You must log in or register to reply here. Adding Bass Strings and More Fender instruments made after the CBS takeover in 65 had gotten a bad rap from guitarists by the end of the 60s, based in part on some quality control problems and the infamous three-bolt neck controversy (Fender engineers felt four bolts were overkill and they could save money without sacrificing stability; players didnt see it that way). The body and neck were of mahogany, but the distinguishing feature was a carved top made of bookmatched chevron mahogany, a highly figured variety with dark striations. This was essentially the same as the 12-String Bass except it had only one course of octave strings above the principal string and, of course, four fewer tuners. 92, as the vogue for locking vibratos began to wane, guitars such as the Vintage S and T-62 were fitted with a non-locking ABM roller-saddle bridge. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Except for the V-shaped bodies, these conform in all details to the original Standard including the Explorer-style headstock. Also in 97, Hamer reintroduced one of its earliest original designs, the Prototype, using another model name, the Phantom (PHAN). The new arrangement with Holmes allowed Hamer to broaden its offering by building a more mainstream instrument called the "Sunburst." Probably a set neck. The new version (Model BCRS) was redesigned to have a much more rounded form, much closer to a Fender bass design, just slightly more exaggerated waists. Up for sale is a beautiful USA made 1985 Hamer Double Cutaway Sunburst Special electric guitar in a rare Darkburst finish. introduced in 1977. This first instrument served as the basis for a new company called Hamer Guitars.[3]. We would buy old Strats for $150, Jazzmasters for $80, he adds. And they considered the copies emerging from Japan beneath their attention. Controls remained two volumes and a tone. The Mirage, also introduced in 94, was another upscale model in an upscale world. by Ronnie Dungan, "FMIC Suspends Hamer Production" on Premier Guitars website, Hamer Guitars History Interview with Jol Dantzig, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hamer_Guitars&oldid=1126369721, This page was last edited on 9 December 2022, at 00:19. Dire Straits Mark Knopfler Sunburst Not resting on its laurels, yet two more new Hamer models debuted in 94 the Eclipse and the Mirage. The Import Standard basically replaced the old USA Standard. The Phantom A5 was available with Sustain Block string-through bridge or a new Sustain Block Tremolo vibrato, which basically transformed the fixed bridge into a non-locking Fender-style vibrato. The Echotone was basically a version of the semi-hollowbody Gibson ES-335. Kaman Music agreed to purchase Hamer in late 1988. With the influx of cash, the company relocated to Palatine, Illinois, to a larger space with some new equipment. Fender Precision . Hamer Guitars are among the finest guitars ever built. The Blitz was a more basic take on the Explorer/Standard idea, again catering to the contemporary taste for guitars with less traditional styling. These were outfitted with a 12-saddle bridge and stop tailpiece. The rosewood fingerboard was now 22 frets (34 scale), still with pearl dot inlays. Kiss Paul Stanley Standards (3) Single-coil pickups used on the Prototypes were also DiMarzios. The Standard Custom had a bound rosewood fingerboard with crown mother-of-pearl inlays. Modern players As the Korean-made Hamers made their transition to become the Import Series around 98, the logo simply read Hamer, in Hamer block type, no USA.. Otherwise it was similar to the f-holed Artist with one exception it was finished entirely in silver sparkle. Off Broadway John Ivan Sunbursts (4) 1975-82 DiMarzio humbucker and single-coils (cream/zebra) The first Hamer guitar, a Flying V bass, was built at Northern Prairie Music, a vintage instrument shop in Wilmette, Illinois, owned by Hamer and Dantzig. This differed from the approach favored by most others at the time, which was to leave a PAF at the neck and add an even hotter DiMarzio Super Distortion to the bridge. Hamer Guitars was founded in 1973 by Jol Dantzig and Paul Hamer in Wilmette, Illinois. It has a few chips around the tremolo cutout. Beginning in 85, Alembic Activator pickups were offered as a $250 option. Tony Williams Band Tony Williams Sunburst I was going to get one a while back, but ended up with another Gibson. Ca. The Ramones Johnny Ramone Sunbursts (2) [7], Hamer Guitars on display at a music exhibition, 2008, "Fender closes Hamer. Glad all worked out for you. Color options in 96 included two-tone sunburst, black cherry burst, candy red, candy blue, candy green, emerald green, and white transparent. Following delivery of the 12-String Bass, Hamer was challenged again in 78 by an order for an 8-String Bass. The Hamer factory was very inconsistent with custom requests approving for some and denying the same requests for others. Hall & Oates Daryl Hall Mandocello, Mandar In the late 1970s to the mid-1980s Def Leppard used Hamer guitars and basses. standard with a Wilkinson Tremolo and classic Hamer controls and switch orientation. 