Four Digit Standards

[Scarab85]

Sorry if this has been talked about before but does anyone know actually how many four digit Standards Hamer made? I have seen somewhere where it was mentioned that there were about 450 "four digit" guitars made which of those only about 1/3 were Standards. Does anyone have actual numbers or is it kind of a mystery? The part I'm confused still is that the four digits I'm assuming were in the 70's but there was a new serial number system started in I believe 1977 which starts with a 7 and then four digits (so not the four digit Hamer everyone lusts after). Were the four digits the custom models then and not production? Was there magic to these compared to the "production" ones or was it simply that they had options not found in the production versions? Or better yet, were the Standards not offered as production models that early? Thanks to the knowledgeable folks on HFC for any help clearing this all up. 

[The Shark]

12 hours ago, Scarab85 said:

Sorry if this has been talked about before but does anyone know actually how many four digit Standards Hamer made? I have seen somewhere where it was mentioned that there were about 450 "four digit" guitars made which of those only about 1/3 were Standards. Does anyone have actual numbers or is it kind of a mystery? The part I'm confused still is that the four digits I'm assuming were in the 70's but there was a new serial number system started in I believe 1977 which starts with a 7 and then four digits (so not the four digit Hamer everyone lusts after). Were the four digits the custom models then and not production? Was there magic to these compared to the "production" ones or was it simply that they had options not found in the production versions? Or better yet, were the Standards not offered as production models that early? Thanks to the knowledgeable folks on HFC for any help clearing this all up. 

The Book...

 

[Cary]

There were actually more like 750 four digits made, up through the early 80's.  Don't know how many were Standards, though.

[cmatthes]

The "Four Digits" were the original guitars that pre-dated, and after the 1977 introduction of the Sunburst ("Production serialed guitars), were made alongside production instruments as custom-order guitars until the mid-1980s.  As Cary points out, there were roughly 750 of those built.  By 1977 before the Sunburst came on the scene, there were far less than 100 Hamer guitars in existence.

Get "The Book" though if you want the full answer!

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Hamer-Guitars-Illustrated-History/dp/0764343521

 

[Scarab85]

Thanks guys for answering the question. I wasn't sure if there was more inside knowledge as to the numbers of Standards in the "four digit" run or not. Sounds like the records back then might not have been as complete to tell the "exact" amount of each model for the custom guitars. I do have the book and feel dumb for asking the question about production versus custom guitars but thank you cmatthes for the further clarity. It sounds like they just wanted to use a different serial numbering system for people who requested custom specs for their guitar versus the standard sunburst or vector with factory options. Makes sense. If you see a four digit for sale, is there a way to date the year based on the number?

[Disturber]

On 8/4/2018 at 2:25 AM, Scarab85 said:

Thanks guys for answering the question. I wasn't sure if there was more inside knowledge as to the numbers of Standards in the "four digit" run or not. Sounds like the records back then might not have been as complete to tell the "exact" amount of each model for the custom guitars. I do have the book and feel dumb for asking the question about production versus custom guitars but thank you cmatthes for the further clarity. It sounds like they just wanted to use a different serial numbering system for people who requested custom specs for their guitar versus the standard sunburst or vector with factory options. Makes sense. If you see a four digit for sale, is there a way to date the year based on the number?

Serial has a registry from Hamer with old serial numbers. If you are lucky it's in there. If not then the year can be estimated by comparing to serial number of other 4-digits.

[BTMN]

That leads me to ask when did the Standard officially enter the production serial numbering system?

[bruce919]

1 hour ago, BTMN said:

That leads me to ask when did the Standard officially enter the production serial numbering system?

good question.....

[cmatthes]

The Standard was pulled from the catalog in the mid-1980s, but was still available on an inquiry/custom-order basis until it was reintroduced in 1995.

After being unsuccessful at buying a particular '79 Standard, I placed an order for one in 1990 from the same dealer, and that one had a regular 1990 production serial number.  I've also seen an '86 or '87 (I forget, exactly, but pre-KAMAN) that had a regular production serial.  My best guess is that the 4-digit scheme lasted well into 1984, possibly early '85?