Jeff Ament's Custom(?) Hamer 12

[TimWilson]

Flipping through some old (mid 90's) BP magazines, I noticed those old SWR quarter-page ads that showed Jeff Ament playing a unique 12-string. It looked like a super-sized black Les Paul. At the time those issues came out, I wasn't into 12's, so I didn't pay much attention, but now I'm gassing.

I looked at Hamer's site and around the used market and haven't seen a single other model. Does anyone know: Was that a one-off custom shop bass, or did Hamer actually make a run of those basses? Has anyone ever seen another one?

 

[petersenbass]

I think Hamer did custom make Jeff Ament one or two, including that flat black one.

The Hamer Chaparral is the only production model 12-string I've seen and played.
I tried the short and long-scale version. The short was eaiser to play, but wow
the long scale chimed like a bass piano!

 

[moonshinegtrs]

I could be wrong, but I think that model was originally designed for Tom Peterson of Cheap Trick. I believe he was responsible for coming up with the idea for the 12 string bass. I remember seeing him with a version of it with a small mixing board-like control set up installed onboard.
Moonshine

 

[12bass]

It's a custom Hamer B12A ("Acoustic") with EMG pickups.... the same bass used to record "Jeremy" IIRC.

The bass with the slew of knobs/switches was a custom B12S.

 

[TimWilson]

I could be wrong, but I think that model was originally designed for Tom Peterson of Cheap Trick. I believe he was responsible for coming up with the idea for the 12 string bass. I remember seeing him with a version of it with a small mixing board-like control set up installed onboard.
Moonshine

Right and wrong: Hamer did design the first 12 for Petersson, but that was a small-bodied, double cutaway that predates Ament's Hamer by many years. This one I'm talking about looks like a giant Les Paul. It doesn't APPEAR to be acoustic, but it might be a very thin-bodied acoustic...

 

[TimWilson]

OOoooh.. THERE it is!!!! Now who's got one (and wants it gone)?

 

[12bass]

Dang... lost my post..... here's Ament's Hamer Duotone semi-acoustic 12.

And the B12A again: http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=892

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Soundhole is fake on the B12A... but not the ones on the Duotone.

 

[TimWilson]

Wonder if they'd send one without the soundhole and the P pup. Maybe a second 'bucker a few inches closer to the bridge pup... How's Hamer for options like that, anyone know?

 

[12bass]

From what I recall, the B12A body style was Petersson's idea... and was first made around 1979/80.

Here's a Cheap Trick video from 1980 with Tom playing one of the early B12As:

for more pics/info.

 

[12bass]

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[TimWilson]

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THAT's the one!!! I WANT!! I WANT I WANT I WANT!!!!! GIMME GIMME GIMME!!!!

 

[SJLee]

Dang... lost my post..... here's Ament's Hamer Duotone semi-acoustic 12.

And the B12A again: http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=892

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Soundhole is fake on the B12A... but not the ones on the Duotone.

Looks just like the one Tom Peterson of Cheap Trick used back in the day...

 

[NS2A]

Yup, Petersson was using the LP style one long before PJ was. I know Rick Nielsen was selling the 12 used from the Don't Be Cruel video years back. Apparently Rick owned most of the guitars the guys in the band used as he had the endorsement deal.

You may want to email Rick and see if he has any to sell. Seriously.

 

[lonote]

Hmmm...an acoustic or semi acoustic bass with a neck wide enough and stout enough for 12 strings, 12 tuners and a headstock big enough to handle 12 turers. Does anybody else see this as a recipe for neck-dive of the highest magnitude? I belive I read somewhere that Ament put his down because it was hard to handle although I might be wrong about that.

 

[SJLee]

Here's a link to Waterstone. It's the company which makes the basses Tom currently uses.

Link Removed

 

[monkeyhaiku]

Those Waterstone 12vers are just the most beautiful ugly basses ever.

 

[SJLee]

Those Waterstone 12vers are just the most beautiful ugly basses ever.

Yeah, those are something, aren't they?

 

[petersenbass]

Hey Tim, I thought you'd want to see this:

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[rwelcome]

Yep it's the acoustic shape, all mahogany body, roundover on both sides, with the black spackle finish (the same finish Ovation uses on the back of their bodies). When I worked for Hamer we did a small run of 8 strings for x-mas presents for Jeff.

 

[theaterbass29]

Ha, the nashville post is my bass. Have to be careful not to advertise my own sale here, so lets just talk 12vers. The original design was a short scale much like mine but made with quadraphonic pickups, allowing each string to be mixed independently and then eq'ed. Tom never actually used this option, but rather used the neck pickup output in mono mode. Later, he came up with the "Acoustic" model, though not truly acoustic, it was a 32 inch scale and had 2 outputs. He would later make models with 3 outputs and used 3 different amps live, including 2 guitar amps and 1 bass amp. These days, Tom does play Waterstone 12vers with single outputs and only the neck pickup. My preference will always be the short scale as the longer the scale with worse the neck dive and the harder to play. For what its worth, Tom is now playing 32 inch scale Waterstones exclusively.