Q about Artist 25th Anniversary

[Hamer Time]

What is the difference between the 25th Anniversary Artists and the regular ones, other than the pickups (SD JB and 59)?

[ArnieZ]

None, one says anniversary on the headstock. Same guitar!

ArnieZ

[Hamer Time]

Thanks for the quick reply mate.

Hmmm so what was the point of them? Seems a little silly to make a special edition that isn't special in some way, other than a logo?

Do they attract a higher price than the regular ones?

There's one for sale on fleabay buy now for $1,099.95, no bidding, but I made a low ball offer just to see what happens. No other offers have been made. I see the regular ones go for as low as $750, but one sold yesterday for $1000.

Is this worth the price, or would it be better to wait for another one? I doubt they'll accept my offer, but you never know eh?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hamer-Artist-USA-25th-Anniversary-Edition-Guitar-Rare-w-OHSC-Very-Nice-tools-/261261741801?pt=Guitar&hash=item3cd469cee9

BTW that top is to die for in your sig.

[Hamer Time]

Oh, so it was made especially for the Anniversary, and then became a regular model? That makes more sense then.

So many names for basically the same guitar?

[zzzdat]

Those guitars for any price are pieces of mahogany bad asses. They smoke a lot of other way more expensive fiddles.

Gool Beans

Gene

[hectorp]

Of course the Anniversary Limited ones are a different animal. A vivid ruby transparent red, fantastic tops, silver purfling, backplate and truss rod cover (just the right amount of bling for my taste) and really great pickups. Once I'm flush again, I think I'll go out and find one...I miss the one I had.

[DaveL]

one other difference... the 25th mahogany have sort of a vintage Gibson red finish (like you see on SG's etc) while the

Hamer artist mahogany's in red are a little darker.

I chased FM specials for many years, always looking for that elusive one with a really nice top that also played

sounded just as well, then I had found a 25th that wasn't flashy but it was one of the best hamers I've owned...

since then I always had a different view on guitars, and realized it's not always about the top, although I still love

a good flametop... but I definitely give another look to all mahogany guitars (SG's etc) that I may not have considered

in the past. .

[JohnnyB]

The Anniversary was produced (AFAIK) with good intentions, to make a special run of an elegant everyman's guitar to commemorate Hamer's 25th year of guitar making. It was an extraordinary value, with the same price as a Special. Going from solidbody to semi hollow with a chevron bookmatched top at no extra cost was like a "thank you" to the customers.

Not long after, however, they dropped the Special from the product line and added a metallic silver version of the Anniversary with P90s and called it the Vanguard. I always figured they had changed it to silver to distinguish it from the Anniversary. But I don't think the silver sold well because it was short-lived and quickly replaced by the Artist Mahogany HB and the Artist Mahogany (w/P90s). They went back to some shade of trans cherry and stuck with it; it must have sold better than the silver. The original Anniversary had the Duncan '59/JB pickup combination. The Artist Mahogany HB had '59s in both spots, and was also offered with P90s. This was soon followed by Korina versions of both pickup configurations.

Fourteen years later I still have my Anniversary. In the early years these things were bought and sold rapidly; I often saw like-new ones passed off for $550. I thought that was ridiculous for what a great guitar it is. And by "great" I mean everything that's important but an A+++++++++ flame maple top (yawn). It has a compact body, a chunky neck that's easy to play and puts off hand fatigue. The woods are top notch, it's playable as hell, and even the combination of the all-mahogany body and the garden variety pickups works well. The tonal range of this guitar is remarkable. The resonant qualities of mahogany in a semi hollow construction give it the airy woody sound you'd want for jazz, yet it's more comfortable with better upper fret access than a jazz box. There's something about the thinner top that gives it more spank and snarl when you go for country clean or start dirtying it up.

I wonder how many owners passed these off because their egos had to be stroked by a figured top. Musically the thing is perfect. Others might have been put off by neck dive, which can be totally eliminated by trading in your nylon guitar strap for the nice padded leather one this instrument deserves. I have tried mine through a Maxon OD-808 into the lead channel of a Mesa DC-10 with the gain dimed, and even with all that dirt thrown in, the Anniversary has a sweet soaring tone. There's something about that mahogany and chamber that puts a captivating lilt into the tone, no matter how you try to hide it.

As for the looks, at one of Pesocaster's Puget Sound area HFC BBQs, Charlie Drown, an industrial metal vocalist and Hamer endorser at the time, showed up with her stunning custom order trans blue flame maple SuperPro. And yet, she was so captivated by the simple elegance of my trans cherry Anniversary, she insisted on holding it for the group shot:

[stobro]

I think the sequence of when the names changed and when the korina models came out might be a little different. I have a 2000 "Vanguard Korina" with P90s that I bought used in 2001 or 2002. The original store tag with the product code is still in the case.

[veatch]

^^ Doesn't get much better than that, right there. *Great* guitars.

[Hamer Time]

Thanks for all the info, that's good stuff to know.

I passed on that one in the end, trying not to spend over 800. They had a silver Vanguard (didn't know it was called that until now) at GC last year when I had no cash lol. They were asking 1200 if I remember right.

