22 Vintage Guitar July 2000 www.vintageguitar.com BY MICHAEL WRIGHT WITH ANDREW LARGE, The Different Strummer STEVE MATTHES AND PETER FUNG

LEFT TO RIGHT ’84 Hamer Special, mahogany body with custom factory yellow Stevens I with rare white/gold hardware option. ’85 Hamer Phantom A5, later and black graphics Courtesy of the A. Stein collection. Rare short-scale ’84 Hamer version with six-in-line headstock and bound fingerboard with crowns. Courtesy A. 4 Bass. Ca. ’85 Hamer Standard Lefty. Courtesy DiPinto Guitars. ’85 Hamer Steve Stein collection. Short-lived ’85 Hamer Scepter Vee.

were the days before Rose won his patent rights). These were advertised as being, “...small, lightweight, versatile, and ag- Hamer Guitars gressive.” Finishes were either custom colors or graphics. High-End Boutique or Budget Vintage? Part II In ’86 the Prototype SS became known as the Steve Stevens model, a name it s we discussed last month, Hamer using Hamers inevitably led to the intro- bound fingerboard of either rosewood or enjoyed until its demise in ’92. Also at was started when Jol Dantzig and duction of models named for individual ebony, with dot or crown inlays. The that time the 22-fret fingerboard was ex- Paul Hamer, partners in North- artists. One of the earliest to get an artist ebony and crown version was sometimes tended to 24 frets, although some 22-fret A ern Prairie Music in the early 1970s, association was a version of the Special known as the Custom. The pickup layout models continued to be made. Begin- moved from repairing old guitars to mak- introduced in ’84, and carrying a Floyd consisted of a bridge humbucker and two ning in ’87, some came with Fender-style 1 ing new, improved versions of their Rose double-locking vibrato system. This parallel single-coil pickups, the classic 25 /2" scale. “dream” vintage guitars. Their idea was guitar was like the regular Special except superstrat layout that had been intro- To keep things interesting, from ’86 to to make inexpensive options for those for its an all-mahogany body (no flamed duced on the Dean Bel Aire and Kramer ’87 a second model was offered, called into expensive vintage guitars, though maple) and a slightly smaller headstock. Pacer in ’83. One volume and one tone the Steve Stevens II. This looked more they were greeted like high-end boutique. Pickups were Hamer Slammer humbuck- contour control continued, with pickup like the original Prototype but with The first instruments were the Flying ers. A rosewood fingerboard with dots switching done via two toggles, still be- sharper, more pointed horns. The body V bass in ’73 and the upscale flametop was standard, but an ebony fingerboard hind the bridge. Standard was now a was one-piece Honduras mahogany. Pick- Explorer copy, soon to be called the with crown inlays was offered as an op- Floyd Rose double-locking vibrato sys- ups included a backward-slanted Slammer Standard. In ’75 they got their first order, tion. Models so equipped are often called tem, with a Kahler as optional (these at the bridge (closer to the bridge on the and Hamer USA Guitars was on its way. the Gary Moore Special be- In ’78 the team was rounded out with the cause they were favored by the addition of Frank Untermeyer. Thereaf- great Irish guitarist. The Floyd ter began a series of classic early Hamers Rose/Gary Moore Specials including the Standard Bass, Sunburst, were offered only until ’85. 12-String Quadbass, 8-String Bass, Spe- cial, Prototype, Phantom, Vector, Blitz, Steve Stevens and CruiseBass. We pick up the tale in Fusing the rather disparate the early ’80s. image posturings of New Wave As the Reagan years moved into mid- and Heavy Metal was the early decade, the roles of Hamer’s principals ’80s band that backed singer began to shift ever so slightly. Paul Billy Idol. Idol’s guitarist, Steve hotos: Steve Matthes. Hamer continued to handle sales, doing Stevens, caught the attention a lot of global traveling. Dantzig and of the guitar world and in ’84 he Untermeyer ran the factory, with Dantzig hooked up with Hamer to cre- focusing on marketing issues and prod- ate the Prototype SS. The Pro- uct development, Untermeyer handling totype SS was Hamer’s first international affairs and the business as- “superstrat” (at least in terms pects. of pickup layout). It differed Hamer continued to garner support significantly from other Proto- from many top professionals. This would types in that it had two equal lead to Hamer’s first “artist” models. cutaways, a wider mahogany body, and a six-in-line head- LEFT ’84 ad for Kahler vibratos with Judas Priest’s K.K. Downing on a Hamer Vector KK and Glenn Gary Moore Special stock. The neck continued to Tipton on a Phantom GT. RIGHT July ’84 cover of Guitar World with K.K. Downing of Judas Priest The plethora of big-name guitarists be glued in, with a 22-fret un- slinging a ’84 Hamer Vector KK, sans usual pickguard and with atypical maple fingerboard.

