Hamer Sunburst USA 1980

[Wolfshead]

As a fan of Martin Barre I wanted a Hamer just like the guitar he used in the Slipstream video.

Well, I didn't quite get one like that (no crown inlays or neck binding) but I did finally get something VERY close! The story is, I had a ton of old pickups in my "Parts box" and some cheaper guitars that don't get much use, so I thought I'd sell them all and buy something nice like a Slash Victoria Les Paul with the money. Over the years I've been looking for a USA Sunburst but living in Scotland they never come up for sale and on the odd occasion they do they are really expensive. Now, I do a podcast called Rock, Paper, Swords and we were due to interview Ian Anderson so I looked on the local listings on the Friday before it and....there was a USA Sunburst for sale just an hour away from me! It was fate that I get it!
The seller was looking for £1000 but I got it for £800 the next day and I couldn't be happier. All original, the Dimarzio pickups sound amazing and, once I touched up the large number of pretty major dings with some nail polish it's just gorgeous and plays great!
You can see it here with the drawing Subanots/Stonabus did for me.

BTW I did ask Ian about his old Hamer but he didn't say if he still has it. He bought a brand new headless Steinberger guitar to use on the new album RokFlote because he likes 'em small! Here's the interview if you'd like to hear it, it's well worth it... https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/YIjl0h7m9zb

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[Wolfshead]

Sorry, I don't know why the pictures are so blurry, they're HD on my laptop but uploading them is making them really bad quality.

 

[Ascension]

Worked for a Hamer dealer for a while those US guitars are very nice. Congrats on that one it's a cool guitar!

 

[Texsunburst59]

Congrats on the Hamer score.

I picked up an all original ‘78 Hamer Black Sunburst Bound & Crowned a few years ago at a pawnshop for
$180.

I owned it for about 2 months and ended up selling it to Hamer forum member, who flew into town to pick it up.

I had it professionally set up, but I couldn’t bond with it.

The neck was way too skinny and the tuners were too loose and it wouldn’t stay in tune.

I didn’t want to mod it because of loosing value..

The only thing I liked about the guitar, were the pickups.

They sounded amazing and I really wanted to keep them, but the buyer would only buy and give me top dollar if it was all original.

Here’s a couple of pics.

 

[jeremy]

love me some hamer guitars! have a chapparel, daytona, and monaco elite. always on the look out for a good deal on one

 

[hamerfan]

So the difference to a Hamer Special is just the binding? …and of course the Sunburst label on the headstock.

 

[JOLLY]

Maye I'm just an idiot, but what makes that guitar a sunburst? It just looks black to me. Nice guitar, regardless.

 

[hamerfan]

Maye I'm just an idiot, but what makes that guitar a sunburst? It just looks black to me. Nice guitar, regardless.

Its a Hamer Sunburst not a sunburst.

 

[JOLLY]

Its a Hamer Sunburst not a sunburst.

So it's named sunburst, but it's not a sunburst. Who was the genius in marketing that came up with that? That sounds like something idiotic that Gibson would do.

 

[hamerfan]

Read here

https://www.hamerfanclub.com/494-2/

 

[Liam1963]

I've always liked Hamers, have an 87 Chappie Custom that I've logged over 100,000 miles with, stage and studio, wish they were still a viable company...

 

[Wolfshead]

Congrats on the Hamer score.

I picked up an all original ‘78 Hamer Black Sunburst Bound & Crowned a few years ago at a pawnshop for
$180.

I owned it for about 2 months and ended up selling it to Hamer forum member, who flew into town to pick it up.

I had it professionally set up, but I couldn’t bond with it.

The neck was way too skinny and the tuners were too loose and it wouldn’t stay in tune.

I didn’t want to mod it because of loosing value..

The only thing I liked about the guitar, were the pickups.

They sounded amazing and I really wanted to keep them, but the buyer would only buy and give me top dollar if it was all original.

Ha, I've seen that one. I Googled a lot on these guitars and I remember reading about you getting this. It looks amazing, I wish mine was bound and crowned but I guess playability is the main thing and if yours didn't stay in tune it wasn't worth holding onto. I must admit I think the neck on mine is quite chunky but it's probably just the shape as it does feel slim after playing one of my Les Pauls.

 

[Wolfshead]

So it's named sunburst, but it's not a sunburst. Who was the genius in marketing that came up with that? That sounds like something idiotic that Gibson would do.

Hahaha, I agree with you. I think originally these WERE all sunburst finishes, hence the name, but it confused me for a long time why black guitars were named that.

 

[Artie]

Gorgeous guitar. Not crazy about the position of the 3-way, but I could live with it for everything else.

 

[NegativeEase]

Cool guitar! -all of the Hamers Ive owned (3) had fretboard binding (even the low end import one) -I short of assumed that was a Hamer standard -I guess not.... looks like a great one either way

 

[Texsunburst59]

Ha, I've seen that one. I Googled a lot on these guitars and I remember reading about you getting this. It looks amazing, I wish mine was bound and crowned but I guess playability is the main thing and if yours didn't stay in tune it wasn't worth holding onto. I must admit I think the neck on mine is quite chunky but it's probably just the shape as it does feel slim after playing one of my Les Pauls.

Yea WS, probably if mine had a thickish neck, I might have kept it .

I think it wouldn’t stay in tune because of the very skinny neck and tuners.

The thing is the Hamer for member offered me such good money and offered to fly in to pick it up, it was a no brained.

 

[JOLLY]

I can't help but crack up everytime my peripheral vision catches Ian Anderson because that lamp makes it look like he's wearing a skirt.

 

[thrill74]

Excellent purchase! Those bridges are my favorite sounding for an all mahogany guitar. 2nd would be the Saddlelock from G&L.

 

[Wolfshead]

I can't help but crack up everytime my peripheral vision catches Ian Anderson because that lamp makes it look like he's wearing a skirt.

Laugh it up!

 

[Wolfshead]

Gorgeous guitar. Not crazy about the position of the 3-way, but I could live with it for everything else.

You get used to the switch being there - it has a longer tip than Gibsons so it makes it a little easier to use with your pinky. That said, the 43 year old switch needed a good clean and it's not "clicky" enough to hit the middle position easily. I never use that position anyway!