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MAD PRICE £1100 RARE Original 1979 HAMER SUNBURST -superb condition SOLD

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DominicDominic Frets: 16014
edited August 2017 in Guitars £
This guitar was my 18th Birthday present and has been owned by me since new.
When Joel Dantzig formed Hamer it was to hand produce the finest guitars in the world ,a kickback against the dropping  1970's standards of Gibson and Fender and generally acknowledged to be the first BOUTIQUE brand spawning the likes of Pensa-Suhr, PRS and Tom Anderson in it's wake .
  At the time I worked in a Guitar shop in Barnet ,Herts that had secured the import rights and this was the first one of a pair to make it to the UK market .......I waited for 3 months for it .
  The first Sunbursts ( model name ,not just colour ) appeared in 1977 but were quickly revised to include a slightly remodelled headstock and the famous Sustainblock chromed brass bridge which certainly lives up to it's name.
 1979 was considered the "golden " year for this model.
 Hand made using rich ,aged Honduran mahogany body, maple cap and the very darkest Brazillian Rosewood fretboard .
  THIS GUITAR WAS ONLY PLAYED FOR 3 MONTHS ......before being put away for almost 40 years due to a family tragedy at the time .I stopped playing until 6 years ago other than a brief dalliance in 1990 that lasted for a couple of months . That came to an end when I dropped it off the strap causing headstock damage that was professionally repaired in Denmark Street in 1991 and I still have the bill for the repair in the original Hamer case together with the original hang tag,Hamer Guarantee and the original stock number sticker is still on the back plate.Playability and tuning is totally unaffected .It was an excellent repair.
 Other than that it is probably the best condition surviving Sunburst of that era - A real Closet Classic ! in virtually perfect condition with zero fret-wear ,zero buckle rash and zero tarnish on the chrome/steel ware. There are three tiny imperfections on the side( two are smaller than a matchstick head ) and the maple cap has a beautiful flame that is quite discreet unlike some of the brash 'Wood Library " finishes of today's high end boutiques .
 The guitar is fully original and plays flawlessly having a 60s Gibson type neck ,the obvious DC body shape ,original Grover s etc.
 The action is extremely low and the board quite flat making it a very speedy ,80s Rock machine . Coupled with the original Di Marzio pups it has very much that 80s sound although famous users at the time included Martin Barre, Judas Priest,Wishbone Ash and even Gary Moore had a bash with one . It is magic at that ' half-shreddy ' rock sound although personally I don't think the pick-ups allow it to do anything outside of the Rock agenda very well .
  Sadly,commercial reality caused Hamer to dilute their brand with cheap Korean diffusion facsimiles and were eventually taken over by Fender. The original pre '86 Illinois USA guitars are highly prized . Apparently Hamer are about to re-launch once again as a resurrected exclusive boutique brand under the original Dantzig ownership -no doubt THE SUNBURST MODEL will be re-issued together with the Explorer shape original . They were/are the grand-daddy of all boutique brands.
  
 PRICE - despite sentiment I need to be objective - it seems that an average specimen in fair condition will sell for anywhere between £1450 and £1700 with good examples selling at average £2100 **.This is superior to those in condition but is devalued by the headstock repair although playability is totally unaffected . Therefor £1750 would seem correct.I would consider serious offers / trades .
** -source Hamer Fan club /Ebay ( Ed Roman prices ignored )

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/72tvstgqqvwxtk6/AACStzvAVfPJWAaKsM0gF7hla?dl=0
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Comments

  • bassborabassbora Frets: 132
    Lovely GLWTS
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    Truly lovely guitars these - I genuinely wish I had the money.

    I nearly bought one about 15 years ago (£180 iirc) from a music shop in Kentish Town.

    Good luck with the sale.
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16014
    it cost £380 in 1980 with my staff discount ...I would be very surprised if it was an American one for £180 even if it was 15 years ago
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    edited February 2017
    Dominic said:
    it cost £380 in 1980 with my staff discount ...I would be very surprised if it was an American one for £180 even if it was 15 years ago
    It was... trust me. Through body stringing, hand inked serial etc. They just didn't know what it was (I wish I'd bought it!!) - the same shop had a proper Atilla Balough Odyssey for £120.

    Actually I just did the maths... that would have been 1994, so considerably more than 15 years ago!! Time flies.
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4159
    That is a thing of beauty, now what can I sell ;)
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  • FelineGuitarsFelineGuitars Frets: 11497
    tFB Trader

    Many guitars have a re-sale value. Some you'll never want to sell.
    Stockist of: Earvana & Graphtech nuts, Faber Tonepros & Gotoh hardware, Fatcat bridges. Highwood Saddles.

    Pickups from BKP, Oil City & Monty's pickups.

      Expert guitar repairs and upgrades - fretwork our speciality! www.felineguitars.com.  Facebook too!

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  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4159
    I remember seeing my first Hamer Sunburst in 79, loved it then and I've always had that itch for one 
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16014
    Thanks,that is probably where it belongs but I thought it would be nice if it went to a new home from here so I am giving it a shot for a few days ( trouble with Hamer fan club is that most of the membership /response is probably U.S. or overseas somewhere and it's a bit of a hassle ...........strangely Germany seems to have a strangely large following.)
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  • don't sell it.
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16014
    You say "DON'T SELL IT "  but it has lived in a case for nearly 40 years and I never play it .......what's the point in having it ?
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16014
    sweepy said:
    I remember seeing my first Hamer Sunburst in 79, loved it then and I've always had that itch for one 
    " All you gotta ' do is call ...........and I'll come runnin' "
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  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4159
    Lol, you temptress ;)
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  • stonevibestonevibe Frets: 7083
    Great guitars, played a lot of them when I worked in guitar stores, but hard to sell in the UK, as not as large a fan base as in America. GLWTS fella, it looks great.

    Win a Cort G250 SE Guitar in our Guitar Bomb Free UK Giveaway 


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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16014
    They seem to have a cult following in Germany too
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16014
    BUMP
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  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4159
    If I wasn't buying my Musicman, I'd have this in a heartbeat, beautiful guitars
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16014
    It won't do the things your MM will do but it is an ultimate Classic Rock guitar and 80s Rock tool
    The build quality is just tremendous ........FUTURE TRUE CLASSIC
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  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4159
    They are, I remember them very well from the 70's, now I feel old ;) you rarely see them for sale anywhere 
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16014
    Unfortunately I am probably of the same vintage as you ................I don't just feel old !
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  • As a fellow Hamer guitar owner I would say this is THE Hamer guitar to have. Great price too. GLWTS!

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