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Tell me about the HFC $350 buying/selling days


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I was too young to remember people buying/selling USA Hamers for $350 on the forum.  I assume this was the 90s?  Please elaborate and provide stories on the 'ol days.  

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It actually wasn't that long ago. It was fairly common up until about 15 years ago, apart from the occasional miracle deal which happens from time to time.  

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A LOT of fine instruments exchanged hands regularly here in those days. It was both awesome, and a curse... However, it did lead to the "tree-fiddy" joke. If you wanna delve a little deeper, ask about the 'half a 20', or 'shark fin' picks. 😃 Here in later days, we have been relegated to 'TDC', and 'IBS', etc..

There were also the Hamer Factory Open House get togethers, wood selections for custom orders, and so on... I never made it to one of those. Dammit. I did manage one custom order before the demise, so there's that.

 

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You know, one of you offered me a green Diablo for $350 in the last decade and like the dumbass that I am, I declined cause I ain't I to locking trems...WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH ME circa 2011??????

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Never got to $350 but came close. A 81 Special with checkerboard headstock for $400 back in 85. Sold it a few years back for $850 and I regret that. A 90 Special for $415 that I got on the spur of the moment. Turned it around a few weeks later for $550 around 02. A 83 Vector I got for $375 and sold it for the same price to a fellow HFC member maybe 5 years ago. Did I mention I regret selling the 81 ? Mojo guitar. 

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Through 2005 or so, the cheapist non-trem I got on HFC was 400 for an 81 Vector (flametop/SB bridge).  Here and elsewhere though, could get just about any of the plain (not O''Connor) 80s shredders for 250-350.  Still kicking myself for not getting a $285 Irridescent Centaura that hung out at Merrygoround for weeks.

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I bought my first Hamers very cheap... $700.00 for a Studio Custom... that was the in the late 90’s that I fell in the Hamer rabbit hole, loved everyone I’ve owned!! Favorite is still my Artist’s both the Korina P90 and the Maple Top Humbucker w some of Josh’s magic pickups in it!!

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Hamer guitars have always been a good deal used.  If it weren't for this forum, I'd have bought the last dozen or so for a lot less.  I'm just sayin'...

My favorite forum.  And having Mike S. forwarding the legacy is just icing on the cake. 

Here's me with my first Hamer in 1979.  It's a 1978 bought from Jimmy Head at Music City in Orlando Florida on my birthday (March 28th, 1979).  It hung there for six months.  I think dad paid less than $600. 

Ip8bAKW.jpg

 

 

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15 minutes ago, The Shark said:

Hamer guitars have always been a good deal used.  If it weren't for this forum, I'd have bought the last dozen or so for a lot less.  I'm just sayin'...

My favorite forum.  And having Mike S. forwarding the legacy is just icing on the cake. 

Here's me with my first Hamer in 1979.  It's a 1978 bought from Jimmy Head at Music City in Orlando Florida on my birthday (March 28th, 1979).  It hung there for six months.  I think dad paid less than $600. 

Ip8bAKW.jpg

 

 

Still have it Dave?

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No.  It had a bad neck and I returned it for warranty.  They sent back a sunburst guitar with a real bright cherry sunburst and I opted out for a B.C. Rich Mockingbird.  The rabbit hole sucked me in right about then.  Never looked back. 

I specifically remember playing Head First by the Babys on that guitar in my high school gymnasium.  Nobody knew the song and it became a big hit soon thereafter.  Still one of the most memorable gigs I've ever played. 

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13 minutes ago, The Shark said:

I specifically remember playing Head First by the Babys on that guitar in my high school gymnasium.  Nobody knew the song and it became a big hit soon thereafter Still one of the most memorable gigs I've ever played. 

What a great album. I still have the LP I bought when it came out! That must’ve been a grand time at school! Which HS?

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Plenty of good deals on here.  Since the HFC started in 96/97, I bought an '81 Special for $185, a Black, bound & crowned 4 digit Standard for $499 (#0150),  a 6-in-line stoptail Blitz guitar in trans cherry in a trade for an '89 ProCo RAT, an early '80s MXR Dist+ and $200 cash.  Still regret not immediately walking away with a 4 digit, sunburst (single X2NB) Standard Bass...for $299.

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Like THIS?

RocketeriaStdbody.jpg

RocketeriaStdhead.jpg

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3 hours ago, The Shark said:

Hamer guitars have always been a good deal used.  If it weren't for this forum, I'd have bought the last dozen or so for a lot less.  I'm just sayin'...

My favorite forum.  And having Mike S. forwarding the legacy is just icing on the cake. 

Here's me with my first Hamer in 1979.  It's a 1978 bought from Jimmy Head at Music City in Orlando Florida on my birthday (March 28th, 1979).  It hung there for six months.  I think dad paid less than $600. 

Ip8bAKW.jpg

Green low-pile shag: Check

"Tryin'-ta" moustache and longish hair: Check

Terrycloth Kensington/OP shirt: Check

What the hell are those things on the shelves behind you?

 

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11 hours ago, gtrdaddy said:

What a great album. I still have the LP I bought when it came out! That must’ve been a grand time at school! Which HS?

 

11 hours ago, gtrdaddy said:

What a great album. I still have the LP I bought when it came out! That must’ve been a grand time at school! Which HS?

DeLand,Fl

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9 hours ago, RobB said:

Green low-pile shag: Check

"Tryin'-ta" moustache and longish hair: Check

Terrycloth Kensington/OP shirt: Check

What the hell are those things on the shelves behind you?

 

Encyclopedias.  I hear they have them on CD...

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Late 90's - early 2000's you could get 80's Specials , Vectors , prototypes for $400-600 all day long , if you could find them, there were not many shops that had used inventory online. When one popped up it went quickly. I use to make weekend trips to different areas and look up the music & pawn shops up in the phone book and plan out the day. Would always ask do you have any old Hamers around. It paid off once , the guy went in the back and bought out a Sunburst, still have that one.  

Best two deals were the GC by Hamer Chaparral for $150 , it was missing the Floyd rose, of course the Watson for $550 + $60 for import duty fee.

 

Remember the USED gear by mail catalogs? The Hamers that showed up there were always gone by the time I called.   

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