NGD - 1990 Hamer Vintage S - Custom Order

Bennyboy-UK

It was a nice sunny day the other week, so i took a few snaps of this one.

Usual fun and games importing from the US, but thats part of the process I suppose.

I'm very conscious that this is probably a guitar that ticks about as many of the unliked features as its possible to do on the Fretboard - but I think its still an interesting example of a custom ordered USA Hamer guitar and good looking guitar if nothing else,

This is the kind of stuff that they would/could do on occasion for custom orders.

It's a custom order from 1990 made for Bob Davis of Guitar World and a friend of Jol Danzig. Jol oversaw the build from choice of woods to specs.

According to the factory logs, the preceding guitar SN was Nancy Wilsons Hamer Watson Model that was auctioned a few years back, and the following SN was Tommy Shaws red double neck Californian.

Based on a Vintage S - which was pretty much top of the pile on the price list back in the early 90's, it has a pile of nice/interesting custom options when ordered - which include:

1 piece mad grade quilted body.
Unsubtle birdseye figured neck.
Satin finished neck - 
Ebony Board (rather than rosewood/pao ferro)
Super tiny dot inlays
Sperzel locking machineheads as well as locking nut
The body is more heavily radiused than the usual Vintage S, and the body proportions are a fraction smaller than the 7/8 size you get with standard Vintage S/Centaura/T62.
EMGs (89+2x SAs) instead of more usual SDs (usually three SSL1's for SSS or two of these plus a JB in the bridge for HSS) 
Individual on off mini switches for the pickups vs 5 way blade
Master volume with pull to split the EMG89, and the other pots are mid and treble boosts.

This guitar feels like an old Music Man to me with the very comfy and fast clubby neck, the tiny dots, and sucked sweet body shape - that along with the pickup choice and trem - points a bit towards the EBMM Luke maybe?

This thing could have been made for me - the feel is exactly what I want, and the sounds so far (not stripped it down and set it up with new strings as yet) - are great in what ever combination of settings I could fumble.


Although I'd never profess to being a fan of the stuff - I'm cool with the gold hardware as well - I think it looks fine - as its a custom order for someone else nearly 30 years ago - I'm not really in a position to judge what they wanted or why.

See what you think - I'm thrilled with it







 

 





 

 

 

 

sweepy

That’s lovely HNGD

impmann

Floyd aside, I like that mate. 

Hamers of this period are criminally under-rated. I've always had a thing about Martin Barre's Walnut Chaparral Custom from the Crest of a Knave era - I believe that was a one off, too.

Nice score, chap.

Bennyboy-UK

impmann said:

Floyd aside, I like that mate. 

Hamers of this period are criminally under-rated. I've always had a thing about Martin Barre's Walnut Chaparral Custom from the Crest of a Knave era - I believe that was a one off, too.

Nice score, chap.

I'm very happy that they are underrated - as it means I can sweep up some fantastic guitars for very sensible money although those days are going pretty quick now unfortunately!

sweepy

Hamer are definitely one of the “sleeper” brands 

skullfunkerry

Very nice! A friend of mine has some sort of Hamer from that era, and he lent it to me once: it was genuinely one of the nicest guitars I've ever played

Wonky

That's awesome man.  The wood looks stunning all over it too.  Well done

Henrytwang

Stunning guitar! USA built Hamer guitars are amazing, they built a very broad range of instruments from Les Paul Special styles to super Strats like yours. All of them were very well made using quality materials.

Philly_Q

Looks great, the one-piece quilted body is something you don't see every day!  Is it heavy?

The shape reminds me a bit of the Ibanez JS and Radius models, I like that extremely rounded look.

I think my favourite of the Hamer superstrat types was the Diablo, but I never owned one.

Bennyboy-UK

Philly_Q said:

Looks great, the one-piece quilted body is something you don't see every day!  Is it heavy?

The shape reminds me a bit of the Ibanez JS and Radius models, I like that extremely rounded look.

I think my favourite of the Hamer superstrat types was the Diablo, but I never owned one.

I’ll whack it on the scales and see

Schnozz

I want it

Bennyboy-UK

Schnozz said:

I want it

You can’t have it

DrBob

Jesus that’s lovely 

DrBob

Still want a T-62 by the way !

Bennyboy-UK

DrBob said:

Still want a T-62 by the way !

I keep looking for you!

LastMantra

Not really my style but that neck/fretboard looks very playable. Looks quality all over.


If only your lawn was so green. 

DrBob

Bennyboy-UK said:

DrBob said:

Still want a T-62 by the way !

I keep looking for you!

You’re a gent !

That said, as a long time Vernon Reid fan an EMG loaded 90s Hamer with a Floyd is verrrry appealing !

Schmo

I dig it, very cool axe

fretfinder

Congratulations and enjoy! Personally I don’t like green guitars (or Floyds) but that means there’s all the more green guitars in the market for people like yourself who love them. So it’s a win-win! 

CasperCaster

I hate green guitars.
I hate Floyds. 
I hate gold hardware. 

But I absolutely love this! 

It looks amazing, and US Hamers are very underrated instruments. I think you've done very, very well to get hold of that! 

hollywoodrox

That’s proper tasty. Happy new guitar. I like the chapparel’s