ARM OF HAMER Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 As some of you know...................well probably many of you know as I have been harping about it so long I recently landed a late 70s Black B&C Hamer Sunburst.................finally! and its a great guitar! However it had no case. I do currently have a decent Pro-Tech soft case I'm keeping it in.I looked around for a original Hamer case for the Sunburst...............called about getting a case from some former Hamer dealers and any of the cases they had for a Hamer guitar also had a guitar to go with it so no luck there.I looked on the forum about the cases and who made them and looked at the older and newer ones badged "Hamer" USA and they both looked very similar...........the older 70s model case has a different handle it looks like.This one is from a 1979 model and a Sunburst in it. I got this one last night and have no clue as to what was originally in it as far as the guitar itself, hope it has decent fit for mine................not a give away but its a clean Hamer USA [Though as you can see its MADE IN CANADA BY TKL[ It has as the "MADE in CANADA" and "EmeX" Europeon Music Express stamped on the center pocket leather pull tab].............who apparently made all of them] case with very little wear and with all the latches present and working.....................this one must be a later era case but its a original Hamer and they seem pretty hard to come across[least without a guitar in them ] so I'm happy now that my Sunburst will have a new home.Thought I'd put some photos up for reference for others looking for original cases.
HSB0531 Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 I ordered my Standard Bass from Hamer with a Calzone flight case.So when I had work done at BCR Music, Greg ordered me a new case from the case manufacturer directly.Call them. They should be able to get you one. I don't know how close to the original it will be, but it's worth a call.
ARM OF HAMER Posted January 25, 2014 Author Posted January 25, 2014 I actually bought this case last night and it should be here in few days from now................... I wanted a "HAMER USA" logo case so.................I did look at several old late 70s era Gibby Les Paul cases but they were real spendy and I was unsure of the fit with those as they were made for a Les Paul of that time and some of the Les Pauls vary quite a bit as to the carve of the body.
bondedbybrick Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 When I bought my '78 Sunburst back in 1983, it came in a very nice 70's era Gibby Les Paul case. I thought long and hard about finding an original Hamer case for it but decided the Sunburst fit well enough in the Gibby case. In addition, the Gibby case is worth quite a bit more than the Hamer case on the used market. It too is made by TKL and is the same vintage as the Sunburst. In the long run, it really doesn't matter to me. It's just a case...........
atomicwash Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 I ordered one through Fender/Hamer for my Phantom Custom last December. They were $165 and they said they only had a few left.
ARM OF HAMER Posted January 25, 2014 Author Posted January 25, 2014 I must say the Gibby case you have does like great! the purple interior against the black really sets it off [The guitar looks stunning BTW!] I looked at some Gibson cases from the 1970s on Ebay before getting this case. One was very nice but had a ways to go before selling and it already had a bid with no BIN so figured if I'd wait and bid then this one would be gone with the BIN.............all the other had issues............. real beat up with torn tolex or missing latches/ handle.I would have bought something like yours here given the right price. Agreed it iS only a case but sometimes it might add a little something to the overall package.Thats a beautiful "TUX" guitar!
ARM OF HAMER Posted January 25, 2014 Author Posted January 25, 2014 I tried going through Fender....................... no cases............................ no luck !
cynic Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 I looked into ordering Standard cases direct from TKL, but after adjusting their pricing a year or so ago, individual orders are very cost prohibitive and it turned out to be a non-starter. If I remember correctly, pricing was somewhere around $450 each if ordered in onsies/twosies, for a catalog item!In the end, I learned Kim Keller still had a few laying around and alpep (Lost Art/Vintage Instruments) was able to get three of them to me for a great price.
Andrew Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 In the early days there were a few blue lined cases for Sunbursts, a few brown lined ones but after '77 they were mostly red lined until '88-ish (interior went black earlier ('86) for the square cases). The external locks, handles and trim varied continuously and you can't make much sense of it because they just piled them up and used them in any order.Your case is a typical nineties-onwards case for Sunbursts, Studios, Artists etc.. Original cases are around but it is still a mystery to me where they all went as Hamers usually shipped in a Hamer case.
ARM OF HAMER Posted January 25, 2014 Author Posted January 25, 2014 Thanks for that Andrew..............for that info.........the case was almost as hard to find as the guitar. Well.......... OK.................I said almost. : ) Yes................. quite a few Hamer guitars made though the years you just wonder where all those cases went. Here is a case very similar to the one I bought minus the age wear mine has................... looks like what you said they were still using this style case right up to the end.
diablo175 Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 Hoping to find a Hamer-stamped hard shell case for my Cali custom in good shape. Easier said than done as evidenced herein.
Uncle Thor's Hamer Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 Hoping to find a Hamer-stamped hard shell case for my Cali custom in good shape. Easier said than done as evidenced herein. Does the number of cases have to equal the number of guitars? One strategy would be to buy a case with a guitar in it. Keep at least one guitar out on a stand or wall hanger. Use the case to carry a guitar to a gig/rehearsal/jam.
Steve Haynie Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 The 90's era black lined cases fit more securely.
diablo175 Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 Hoping to find a Hamer-stamped hard shell case for my Cali custom in good shape. Easier said than done as evidenced herein. Does the number of cases have to equal the number of guitars? One strategy would be to buy a case with a guitar in it. Keep at least one guitar out on a stand or wall hanger. Use the case to carry a guitar to a gig/rehearsal/jam. No, only want one case to house my Cali custom. All the rest have cases. I feel as though the custom deserves a Hamer stamped case of it's own. Sorry for the thread takeover.
Boomerang~Junkie Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 FYI - as it was explained to me (back in November) some of the remaining NOS stock of "Hamer" cases are gettting or already have already gotten pretty scarce in number.For what its worth - AL at Lost Art/Vintage Instruments has been VERY good to me a was a Jam-Up guy to deal with. I will most definitley buy from him again.
tommy p Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 TKL also has a factory in Oilville, VA. It's about 9 miles from the house I'm building.
Hamerhack Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 An extra Hamer stamped case would be nice, but in case one never turns up...Does anyone know the TKL case model number for a Hamer Artist?spelling boo boo edit
Hamerhack Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 GC-1.Thanks!Have they changed the model name? TKL Website
serial Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 Hamer's code was GC-1. Same case as a Les Paul.
cynic Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 The 7825 is the LP style with the flat top.The 8825 is the LP style with the arch top and bears a striking resemblance to Hamer's GC-1. .The 8925 is also an arch top case but has the mo-fancy crushed-velvet-type lining instead of the typically furry stuff.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.