’84 Hamer 4 Bass, 85 Hamer Steve Stevens I, and ’85 Hamer Scepter Vee p subscribe @ 1-800-844-1197 Vintage Guitar July 2000 23 Different Strummer bass side) and a backward-slanted single- six-in-line headstock. Most new Blitzes coil pickup at the neck. Still with one had locking Floyd Rose vibratos. In ’86 volume and one tone, this now came with they featured two-octave fingerboards. It a three-way select. Again with a 22-fret lasted until ’90. Fender scale, this came with rosewood Clearly, Hamer was on a roll in the and dots or ebony and crowns. As usual, mid ’80s. But the times they were a- these were available in a variety of fin- changin’ again. Arguably, the ’70s, were ishes, including graphics and airbrush dominated by a Gibson taste, reflected in painting. Finishes in ’84 included Ice the Standard, Sunburst, and Special. As Pearl, Metal Gray, Red and Black Zulu (a discussed, the rage for heavy metal hit in kind of animal-fur shield pattern), Day- ’83 and Hamer responded with guitars Walnut finished ’84 Hamer Standard. Glo Zulu, Lazer Pearl, Candy Red, and like the Scarab and the Vector. By ’85, Day-Glo Pink. tastes were shifting again, this time under the overwhelming influence of guitarists Judas Priest like Edward Van Halen, whose pyrotech- Another celebrity model also appeared nic technique was dominated by two- in ’84, the Vector KK, designed for guitar- handed tapping and dive-bomb vibrato. ist K.K. Downing of the English heavy By the mid ’80s a double-locking vibrato metal band Judas Priest. Downing was was de rigeur, and the “superstrat” (a strongly associated with the Flying V, so Strat-style guitar with – depending on the Vector was perfect. The Vector KK whose definition you accept – a hum- was essentially a Vector with a single bucker/single/single pickup arrange- Slammer at the bridge, mounted on a ment), a form pioneered by the Dean Bel Ca. ’84 Hamer Scarab II in red and black Zulu finish. small pickguard that sat under the strings Aire and Kramer Pacer in ’83. and descended just a little along the Some of Hamer’s Gibson-style trap- lower edge of the Vee. The top was pings began to fall away, although these flamed maple, the head a slightly nar- were replaced by others. The first version rower, more pointed version of the trian- of the Sunburst ended in ’83. The un- gular Gibson design. The Vector KK was bound Special lasted until ’84, the “Gary equipped with a Kahler Flat-Mount Moore” one year more. The venerable double-locking vibrato. This model was Standard “Explorer” bit the dust in ’85, offered in translucent and custom colors the year Hamer released a flurry of new until ’87. models.

