Guest Luthier Series: Jol Dantzig

[statorbt]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Hi Jol!
I add my thanks to you for your time in doing this as well as pursuing your passion for all of our benefit. I really appreciate your comments on the most underrated tool in the shop!
I have just a few questions for you:
1. Is there more myth than substance to the "hand wiring" of pick-ups?
2. Do you have a preference for certain strings on your guitars vs. others?
3. How much body is necessary to provide a solid resonant base in an electric?

Thanks again!

[Bass Guy Dave]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Hi Jol.

I was introduced to Hamer by picking up a used '81 Cruisebass that I ablosute adore. The ergonomics are simply the pinnacle.


Love the attention to detail throughout.

Thanks for the great insturments.

Any future bass plans?

[Rich_S]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Hi, Jol. Thanks for joining us today. I'm a long-time Hamer lover (if not owner). I remember the very first Hamer ads in the back of GP - just a couple column-inches, a black-and-white photo of some weird geeky-looking guy, making a funny face and posing all bunched-up, with a fancy Explorer-shaped instrument. The backdrop said CheapTrickCheapTrickCheapTrick, with no other explanation. I remember thinking, "What the heck is a Cheap Trick?" Hamer and the band have come a long way since then.

I have hanging over my desk a page I saved from the Hamer calendar a couple years ago - it shows what is in my book one of the coolest guitars of all time, a sunburst Standard with three Firebird pickups. Whose idea was that guitar?

Along with it, lurking off to one side, there is what appears to be a vintage Vox AC30. What is your favorite amp? Do you anticipate ever leveraging the Hamer name and getting into amplifiers, as PRS did recently?

[The Anti-Matthes]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Jol,

1. I'm currently working on restoring an '85 Phantom A-7
http://reranch.com/reranch/viewtopic.php?t=30842
I'm trying to set it up as Glenn Tipton did with the active EMG in the bridge. I have the original Roland schematics but haven't yet figured out how to integrate an active pickup into that system. Did you guys wire Glenn's A-7 at your factory with the EMG or was that done later on by his guitar tech? Just wondering how you did it if you guys did the install.

2. Do you recall what pickups you were installing for Glenn and K.K. over the years?

3. This may be a sore subject (and I'm not trying to bust your chops), but what happened to the new custom guitar you guys were building for Glenn that you featured on your blog? I was dying to see some photos of the finished guitar. That finger board was awesome with the black pearl inlays. Just wanted to see it all together.

Thanks

[B Bent]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Welcome Jol! It is a great treat to have you here!

I just have to say that I love hearing Jimmy Olander of Diamond Rio play his assortment of Hamer guitars. I had no idea he was such a Hamer lover. I saw him live several months ago and the tone that he gets from his Monaco III gives me chills up my spine.

Does Hamer have a working relationship with Jimmy or does he just happen to have a whole stack of Hamer guitar when he plays live?

[fkennjr]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Hello and thanks for taking the time to do this.

At one time I had a custom left handed version of the Standard Custom it was by far the sweetest guitar I have ever played, and am sad to say I no longer have it, I am trying to get it back from the guy I sold it too.

The neck had the best fret work I have ever seen, what steps do you think are necessary to have a fret job stand out from the average?
And, were differnt neck profiles made depending on the guitar?

[Ayrton]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Jol,

Thank you for taking the time to do this.

Who's idea or decision was to to venture into the "superstrat" market with artist like Vernon Reid and Steve Stevens?

Are you happy with the designs from that time (eg: Centuara)?

Could you see Hamer getting back into that market with something more along the lines of what Suhr offers (high end superstrat)?

[willeubanks]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

What (if anything) did you have to take out of the 8 knob Quad when you dropped 4 of the knobs? Was that the pan control? Or did you use concentric pots or something to leave that possibility in there?

[ErikH]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Hi Jol,

I'm a huge fan of Hamer guitars even though I don't own any. I particularly like some in the import line as well.

Out of all of the instruments that have been made, which model is your favorite out of all of them?

How many guitars have been made for Rick Nielsen?

When building, are there certain woods that you just would not use at all or is there experimentation going on to see if something sounds good that hasn't been done before?

Thank you for your time.

Erik

[Jol Dantzig]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Hey guys, I'll check back in a while... I've got work to do! Keep 'em coming!

[tone4days]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

seeing as today is the much hoopla'd release of the remastered beatles catalogue, would you tell us some cool john lennon and george harrison stories?

[scottish]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Jol, absolutely great to have you on here.

Was there a specific reason the T-51 was cancelled and are there any plans to do another "tele" model?

Was there anything specific that inspired the unique 3 in line vol vol tone set up as seen on the artist models, as opposed to staggering them somewhat?

[Jol Dantzig]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Hoss, my favorite right now is a 1964 P-bass that is all original. It's beat to crap and sounds great. It's just like my very first "good" bass right down to the color of the pickguard. I've got a prototype Improv with some special wiring in it that's fun to play too.

I like working with people I admire, who are dedicated to their craft and don't pretend that they know something when they don't. I've known Seymour since 1973 when we first met in England, and he's always been there for me. He built the first quad bass pickup for the first 12 string bass and we've never looked back. I've known Evan for over a decade and he's a straight shooter and easy to work with. He's got an amazing grasp of the guitar industry and music too. As a company, Duncan stands for integrity and excellence. That's important to us because we have to count on getting a consistent product from them. It's one thing to be able to make a great pickup, but it's another thing to do it every time, day after day, year after year.

[ImmortalSix]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Jol, thanks for coming out!

Do you think there is any down-market / offshore production ($400 - $700) marketability for currently high-end only guitars like the Duo-Tone or the Talladega?

Thanks for your time!

-Hunter

[Jol Dantzig]

Re: LIVE NOW - Guest Luthier Series Feature's Hamer's Jol Dantzig

Cmatthes, I'm really proud of the Monaco 3. I think it's a timeless design that "borrows" from tradition without being an obvious copy. It really opens your eyes when you plug it in. I love Strats, but Fender already makes that, so my way of getting that sort of direction-and expanding on it was the monaco 3. Like I said, you think you know what that guitar is about when you look at it, but when you plug it in... whoa!