Whatever Happened to Hamer?

ChuckManual

guitars4you said:

ChuckManual said:

I have always lusted after a Talledega...


Unfortunately, I've never even seen one in the flesh - let alone played one... 

I sold 2 and I believe at the time they were the only 2 to arrive in the UK - I somehow recall at the time that 4 were on the USA inventory and I ordered 2 of them - very few existed

Ah... Well that certainly explains why I've never got my grubby mitts on one... 

lewism

Basher said:

lewism said:

And because threads like this can't have enough pictures, even if they don't do the guitar justice, here's my 2007 Newport:
https://i.imgur.com/QWdsSMh.jpg

That's the one I always wanted! Came close to taking a chance on importing one from the USA but decided not to risk it as I'd never seen one in the flesh, let alone played one.

I believe they're pretty much hollow, the body being routed out just leaving some kind of "sustain block" under the bridge?

I've always liked the idea of a guitar that's slightly more hollow than an ES335 but not quite the full ES330, if that makes any sense. I suppose the "routed solid body" construction makes it it's own thing anyway. I'm guessing the phat cat P90s in that sound great too.

As a long term Jethro Tull fan, I always liked Martin Barre's Hamers and, by association, they seem to have that "thinking man's Gibson" association for me. Have only tried a couple (the doublecut customs) and liked them a lot. Wish there were more around.

Funnily enough, I imported mine from the US in 2008 back when the exchange rate was really favourable.  It’s the only new guitar I’ve bought although they seller was selling it as second hand as they couldn’t discount new Hamers apparently and it wasn’t shifting.  At the time, I’d really wanted a vintage Gibson ES335 or 355 but wasn’t confident enough to go through with it (in short, I was terrified of getting ripped off or buying a fake).  I did loads of research and found the Hamer Newport.  At the time, the Hamer Forum was pretty busy and a really good source of information both about the guitar and the brand itself, hence my knowing quite a lot of otherwise useless information.

You’re right about the construction – it’s a one piece Honduras mahogany body, milled out except for an island underneath the bridge and the Bigsby.  It’s got a carved solid spruce top that’s a bit thicker than the top on an ES335.  It’s really not similar to a Gibson semi of that type at all.  I’ve since got a 62 ES345 and a 63 ES330 (so, basically still not the ES335 or 355 that I really wanted) and they feel very different.  The neck on the Hamer is what I assume is their 50’s carve, it’s the same width as the 60’s Gibsons at the nut but deeper and “clubbier” which somehow makes it feel a little thinner width.  Construction of the Hamer is faultless, a really lovely guitar.

Soundwise, the different construction and the Phat Cats definitely give it its own voice, perhaps more similar to a Gretsch or Tele on steroids which is, apparently, what Hamer were looking for – you could also get them in quite a Gretschy orange sparkle.  It’s very harmonically rich (I’ve been told by someone with much better ears than mine) and really does sound lovely but it can be quite picky with amps – sounds great through an old Marshall but TERRIBLE through a Soldano Atomic 16 with any gain on.

You do see them crop up in the UK from time to time, and they sell for about the same price as a secondhand modern ES335, if not less.  They’re definitely undervalued and one of the things I’ve read a lot about Hamers is that they’re one of the few brands that people would be willing to buy without trying the actual guitar.  If you get the chance, go for it – I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

57Deluxe

it met it's Time...