Egyptian Scarab Chaparral ’84 Hamer Blitz Bass, custom made for the Gary Moore Band with a flame top 1984 also saw the introduction of By ’85 the Strat-style guitar had begun and Kahler bass vibrato. another original design, the Scarab. It to dominate. Hamer’s crosstown com- continued the Explorer theme, but in a petitor, Dean, had begun to switch from sleeker, more modern rendition. Take its own upscale Gibson variations to the the Standard, slim down the cutaway “superstrat” form, and Kramer was phas- horn, and make it more pointed, trim the ing out its ’70s aluminum necks and was waste to make it narrower, then cut a well on its way to dominating the Ameri- wave-shaped notch out of the lower bout, can guitar market with its Strat-shaped and you have the Scarab. The neck was models. Hamer entered the Strat-style glued-in, with a six-in-line Hamer head- sweeps in ’85 with the introduction of the stock. While all Hamer guitars could be Chaparral and Chaparral Custom. The had in a variety of custom-ordered op- Chaparrals had contoured offset double- tions, the Scarab offered a rather broad cutaway mahogany bodies, very Strat-like, 3 range. 22-fret, 24 /4" scale fingerboards but with a slightly larger upper horn. Rock 22-fret ’85 Hamer Scepter in red-and-black finish hotos: Andrew Large. were either rosewood or ebony. Inlays maple necks were glued in and featured litz p could be pearl dots, crowns, or LED Hamer’s droopy six-in-line headstock. Fin- 3 lights! Kahler Top Mount, Floyd Rose, gerboard scale was 24 /4". Both featured or other vibrato systems were available. the soon-to-be-ubiquitous humbucker/ Finishes could be custom pearl, candy, single/single pickup layout, with one vol- day-glo or phosphorescent. Two guitars ume and one midrange tone contour con- were offered, the Scarab II, with two trol. Pickup selection was controlled via Slammer pickups, three-way select and three three-way mini-toggles which served volume and midrange contour tone con- as a coil tap on the ’bucker and reversed trol, and the Scarab I, the same but with phase on the single-coils. The jack was only a bridge humbucker. top-mounted, as on a Strat. The Scarab Bass was the same shape The Chaparral Custom featured an ’85 Hamer Phantom GT in fuchsia pink with Hamerlock tuners. as the guitar, with P and J-type pickups. ebony fingerboard with pearl boomerang Controls were a three-way select plus two inlays. A double-locking Floyd Rose was volume and two tone controls. The fin- standard, but a Kahler was an option. The gerboard was 21 frets on a 34" scale. The bridge humbucker was a Slammer, but the bridge/tailpiece assembly was the old two single-coils were twin-blades made in Sustain Block bridge. West Germany by OBL. The Custom The Scarab I and II guitars were avail- could also be had with an optional flamed able until ’86. The bass lasted until ’90. maple top. By January ’87 Hamer was also offering a Chaparral Custom Carved-Top. Secondary Blitz Only a few were made to showcase Hamer’s In ’84 Hamer revised the Blitz Guitar. “custom shop” capabilities. Basically, the This was essentially the Explorer con- Chaparral Custom Carved-Top was a Cus- cept, but with a “scimitar” or “banana” tom with the top carved into an extra arch. Ca. ’85 Hamer Blitz in candy red.

