Fantasy Guitar Mogul

[MCChris]

I'd start selling these for starters.

(Of course you'd piss Nielsen off, by selling them.)

Add the Tipton bowtie guitar to the list as well.

Moving forward, don't do endorsement deals with artists that require you to relinquish all intellectual property rights to them.

[Andrew]

Replicas are the way!

[Studio Custom]

What sells on the used market?

Californians, Watsons, Steve Stevens and Standards.

Would there be a market for these in the $3,000 price range you'd have to get at such low volume?

[Never2Late]

Sorry, but.....if I wanted to own a 'custom' guitar made by the Japanese, I would have bought an ESP. I didn't want one then, I don't want one now. The best electric guitars in the world are made in the United States of America, thanks. There is a big difference. I know that makes the Ibanez/ESP/Epiphone crowd jealous, I don't care. There's a reason why the Slammer/XT series couldn't keep the company afloat - nobody wanted them. STILL don't. If consumers wanted MORE cheap, crap-sounding, mass-produced guitars, then why is Guitar Center going bankrupt, again? Sure, there are artists out there who are playing Ibanez and ESP/LTD instruments on-tour - they're doing that because Ibanez and ESP stepped-up to these musicians and said "we'll make you WHATEVER cool guitar you want, to your specs/wildest-dreams, and we'll put your picture on our ads for all the guitar magazines so all your fans can see that you're playing OUR guitar". Win-Win for everyone. Bazinga.

Hamer USED to do this, and they sold a lot of USA-made guitars doing it. Kiss, Judas Priest, Night Ranger, Krokus, Lita Ford, ZZ Top, No Doubt, Linkin Park.....Hamer could have picked-up band endorsements NOW, on a dime. IF they were still-around.

Here's a plan that utilizes outsourcing production overseas which is necessary to significantly reduce production costs while maintaining a high quality to beat the big players with exceptional bang for your buck/value. I certainly would prefer USA production to stimulate the USA economy, etc. but it's just not economical. I'd rather see Hamer alive and well with great instruments produced overseas than no Hamer at all:

• Gain 100% ownership of name.
• Hire the marketing company used by Ibanez to develop a marketing campaign.
• Determine which old Hamer models were the most popular and/or best selling to reproduce.
• Develop new and artist models (endorsement deals) for popular artists.
• Outsource all Mfg to the Japanese Mfg plant with highest quality standards.
• Hire BCR/Greg or Murkat as Director of Mfg to determine all hardware, electronics, and materials to be used on all models, and to oversee (in person daily) all aspects of Mfg to ensure old/new models are accurately/faithfully produced with the highest quality of fit, finish, sound, and playability.
• Price all models in line (or slightly lower) to comparable Ibanez models.
• Show big at NAMM and the dealer channel will take care of itself. "Build it and they will come" will prevail if it's a great product economically priced.

[cynic]

The best electric guitars in the world are made in the United States of America

Could you please enlighten us and share the name of this builder?

[django49]

The best electric guitars in the world are made in the United States of America

Could you please enlighten us and share the name of this builder?

Huber, Ruokangas, McInturff....2 outta 3 ain't bad......German, Finnish, USA......

I KNOW there are more than those, but they are the first that some to mind. I would count out Gibson and Fender and even PRS, except for the higher end "custom/private stock" variants (MAYBE).

[bcsride]

This is a hard one. If I had 3 million I'd retire. I know to some 3 million is "starter cash" but for me that is more than retirement money.

But.

Sell Hamer to Taylor. Over the last 15+ years, Taylor has been great at marketing and manufacturing. But, (I think) their electric solid body is not good. I wanted to like it. I love my Taylor acoustic. When the Taylor solid body electric came out I hunted them to play one. I found one. I played it - hmm, not too interesting. I've played a few more. All of them meh. And, they look sort of lame too. Taylor needs a good electric. Hamer is a good electric. Taylor is probably the best guitar marketing entity around. Taylor could make Hamer's sell.

