Hamer should have been as successful as PRS. Why weren't they?
I think it's because none of their original designs were as happening as Paul Reed Smith's ONE design.
For some reason their original designs just weren't sexy. I never lusted over a Hamer guitar.
Owned quite a few of them over the years and had some great playing, great sounding Hamers though. Loved the Hamoer Monoco Super Pro. But it wasn't as sexy as my ES-335 and didn't inspire the same lust.
Also, the finishes always seemed to thick.
It's a shame.