’84 Hamer Standard, ’84 Hamer Scarab II, ’84 Hamer Blitz Bass, 22-fret ’85 Hamer Scepter, ’85 Hamer Phantom GT, and ’85 Hamer B 24 Vintage Guitar July 2000 www.vintageguitar.com Different Strummer The tops were either quilted or tiger abandoning some Gibson influences, were not listed in the January ’87 price maple. Cost was $1,699.90; the Carved- in ’85 it picked up some others. New list, but cases for them were, so pre- Top was $2,299.90. was the FB series, with two guitars and sumably they were winding down. The The plain Chapparal sported a rose- a bass styled after the Gibson reverse FBIV was still on the list. wood board, pearl dot inlays, and a Firebird. Curiously, this design, with Kahler Traditional vibrato system an extended lower horn and tapered Scepter (Strat-style but with a locking nut). lower bout, is the one closest to the Replacing the Standard in ’85 was Pickups were Slammers. A few were Explorer, Hamer’s favorite shape! another contemporary take on the ordered with three single-coils but they The guitars included the FBII and Explorer theme, the Scepter. Next to were not production models and are FBI. Both had glued-in rock maple the Scarab, the Scepter was one of very rare. These first Chaparrals lasted necks. The center portion of the ma- Hamer’s most strikingly original de- until ’87. hogany body was raised, as on a Gib- signs. Imagine an Explorer made In ’87 Hamer revamped the Chap- son. The head of the FBII was droopy more pointy and angular; not really September ’84 ad featuring Judas Priest’s Hamer arral, splitting the model into the Chap- six-in-line and angled back, whereas more extended, just more avuncular. Vector KK in more typical rosewood/pickguard arral Bolt-On and Chaparral Custom. that on the FBI was reverse, and not Exaggerating the effect was a smaller 1 version and Glenn Tipton with a Hamer Phantom GT. Both now sported longer 25 /2" scales, angled. The FBII came with a two- outline on the top, set at a slight angle 3 five-way switches, and side-mounted octave, 24 /4" ebony fingerboard with to the edges of the guitar. The differ- jacks. Locking Floyd Rose systems pearl boomerang inlays. Electronics ence between these was then bev- were standard, though Kahlers could were two Slammer (sometimes OBL) elled. The top and the bevels were still be custom-ordered. These were humbuckers with a three-way select, painted different colors (often black now recessed, by the way, for greater volume, and midrange tone center with red bevels) to accentuate upswing. The Chaparral Bolt-On fea- contour controls. The jack the design. Otherwise, this was tured a bolt-on neck and con- similar to the Blitz, with a glued- tinued to have a rosewood in neck, droopy six-in-line fingerboard and dots. Pick- head, 24-fret ebony fin- ups were still Slammers. The gerboard (early ex- Chaparral Custom remained amples had 22 October ’84 ad for the Hamer Prototype SS (a.k.a., otherwise essentially the same as be- Headstock of the Hamer frets), boomer- Steve Stevens Model) endorsed by Stevens, then fore, including a flametop option. The Von Arb guitar with large logo. ang inlays, with Billy Idol. bridge pickup had become OBL by black hard- this time. Available on a special order was top-mounted. It came with a ware, basis was a 12-string, essentially a glued- Floyd Rose vibrato (Kahler optional). Floyd neck Custom, sans vibrato. The FBI had a rosewood fingerboard Rose vi- Around ’88, the Chaparrals were with dot inlays and a single bridge brato sys- reconfigured again. The Bolt-On humbucker, and was available with a tem, twin Slammer humbuckers, was renamed the Chaparral Stan- vibrato, but is often seen as a hardtail three-way select, and one volume and dard, otherwise unchanged. New with a Sustain Block-style bridge/tail- one midrange tone contour control. was the Chaparral Elite, which had piece assembly. A few non-reverse- A second version of the Scepter an ebony board and boomerang in- body FBs were also built. was also introduced in ’85, the Scep- lays. Pickups were either OBL or The FBIV Bass had the same re- ter V, a bevelled take on a Flying V, Seymour Duncan. In ’89-’90, the verse body shape with a four-in-line again more angular than the original March ’85 ad for a Hamer Scarab II played by Standard and Elite could be had with headstock. These had a 34" scale and or Hamer’s other versions of it. The Fernando Van Arb and a Blitz guitar played by OBL Sustainiac circuitry. Sustainiac 21 frets on a dot-inlaid rosewood fin- appointments were identical to the Mark Kohler, both of Krokus. was essentially changing a neck hum- gerboard. Pickups were P and J-Bass Scepter. bucker into a high-powered magnetic type Slammer humbuckers, each with The Scepter V lasted only until ’86, E-bow, allowing unlimited feedback volume control (no tone) allowing the while the Scepter “Explorer” made it sustain. These later-version Chapar- player to “blend” the pickups accord- until ’90. rals were offered until ’94. ing to taste. In the ’85 catalog, Nikki Sixx is seen playing one of these. Miller Time Firebirds The FB series was available from In ’85 Hamer got involved in a While Hamer was (temporarily) ’85 to ’87. Note that the FB guitars promotional project that was for some years an embarrass- ment to Dantzig, though he’s subse- quently reevaluated his May ’85 ad for the Hamer line, including the feelings about the ef- Vector KK, Blitz, Prototypes, Scarabs, and fort. This was an alli- Prototype SS. ance with Miller Beer, the last of the brewing giants that once were the hallmark of Mil- waukee. Miller, at the time, had an active pro- motional campaign called “Miller Music,” in which the company sponsored promising new bands, sending them to festivals and other events. Accord-

hoto: Steve Matthes. ing to Dantzig, Hamer was interested in the LEFT January ’87 ad for the Hamer Chapparel Custom endorsed by Eddie Martinez. RIGHT program because it ’88 ad for P.J.Marx pickups showing Jeff Watson August ’87 ad featuring the Hamer Steve Stevens, TLE Custom, Steve Stevens II, CruiseBass, provided access to with a Marx-equipped ’86 Hamer Scepter V. and Chapparal Custom. young artists who

