where are hamer guitars made where are hamer guitars made

Paul was the salesman. Import Series Hamer Guitars is generally considered the first "boutique" vintage-style electric guitar brand that specifically catered to professional musicians, and was the first guitar manufacturer to produce a 12 string bass guitar. The bridge was a Wilkinson Hardtail Wrap Around, and the nut a Lubritrak. This article originally appeared in VGs Sep. 00 issue. Hamer Guitars was founded in 1973 by Jol Dantzig and Paul Hamer in Wilmette, Illinois. It was kind of a mistake. This initial Prototype series was offered through 86. Shoes Gary Klebe Standard, Sunbursts (2) Controls were one volume and one midrange tone/contour control with a three-way toggle, again behind the bridge, which offered humbucking and single-coil sounds. Very soon the supply of Gibson pickups was gone. Great Condition USA MADE! This was essentially the same as the Archtop Artist, except it lacked body and fingerboard binding, and had dot inlays. The vibrato was a non-locking Wilkinson VSV vibrato combined with chrome locking Sperzel tuners. Sunburst Aerosmith Brad Whitford Standards (2) Dantzig still has that first bass. It was shaped like a Vox Phantom with Hamer Phantom electronics(! Kaman Music agreed to purchase Hamer in late 1988. Pickups were the specially modified DiMarzio PAFs (de-wound zebra neck, cream bridge). Relatively few were used, mainly on 83 Phantom A5 and Blitz guitars, after which the fashion for locking vibrato systems supplanted the Sustain-block vibrato. Hey guys, I've finally been able to research the guitar to be a Hamer Stellar 1 made in Korea. The neck is glued in, with the three-and-three headstock. the Sunburst mainly in that it lacked binding and an arched top. All came with bolt-on maple necks, unbound rosewood fingerboards, dot inlays and chrome hardware. And like the Sunburst Archtop, the Artist Archtop played more name games as it evolved. When we created Hamer, we created the high-end boutique guitar category, but we didnt intend it that way. The pickups are Duncan "designed" but they seemed pretty good. Dantzig left Fender in 2010 to build instruments under the Jol Dantzig Guitar Design name. Artist Archtop, et al Youll recall the very first Hamer was a Flying V-shaped bass made for Dantzig. Pezband Mike Gorman 8-String Bass The body is one piece of select British Honduras Mahogany, avilable with or without a twopiece "bookmatched" curly maple top. In celebration, it got bolder and introduced three new guitars and three new basses, all more consonant with the glam image of the emerging heavy metal scene, though still not straying far from the Gibson model. However, in the new vintage environment of the 90s, the model was revived in 95. So our perspective has always been a little skewed. In 1997 Kaman Music relocated Hamer to a small shop in New Hartford, Connecticut, home of Ovation Guitars. Bad Company Mick Ralphs Standard As part of our commitment to improve design and quality of our instruments, Hamer Guitars reserves For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Rick Nielsen Limited Edition Like the Blitz Bass, the CruiseBass was offered until 90. The Korean Hamers tend to be somewhat sought after (as far as far-east imported guitars go). Off Broadway John Ivan Sunbursts (4) 4 String Bass Guitar. I was the hands-on guy who liked to make guitars and do marketing. Also, by 85, if not before, basses could be had in fretless versions for no extra charge. Pickups were now Seymour Duncans. Martin Barre of Jethro Tull (VG, October 97) also ordered an early Hamer. The Archtop is based on the Hamer Studio body, the third classic Hamer design Glad all worked out for you. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Relocation CruiseBass And these contacts would prove useful. Sweet Andy Scott Standard Mirage Crushed, Dantzig returned to Chicago. Very simple to spot differences. 12-string bridges were originally a Hamer design, which allowed individual intonation of each string. Hamer did get lots of good publicity, however. Dantzig recalls getting more and more requests for instruments they didnt think they could make, but took the plunge and eventually built them. I couldn't find any local to try. 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. Great Condition USA MADE! From 86 to 88 some came with German OBL pickups, including HB types. 