5,088. In 98, Hamer hooked up again with long-time supporter and enthusiast Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick to develop the Rick Nielsen Limited Edition. The glued-in neck featured a tapered three-and-three headstock and a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays. | Free shipping on many items! Circa 1970, Dantzig was playing bass in a club band called Heartbreaker. The Five was essentially the same as the four-string except for having a 2-Tek bridge/tailpiece mounted through the body, and the addition of a fifth tuner on the bottom of the headstock. . By late 98 the logo treatment on the Indonesian Slammers changed to a more contemporary italic typeface. Guitars The 22-fret rosewood fingerboard had a 243/4 scale and dot inlays. In 99 Hamer introduced the Vanguard, yet another in its semi-hollowbody Artist series. Pickup control changed to a five-way select on the pickguard. Surprise, AZ. Basically, Dantzig and Hamer considered most 60s guitars a joke. To appeal to a broader market, Hamer introduced its first production guitar, the Sunburst, 1977. The second Hamer was an Explorer copy made for Paul in 74. Basically, it did with the Sunburst what it had done with the Explorer. $500 $600. If so I'll own it,I'll let you all know how I made out and once again thanks for all the replies and info. Only a 3 way tangle and 1 volume and 1 tone control. Once Jol left they loosened up a bit but it was already too late. Through the small community of guitar traders, I had made the acquaintance Chicagoan Jim Beach, owner of Wooden Music on Lincoln Avenue on the city's North Side. Please Note: For product service outside the U.S. and Canada, please contact either the Dealer from whom you purchased the product, or the Authorized Gretsch Distributor in your area for information and assistance. Canada. In any case, the Rick Nielsen Limited Edition was its take on this venerable classic, with the lower bout as wide as an Explorer, but the waists very narrow (and consequently thinner treble horn), yielding a very dramatic presentation. In 96 Gibson made a limited run of 100 replicas of these early Explorers called the Futura. Hardware was gold. The vibrato was a non-locking Wilkinson VSV vibrato combined with chrome locking Sperzel tuners. Listed: 2 years ago Views: 963 Watchers: 46 About This Listing Youll recall the very first Hamer was a Flying V-shaped bass made for Dantzig. Muddy Waters & Big Bill Morganfield Rollin Stone: The Golden Anniversary Collection &, Epiphone Zephyr De Luxe Regent and Zephyr Amplifier. First was the Phantom A5 guitar. Finishes included Black, Transparent Wine Red, Sunburst, Silver Sunburst, Two-Tone Sunburst, Red Metallic, Transparent Blue, and Purple Metallic, though not all finishes were available on all models. The Phantom had a Honduras mahogany body, glued-in neck, three-and-three headstock, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard, dot inlays, finetune bridge and stop tailpiece. The list of Hamer artists currently featured on their website (www.kaman music.com/hamer) is considerably smaller than the peak of the mid 80s, but includes Gary Bell, Felicia Collins, Stephan Jenkins and Kevin Gadogan of Third Eye Blind, Shane Theriot of the Neville Brothers, Joel Shearer, David Sinclair (Sarah McLachlan), Mark Rivera, Lyle Workman, Billy Joel, longtime friend Wolf Hoffmann, and of course, Rick Nielsen. A few 3/4-size Standards were also built from 78 to 82, identical except for their diminutive size. The decision was made to consolidate all guitarmaking activities in Connecticut, and the Illinois factory was closed. [5][6], As of January 25, 2017 KMC Music announced at NAMM 2017 the re-introduction of imported Hamer Guitars with 5 models. The Import Series, sometimes called the Hamer Guitar, was intended to be the companys mid-line offering. After the move, models that survived included the Standard, Special, Special FM (renamed the Special Custom), DuoTone, Eclipse, Mirage Maple Top, Archtop Artist (renamed the Artist Custom), Studio Archtop Artist (renamed Artist), Short-Scale 8-String Bass, Long-Scale Acoustic 12-String Bass, and CruiseBass. One final design that debuted in 82 was the CruiseBass, basically a bass version of the double-cutaway Phantom with a glued-in neck, Hamer tapered headstock, and P and J-style pickups. A three-way, volume, tone, finetune bridge and stop tailpiece rounded out the Stellar 1. The Special also carried the special-wound Hamer/DiMarzio PAF humbuckers. Just wanted to let all know I was able to buy the Hamer guitar for 250.00,brought it home and put on some new strings,tweaked the neck and action a little and Wala it plays fantastic. It has a chip mark in back and the wood is light tan. Founded in New York by a Greek violin maker and luthier, the