Headstock of the Hamer Von Arb p subscribe @ 1-800-844-1197 Vintage Guitar July 2000 25 Different Strummer might promote Hamer guitars. The idea and Coors Light. was to fabricate guitars and basses to reflect the Miller logo and then be played Long Scale Acoustic 12- by the bands they supported. String Bass The first Miller guitars were called One other Hamer had its origins at “Miller Music” and were shaped like the about this time, perhaps a little earlier: Miller logo. This shape proved a bit the Long Scale Acoustic 12-String Bass. awkward, so after a few were produced This was a large bass with a single-cut- with the logo shape, Dantzig redesigned away Telecaster shape and a big, round the shape to be slightly asymmetrical. soundhole that looked like an acoustic Despite such a rather “kitsch” concept, bass but was actually a solidbody. The Red c. ’86 Hamer TLE Custom with bound top. these are actually high-quality guitars. body was mahogany, the top flamed The necks were typical 22-fret, with rose- maple. The neck had an open-book wood fingerboards and dot inlays. Early headstock, not the typical Hamer V-head, models had a three-and-three headstock, with a 34" scale to the rosewood finger- but this soon changed to six-in-line. The board. These came with an EMG HB jack was front-mounted, bodies were humbucker near the Sustain Block bridge, mahogany with a flamed maple top fin- plus a P-style EMG P pickup mounted in ished in gold, the top in a transparent the soundhole. A three-way, two vol- cherry finish with the Miller Music logo umes, and two tones completed the outfit. overlaid. What looks like white top bind- The first was ordered by Tom Petersson of ing is actually white paint. The electron- Cheap Trick, possibly in the early ’80s, ics were typical, with two Slammers, according to Dantzig’s recollection. Sev- ’86 Hamer FBIV Bass. three-way, volume, and tone. The bridge/ eral others may have been ordered in the tailpiece was a Sustain Block. early ’80s, including the checkerboard- Joining the Miller Music guitar was a finished example featured in the Cheap bass named for one of Miller’s flagship Trick video for “Don’t Be Cruel.” This brands, the Miller High Life. Other than bass was available on a custom-order-only having only a single middle DiMarzio P- basis through the rest of the ’80s and did style pickup and the obvious bass ap- not appear as a catalog model until around pointments, these were pretty much the ’91. By ’96 Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament was also same as the guitars. Some have the associated with this bass. Finishes at that band’s name engraved on the truss rod time were ’59 burst, black, and white. It is cover. Also, although these instruments still available. hotos: Steve Matthes. were commissioned by Miller, the artists themselves were in contact with Hamer, More ’80s Hamer artists ’86 Hamer TLE in amber finish. so special features can occur, although In 1985, Hamer artists included: Steve most of the artists only played the guitars Stevens (Billy Idol), Jeff Golub (Billy because it was required. Special features Squire), Bobby Barth and Ricky Medlock are pretty rare. (Blackfoot), Tony Iomi (Black Sabbath), According to Untermeyer, only about Tommy Thayer and Patrick Young (Black 100 of the first Miller guitars were built in and Blue), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), ’85 and ’86. Ben Orr (The Cars), John McCurry The red “butterfly” Miller guitars were (Cindy Lauper), Cody Lee (Cody Lee replaced by a new design in ’87, with a and the Walk), Steve Vai (David Lee sort of rectangular parallelogram shape Roth), Tom Lloyd and Dan Zanes (Del in emulation of the logo of another Miller Fuegos), Warren Zanes (Dez Dicker- brand, Miller Genuine Draft. These had son), Gary Moore (Gary Moore Group), small mahogany bodies finished in G.E. Smith, Harvey Mandell, Gordon ’87 left-handed Hamer Miller Genuine Draft 12-String. opaque black with the copper and white Bonnar (Heavy Pettin), Derry Grehan logo screened on the front. What looks (Honeymoon Suite), Chris Hayes (Huey hotos: Andrew Large. ’85 Hamer Miller Music Guitar and ’86 Hamer Chaparral Customp like silver painted trim around the perim- Lewis & the News), John Waite, Ian Hill eter of the top is actually inlaid metal. and Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest), Guitars had six-in-line heads, rosewood Fernando Von Arb (Krokus), Paul Dean with dots, a bridge humbucker and neck (Loverboy), Chris “Godzilla” Doliber single-coil, with either a Sustain Block and Maxine Petrucci (Madame X), Mick Bridge or a Floyd Rose. Basses were Mars and Nicki Sixx (Motley Crue), Jack similar except for having one P-style Blades and Jeff Watson (Night Ranger), pickup and, of course, no vibrato option. Eddie Martinez (Robert Palmer), Robbie Apparently, the small body size does McIntosh (Pretenders), Robbin Crosby make the basses a little neck-heavy. At and Juan Croucier (Ratt), Darren Hill least one Miller Genuine Draft was made (Red Rockers), Mike Skill (Romantics), as a left-handed 12-String, with a single Micki Free (Shalamar), Van McLain slanted OBL single-coil blade pickup at (Shooting Star), Steve Miller, Sammy the bridge, fine-tune bridge, and stop Hagar (Van Halen), and Billy Gibbons tailpiece. and Dusty Hill (ZZ Top). This list does No official tally of Miller Genuine not include those already mentioned. Drafts exists, but estimates are that around a dozen basses and somewhere between More Fender style 25 and 30 guitars (including the one-offs) In late ’85/early ’86, Hamer furthered were made in ’87. its move toward Fender-style guitars with It’s curious to note Dean guitars also the introduction of two models inspired LEFT ’85 Hamer Miller Music Guitar, a special promotion in white. RIGHT ’86 got involved in brewing company promo- by the Fender Telecaster – the TLE and Hamer Chaparral Custom, an early model with custom-ordered Kahler and OBL tions, making a few guitars for Budweiser TLE Custom. pickups built for Fernando Von Arb of Krokus.