Anyway I'm just looking for something light-weight, and pro quality. I have an XT Sunburst, that actually plays pretty good, and I like it's shape and size, hence the desire for something similar but US made, and not an 'F' or a 'G' all looks, name, and no substance.

[hamerhead]

Of course the Anniversary Limited ones are a different animal. A vivid ruby transparent red, fantastic tops, silver purfling, backplate and truss rod cover (just the right amount of bling for my taste) and really great pickups. Once I'm flush again, I think I'll go out and find one...I miss the one I had.

The LTD's are awesome. Perfectly understated.

[Hamer Time]

Hamer time...

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/msg/3984557336.html

Thanks.

Is that a good price? One sold on this forum for 7 something not too long ago, someone beat me too it. That's what influenced the search on ebay for one lol. I was hoping to find one for a similar price. Reluctant to spend over 8 for another guitar right now, it's a want not a need.

[django49]

Had the Anniversary way back when they were almost new....Bought and sold for something like $750. Nice (okay, much better than "nice") guitar, as explained above. But I was seduced by a lovely bound and crowned flame maple Artist Custom.......Last year, someone here put one up for sale with the Duncan switching pickup rings and I then upgraded to a set of Rio Texas/BBQ pickups. It was good before. Now it is much better.

BTW, I have had a Vanguard (silver) for a LONG time. Always liked it, but the Duncan P-90s were not quite right (for me). Thought I might let it go, but.....I put a set of Wolfetone Mean/Meaner pups in and now it is what (IMO) it should have been from the start.

Any one of these mahogany bodied models is highly recommended----Keep your eyes open......-And keep in mind that some added cost for pickups later on might make you love it even more!

[JohnnyB]

You want lighter weight? How 'bout a Korina Artist for $1200?

[ghamerinfrance]

This one was even unsold for 999 USD on the same ad...so to be pickedup for less....and my Korina HB is really a gorgeous guitar..

Even more resonnance than my former full mahogany one with ebony board (custom).

A very good guitar in deed

[sixesandsevens]

Thanks for all the info, that's good stuff to know.

I passed on that one in the end, trying not to spend over 800. They had a silver Vanguard (didn't know it was called that until now) at GC last year when I had no cash lol. They were asking 1200 if I remember right.

Anyway I'm just looking for something light-weight, and pro quality. I have an XT Sunburst, that actually plays pretty good, and I like it's shape and size, hence the desire for something similar but US made, and not an 'F' or a 'G' all looks, name, and no substance.

They're awesome. There was a black one local to me that I was waiting the guy out for a price drop (it was our local music go round) and it sold out from under me for something like $800-$900. In hindsight, esp. since I was able to put hands on it first in a local shop, I should have bought it.

Hamer time...

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/msg/3984557336.html

Thanks.

Is that a good price? One sold on this forum for 7 something not too long ago, someone beat me too it. That's what influenced the search on ebay for one lol. I was hoping to find one for a similar price. Reluctant to spend over 8 for another guitar right now, it's a want not a need.

It's certainly worth it, but that's not a "deal" by any means. One sold from nstuffmusic.com that was PSA'd here... I forget if it was $899 or $799, but I think it was the latter. I thought I missed a korina in jazzburst here in the last year that was under $800. In my mind, $650 is where "YES! I got the deal!" starts with these guitars, but I don't think I'd feel cheated anywhere under $1000 given how awesome they are.

Fourteen years later I still have my Anniversary. In the early years these things were bought and sold rapidly; I often saw like-new ones passed off for $550. I thought that was ridiculous for what a great guitar it is. And by "great" I mean everything that's important but an A+++++++++ flame maple top (yawn). It has a compact body, a chunky neck that's easy to play and puts off hand fatigue. The woods are top notch, it's playable as hell, and even the combination of the all-mahogany body and the garden variety pickups works well. The tonal range of this guitar is remarkable. The resonant qualities of mahogany in a semi hollow construction give it the airy woody sound you'd want for jazz, yet it's more comfortable with better upper fret access than a jazz box. There's something about the thinner top that gives it more spank and snarl when you go for country clean or start dirtying it up.

I wonder how many owners passed these off because their egos had to be stroked by a figured top. Musically the thing is perfect. Others might have been put off by neck dive, which can be totally eliminated by trading in your nylon guitar strap for the nice padded leather one this instrument deserves. I have tried mine through a Maxon OD-808 into the lead channel of a Mesa DC-10 with the gain dimed, and even with all that dirt thrown in, the Anniversary has a sweet soaring tone. There's something about that mahogany and chamber that puts a captivating lilt into the tone, no matter how you try to hide it.

Great post (as usual) by JB.

Regarding neck dive, a sticky strap works, but can tug on your shirt and not really eliminate that feeling all the time. So I wanted to add that some folks have "tipped the scale" by swapping out the tuner buttons for wood or plastic.

There may also be lower-mass aftermarket tuners than the Schaller Vintage M6 that are standard on a lot of those, so you may be able to lower the headstock pull even more without resorting to a shirt-sucking strap.

The Artist (P90, in mahogany or korina) is definitely on my short list (and I mean really short list). It's a great playing and sounding guitar for stupid-low money.