Any finishes that just irritate you?

[Travis]

Here's the thing: I see a lot of Hamers that look really nice. They've got a nice figured top, in great shape, feel and sound like pure sex. And then I always think, if only this were a different transparent finish, I would get it right now. I know it sounds petty. If it sounds and feels great, and the vibe is there, why would the finish make a difference? Well I can't explain it, but it does to me. Ladies and gentlemen, for me that finish is the 59 burst.

[atquinn]

Agreed. However, I think that might be because the 59 burst just doesn't photograph all that well (I've never seen one in person, but I know red-edged bursts can tend to look more obnoxious and less subtle in photographs than they do in person).

-Austin

[wyldbil]

Wayull... This won't be a popular opinion by a longshot, but I don't like bursts in general. I like to see one translucent color over that pretty figured slab-o-maple. Of course I like monochromatic opaque and graphics as well. But I just don't like bursts. Go figure!

[black magic]

I agree, I like trans colors, but not bursts as much as just 1 color, and I lean to the natural side as well. Natural maple flame and natural mahogany are my 2 favorites. That being said, a cool graphic is good, if I like the graphic itself. Jack.

[Guest JackButler]

any variation of the "cherry"/ketchup and mustard burst.

[doody]

Diaper burst specials.

[David B]

Sunburst is great, but I'd love to see Standards come out of the factory in yellow, green, blue, red or whatever.

[BCR Greg]

Sunburst is great, but I'd love to see Standards come out of the factory in yellow, green, blue, red or whatever.

Order them, and it will be.

[DavidE]

I love the '59 Burst on my Std. Custom and Studio Custom. Awesome color.

I also like the diaperburst P90 Specials. Wish I kept the one I used to have.

The only color that's irritating me is the BCR Burst on my Monco Elite. There is NO burst to it! ;-) I do like the color, but where's the burst?

[DaveH]

Yup. This is just fuhqin' ugly as hell, ain't it?

[tomteriffic]

Dave, that's one of the few shots of a '59 Burst that translates well. A lot of them look great but just don't photograph well. My Standard Custom that came from jisham/belikerick photographed like a ketchup/mustard burst, but is actually a luscious tangerine/light tangerine burst, very close to that one.

That said, the '59 Burst is probably the most ubiquitous Hamer finish out there. I'll admit that it's not my favorite, just because you see it so often. Not that it's bad, or the guitar/wood is anything less than full-bore Hamer great, it's just, well, common, I guess. Not a flattering word, but it's what comes to mind. Hell I've got two and love 'em, but you do see that finish a bunch, in varying degrees of great.

The one I'd like to see more of is an honest ta gawd tobacco sunburst (as opposed to the diaperburst I've seen/had on a few Specials). Somebody around here has a Studio in that finish that is just snazzy.

[Rocktuna]

Non Hamer content but who the heck would ever want a guitar in Seafoam Green!!!!

UCK

[bamboohead]

I think my 59th burst was in a sock. NO not really! Burst's are beautiful. I would still like to see a pickle green burst on quilted maple. WACKY? Maybe.

Edited to add: Oh great wizard Greg, I only wish I could make it so. A redwood standard, a quilted pickle burst studio, a winning lottery ticket. I will keep dreaming.

[BCR Greg]

[Willie G. Moseley]

While this is another example of playability and sound vs. cosmetics, I've never liked pearl finishes in any color on any guitar body, by any manufacturer, because my perception has been (1) the instrument body could look like it's made from something like molded plastic, and (2) there seems to be a subliminal sissy vibe to a pearl finish. I'll take metalflake anytime.

[hamersandstrats]

Non Hamer content but who the heck would ever want a guitar in Seafoam Green!!!!

UCK

uh, jeff beck?

[elduave]

there seems to be a subliminal sissy vibe to a pearl finish.

I always tell the young bucks that come in the store that the first guy to play a Daisy Rock with Pearl finish is going to garner more attention from the opposite sex than any other dude. IMO, the more comfortable (or non-phased) a man is with feminine things, the more manly they probably are.

[bamboohead]

If we go camping and you wake up with vasaline on your ass and your pants around your knees, would you tell anyone? Want to go camping? I KEED!! I KEED!!!

[atquinn]

IMO, the more comfortable (or non-phased) a man is with feminine things, the more manly they probably are.

Take out "comfortable" and just leave "non-phased" and I might agree with you. Otherwise

-Austin

[tomteriffic]

there seems to be a subliminal sissy vibe to a pearl finish.

I always tell the young bucks that come in the store that the first guy to play a Daisy Rock with Pearl finish is going to garner more attention from the opposite sex than any other dude. IMO, the more comfortable (or non-phased) a man is with feminine things, the more manly they probably are.

Dave, or it may have nothing to do widdit at all. Hell, where else are you gonna get a 12-string thinline with firebird pickups for anywhere near that kind of scratch?

Still, I'm with Willie on this. I'll take bass boat over pearl.

[phoenix]

Anything that doesnt show the wood grain. also hate the black edge on Fenders. Frankly, the Fender tri-color is about the lamest paint job I have ever seen. No blend just bullseye. Ugh. But I hardly remember cuz I'm stupid in love with them.

[cmatthes]

I think Seafoam looks great on a guitar, but not everybody can handle the whole "Easter Egg" thing:

[Steve Haynie]

In the 80's I thought the crackle finishes were going to always be dated. They were a brief trend that would stick out forever. Now I rarely see them, and I want one! There were some that looked better than others.

Black finishes usually turn me off because they do not show up well in low light. Look at photographs of black guitars against dark backgrounds and you will see what I mean. It's just like guys on stage in black outfits with not enough lights-- you see heads floating around and that's it. If you cannot afford adequate lighting, you should not have black gear or wear black clothes!

Fender's Photoflame and Ibanez' Gravure "finishes" were also lame. They looked like beautiful flame maple with absolutely no dance in the flame. You could see the same grain on every guitar. The cheap double stain real wood veneers had infinitely more character.

[tafkathundernotes]

Wow, Chris! Are you trying to make everybody sea-sick?

Personally, I like the seafoam color and many of the solids. I'm partial to plain white, but I've yet to see a Hamer that stayed white. Must be something about the finish process or bleed-thru from the wood.

I like some of the pearl finishes (especially white, of course) and I like the larger-flake metallics.

[Travis]

That said, the '59 Burst is probably the most ubiquitous Hamer finish out there. I'll admit that it's not my favorite, just because you see it so often. Not that it's bad, or the guitar/wood is anything less than full-bore Hamer great, it's just, well, common, I guess. Not a flattering word, but it's what comes to mind. Hell I've got two and love 'em, but you do see that finish a bunch, in varying degrees of great.

This is exactly what I meant.