Epiphone name came from Epi Stathopoulo, the founder's son and company president. The Standard Bass was basically a bass version of the guitar with a bound flamed maple top over British Honduras mahogany body, a 34 scale (found on most Hamer basses, unless otherwise noted), four-in-line scimitar headstock, rosewood fingerboard, dot inlays, a pair of twin-blade DiMarzio X2N bass pickups, often (by 81) with an active preamp, and a Schaller Sustain Block bridge. The Eclipse and Mirage Maple Top disappeared after 98. The smaller octave strings were placed above the main string, as on a 12-string guitar. I came across a Hamer guitar that is made in Korea, sort of a red subtle flame color with 2 hum buckers. Great Condition USA MADE! 82 most came with passive DiMarzio P and J-type, with exposed polepieces. And these contacts would prove useful. Ive always been a gearhead.. The 8-String Bass remains in the line to this day. 1986-88 OBL (German) Apparently, a number of people around town were beginning to make copies of Gibson designs. [3] The 22-fret fingerboard was bound rosewood with dots. My business partner, Paul Hamer, and I recognized an opportunity to create a hybrid version of our favorite vintage instruments, and we purchased a mahogany husk from Jim in raw . 1982-ca. $100. This had a double-cutaway maple body basically the same as the Sunburst but without binding and with a glued-in mahogany neck, a large split-V headstock and a short 301/2. Instead of a lever, the Phantom Custom featured a five-way rotary selector which offered the neck single-coil, neck and bridge single-coils, bridge single-coil, all three bridge coils, and the bridge humbucker plus master volume and tone. As before, this new Phantoms triple-coil pickup was a combination of a humbucker and single-coil in a single pickup ring. As with most other features, Hamer will install any bridge, so if you find something not described here, that doesnt mean it has been modified. In 97, Kaman/Ovation found itself with excess capacity in its New Hartford, Connecticut, factory and operating a second (Hamer) factory in suburban Chicago. In a way, the Prototype was a fusion of Gibson and Fender ideas. This is not to be confused with the 82-84 Gibson Futura, which was a totally different modernistically designed guitar! This was the source of the mistake mentioned earlier. Cheap Trick Rick Nielsen Standards (7), Sunburst In 78, Tom Petersson, bassist with Cheap Trick, challenged Hamer to build him a 12-string bass, a request that was a harbinger. The original run of Hamer Sunbursts lasted until 83. . Krann Helmudt Hattler Standard Bass The body was mahogany with a carved, figured koa top with a glued-in mahogany neck. Welcome to the Ultimate Hamer USA Archive. Roy Buchanan Roy Buchanan Standards (2) JavaScript is disabled. Beginning in late 83, many featured top-mounted Kahler vibratos. In 1997 Kaman Music relocated Hamer to a small shop in New Hartford, Connecticut, home of Ovation Guitars. The Blitz was outfitted with the two Hamer-spec DiMarzio humbuckers, now called Hamer Slammers. Curiously enough, most have held their own very well in the used in vintage markets in terms of value, a tribute to their intrinsic quality and the heart that the Hamer folks put into their products. The 22-fret rosewood fingerboard had a 251/2 scale, dot inlays, and a Hamer three-and-three head. Petersson was playing a Hagstrom eight-string bass as the time. The Eclipse sported two Seymour Duncan mini-humbucking pickups with three-way select, one volume and one tone control. These almost always came with a cream bobbin on the bridge pickup and a zebra (cream/black) bobbin on the neck pickup. I wouldn't say you're getting hosed on the deal. OBLs were mainly used on the Custom models, though some show up on standard instruments. By 77, the other two original partners sold their shares, and the company was in the hands of Dantzig and Hamer. Tom, I had an Indo sunburst. By the 90s, virtually all other vibrato guitars featured Schaller Floyd Rose systems, cast with a Hamer logo. In 1977 the company set up shop in Palatine, Illinois and employed seven workers. 90 Hamer Slammer (covered, DiMarzio) The first Hamer guitar made (in 73) was a short-scale Flying V bass built for Dantzig. Dantzig isnt sure, but he thinks they may have gotten the plans from another Chicago luthier named Jim Beach. Tuners were the Art Deco Grover Super Rotomatics. You guys have sold me on it,I will contact seller tomorrow to see if he still has it. A few Standards are seen with the Sustain Block bridges used on Sunbursts (see below), so presumably they date from about this time. This Phantom lasted only a year before it was replaced by the Phantom Custom (PHANC). The earliest examples have a pickguard, but by around 84 this was eliminated. The Hamer guitar is entirely handmade. Free shipping. Springs attached inside the body in the back, as on Fender-style designs. Electric Guitar Hamer Slammer Series Made in