But.

FMIC knows that as well. They would never sell Hamer to Taylor as Hamer/Taylor would generate some serious competition to Fender.

[diablo175]

So, what would it take to get FMIC to sell off the Hamer name and rights? Could some enterprising (and ridiculously wealthy) entity acquire Hamer from FMIC at bargain basement rate and flip it to Taylor or another well- equipped, established co.?

The major draw back to this plan is how to get the CT. crew to come along. Let's face it, what made Hamers so appealing was the fine craftsmanship by the talented lot in CT. Whatever deal could be drafted, would HAVE to include the guys in the Guild shop. That requires keeping facilities in or near the CT. site.

Ouch. My head hurts from all this pipe dreaming.

Sell Hamer to Taylor. Over the last 15+ years, Taylor has been great at marketing and manufacturing. Taylor could make Hamer's sell.

FMIC knows that as well. They would never sell Hamer to Taylor as Hamer/Taylor would generate some serious competition to Fender.

[RichRS6]

Hmmm, hard to say what I would do, it would be difficult to make the luthiers who are the heart of the workshop leave a (reasonably) secure job to try to revive a brand that would need some serious money, marketing, and time before it was a viable business again.

If FMIC had asked me a Year ago what to do with Hamer here's my answer.

I would forget about USA made mass production models and leave mass production for the import line, the imports are now of such good quality it's hard to for a casual guitar buyer to see what justifies the massive price difference.

Keep Hamer USA for custom orders only and get some serious endorsement deals with high profile guitarists sorted so there could be signature models brought into the import line and make copies of the endorsees guitars available as USA custom orders for those who can afford them.

[bcsride]

Hmmm, hard to say what I would do, it would be difficult to make the luthiers who are the heart of the workshop leave a (reasonably) secure job to try to revive a brand that would need some serious money, marketing, and time before it was a viable business again.

If FMIC had asked me a Year ago what to do with Hamer here's my answer.

I would forget about USA made mass production models and leave mass production for the import line, the imports are now of such good quality it's hard to for a casual guitar buyer to see what justifies the massive price difference.

Keep Hamer USA for custom orders only and get some serious endorsement deals with high profile guitarists sorted so there could be signature models brought into the import line and make copies of the endorsees guitars available as USA custom orders for those who can afford them.

Certainly there is logic in this. But, I believe this is currently the Schecter and Dean model so there is already some pretty solid competition there.

[kizanski]

Give ME three million bucks and I'm gone like a cool fuckin' breeze.

[bcsride]

So, I've been mulling this over in my head. I ran a few numbers. I don't have any comprehensive ideas how to make this work. I think in general, putting 3 million into guitar manufacturing in the US is probably a bad idea right now.

But, I do think you would somehow need to offer a product (and service) that is "different" than what is out there while still catering to current and dynamic trends - like 7 string guitars.

So, here are a few ideas.

Keep current models as production models. Find an endorser (or more) for every single model. Promote that endorser. Pursue a diverse and large set of endorsers.

Bring back a line of Floyded guitars.

Introduce 7 string models in some of the current designs.

Introduce a USB out port as an option or standard on some production models (yep, I said it - new vintage or whatever is out these are guitars to be played, and played into all sorts of things from vintage amps to computers).

No bolt on guitars. The premium market is very competitive there with Suhr, Anderson, etc. But, do set necks on super strat styles etc. I think that area is less saturated (though there is some competition).

Offer direct and dealer purchases. Direct purchases would be at "retail". Dealers could work within their own financial framework.

You could custom order online (and over the phone). But dealers could have demo guitars and different neck carves, frets, nut widths, tummy cuts, PU, switching etc. that could help you work out your CO. Keep CO to variations within the Hamer theme. No more 6 neck guitars. Hamer would be more of a custom Hamer shop, not luthiers for hire.

