Bucket list Hamer inbound

[Jim85IROC]

...sorta.  I've wanted a Standard forever, but the US models are way out of my reach, and frankly I'm not willing to pay $750+ for an imported one, so when this showed up on Reverb for way, way less, I jumped on it.  I really want a flame top Standard, but this one was cheap enough that I couldn't pass it up.  Aside from appearing to need a new nut, it seems to look pretty good.

[specialk]

Good lookin' Standard! What year? 

[mathman]

I have one of those I bought new for $300 in 2004. Bought for the same reason.  I couldn't afford a USA model.   Nice guitar.  I replaced the pickups.  The originals are okay but new pickups helped a lot.  Seems like they were made from 2002 or so .  

[Cboss]

I've got one of these too, tone Pros Hardware in the back, installing the oversize mounts that they come with, and a graphtech nut are massive improvements, it's a lot of fun to play now :)

[diablo175]

Nuthin' wrong with an import to address GAS and a Standard jonz.

My first Hamer was an import Cent which was fookin' great! I eventually got a used USA Diablo and then moved to a MIK Californian, which eventually led me to what would be the first of many USA Californians.

 

[Jim85IROC]

8 hours ago, specialk said:

Good lookin' Standard! What year? 

Not sure.  Might be a 2011 if the SN can be believed, but I'm not sure how much you can

 

7 hours ago, mathman said:

I have one of those I bought new for $300 in 2004. Bought for the same reason.  I couldn't afford a USA model.   Nice guitar.  I replaced the pickups.  The originals are okay but new pickups helped a lot.  Seems like they were made from 2002 or so .  

Yeah, I've got/had a bunch of the imports and except for the p90 models (which sound excellent), I usually swap the pickups.  I've got a JB/Jazz set, but I may go with aomething closer to the 12k range for the bridge.  I don't love JBs.

[Cboss]

JB with A8 magnet swap, boom! Polished sounds better than roughcut imo  $7 at Philadelphia luthier 

Edited December 9, 2024 by Cboss

[Jim85IROC]

4 hours ago, Cboss said:

JB with A8 magnet swap, boom! Polished sounds better than roughcut imo  $7 at Philadelphia luthier 

maybe I'll try that with my JB.  Should help add some highs back in.  That said, for this guitar, if it ends up being a keeper, I might swap the Tonerider Rocksongs that I have in my Harley Benton PRS copy.  I really like those pickups.  The 12k bridge is just the right amount of output without getting that peaky sound the JB has.

[Cboss]

Just about any magnet swap will improve the JB a lot; TR pickups are great! The alnico 4 classics also are incredible, F spaced bridge is a little hotter

[Jim85IROC]

Today I finished cleaning up the Standard. I replaced the pots, cleaned the guitar, seated and glued a few high frets, leveled a few frets, cleaned up all the fret ends, polished them, then gave the guitar a full setup. I want to replace the nut with one cut with more appropriate string angles, and I'll probably replace the pickups. Until then I just want to play the guitar a bit. The pickguard has a nice cream color that didn't show up in the pics.

[BTMN]

Looks great. Enjoy it loudly!!!! 😎👍🏁