Evan Skopp
SDUGF Founder
We have a major treat for the next chat in our Guest Luthier Series. Jol Dantzig, co-founder of Hamer Guitars. Because of the holiday next week, we're going to move this Guest Luthier chat to Wednesday instead of Tuesday. So mark your calendars for Wednesday, Sept. 9 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern time.
Some of Jol's contributions to guitar history include:
• Design of the first 12-string bass
• Design of the first locking tuner
• Design of the first workable electric/acoustic hybrid guitar (DuoTone)
• Creation of the "Modern-Vintage" boutique guitar niche market
Jol's guitar designs have won six Editor's Pick awards in a row from Guitar Player magazine.
Jol has designed guitars for: John Lennon, George Harrison, Sting, Keith Richards, Gary Moore, Billy Gibbons, Rick Nielsen, Keb Mo, KK Downing, Glenn Tipton, Lyle Workman, Mark Knopfler, Eric Johnson, Martin Barre, Johnny Ramone, Elliot Easton, Brad Gillis, Roy Buchannan, Jeff Watson, James Honeyman-Scott, and many, many more.
Jol's musical credits include recording with: Blue Guru, Wilson Pickett, Freddie Scott, Jon Tiven, Shaw-Blades, Jim Carroll, and Frank Black. His compositions have been featured in films and television.
Check out Jol's Wikipedia page here. Click here to follow his blog. And click here to see a video interview.
Edit: Scroll down to Post 15 to read about a very cool giveaway in connection with Jol's appearance.
Some of Jol's contributions to guitar history include:
• Design of the first 12-string bass
• Design of the first locking tuner
• Design of the first workable electric/acoustic hybrid guitar (DuoTone)
• Creation of the "Modern-Vintage" boutique guitar niche market
Jol's guitar designs have won six Editor's Pick awards in a row from Guitar Player magazine.
Jol has designed guitars for: John Lennon, George Harrison, Sting, Keith Richards, Gary Moore, Billy Gibbons, Rick Nielsen, Keb Mo, KK Downing, Glenn Tipton, Lyle Workman, Mark Knopfler, Eric Johnson, Martin Barre, Johnny Ramone, Elliot Easton, Brad Gillis, Roy Buchannan, Jeff Watson, James Honeyman-Scott, and many, many more.
Jol's musical credits include recording with: Blue Guru, Wilson Pickett, Freddie Scott, Jon Tiven, Shaw-Blades, Jim Carroll, and Frank Black. His compositions have been featured in films and television.
Check out Jol's Wikipedia page here. Click here to follow his blog. And click here to see a video interview.
Edit: Scroll down to Post 15 to read about a very cool giveaway in connection with Jol's appearance.
"While in his early twenties, Dantzig was a professional touring musician who had lived in England and the West Indies. After attending the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Dantzig set up one of the country's first shops selling 'vintage' instruments to collectors and rock's top musicians .
In 1973 Dantzig was a founding partner of the Hamer Guitars, the first 'boutique' guitar company. Hamer was concieved as a professional alternative to vintage instruments, a new and unique concept at the time.
By the mid eighties Hamer had solidified its reputation as a high- quality, professional guitar maker in the US. No other small company could boast of an artist roster as deep and diverse as Hamer's. All four Beatles, three of the Rolling Stones and every member of the Pretenders, Def Leppard, The Police (including the drummers!) owned Hamer instruments.
In 1988 Hamer was acquired by Kaman Music in order to expand distribution and develop the company's long term strategy.
After five years with Kaman Music, Dantzig relocated to northern California in 1993 to start the Dantzig Design Group, a design and concept development firm that operates like an artist's cooperative. He also served as a consultant to Kaman and a host of other music industry companies solidifing his status as a guitar guru.
In 1997, Dantzig was retained by Kaman to engineer Hamer's move to New Hartford in order to consolidate operations with their other Music companies. Dantzig's task included the logistics of moving and the design of a new workspace. Hamer's new shop is more artist's loft than factory. Nestled in a lush valley, 200 feet from the Farmington river, Dantzig and his team are now building the best Hamer instruments ever.
This transition is a return to the very philosophy that first launched Dantzig and Hamer into the worldwide spotlight.
'We're doing exactly what we do best,' Dantzig states. 'Demanding excellence within, and delivering character throughout.'"
In 1973 Dantzig was a founding partner of the Hamer Guitars, the first 'boutique' guitar company. Hamer was concieved as a professional alternative to vintage instruments, a new and unique concept at the time.
By the mid eighties Hamer had solidified its reputation as a high- quality, professional guitar maker in the US. No other small company could boast of an artist roster as deep and diverse as Hamer's. All four Beatles, three of the Rolling Stones and every member of the Pretenders, Def Leppard, The Police (including the drummers!) owned Hamer instruments.
In 1988 Hamer was acquired by Kaman Music in order to expand distribution and develop the company's long term strategy.
After five years with Kaman Music, Dantzig relocated to northern California in 1993 to start the Dantzig Design Group, a design and concept development firm that operates like an artist's cooperative. He also served as a consultant to Kaman and a host of other music industry companies solidifing his status as a guitar guru.
In 1997, Dantzig was retained by Kaman to engineer Hamer's move to New Hartford in order to consolidate operations with their other Music companies. Dantzig's task included the logistics of moving and the design of a new workspace. Hamer's new shop is more artist's loft than factory. Nestled in a lush valley, 200 feet from the Farmington river, Dantzig and his team are now building the best Hamer instruments ever.
This transition is a return to the very philosophy that first launched Dantzig and Hamer into the worldwide spotlight.
'We're doing exactly what we do best,' Dantzig states. 'Demanding excellence within, and delivering character throughout.'"
