Is this Phantom Custom Carved legit?

[HamerCustomEr]

This guitar has a serial number that looks real, to me, but I have never seen any Hamer with a bevelled upper bout that looked like a PRS before.  And aren't Phantoms distinguished by flat tops, not arched tops?  The seller claims, "One of a kind custom guitar hand carved by Hamer. "

Please advise.

https://reverb.com/item/40675708-hamer-usa-phantom-custom-carved-mahogany-cherry

 

 

 

[hamerhead]

Never seen one before but it looks legit to me. Who would spend that much time/effort faking a Hamer?

I like it.

[stonge]

I kinda remember that one from a few years ago - it looked like a Phantom Custom shape on a 25th Anniversary body contour and pickups (minus the chambering).  Still think it looks interesting, but I hate that color (the river by the factory must have flowed cherry paint and been stocked with Bigsby fish lol).

Have to agree with hamerhead - nobody in their right mind would be faking a Phantom Custom/artist mahogany hybrid. 

[HamerCustomEr]

1 hour ago, stonge said:

I kinda remember that one from a few years ago - it looked like a Phantom Custom shape on a 25th Anniversary body contour and pickups (minus the chambering). 

To my eye, the upper bout looks more sculpted than the 25th Anniversary:

[stonge]

making the Phantom Custom horns thicker (the center body arch of the 25th) would almost need to have those sculpts for upper fret access.  it looks nice and clean, which points to it having been a Hamer build.

[murkat]

looks to have some watson vibe to it as well. Jol?

[kizanski]

19 hours ago, hamerhead said:

Who would spend that much time/effort faking a Hamer?

That's a question that can position you to be the owner of a lot of fake guitars.

I agree.  On the surface it makes zero sense to fake a guitar that already has crappy resale value, but they're out there.  And many more than what makes sense.  

Been looking at this one for a while and it's probably the only Phantom that I like, honestly.  

[bubs_42]

That neck pickup is $200, so that would knock a touch off the price after you sell it off. I think its cool, funky, yet oddly weird. One would have to buy it and play it to see if they make a connection, just like a Phantom. 

[Jimbilly]

2 red flags for me: the tuners don't look straight, all the fake LPs I see have poorly aligned tuners, - did Hamer really hire a guy to install tuners who didn't care?  Why no original case?  Nearly all the fake Gibbys I see have no proper case (not that it would be hard to get a legit case, I just don't see them with a real case), why ditch the original Hamer LP style case?   Otherwise, it looks great. 

  - Should the control cavity be painted?  No Hameritis ???

[cmatthes]

It'

1 hour ago, Jimbilly said:

2 red flags for me: the tuners don't look straight, all the fake LPs I see have poorly aligned tuners, - did Hamer really hire a guy to install tuners who didn't care?  Why no original case?  Nearly all the fake Gibbys I see have no proper case (not that it would be hard to get a legit case, I just don't see them with a real case), why ditch the original Hamer LP style case?   Otherwise, it looks great. 

  - Should the control cavity be painted?  No Hameritis ???

It's legit.

Single screw Grovers without the pilot pins can get knocked askew very easily.  They just push back in place.  They appear to be installed correctly to me.

A Hamer with a missing case?  I see nearly as many used ones without the original case as with them.  The fact that that 535-style case also fits any Les Paul/Copy and every other double cut Hamer, doesn't surprise me to see it parted from the guitar it shipped with from Hamer.

Control Cavity IS shielded with the Hamer cavity paint.

Hameritis wasn't on every single Hamer - it was actually relatively rare, it's just noticeable as those things tend to be elevated/shared more than the perfect examples..  By 1998/99, they had largely gotten that issue in hand...not 100%, but almost.

[Hbom]

I hope I don't get a 30 day vaca for this but it does look a bit like a late '90s Steller.

https://reverb.com/item/46762280-hamer-stellar-1999-2001-cherry-burst

[kizanski]

5 minutes ago, Hbom said:

I hope I don't get a 30 day vaca for this but it does look a bit like a late '90s Steller.

https://reverb.com/item/46762280-hamer-stellar-1999-2001-cherry-burst

Eww.  No.  

[cmatthes]

On 11/27/2021 at 3:59 PM, hamerhead said:

 Who would spend that much time/effort faking a Hamer?

 

 

[kizanski]

You can’t tell if the machines are on straight or not by this one photo.  

The angle at which the photo was taken (especially if it was taken with a cellphone camera) will often distort the perceived alignment of objects within. 

You'd have to see the back of the headstock straight on and from a distance in order to get a better idea.  

[hamerhead]

How do the dots look?

[specialk]

Nice rosewood fretboard.

[mirrorimij]

Looks legit to me.  I think it’s the only one. It does remind me of the import only Stellar.

[gorch]

On 11/28/2021 at 6:01 PM, kizanski said:

and it's probably the only Phantom that I like, honestly.

I think that‘s rare.

[Hbom]

18 hours ago, mirrorimij said:

Looks legit to me.  I think it’s the only one. It does remind me of the import only Stellar.

I thought those 6 words would be enough. But it's still there this morning. 

 

[kizanski]

33 minutes ago, Hbom said:

I thought those 6 words would be enough. But it's still there this morning. 

I think it could be that the 9 words that followed are ringing true to some as well.

[Hbom]

21 minutes ago, kizanski said:

I think it could be that the 9 words that followed are ringing true to some as well.

Must be it. But if none of us bought a USA Hamer because it looked like one of the import Hamers we probably wouldn't be here. 

 

[kizanski]

5 minutes ago, Hbom said:

But if none of us bought a USA Hamer because it looked like one of the import Hamers we probably wouldn't be here. 

Yes, and if it wasn't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that year in college.