Hamer: the first boutique tragedy

[Devin]

They used to be available for a screaming deal, but as has been mentioned, the cat's out of the bag on that

Yup. In the early days of eBay I snagged my USA Cali for $420 lolol

 

[* velcro-fly *]

Yes. He makes his own versions of the explorers, and they are basically the best on earth

Well he was basically the last man standing at Hamer, so they’re as close as you’ll get….

And if you really want to geek:
https://dantzig.com/workshop/

 

[DanTravis62]

Yup. In the early days of eBay I snagged my USA Cali for $420 lolol

Yeah I'm super jealous

 

[VonBonfire]

Yup. In the early days of eBay I snagged my USA Cali for $420 lolol

Ebay was awesome back then. You actually had people who would list stuff starting at .99 cents. Now it's just basically another Reverb.com.

 

[stephen sawall]

Yup. In the early days of eBay I snagged my USA Cali for $420 lolol

I paid $450 for one in 1994.

As usual Dan is right. Hamer USA has made some great instruments. I owned a bunch and still have one.

Back in the late 80's / early 90's I stopped by the shop in Chicago several times.

 

[DanTravis62]

I paid $450 for one in 1994.

As usual Dan is right. Hamer USA has made some great instruments. I owned a bunch and still have one.

Back in the late 80's / early 90's I stopped by the shop in Chicago several times.

Man what was the shop like back then?

I was too young to have been there, but the biggest hometown mom and pop local for me was a huge hamer dealer

So i grew up playing their higher end guitars and drooling over them

 

[stephen sawall]

This one is a 1998.

I grew up in Detroit. The shop back then didn't have a lot of people I saw. But we only saw the first few rooms. They had a bunch of guitars on stands you could try. I was in my early twenties. They pretty much ignored me and my half baked metal head friends.

 

[Geo]

https://larkstreet.com/cgi-bin/stock.cgi?detail=eHam.jpg

 

[DanTravis62]

https://larkstreet.com/cgi-bin/stock.cgi?detail=eHam.jpg

View attachment 442925

What a badass finish!

 

[Fiesta Red]

The video was somewhat interesting. The narration is incredibly grandiose, and repetitive to the point where it becomes annoying. It could probably be a 15 minute video if they didn't keep saying the same thing over and over and over and over and ........

 

[NewReligion]

I have a Hamer Vintage “S” from 1991 I believe. It came stock with EMG active EQ that can be adjusted and bypassed. I leave it off.

The matchbook maple body & birdseye neck are exceptional.

It was a gift from my Commander when I retired after 24 years of military service.

 

[TheBiggestJerk]

if you've ever played a legit one from the 80s or early 90s, they are incredible guitars

Oh I had one… indeed!!

 

[Speeddemon]

Sux because a Californian was too expensive for me as a broke kid.

Now as an adult, they've become collector items, and although I could afford one, they are too stoopidly expensive. So basically the same problem.

But one day, maybe when some poor bastard can't pay his rent and has to sell his Californian out of desperation........

This is the dream guitar equivalent for me as Crockett's white Testarossa was a dream car to me as a kid.

Like 100% my dream super-strat!

I'm still chasing the Aztec Gold Elite one... and recently came across some cheap-o guitar with the H-S config and the right color, as a 'hold-over'. See attachments.
Added a ESP Custom decal to up the value. ;-)

Years ago, some dude was offering one in Europe around €1700 (~$2000 back then), I tried to haggle...no dice. That's one of the gear misses I regret. The other time was a HRG 2C+ for €1500, that I thought 'it's gotta be a scam, too good to be true'.... Days later I read a post on the Boogie forum from the dude that actually bought it. Mind you, this was when a decent 2C+ was already doing €2.5k+ easily.

 

[Speeddemon]

Oh and I did own 4 different 'cheaper' Hamers, that I've all upgraded, but eventually sold.
The Californian Deluxe (with the V inlays) pic was taken on my old couch, and some website uses this picture without credits.

The Slammer series was one of those rare guitars where a Duncan JB was exactly right... The 2 Vectors I loaded with Super Distortions, when I was doing a 'KK' gig in a Priest tribute. The darker one was Indonesian and played better. The lighter one was a Chinese one; still decent, but in the end I sold it, since I got a great deal on a Gibson V (cream white, '67 RI with ebony FB).

 

[kurtsstuff2003]

Hamer?? Yeah...I've heard of em.. and have had many many more over the years..

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Those guitars are monsters! A pal offered to sell me his Californian back in the late 90's and I didn't have the coin at the time.

Fingers crossed for you to find a good deal!

I've got about 20 guitars on my You May Fire When Ready list (they appear in a certain price range from a solid seller, and BAM!).

It includes several Hamers, BCRs, EBMM Petruccis, Charvel/Jacksons, ESPs, Fenders, and a few Gibsons. Problem is, it wouldn't matter if I bought all 20, I would find 20 new ones! But it helps me get out of bed in the morning to go to work. so....

 

[sideburns]

Always wanted one of the Hamer explorers like Pete Willis played.

 

[Chubtone]

I have 2 USA Hamers, a 1998 Standard and a 1981 Vector. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs in both companies glory days and they were everywhere. I didn't get one until probably 2018 or so. Way after the 4 digit sunburst Standards got too expensive and they have probably doubled since 2018.

 

[Chubtone]

Always wanted one of the Hamer explorers like Pete Willis played.

You'll probably like my pics then.

 

[VonBonfire]

I've got about 20 guitars on my You May Fire When Ready list (they appear in a certain price range from a solid seller, and BAM!).

It includes several Hamers, BCRs, EBMM Petruccis, Charvel/Jacksons, ESPs, Fenders, and a few Gibsons. Problem is, it wouldn't matter if I bought all 20, I would find 20 new ones! But it helps me get out of bed in the morning to go to work. so....

Beautiful axe. Wow.