Create a CO "kiosk" for dealers. Nothing too fancy, but some sort of hang on the wall "booth" that has catalogs, pictures, options, etc. for the CO guitars (with a real Hamer hanging in the middle). Maybe some sound samples available at the touch of a button? Example fretwire. Example necks? I don't know. Hamer needs to do something to separate themselves from the rest of the strats hanging on the wall.

Offer no "production" signature line for an endorser. But, publish on the website all the detailed and specific specs of all endorser's guitars guitar and have all of them available for CO at a "players" price. i.e. no selling of signature guitars as collectors pieces. And, no letting endorsers keep the IP on the guitar.

In the org structure, have a fulltime web promoter (or maybe outsource this?). Anyway, lots of youtube videos, posts in HFC and TGP (within rules). Suhr, Baker, Mcinturff post in TGP frequently.

O.K. here is an idea that is risky, but might just work. Introduce a "loyalty upgrade" program. Trade in any old USA Hamer for 1/2 off of a new Hamer (or some crazy good discount to be figured out). But, do create the trade in in such a way that it is a great deal for the consumer and not so good a deal for Hamer (this is were part of the $3 million come in). The trade in has to occur at a dealer. The dealer and Hamer eat equal share on the associated loss. But, the guitar goes back to Hamer and they wood chip it or otherwise lock it in a vault. I know, sacrilege right? Hamer needs to sell new guitars, not have us buying all the old cools ones and a low price. This program increases the value of used Hamers by making them instantaneously worth 1/2 the value of of a CO and it gets them off the market. Driving up the used guitar market price also drives up the new guitar market price. The fact that I can get a Hamer Eclipse for 500 and maybe a Special for $600 makes it hard for me to pop for $2000+ for a new special. Also, the trade in program gets all but the "collectables" off the market which helps new sales. I know this ideas needs some tweaking, but it could work. I know other industries that do this.

Comprehensive lifetime warranty (to original buyer). I'm not sure how comprehensive, but maybe it would include a refret or two? But some sort of service that is clearly above the other brands.

Continue with 3 piece necks, old fashioned single adjustable truss rods ec.

And somehow get some current or past Hamer folks as part of the new company. I think is is crucial to sustain the culture of quality.

Some ideas. Maybe fun for some discussion. I don't know, maybe someone does all of this already.

[hikarateboy]

Ulitmately (pun fully intended) the question is based upon the previously discussed production price (including overhead) what is the actual msrp after adding a reasonable profit and dealer margin? Is it $2500? I wont be surprised if it is but makes it hard to attract any buyers other than the recent target market?

Is there really a chance that a Hamer USA Special could be created and sold in the $9xx-ish range (factory direct) if some of the parts of the process were farmed out?

I think that the most recent prices where the biggest barrier in creating a new following or those of us here buying new and something like that would attract a lot of buyers just like it did when I was young. A high school kid with a pizza delivery job could buy one with out spending everything he made for the year. recently, not so much.

Re: Endorsers

Besides Kev for the metaller, I would look to hard touring young people influenced by older music that Hamer was affiliated with. Particularly someone like the Kurt Baker Band.

http://youtu.be/OrO8LB4qy_A

[carfish7]

• Outsource all Mfg to the Japanese Mfg plant with highest quality standards.

I think this is a fail from the start, unless the idea is to simply keep the name alive, which I realize you stated was preferable to no Hamer at all. Schecter is doing this currently, and still making USA stuff on a CO basis, but is of course making their margins on the Korean stuff and cheaper SGR bits.. Murkat had a great idea with rough CNC work being outsourced to a USA vendor, along with finishing. Move it overseas and it just becomes a hhollow shell IMHO.

I agree that you need at least SOME of the key people that made Hamer it what it is on board, and that would be the guys laying hands on wood and the customer support folks. Kim Keller STILL rocks in this department as evidenced by the package i got in the mail today.