Why it had to be a Hamer Sunburst ...

[HamerHamburg]

Good evening y'all.

My name is Thorsten, I'm 49, I'm from Hamburg, Germany and I'm new on this forum.

Ive been a lurker for quite a while, but now that my recently purchased 1978 Sunburst is on its way to me, I thought I might share with you why it had to be a Hamer

Heres the story.

I was 20 in 1985 and bought myself a 1973 Fender Telecaster back then, which I still love to death, but nowadays rarely play live because my gusto in sound changed. When the occasion calls for it, it will be with me on stage, but otherwise Im a Stratocaster player now. The same year I booked guitar lessons with a former school buddy of mine, who at the same age was already a brilliant blues player and on his way to turning professional. So I show up at his place for the first lesson and he pulls this stunning and beautiful double cut from its case. My eyes literally pop out at the sight of it. It was a 1984 Hamer Sunburst in Amber with a beautiful and heavily quilted maple top. I had to talk to him yesterday, to confirm the year built, thats how long ago that was ! The first lesson went by just by discussing the Hamer guitar and him showing it to me and playing it for me. He knew how to play well and naturally the guitar sounded fantastic !

The Hamer Sunburst was implanted in the back of my mind right then.

Life goes on and I have a three piece Band and we like to do heavy blues and blues rock. The Telecaster just didnt fit the bill anymore. So I reckon I need a Les Paul. In 1995 I walk into No.1 Guitars in Hamburg and find a beautiful 1995 cherry sunburst plain top Classic. So now Im playing a Les Paul. We practiced and played live a lot. I went through a 1976 Plexi at that time. Cable, Tube Screamer, Plexi, a 4x12 Marshall cabinet and a Les Paul - you know the deal - wall of sound and rock heaven ! I was into rock and hair metal at that time, so that setup fit the bill.

Tried that for a year or two, but I just could not get attached to the Les Paul, dunno why. So I sell it and buy a 1982 JV Squier Stratocaster. A lovely guitar, great sounding and easy to play. The hair metal days are over (at least the looks and the booze) and Im into Clapton, Trout, ZZ Top, Vaughan etc. Strats and Teles keep coming and going, even a 1963 pre CBS Tele. But my permanent financial desaster forced me sell it

Hamer still in the back of my mind, but it didnt surface :-)

So today it boils down to my 1973 Tele, a 1985 hand built Dommenget Strat and a mongrel 1990/92 Fender vintage reissue Strat, my shop pig. Totally worn, well played and big sounding.

Hamer still in the back of my mind, but it didnt surface :-)

4 years ago I join a blues band. Quite successful on a semi-pro level that band and it turns out, that the guys in the band like my hard rock approach on the guitar solos. I dont want to carry a ton of equipment anymore so its Strats, Teles, a rack preamp, a one unit power amp and 1x12 speakers. Easy to carry, easy to lug around.

Hamer still in the back of my mind, but it didnt surface :-)

3 years ago all the guys in the band buy the budget Gibson Les Paul that a huge German online vendor had on sale for 600,00. They had two P90 pickups, were well built for the money and sounded really good. And because they all have new guitars, I want one too. I was thinking na, no Les Paul for me, been there, done that... and was looking at similar types of guitars on the market in order to be different. But what do I get ?

And then: BAM! The Hamer surfaces from the back of mind.

I WANT A HAMER SUNBURST. PERIOD.

And it's got to be an early one, with some vintage mojo. Preferably a 77-78 early serial number in sunburst with a dotted, unbound neck. I like a bound body with a stunning top and an unbound neck with dots. Killer looking, but not too flashy.

But, there were absolutely none around ! So I lurked around in this forum, learned a lot about the early Hamer Sunsbursts and thought to myself - one of these days! I did find a 1981 Special in amber with changed pickups 3 years ago. I bought it off eBay for 800,00. It turned out the board was Brazilian, so I had it CITES documented. I sold it a year later because I just couldnt bond with it. The problem being, that it was not a Sunburst. I like a nice tobacco or cherry sunburst on the top and a body binding and I prefer dots and unbound necks. It was so heavy, the guys in the band used to call it The Anchor :-)

Then the 1978 Sunburst pops up on eBay a few days ago I had to have it ! Story told.

