpools), and it's a fun guitar to play. I've see them cheaper here or there, but that's not a terrible price. I have an amber one, but prefer the red. I bet a nice blueburst would look good on there.

[zzzdat]

I have the special run flame maple one made in Korea, nice guitar, when I bought it, it had older Ibanez humbuckers in it which are nice.

Be aware if you are looking at the amber flame maple version they are 25-1/2 scale. All the other versions that I know of are 24-3/4 scale.

Cool Beans

Gene

[jaberwock]

Not sure if these are available second hand in the States, but my buddy bought one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/EDWARDS-E-SA-125LTS-Top-Laqured-Semi-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-Tabacco-Sunburst-/271385507040?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f2fd634e0 used for 700.00$ to replace his Epiphone 335, and it's head, and shoulders above any Korean made guitar I've tried.

Jaberwock

[Jeff R]

My local Hamer dealer in that production era had one just like in the auction photo. Not a bad guitar for the money by any stretch, I considered getting the one he had just to add a 335 sound to my stable without breaking the bank.

Considering what you can do on the bench, from nicer tuners and hardware to making par fretwork an eagle, I'd proceed with confidence if the price is right, Jay.

[aknapp]

I have the special run flame maple one made in Korea, nice guitar, when I bought it, it had older Ibanez humbuckers in it which are nice.

Be aware if you are looking at the amber flame maple version they are 25-1/2 scale. All the other versions that I know of are 24-3/4 scale.

Cool Beans

Gene

IIRC, all the MIK versions are 25-1/2 scale.

[murkat]

My local Hamer dealer in that production era had one just like in the auction photo. Not a bad guitar for the money by any stretch, I considered getting the one he had just to add a 335 sound to my stable without breaking the bank.

Considering what you can do on the bench, from nicer tuners and hardware to making par fretwork an eagle, I'd proceed with confidence if the price is right, Jay.

I have the special run flame maple one made in Korea, nice guitar, when I bought it, it had older Ibanez humbuckers in it which are nice.

Be aware if you are looking at the amber flame maple version they are 25-1/2 scale. All the other versions that I know of are 24-3/4 scale.

Cool Beans

Gene

IIRC, all the MIK versions are 25-1/2 scale.

If it is a long scale, I will have to pass.

Thanks for all input Gents.

[JohnnyB]

I have one of these, which were in production for only a few years. At one time the Blue Book treated them the same as the MIK AS80, giving it a resale value around $450. Glad (for my sake anyway) that they're finally getting their due. This is an MIJ downtrim version of the Scofield. Mine has Duncan JB/59 pickups in the neck/bridge. The neck is slim and fast, but rigid because it's a mahogany/maple laminate. I mention this because this is a pro quality instrument that has largely flown under the radar.

If you need a chunkier neck the Echotone will give you that. Word is that Hamer derived the dimensions of the Echotone from Kim Keller's personal vintage ES-347 (or some ES-335 variant).

[Carl.B]

This maybe something to checkout Washburn HB35. I use to have one simalar to it and outside of the pickups it was a very nice guitar. The neck was more like a fuller 60's ish neck profile.

Don't know how close you are to Knoxville.

http://knoxville.craigslist.org/msg/4333155076.html

Carl B

[aknapp]

Maybe this is an option...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Agile-AS-820-Black-Semi-Hollow-Body-Guitar-ES-335-Style-/171228301594?pt=Guitar&hash=item27de00891a

[gorch]

Yeah, I think that guitar was called Echotone to compliment the Duotone for the MIK series. It dissapeared from the XT line list of the Hamer homepage. The version Zenmindbeginner scored a while ago seems better to me, although, I have never seen that one appear in any catalogue.

[Mike Shaw]

My MIK is 24 3/4"

[Ting Ho Dung]

The "new" Hagstrom Viking Deluxe are nice guitars. I had one for about a year. I paid 4 to 450 for it. Somewhere in there. I think BTMN had an Ecotone FS not long ago.

Yup, here you go. http://www.hamerfanclub.com/forums/topic/59410-hamer-echotone/?hl=echotone