1982-85 DiMarzio P- and J-type (open-coil, passive) 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. Color options were Cherry Sunburst, Purpleburst and Blueburst. This first version of the Special lasted until 84. By the 70s, guitar players were cranking up much larger amps in large arenas. . This included guitars like Nielsens five-necked monstrosity, which was built by 82. Likewise contemporary Gibsons and Fenders. Finishes included 59 Burst, Honey, Kool Blue, Red Transparent and Tobacco Sunburst. Other musicians would ask what it was and would be incredulous when told he made it himself. The Rolling Stones Ron Wood Standard Tony Williams Band Tony Williams Sunburst Also in 97, Hamer reintroduced one of its earliest original designs, the Prototype, using another model name, the Phantom (PHAN). C $510.90. 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 This version was in price lists at least through 85, but was no longer listed in 87. Hamer began publicizing its instruments in 1974, with small black-and-white ads in guitar magazines. The guitar was finished in a cherry sunburst lacquer. instrument. Hamer guitar players have always included pro guitarists who demand a lot from their instruments. Springs attached inside the body in the back, as on Fender-style designs. As before, this new Phantoms triple-coil pickup was a combination of a humbucker and single-coil in a single pickup ring. It has a few chips around the tremolo cutout. 92 Hamer Slammer humbuckers and single-coils (black, DiMarzio) Controls were one volume and two tone with a three-way select behind the bridge unusual placement. Once you have a music store that specializes in repairing and restoring old instruments, its not a big step to think about making your own, and in 73 that notion put Hamer Guitars in motion. This was a spectacular guitar, substantially the same as the carved-top Artist but with some extra-fancy features. If you find The Ultimate Hamer USA Archive (@The Buddleja Garden) useful, interesting or If it plays nice and feels nice, that's half of it right there. 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. This first instrument served as the basis for a new company called Hamer Guitars.[3]. Last month I was on vacation in Austin and happened on an Indonesian P90 Sunburst. Instead, they decided to create their dream guitars, new guitars worthy of the respect they gave to the vintage ones. I would appreciate anyones comments or info about it,Thanks All,Tele. 5 String Bass. In 95, Hamer brought back a number of variations on the venerable CruiseBass, the original of which had run from 82 to 90. 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. Before this expansion Hamer's customers were limited to big-name touring groups such as Kiss, Bad Company, Wishbone Ash, Jethro Tull and Savoy Brown. To appeal to a broader market, Hamer introduced its first production guitar, the Sunburst, 1977. Dire Straits Mark Knopfler Sunburst In any case, Dantzig and Hamer decided to build a hybrid of their favorite guitars. . The Vector was offered until 87. In 98 the Import Series included the Sunburst Arch Top Flame Top (SATF), Standard (STD), Rick Nielsen Signature (RNS), Echotone (ECO), Stellar 1 (ST1), Californian (CAL), Diablo (DAB), and Cruise 4 (CRS) and Cruise 5 (CRV) basses. The neck is carved from the same choice mahogany and is reinforced with a carbon steel trussrod that is fully adjustable. It had no serial number, and when it was done, Dantzig began to take it to gigs. Upgraded with a solid Maple top on Mahogany body, the tone is beefy yet focused and a Transparent Black on figured Maple veneer results in a visually inspiring instrument. 1982-ca. $250. The Eclipse sported two Seymour Duncan mini-humbucking pickups with three-way select, one volume and one tone control. Beginning in around 88 Hamer basses increasingly used EMG pickups, which began replacing Hamer Slammers. Joining the Prototype later in 83 was the Prototype II, which added a slanted single-coil pickup in the neck position and a top-mounted Kahler double-locking vibrato system. Some recent basses use Seymour Duncans. Once Jol left they loosened up a bit but it was already too late. Fender Precision . This model remains in the line to this day. Hamer lives in Chicago, where he operates a retail framing business. And they considered the copies emerging from Japan beneath their attention. The Special We didnt quite get it, explains company cofounder Jol Dantzig, discussing the birth of Hamer Guitars. We took so long to make his guitar that we just gave him Pauls to satisfy him.. This was the source of the mistake mentioned earlier. Hamer made some