Cheers, Todde

[KofSeattle]

Awesome story, welcome to the board. Cheers!

[tomteriffic]

Welcome to the board, great story! But.... pictures or it didn't happen

My story was much like yours, 20 years between meeting my first Hamer and finally getting one. Keep a close eye on your wallet. It may not be your last one.

[HamerHamburg]

Thank you !

Yeah, I know ... I'll get back with pictures as soon as it's here. I'm expecting it at my door early next week. Hoping the neck's not twisted and all that ... fingers crossed tightly ... :-)

There won't be anuzzer one soon at the price I shelled for this one. I hear it's the most expensive one that ever went - Evilbay record breaking anyway :-)

But you gots to have what you needs, right ?!

Cheers and good nite.

Todde

[Sugartune]

Thanks for sharing. Great story. Welcome aboard and we do expect a NHD posting when it comes in!

Cheers!

[specialk]

Welcome and thanks for a great story!

Congrats on finding the one you've been wanting. Let us know when you get it.

[Disturber]

Congrats to the Sunburst. Once bitten, you'll want more Hamer's.

Just out of curiosity, how can you determine with a 100% certainty that it's Brazilian rosewood?

[HamerHamburg]

Hi Disturber,

It's hard to tell but there are methods. Brazilian rosewood has fewer and longer pores than indian rosewood. That's a good visual surface indication. If you rub it and scuff it up a little Brazilian rosewood smells sweet, somewhat like vanilla. Sawdust from Indian rosewood actually smells a lot like roses, hence the name...

In the 70's and later Brazilian rosewood was harder to obtain because it was already getting scarce and expensive. But there was still enough around. Guitar companies who built luxury guitars at that time and later usually used Brazilian rosewood, since there was a lot of old stock readily available.

I took my 81 Special to No.1 Guitars in Hamburg, since I was in doubt but figured that a company like Hamer would have used Brazilian at that time. No.1 work together closely with the local authorities here in Germany and have experts on determining if it's Brazilian or not. I then got it certified.

I'll do the same with the Sunburst, which is bound to arrive. If it indeed is a Brazilian board on that guitar it will effect the value, since I will be able to advertise it as a legal Brazilian board guitar with a EC CITES certificate.

Cheers, Todde

[Disturber]

Thanks. I think I have it on serveral of my Hamers. I've been told to look for mineral streaks in the wood as well.

Problem with the old ones are that the fretboards all have turned very dark due to much playing, sweaty hands etc.

And my black Sunburst has been with a smoking player, it just smell like an old Havana cigarr - the whole guitar (smells very good actually).

But no vanilla will ever come out of that wood again, lol. It's been marinated in tobacco for to long.

[HamerHamburg]

LOL !

Actually it is very hard to tell by the looks of the wood only. You will find Brazilian that looks like Indian and v.v. and it really can be confused.

Just don't talk about it and don't ever attempt to advertise one for sale with a Brazilian board for which you do not have a CITES certificate. Then nobody will ever bother.

Cheers, Todde

[atomicwash]

Todde, Welcome! Looking forward to your review of the Sunburst. I too recently got bit by the Sunburst bug, and I'm really digging them.

The waiting is the hardest part.

[HamerHamburg]

Guitar arrived !!!

All well, sounds absolutely great with a nice neck. Some minor issues though. Will post full review and pics asap.

Cheers Todde

[hammuelli]

Hello Todde,

My love to Hamer starts in the '80 ies, too, but they was much too expensive in this time.

And in The Same way i bought a 79 Sunburst in Bremen 6 years ago.

Today i own 6 Hamers, and be careful,

You will be a Hamer Junkie.

Much greetings from Hamm,

Christian.

