Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: samoth2 on October 02, 2007, 04:36:08 PM

Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 02, 2007, 04:36:08 PM
I have the chance to buy one from 1991, relatively cheap around £420.

Does anybody have any experience with those?

(http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/3668/billede001nl0.th.jpg) (http://img258.imageshack.us/my.php?image=billede001nl0.jpg)
(http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/5346/billede002dl2.th.jpg) (http://img104.imageshack.us/my.php?image=billede002dl2.jpg)
(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/2491/billede003md4.th.jpg) (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=billede003md4.jpg)
(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4842/billede004qo3.th.jpg) (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=billede004qo3.jpg)

Here you go
 :)
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: Philly Q on October 02, 2007, 05:00:33 PM
I had an Artist, which is pretty similar but with a chambered body.  And I've had several other Hamers over the years.

Beautiful workmanship and top-quality parts and timbers, but Hamer necks are always too skinny for my taste (which is the main reason I ended up selling most of mine).

If you like the feel of the guitar and it's in good condition, £420 is a steal.
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 02, 2007, 05:09:11 PM
I don't have big hands so skinny neck is a good thing.
I was otherwise going to buy a Tokai Les Paul but this one is the same price. So I hope he's near enough for me to try it.

And it would be nice to get a guitar with a more classical look to, my Ibanez just doesn't look right playing bluesy stuff  :lol:
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: Philly Q on October 02, 2007, 11:54:14 PM
Actually, if you're used to Ibanez necks the Hamer might feel a bit chunky!  :lol:  But I think the early 90s ones were pretty slimline.
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: hunter on October 03, 2007, 06:09:18 AM
I have a flattop with FR. Agree on the skinny neck, but after being used to it's actually great, very easy to wank on those bass strings in the upper frets.
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 03, 2007, 07:01:56 AM
I wouldn't mind something a bit bigger than my Wizard neck, but I'll order it today, my only second electric ever
 :)
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: blue on October 03, 2007, 11:20:52 AM
if it's a U.S. model, then £420 seems like an absolute bargain! assuming it's in decent shape of course.  be sure to let us all know how you get on with it, and here's hoping you've got a good one  :wink:
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 08, 2007, 03:44:35 PM
Today when I got home from school the guitar had arrived.

And holy s**t it's beautiful, and it's in good condition considering that it's 16 years old. There are only a few dings in the clear coat here and there. The only thing that looks 16 years old is the hardcase.

I haven't been able to play it a lot, since I have a Physics Report to finish. But it feels great, obviously very different from my Ibanez, but I like it.

Don't know what to do with pickups yet. I'm thinking of taking the RY's from my Ibby and putting them in there, but i would really love zebra instead of black.

I'll post pics when I come near a camera.
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: PhilKing on October 08, 2007, 07:07:41 PM
I have Abraxas' in my Hamer Sunburst (it's a 79), and they sound great.  Ry's will sound good too I'm sure.  The real big difference you will notice is the weight!!
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 08, 2007, 07:14:46 PM
Yeah, it's very heavy.

But I think I'll just go for the RY's and get something a bit heavier for my ibanez.

But I already love it  :)
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: Philly Q on October 08, 2007, 09:46:56 PM
I need pics!
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 09, 2007, 07:25:48 AM
Quote from: Philly Q
I need pics!


Sorry Philly, but all the spare time I had yesterday I was playing it.

And I think I'll have a really hard time capturing the flames, but I'll try to take some today.  :)
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: noodleplugerine on October 09, 2007, 04:31:07 PM
I demands pics too!
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 09, 2007, 04:34:00 PM
I took some today, but I can't find the cable to get the pictures from the camera.

Sorry  :oops:  :oops:
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 11, 2007, 03:07:37 PM
Pics in the first post :D
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: Kilby on October 11, 2007, 06:36:07 PM
That looks lovely, especially for the money.

The 1st guitar I really wanted was a musicman sabre, the 2nd one was one of those Hamers. I grew out of my desire for the Sabre, but never outgrew the Hamer

Rob...
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 11, 2007, 06:45:35 PM
I can understand why, lovely guitar.

£1000 and it's yours :P
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: Philly Q on October 11, 2007, 07:03:27 PM
Fantastic colour!  Looks like you got yourself a real bargain.
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 11, 2007, 07:13:29 PM
Yeah, a real bargain.

But you should see the colour in person, even better then.

And it was a great time I found it, as I'm currently having a Gary Moore period, now I just need a cranked Marshall  :twisted:
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: opprobrium_9 on October 11, 2007, 07:48:31 PM
isn't an archtop the hollowed body?  I believe that is a carved top...  :P
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 11, 2007, 07:53:18 PM
Not necessarily, some makers, like Gibson, refer to guitars with a carved top as archtop to distinguish it from flat top models.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archtop_guitar#Various_use_of_the_term_archtop
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: Philly Q on October 11, 2007, 07:59:42 PM
It's an Archtop, or strictly speaking since it's a '91, a Sunburst Archtop.

The semi-hollow Hamer model was called the Artist (or, originally, the Archtop Artist  :wink: ).
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: opprobrium_9 on October 11, 2007, 08:10:35 PM
AHHH, excuse my ignorance for using the homogenized common term  :wink:
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: dave_mc on October 11, 2007, 09:25:02 PM
looks great! :D
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: WezV on October 11, 2007, 09:49:44 PM
Quote from: opprobrium_9
AHHH, excuse my ignorance for using the homogenized common term  :wink:


I am with you on this one, archtop is a misnomer for carved top guitars - it just serves to confuse the issue!!

However, it may just be being a bit picky - afterall most of us would say a strat had a bolt-on neck even though we all know its held on by 4 (or 3) screws.  Therefore its a screwed in neck!!  The guitar makers that use threaded inserts in the neck heel and actual bolts to join the two together dont like fenders being described as bolt-ons but the rest if us kniow it really means screwed in so it dont matter


I suppose Bob Benedetto might get a bit annoyed on some level at this hamer being called an archtop but i think the rest of us understand what Hamer are on about so it doesnt really matter
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: Philly Q on October 11, 2007, 10:14:00 PM
You say vib-ra-to, I say vib-ray-to.  

No, tremolo.

We all know what the terms mean, even if they're technically wrong.  It doesn't matter.
Title: Hamer Sunburst Archtop Custom With Pics!!
Post by: samoth2 on October 12, 2007, 09:56:06 AM
Quote from: dave_mc
looks great! :D


Thanks   :)