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Hamer bass guitars?
- Thread starter Ghost
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- bass guitars guitars hamer
I don't know anything about the SFX series but the older Cruise basses are nice.
The old Cruise bass were nice, especially with the 2TEK bridge. I've neither seen nor heard of the SFX series. Former players of Hamer include Doug Pinnick and Jeff Ament.
Jack Blades plays custom basses from a company called Atomic, since Hamer is out of the bass business...
I love my Hamer Cruise 2TEK. I did have EMG soapbars and EMG pre installed. It was my main player for about 20 years. It's just too damn heavy for my aging back and shoulders.
U.S. Hamer anything is gonna be sweet. Really well built from great ingredients.
Hamer went out of business years ago. Does this Hamer company have anything in common with the real Hamer?
Agreed. USA Hamer always made a nice product (no clue about the import models). Hamers were all the rage in the 80's, and they continued to build nice stuff until they shut down. This '95 Cruise is a good example of one of their basic meat 'n potatoes jazz basses. No ups, no extras. Just a solid bass meant to last a lifetime.
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Hamer began near Chicago in the mid '70s building super high quality guitars. Notoriety came with all the custom designs they did for Cheap Trick. The '90s era Cruise Bass with the 2Tek was the only bass ever to get Bass Player Magazine's 5 star rating. USA made Hamer's have a phenomenal build quality and were always a premium priced axe.
Ownership has changed several times, and Hamer today is merely a 'brand' stuck on a budget priced imported instrument. SFX models fall into that category. Nothing special about them.
Ownership has changed several times, and Hamer today is merely a 'brand' stuck on a budget priced imported instrument. SFX models fall into that category. Nothing special about them.
I recall going to Northern Prairie Music in the 70's with my guitarist. Evidently, that is where Hamer Guitars originated. He wanted a reverse Gibson Firebird. NPM had several, he chose a nice '64 Firebird III for $700, which was a lotta money back then. Looked just like this one...
Agreed. USA Hamer always made a nice product (no clue about the import models). Hamers were all the rage in the 80's, and they continued to build nice stuff until they shut down. This '95 Cruise is a good example of one of their basic meat 'n potatoes jazz basses. No ups, no extras. Just a solid bass meant to last a lifetime.
I have that same Cruise Bass. I also have a trans green 2-Tek one also.
USA Hamer is great stuff.
As far as offshore, try to look for 'Hamer Slammer Series' which were made in Korea.
Hamer XT series is pretty good as well.
The newer Slammer by Hamer instruments are firewood.
As far as the newest stuff, it's too early to tell but don't hold your breath.
I once had loan of a USA Chaparral bass for a couple weeks. It was lovely; I should have bought it.
As far as offshore, try to look for 'Hamer Slammer Series' which were made in Korea.
Hamer XT series is pretty good as well.
The newer Slammer by Hamer instruments are firewood.
As far as the newest stuff, it's too early to tell but don't hold your breath.
I once had loan of a USA Chaparral bass for a couple weeks. It was lovely; I should have bought it.
I have one!
It's a Hamer Slammer Series Cruise 4 strings and it sounds great! Made in Korea, it is the first import series.
Main Advantage: super slim neck, I love it, I think it is thinner than the Jazz Basses.
Main disadvantage: very heavy instrument.
It's a Hamer Slammer Series Cruise 4 strings and it sounds great! Made in Korea, it is the first import series.
Main Advantage: super slim neck, I love it, I think it is thinner than the Jazz Basses.
Main disadvantage: very heavy instrument.
I have no personal experience with them, but Jack Blades of Night Ranger played them exclusively in the 80s. It sounded pretty good to me.
EDIT: Looks like he still plays them:
Now that's a nice bass.
...now THIS is a nice Bass...!
A '94 Hamer Chaparral 5 string 34" scale with that extra tension on that long B string!
ALL the great B string focus and tone, without the need for all the other strings sounding, well, not as good...lol...with 35" scale.