[BTMN]

Congrats and Welcome! Quite a few German Hamer fans and I bet more as Germany seems to have been a second Hamer home it seems.

Post up a photo or three of your new baby!

Hide your wallet!

[HamerHamburg]

Hi everybody, Guten Abend Allerseits !!

New Hamer Guitar day !!! The 78 Sunburst.

Thanks for all the comments ! Here we go with a short review and pics. The sun was not out today and it was kindy cloudy, so the pics are not that bright. I'll try to upload better ones asap.

To make it short: One of the best guitars I ever played. Period. The tone that things puts out is just unbelievable !! With this guitar you don't need an accoustic anymore ... ! I rewired it to Hamer specs with Bourns pots and a Hovland cap. I like Bourns better that CTS because they have less torque, but sound just as good and are just as durable imho. Got rid of the corny (and really heavy) brass knobs and put some nice amber speed knobs on it.

Pros:

- The looks, I like the not overly "cloudy" quilt. It's more of an understatement. And the sunburst is just my gusto.

- Woods, Honduras mahogany, one piece quilted top and most likely Brazilian board (what do you think?), not heavy at all

- Workmanship, solid as a rock

- The neck, nice "soft C" shape, works well with me and I really like the bigger string spacing

- Tuning stability, keeps the tunig really solid, even after total bending abuse :-)

- THE SOUND ! 36 years old and played, mojo

- Very early model with low serial number, mojo

- The value, shelled out a lot of money and need to shell out more for a refret and strap button repair, but it's a keeper, so I'm fine with that.

Cons:

- Frets really worn, needs to be refretted for my taste. But still plays ok and sounds AWESOME !

- Sheared off strap button. Seller never mentioned that the front strap button was re-fixed crooked with a second hole ...

- Lousy buzzy and humming diy wiring, already fixed to pro standard.

- Non original pickups. The ones fitted are supposed to be Rio Grande but are unmarked. They actually sound great and might stay. Let's see.

- No original case (if somebody has one for sale ...).

Overall a very expensive guitar, but I have no regrets whatsoever ! I was actually looking at buying a second hand Krautster 1 or 2 which would have set me back at least the same amount or even more. What do I get with a Krautster ? A really well built guitar with all the right ingredients, BUT it still needs to be played for 36 years to have the MOJO !

Well I guess I'm into Hamer Sunbursts. If ever another 77-79 turns up on eBay in Germany - LOOK OUT I'll be breathing down your necks.

I still have a few questions for the experts, but have absolutely no time at the moment. I need to hug and play that HAMER SUNBURST !!!

Cheers, Todde

[Disturber]

Aint no Sunburst unless it has old Dimarzios in it You need new (old) pups for her. Zebra for the neck, 'cause the tone is in the stripes.

[HamerHamburg]

LOL ! Yeah right .... duh !

I've seend a couple of old late 70s Dimarzio Super Distortions on eBay Germany and also couple on various German online sales platforms. I dunno yet. But your right ... the black has to go for creme and zebra, either way ... Decision made !

I'll do the refret and the strap button repair first.

I'm open for any pickup suggestions that come near to good PAFs and will match the big tone the gutar has dry already.

[BTMN]

Was this what you used for the rewiring? http://www.hamerfanclub.com/wire/sunburstarchtop.pdf I'm told it was the same for the old Sunburst. I use this to have any three knob, 2 Vol. 1 Tone, wired up LOVE IT!!!

This you might find handy. Used to come on Hamers back in the day.

I REALLY REALLY Love Hollowlead.

[HamerHamburg]

Yep ! Right on.

This is the first guitar where the middle position is one of my favorites. I have years of Strat and Tele mileage and have yet to get used to two volume knobs (squeal ... ). But the tone you get with both volumes up is just sweet. And then that honky fixed wah like tone when you dial one or both of them down just a tiny bit = amazing. Love it. Great for my high gain lead sound.

Cheers, Todde

[ghamerinfrance]

Wonderful top...enjoy