Red c. ’86 Hamer TLE Custom, ’86 Hamer FBIV Bass, ’86 Hamer TLE, and ’87 left-handed Hamer Miller Genuine Draft 12-String p 26 Vintage Guitar July 2000 www.vintageguitar.com Different Strummer The TLE had a single-cutaway Tele- Slammer or OBL in a superstrat layout style body of mahogany with a flat with bridge humbucker and two single- maple top, which could be figured. coils. The Custom was catalogued The maple neck was glued in, with a with a double-locking Floyd Rose vi- six-in-line head, two-octave rosewood brato system, though some are found 3 fingerboard (24 /4" scale) and dot in- with Sustain Block bridges. At least lays. Electronics included three one TLE Custom has been seen with a Slammer single-coils in a Strat-style slightly thicker maple top that was configuration with a five-way select, unbound and contoured. This was and volume and tone control. The probably a custom-order and was never TLE had a fixed Sustain Block bridge. a production model, according to The TLE Custom had the same Dantzig. Both lasted until ’92. shape but featured a bound figured We’ll continue the saga next month, maple top over mahogany, glued-in moving into the late ’80s, and some big maple neck and a backward-angled six- changes. Special thanks need to go to in-line headstock. The Custom also Andrew Large, Steve Mathes, and Pe- had a two-octave fingerboard, but now ter Fung. Also, thanks to Dantzig for of ebony with boomerang inlays. Pick- helping paint the “big picture” and fill ups on the Custom were either in a lot of details. 1/2 Page

LEFT July ’87 ad for Hamer guitars endorsed by Night Ranger, showing Brad Gillis with a Specter, Jack Blades on a Blades bass, and Jeff Watson with a Vector. RIGHT January ’88 ad for the Hamer Scarab Bass endorsed by Rick Savage of Def Leppard.

Prototype (not a model name) ’87 Hamer Virtuoso.

hotos: Andrew Large.

’87 Hamer Chaparral Custom in shell-pink, originally built for Gary Moore.

’87 Hamer FBII in vintage white.

Prototype ’87 Hamer Virtuoso, ’87 Hamer Chaparral Custom, and ’87 Hamer FBII p