Korea S/N 6016108 with Soft Case. To his dismay, McCarty couldnt care less about guitars. $250. Production was reportedly around 10 guitars per week. They copied the Explorer shape but added the flamed maple top and binding of a Les Paul Standard. reserved. However, an early American model may or may not have USA as part of the logo, but after 98 absence of USA in the logo indicates the guitar is imported. Color options were Cherry Sunburst, Purpleburst and Blueburst. * custom double cut studio $2,853.31 $86.73 shipping By the time the Sunburst appeared in 77, bound rosewood fingerboards with crown inlays were offered as an option, and these appointments begin appearing on some Standards. Prior to that point production had been one-off custom variations on the original "Standard" and "Flying V" guitars. Hamer lives in Chicago, where he operates a retail framing business. Keep in mind that while Hamer offered specific catalog models, the company was, especially in the early days, pretty much what we would now call a custom shop. Technically speaking, Dantzigs 73 Flying V bass was the first Hamer, the model never went into production. In March of 80 the Standard with dots listed at $1,199.95, Standard with crowns $1,299.95, the 8-String Bass was $1,499.95, 12-String Bass $1,700, 12-String Quadbass $2,000, Sunburst with dots $799.90, Sunburst with crowns $869.90, and the Special was $699.90. From 90 to around 96 Korean-made Hamers carried logos that read Hamer Slammer Series, with the Hamer block typeface, Hamer big, Slammer Series underneath. $140 is good but I'd offer $250 for both. $250. After a 4-year hiatus since Fender had discontinued the Hamer models in 2013, the brand was re-introduced as a subsidiary of KMC Music, which announced the return of imported Hamer Guitars at the NAMM Show that same year. Outputs included 1/4 and synth DIN plugs. In 95/96 Hamer produced a limited number of Korina Standards, versions of the original Gibson Explorer of 58. At some point after 84, the mahogany neck was changed to maple. The 243/4 scale, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard was unbound with dots, joining the body at 21 for excellent access. HAMER FUT-VKC Natural Made in USA EXP Type Electric Guitar MOD Rare Pre-Owned $4,620.00 jpitemsgoods (361) 98.8% Buy It Now Free shipping from Japan Free returns Sponsored HAMER FUT-VKC Natural Made in USA EXP Type Electric Guitar MOD, o2212 Pre-Owned $4,815.00 fun-japanproduct (922) 99.1% Buy It Now Free shipping from Japan Free returns As evidenced by Hamers artist list from around 79 (see sidebar), the company was garnering a pretty high-visibility clientele and sales continued to climb. Beginning in 83, locking vibrato systems predominated. The Phantom The Phantom Custom remains in the line to this day. Cherry Burst on figured Maple veneer results in a visually inspiring instrument. Can't get over how nice this thing looks and plays, its a good day! Untermeyer was initially interested in joining the enterprise as its international sales manager, but he had some money and was convinced to become a partner. Very soon the supply of Gibson pickups was gone. You are using an out of date browser. For pick players, these could be reversed. The Import Diablo, too, was similar to its forebear, with maple body and neck. Basses The Standard Custom remains in the line to this day. Posted July 12, 2013 On 7/12/2013 at 12:52 PM, serial said: Post pics and we can help a lot more. The Hamer Standard, the upscale Explorer copy that started it all back in 74, was discontinued in 85. Electric Guitars Solid Body Hamer Boutique Auburn, NY, United States HAMER DAYTONA USA GUITAR Used - Very Good $1,200 + $50 Shipping This listing has ended View similar gear from other sellers on Reverb View similar gear Watch Watch this gear and we'll notify you if it becomes available again. By around 82, Hamer had turned the corner on the road to success. These, too, were made by DiMarzio. Otherwise, it was similar to the Mirage. It was from this perspective that Dantzig and Hamer began to hawk their guitars. Upgraded with a solid Maple top on Mahogany body, the tone is beefy yet focused and a Dark Among their activities was buying bashed up old guitars and banjos and restoring them for resale. From these beginnings, Hamer USA Guitars was born, with all four as partners. So you shouldnt have trouble identifying a Slammer import. Gold Supporting Member . Many guitars built between 86 and 89 came with OBL pickups made in Germany. Reactions: modavis99, cmatthes, Guitarzandstuff and 4 others. In 95, Hamer brought back a number of variations on the venerable CruiseBass, the original of which had run from 82 to 90. With a glued-in neck, the Echotone had bound solid maple top and back with bound f-holes. McCarty, by this time, was running Bigsby, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Early Hamer 8-String and Standard Basses were fitted with DiMarzio X2N bass pickups, often with an active preamp.