NewAKowner

+1 on G&L making a very good tele - the USA & Korean made ASAT's are outstanding and deliver great sound via USA - made MFD pickups. I picked up a Korean Tribute ASAT Classic Semihollow last February & continue to be more impressed with it the longer I play it. Tribute production has been moved to Indonesia, so overall quality may not be the same as the Korean was, but definitely sample these before you buy.

+1 - Thank you for one of the best descriptions of that Ultimate Poser John Mayer that I have ever seen - sad commentary on state of music industry today that an average player who wrote some insipid pop songs gets to share a stage with Buddy Guy. I also appreciate your take on Justin Timberlame in another post - he certainly has proven that he can neither dance nor sing. Keep up the great work.

No intent to pile on, but that is the first time I have ever seen or heard the word "alder" mentioned in the same sentence or context as "Korina". Guess it depends on what qualities one is seeking. Whether you decide on the Artist Mahogany or Korina, you will have a fantastic guitar that sounds beautiful & is a joy to play - you can't lose with Hamer.

Sounds like you got an outstanding guitar at a very reasonable price. Thanks for sharing that perspective.

Thank you, serial, for summarizing the point I was trying to make. ac15, it looks like you got in at 59% of list price also (SWEET) - mind if I ask what model you bought?

I am well aware that they are different animals, but as I clearly stated in my post of July 17 and attempted to clarify in the quote you referred to, I was able to get 59% of list price on a BRAND NEW HAMER ARTIST KORINA, through an authorized Hamer dealer. I only mentioned it because it may relate to how much one should be prepared to pay for a new Monaco.

OK, change the % to 59 - my point is that I was able to get 40% off list on 2 guitars that were brand new deliveries and another that had left the Gibson factory 10 days before I bought it - they were not "stock that had been around too long."

In addition to the 2 examples I already mentioned, of which I took delivery the day they arrived from the factory, I previously got the same 56% deal on a Gibson Les Paul in December, 1999 from another store in my area - it left the factory 12-12-99, I bought it brand new 12-22-99. Not saying it happens often, but if one is willing to wait it out, check the available alternatives, etc, great deals should still be out there. Dealers in different regions of the country may have different policies.

If a dealer wants to do business with you, and does not have a customer lined up who is willing to pay a higher price, you should be able to negotiate them down to about 60% of list price. I have done that twice with my local Hamer dealer (with an Epiphone in 2003 and an Artist Korina last March) by telling her exactly what I want, having her order from factory, agreeing to pay cash or check when I pick it up. In each case, I got a brand new guitar right out of the case, not played or nicked up by another customer, and gave the dealer a check for 56% of the list price of guitar & case combined. Of course, that approach might not suit you if you need to try the guitar out before making a decision, but in both situations I knew exactly what brand & model I wanted, and I did not write the check until I inspected each guitar closely for 30 minutes before taking them home. It helps if you already have a relationship based on trust & integrity with the dealer. Have fun & good luck.

If you check the hamerguitars website & do a dealer search, you find dealers in Corning, Ithaca, Liverpool, Oswego, Watertown, & New Hartford. Maybe one of these has something in stock that you can try out. These Hamers are great & well worth the time & effort it takes to find the right one. You will be glad you did.

For the last 5 years, I do all my business through Limelite Music in East Aurora, New York, a small, friendly store that carries Gibson, Epiphone, Tacoma, and Hamer. I tell them the brand & model I want, they order it from factory, as soon as it comes in I pick it up & we do the deal. Works great if you know exactly what you want & can trust them to do right by you, which I do. Neck profile is almost identical to Gibson Les Paul '59 rounded neck, perfect C shape - I got a Les Paul Smartwood Exotic back in 1999 with that neck shape & matte finish, mostly because it was the most comfortably playing guitar I had ever tried - now it is pretty close between the Les & Artist Korina for most playable, Artist has lower action & would probably be #1 if I HAD to choose. Combination of perfect neck, smooth beautiful rosewood fretboard, & low action make this Artist Korina about as good as it gets. Once you plug it in, the tone & sustain are beyond description.

Terrific guitar either way - I picked up a new Artist Korina with P-90's eleven weeks ago and continue to be more impressed the longer I play it. The Seymour Duncan Standard P-90 pickups have plenty of power & perfectly complement the outstanding tone & sustain of the Artist Korina with clarity & a nice bite. If you are looking for the thick Les Paul type sound, try the Artist with HB's or the Studio - play before you buy if possible, but you probably will do fine with any USA made Hamer. Good luck.

I have only been playing a new Artist Korina for less than 3 weeks, but I am very pleased and impressed with the sound, power, and versatility of the SD P-90's it came with. My other electrics are humbucker equipped, and I did not know what to expect, but when I run the Artist thru my Peavey Studio Pro 112, I get a great clear tone with plenty of power. I also like the way they respond to every adjustment of the volume and tone controls on the guitar.