New Gear Score!!

[Curly]

Re: New Gear Score!!

It does sound like you have either a Studio FM or Special FM...one thing I don't like about Hamer is that they keep changing the names of their models. One particular model can have several different names, depending on the year.
Ryan

I agree the name changes are confusing, and that's one aggravation with Hamers.
I don't know what the real model name was either, but I consider a flat top to be a Special, not a Studio. To me, the Studios are later Sunburst archtops.

I'd say it's a Special FM, like the one on ebay. Don't hold my feet to the fire on that, though - they did confuse things!

[Curly]

Re: New Gear Score!!

Benjy,
glad to help some!
I think it would be cool if what looked like an OK pawn shop prize actually turned out to be an early model.

I'm certainly not as knowledgeable as Lew and others about early Hamers, but here's my take:
although I've acquired several guitars over the last couple years, I don't consider myself a professional "collector", and most of my guitars are run of the mill, nice players, set up well, and well cared for.

10 years ago, when I had a dealer's license and attended a lot of the West Coast vintage shows, the vintage market was probably at its peak, due to a lot of factors .... demographics and the international exchange rates among others, since European and Japanese investors drove a lot of the increase in prices. They just recognized the investment value of vintage American guitars, and bought them.

I've always maintained that even a collectable instrument is only good for you if it has intrinsic value as a playable instrument - not all vintage instruments sound and play well!

The pickups are an issue, as I've said, as far as collectability. At that point, to me, the thing to do is get the tone you want if you can't restore it to original electronics. I hope the pots haven't been messed with, because I like the fact that Hamer uses their own custom taper - it gives them a great responsive feel and tone. I know that they did use DMs for their first few years before switching to SDs, but I just don't know when that was, and what year your ax is exactly.

I think you need to get a few good pics, and you might try posting on the Hamer Forum . I found those guys to be pretty helpful when I had concerns about the finish on my '94 GoldTop . I also emailed Hamer directly, and they were very polite and responsive.
I love my two Hamers! I love the work ethic of the company, the commitment they have to Old World Craftsmanship, and the tone and playablity of the instruments themselves.

that's my take on things .. more importantly is that you enjoy the ax, and find the right tone. The Specials have always struck me as a player's ax. I know that when BluesnMettle was around here, he picked up a couple off of ebay and loved 'em.

take care

[rspst14]

Re: New Gear Score!!

What's the serial number? I can at least tell you for sure what year it is. The first number tells you the year, the other numbers tell you what number guitar it is out of all the Hamers made before it. For example, 542457 would be a '95 model, and the 42,457th Hamer ever made. If the serial number is very low, then it's likely to be an 80's Hamer. It does sound like you have either a Studio FM or Special FM...one thing I don't like about Hamer is that they keep changing the names of their models. One particular model can have several different names, depending on the year.

Ryan

[Benjy_26]

Re: New Gear Score!!

Thanks for all the help, Curly!


Hamer lists the original pickups for my guitar in that year as being Dimarzio PAF's. I have to check the serial number with Hamer to see if it is a special order with EMG's (cream covers on them BTW). If they aren't original, do you think that installing a set of Duncans would bring the value down even further? I'm not too interested in reselling, just curious as to how finicky the used/vintage guitar market is.

I'm calling Hamer tomorrow to see if it is some kind of on off or if it has some value in the collectors market. I'm stoked!

[Curly]

Re: New Gear Score!!

cool!

I'd say you have a collector's item on your hands .... unfortunately the EMGs devalue it a good deal as far as that goes, but if it's an early 80s, that's pretty cool

anyway, I'm sure you can check the serial # on the fan site ... I'm not super knowledgeable about the early Hamers, but I'd find out what kind of pickups your year had, and try to at least restore it as close as possible to original

but ... I'd verify for sure that the EMGs aren't original - Hamer has always been known for its custom orders

for comparison, here's an early 80s Special FM :
80s Special

[Benjy_26]

Re: New Gear Score!!

