Hamer California Elite - who has played one?

i remember it from my youth as being one of the better if not the best superstrats of its era...every brand had a super strat but californian was winning all the shootouts of superstrats in all magazines ! (they couldnt bribe them all)
played a few, but i wasnt that much into floyds to competently pass too serious of a judgment...
all maple specimen...friend had a flame...heavy as...which was good then...rock machine without muddiness on the neck due to a single coil...
pricewise ? no idea !
 
I had a USA Chaparral from the same era. Quilt top, OFR. Great guitar, heavy as balls. Chaps were set neck though. Mine had that Floyd-thing where it would stick 1/4 pitch up and you had to jerk the bar down to bring it back to pitch. So I sold it for peanuts in the 90s.

Californias were much more desirable then, and I'm sure now too.
 
I've never played a Hamer California Elite, but like this Hamer Chapparal Elite 90 that was given to me as a gift.

Guitar George
Pic032.JPG
 
My personal experience from owning and playing Hamer USA is the quality is equal or better than Gibson custom shop.
I currently have a Prototype model.
It's kind of between a Les Paul Jr and Telecaster.
 
Last edited:
I haven't played an Elite myself but the USA Cali Standard has been my #1 axe for decades. As good as it gets IMO

Also had a couple other USA Hamers (Diablo and Centaura) that were also incredible.

I personally believe you can't go wrong with a USA Hamer
 
I had one and it was a very good guitar. With that said they are asking high amounts for them now. You might do better elsewhere for a newer guitar.
 
I worked and gave guitar lessons at a music store 1991-93 that was a Hamer dealer...and they had that exact same guitar on the wall that I loved playing! Such a killer guitar, but I couldn’t afford it at the time.. On that particular guitar, there was a gnat that got stuck in the finish near the output jack..which I thought was cool because of the “bug trapped in amber” thing that the the new! Jurassic Park movie exploited.. Great guitars…if I had the extra funds I would buy it in a heartbeat!
 
Last edited:
I always wanted a Californian. In the 80s I was following hamer intensely. At that time I couldn't afford that model so I bought a usa chapperal in snakeskin.It was my guitar for 15 years.I wore it out.Had to retire it.
 
Devin said:
I haven't played an Elite myself but the USA Cali Standard has been my #1 axe for decades. As good as it gets IMO

Also had a couple other USA Hamers (Diablo and Centaura) that were also incredible.

I personally believe you can't go wrong with a USA Hamer
Click to expand...

I also have 1994 Hamer Diablo II guitar. They only made these for about 2 years. I used to own a Diablo as well, but didn't bond with the neck of the guitar. The Hamer USA Diablo & Diablo II were more simple in their appearance and was marketed as a workhorse super Strat guitar.

Guitar George
IMG_0132.JPG
 
Last edited:
Hamer95USA said:
I also have 1994 Hamer Diablo II guitar. They only made these for about 2 years. I used to own a Diablo as well, but didn't bond with the neck of the guitar. The Hamer USA Diablo & Diablo II more simple in their appearance and was marketed as a workhorse super Strat guitar.

Guitar George
View attachment 135286
Click to expand...


Mine was one of the "limited" Diablo 1 models with the birdseye maple neck. Neck was much thinner than my Cali's neck but I still thought it felt awesome

87974363_10221988111511186_5800750145276477440_n.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top