great guitars with sometimes dubious choices in pickups and finishes. The earliest Sunbursts had a noticeably longer headstock. Nick Lowe Nick Lowe 9-String Basses (2) Also want to say its very nice with absolutely no fretware. The pickguard was laminated pearloid. Can't get over how nice this thing looks and plays, its a good day! Later Vectors switched to a triangular-shaped headstock similar to the Gibson style. However, recent 12-strings have been fitted with a stock Wilkinson design. The Special also carried the special-wound Hamer/DiMarzio PAF humbuckers. The Mirage was equipped with three Seymour Duncan single-coil-sized humbuckers (all perpendicular to the strings) a Hot Rail at the bridge and two split-rail Vintage Rails. In the late 1970s to the mid-1980s Def Leppard used Hamer guitars and basses. It remains available. Jul 4, 2015. The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. $250. Body and neck were maple. Both guitars are still used by Tipton on stage as of 2020.[4]. $99.99 shipping. At some point after 84, the mahogany neck was changed to maple. In 99, Hamer continued its juggernaut with the introduction of a flurry of new semi-hollow Artist models in celebration of the companys 25th anniversary. The Who John Entwhistle 12-String Quad Bass By 80 most models used this second system. The 22-fret rosewood fingerboard had a 243/4 scale and dot inlays. 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. Krann Helmudt Hattler Standard Bass Nevertheless, Dantzig and Hamer continued to play with their new creations and got the attention of more and more curious musicians. 5,088. Ca. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited. The Blitz Bass was essentially the same, with P and J-type pickups and a Sustain Block bridge/tailpiece. The Import Diablo, too, was similar to its forebear, with maple body and neck. As mentioned, custom orders were accepted, so there were also a few Standards with bound ebony fingerboards and block inlays. Hamer DC Flame Maple Studio Archtop Guitar Tonerider P90 Pickups Made in Korea . In a way, the Prototype was a fusion of Gibson and Fender ideas. that's for sure. The company's early instruments featured guitar designs based on the Gibson Explorer (The Standard) and Gibson Flying V (Vector), before adding more traditional Gibson-inspired designs such as the Sunburst. Hamer Blitz 1983 Explorer Midnight Blue Electric Guitar $2,495.00 $75.00 shipping or Best Offer 24 watching body only Slammer Hamer Electric Guitar body only project $30.00 $18.50 shipping or Best Offer 16 watching Hamer Monaco Special K Electric Guitar with P-90 pickups. While the Flying V-shaped bass didnt go into production, there were a few guitar versions produced between 77 and 81. Outputs included 1/4 and synth DIN plugs. New and used Fender Stratocaster Bass Guitars for sale in 85346 on Facebook Marketplace. These almost always came with a cream bobbin on the bridge pickup and a zebra (cream/black) bobbin on the neck pickup. Reaction score. Shoes Jeff Murphy Standard, Sunburst Actually, this is misleading because, as weve documented, the company really began in 73 and kind of evolved into existence over the next couple of years. The Runaways Lita Ford Standard New were three-and-three Hamerlock tuners, which allowed the guitarist to lock down the strings at the tuner, similar to the Sperzel concept. Featured in the piece, wearing Hamer T-shirts or carrying Standards, were Nielsen, Ken Simmonds of Savoy Brown, Tommy Bolin, a very young Lita Ford, and Mick Ralphs. Where are Hamer Slammer guitars made? Dantzig and Hamer had to work hard, schlepping examples around the world and getting them into the hands of players. #4. Are more to follow?" Already deep into vintage lore, Dantzig and Hamer believed the golden age of guitars ended in 63, and the last good guitars had been made. The body was Honduras mahogany with an optional unbound flamed-maple top. Phantom Revisited Hamer, Monaco and Slammer are registered trademarks of KMC Music. The 22-fret fingerboard was bound rosewood with dots. 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). At this time the woodworking was being subcontracted to the Tom Holmes Company in Nashville, Tennessee, with the painting and setup (stringing) being done in the Palatine shop. It was held in Dantzigs Volkswagen Minibus. By 83, a 12-string Prototype was offered, differing only in the larger headstock (tapered, not the V-head of the basses) and having a 12-saddle bridge and stop tail. It was a pretty nice guitar.