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that is sad.

I remember seeing our plant after it had closed. Reminds of this. Hell, we only packaged eggs but it was a life long business for me at the time.

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I don't understand why it's still there. The color is awesome, the build is awesome, it's a ONE OF A KIND custom issue, but not like a Miller guitar or something gaudy. And it's only $2500. That would be like 15,000 if it was from the G-brand.

It's there because I don't have $2500 to buy it! ;) I posted it before and was mocked! Mocked, I say!
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As the day has gone on, I've gotten sadder and sadder about this.

A random musing passed through my noggin a while ago. That's all it is, a random musing and no offense is intended toward members, builders, etc.

It is told that the Chinese accidentally invented barbecue when a farmer's barn burned down with a pig in it. It is also told that they continued to burn down a barn any time they wanted to barbecue. There were almost no barns left in the province before they wised up.

I cant help but think that in a similar fashion, this is FMIC's ham-fisted attempt to get both Shishkov brothers under the same roof, not just under the same corporate umbrella? Given their corporate behavior over the past few years, it wouldn't surprise me.

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So, this is it? Makes me cherish my Hamers even more. I do believe that this all went south because of the constant "No's" to all the shapes and features Hamer was famous for in the past. If it wasn't for that they would possibly have survived in their niche.

I am also sure there would be a market for guitars build by Ex-Hamer luthiers using the techniques and supplying the quality Hamer was famous for. The word just needs to be spread. Oh, and how about a crowd funding to buy out the Hamer brand name from FMIC?

HRR

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Everything got an end. Except for the sausage, which got two.

Very sad to see the floor empty. The equipment would be worth crowdfunding to build whatever guitars for a new brand on it. The default fund could make up an equal amount rebate on a build.

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The shop closing hits me hard - especially when I think of those who are displaced without work. It's really tough to think about.

The picture below kinda brings things full circle for Hamer. The first(ish) guitar produced by Hamer was a 4 digit Standard - the last guitar is a 4-digit reissue type. My good friend David B will take possession of this iconic guitar later this week. Happy for David because he has been one of the best ambassador's for Hamer but it is bittersweet for sure...

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Thanks again,

Mike Shishkov.

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The crowdfunding thing is always a possibility, IF they put the building up for sale. Does FMIC even own the building, or is it leased/rented? The equipment also may be leased, and they may just decide to keep it, move it, or auction it off. Fender may decide they don't want their latest "guild factory" to become another "guild factory." From what I remember reading, Guild was started by workers from the Epiphone plant, which Gibson closed after they bought it out.

One of the biggest surprises I've always had is that when Gibson left Kalamazoo, they left the factory there, and it was able to be purchased. Now Heritage guitars and many other companies (like ProCo, the makers of the Rat and cables) are in the building as well. Currently there is a local charity trying to preserve the crumbling GIBSON smoke stack on the building.

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Someone already stated the space is leased. The equipment is generic wood working shop stuff other than the CNC, all of, which could quite possibly be had cheaper elsewhere. It only makes sense if you are buying the whole operation, as a running business, such as, the Hamer name and equipment. The reality is, Fender paid $117,000,000 for Kaman, so they are not going to sell Hamer with equipment for $200,000. If they would, I'd write the check right now.

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THANK you all for kind words and support!!! It's greatly appreciated.

If any of you have pictures from open houses could you share them here?

THANK YOU for your work and dedication making great guitars all these years. What has happened is sad beyond words.

There are some pics of a couple of the open houses right here on the HFC site, for those that don't know. I'm sure we have hundreds more we can post.

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I'm wondering what's going to happen to the unfinished guitars - somebody paid GOOD MONEY for those orders, I'd be on the phone with FMIC right now, giving them an earful warning them that they need to honor their obligations in fulfilling my order.

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I'm wondering what's going to happen to the unfinished guitars - somebody paid GOOD MONEY for those orders, I'd be on the phone with FMIC right now, giving them an earful warning them that they need to honor their obligations in fulfilling my order.

The company was closed, not bankrupted. Odds are Fender doesn't want deal with warranty issues and will likely give refunds.

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I'm wondering what's going to happen to the unfinished guitars - somebody paid GOOD MONEY for those orders, I'd be on the phone with FMIC right now, giving them an earful warning them that they need to honor their obligations in fulfilling my order.

The company was closed, not bankrupted. Odds are Fender doesn't want deal with warranty issues and will likely give refunds.

If that were my Standard in the above pic, 99% complete, I'd be absolutely ape-shit right now.....this is flat-out WRONG.

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The Standard will be shipped, I'm more than confident.

Unfortunately, the fate of the other 4-5 guitars in the queue remains uncertain. The refund scenario will be the most likely.

The crowdfunding scenario is simply not realistic. FMIC will not sell that asset. It costs them nothing to own the name and associated marks of a defunct brand. Although they are challenged for cashflow right now and in the foreseeable future, I just can't see that happening. It's corporate business. Emotional attachments and sentiment have little to no place in an environment driven solely by the bean counters looking to maximize shareholder earnings. It's not evil or bad, it's just unfortunate that they can't/won't consider the "human" factor like we all instinctively want them to do. That's not how business works when you get to a certain size.

A more likely (and important) scenario would be to enthusiastically support the Hamer guys in whatever endeavor(s) they take on next as much as possible. They have always been the heart and soul of the guitars that mean so much to many of us, and anything we can hope to give back to them should definitely start there.

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From what I remember reading, Guild was started by workers from the Epiphone plant, which Gibson closed after they bought it out.

Epiphone was made in New York, but then a protracted strike in 1951 prompted Epi to move to Philadelphia.

Guild was founded in Manhattan in 1952 by Aflred Dronge, music store owner/guitarist and George Mann former Gibson Exec.

Gibson didn't buy Epiphone until 1957. There may have been some migration to Guild at that time, but Guild was five years old by then.

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A couple of months ago, after one of the New Hartford guys posted a picture if a completed unsold Newport in storage (I think it was a Newport), I contacted somebody at Willcutt, I asked if they would contact New Hartford/Fender and see if there were indeed completed Hamers in storage. He sounded excited by the prospect and told me that Wilcutt would buy anything available.. He made the call on one of the snowstorm days and the facility was closed. He said he'd get back to me but he never did. Occassionally I visit Willcutt's website to see if there are any Hamers in the "New Arrivals" section, but none have been posted.

I image that some of the other former Hamer dealers could make the same call. But, now, who would they call? And where, if there are any, are they stored?

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A couple of months ago, after one of the New Hartford guys posted a picture if a completed unsold Newport in storage (I think it was a Newport), I contacted somebody at Willcutt, I asked if they would contact New Hartford/Fender and see if there were indeed completed Hamers in storage. He sounded excited by the prospect and told me that Wilcutt would buy anything available.. He made the call on one of the snowstorm days and the facility was closed. He said he'd get back to me but he never did. Occassionally I visit Willcutt's website to see if there are any Hamers in the "New Arrivals" section, but none have been posted.

I image that some of the other former Hamer dealers could make the same call. But, now, who would they call? And where, if there are any, are they stored?

Kim would know and will be around through May.

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THANK you all for kind words and support!!! It's greatly appreciated.

If any of you have pictures from open houses could you share them here?

I have more pics at home, but here's a slideshow from HFC3 (2000) and maybe some from HFC4 (2001):

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/burningyen/slideshow/HFC

And a slideshow from HFC5 (2002):

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/burningyen/slideshow/HFC5

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