This is it! Mine is just like the one on the far right hand side of the picture, but in a transparent cherry finish.

http://www.hamerfanclub.com/81class.html

Mine also has the Schaller tuners and the exact same type of bridge assembly (which has slightly tarnished saddles, BTW).

Was this bridge also released on later models or is it only found on early studio's?

[Curly]

Re: New Gear Score!!

I wondered about that .... actually there should be some pics on the fan site or factory site of a sustain block ... I think they had a piece of wood though and were a kind shape like a V with a flattened bottom


OK .... here's some details on Sunburst models, but it should apply:
details

[Benjy_26]

Re: New Gear Score!!

Holy-moly! Let me get this straight. According to the info you just gave me, Curly, my axe might be a 1st version Studio FM from 1980 to 1983?

[Curly]

Re: New Gear Score!!

with a flat top, it sounds like an FM Special

from the Hamer Fan Club site :

"Special (1st version) (1980 - 1983) - Double cutaway unbound body with flat flame maple top (opaque colours also available), glued-in 22-fret mahogany neck (24.75 inch scale) with rosewood fingerboard, dot inlays and three-a-side peghead. Fitted with two DiMarzio PAF humbuckers and Sustain Block bridge.

Special (2nd version) (1992 - date) - Similar to the 1st version but has all mahogany construction, tune-o-matic type bridge with stop tailpiece and two Seymour Duncan P90 Soapbar pickups. Also available with humbuckers.

Special FM (1993 - date) - As the 2nd version but has figured maple top and two Seymour Duncan humbuckers. Known as the Special Custom from 1997."

Re: New Gear Score!!

I'm guessing that's an 85 set, unless it's got push/pull pots. In that case, it's an 89, which is an 85 that's splittable. The 89's will have more of a bronze like gold, and th 85's will have a more silverish gold.

Either way, the 85 is an excellent bridge and neck pickup!

[Benjy_26]

Re: New Gear Score!!

My Hamer is a thin flat top with no binding and dot inlays. That makes it an FM, right? The logos on the EMG's are gold colored. What models are those? I'll try them out on Monday, after I do a set up with some new strings.

[Hoss]

Re: New Gear Score!!

NICE GRAB MAN!!!!

it's always nice to be at the right place at the right time with some cashola!!!

[Curly]

Re: New Gear Score!!

I'm pretty happy with my '99 Hamer Studio ... another acquisition I credit to forum members - in that case, Lew.

I love the craftsmanship in Hamers. For some reason, I'm just a lot more comfortable playing my Studio than I am my Les Paul.

FWIW, Hamer's gone to a set of '59s on newer ones, as opposed to the '59/ JB bridge they used before. I asked, and they said it was due to players' changing tastes.

I don't know about the other Hamer owners here, but I find the mid position very usable in my Studio. At first I thought that two volumes and one tone seemed odd, but Hamer uses their own pots, and at 9-10, it's almost like an overdrive or something - actually very cool once you get the hang of it. You could leave the switch in the mid position and get a lot of variation due to the interaction.

again, cool score!

Re: New Gear Score!!

Awesome dude! Do you know what EMG model's they are? They'll have a sticker under em, like SD's, or if the top logo is still visible, what color is it? Give them a try before you dissmiss em!

Norman...Who is that drop-dead gorgeous blonde in your photo album? Going by other threads and memory, I think it's your daughter?

[rspst14]

Re: New Gear Score!!

Sounds like you have a standard Hamer USA Studio model from the mid 90's. Look at the first digit of the serial number, that'll tell you what year it was made. I'm guessing it'll be somewhere in the 5-7 range, as I believe 95-97 was roughly the time when Hamer started using the one piece wraparound bridge. Hamer makes two USA Studio models: a Studio and a Studio Custom. The differences between the two are purely cosmetic. The Studio Custom has Les Paul-style block inlays rather than dots, and it also has a bound neck and body. For a while, they also made a model called the Studio FM, which was the same as the standard Studio, but with a flat top rather than a carved top. So if the top is flat, that may be the model you have. If it's not flat, then it's a standard USA Studio.

Ryan