Hamer Artist Korina HB

Mine has the SD 59's. Other features are listed by other users and in the hamer website. Very simple config plus light weight. I wish it also has the piezo pickup, God knows if I am gonna get an L.R.Baggs installed on this babe later.

It has heavier bottom than all of my mahogany bodied guitars but with lesser grind, I don't know if there is anything to do with the sound chamber. I play mostly Fusion stuff. This guitar suit most of the styles. The only thing that this guitar could not give is the fender type sound. The 59's are great. All of my other guitars has high output humbuckers installed on the bridge, this artist has broaden my horizon. I love the 59 on the bridge, it sound so sweet.

The setup was great. The last owner has loaded 0.009"-0.042" to it and I change them to 0.010"-0.046", so I did the whole setup again myself. Bending strings is easy due to its shorter scale. The neck is quite fat, feels like a Les Paul 68 custom RI. I got a big hand and there is no problem for me.

The finish job is superb, after setting up the guitar and look around the other areas (control compartment, etc). I gotta say Hamer paid a lot of attention to all the big and small details. I believe they do the same with all the guitars handmade from their CN factory. Hamer guitars are way under valued. I owned a Gibson Les Paul 68 RI 2 years ago which cost 4 times more than this, but its quality and sound doesn't even come close. I don't think I need my 1996 les paul custom plus anymore. Anybody interested?

Built like a tank. I guess it will last long.

Never dealt with them and I suspect if I need to contact them at all.

I have played 16 years and I am also a guitar collector. I have owned and sold a lot of gears. I own BCRich custom shop eagle, SLP, Bich 7 (fully customized), Bich 10(fully customized), Wartribe; Fender Malmsteen, Gibson Les Paul custom plus, Parker Supreme, PRS artist, an ESP custom shop, Jackson PC-1. I consider $800 for this korina artist as a steal. Please look around and see if there is other Korina guitar for sell at this price range (forget Epiphone, they don't use real korina). As said, I will sell my les paul custom plus soon. I will put the money to a Hamer artist custom or ultimate.

If this is stolen, I will certainly get another one. I have also planned to build a custom guitar make by korina. This wood sounds so unique and cool.

2002 (?) Korina Artist HB. 22 frets, 1-5/8ths nut width, Grover tuners, 2 Volume 1 Tone, 3-way selector, with 2 Harmonic Design Z-90 pickups (humbucker-sized P-90 type single coils); original pickups taken out and sold by previous owner. Handmade by Hamer in the USA, as I understand it. Neck shape reminds me of the fast mid-60's 335 and Les Paul necks. 14.5" radius. Gibson scale, I believe. Tune-o-matic type bridge with stop tailpiece.

Semi-hollow Korina body with one f-hole.

Rated an 8 because it's got a relatively modest set of features. (I love the features it has, myself, so for me the features are a 10.)

Try to imagine a thinline Tele crossed with an ES-335. That's it in a nutshell, particularly with these fat-assed single coil pickups.

I use it with a Tone King Meteor 40A. Seems like it'd be a useful guitar for anything except Marilyn Manson or something.

Hamers are among the finest-made USA guitars in production. Hand crafted, excellent wood choice, excellent wiring and pots, excellent fretwork, quality finish...just superb. It sets up super easy.

I can't imagine needing a backup. I guess you always gotta have one, but I went maybe 10 years of gigging without any guitar backup at all.

It's a hardy, well-made, road-tough instrument. No worries.

No idea about Hamer service. The Hamer Fan Club web site is excellent, however, with lots of Hamer dealers chiming in.

If the neck was wider (1-11/16ths) this would be a keeper. Can't see fighting the string spacing, though.

I truly love the way it sounds, but 1-5/8ths just doesn't let me do the chording stuff I like to do.

2002 model, 22 frets, semi hollow body, v,v,t, 3 way selector, seymour duncan 59's, all white korina with a natural stain, grover tuners, neck is between a les paul and a 335,med jumbo frets, rosewood board, case.

I play a wide variety of obscure music..(like nursury rhymes meet video game music)and I use a Bogner Ecstacy 100b with it. Very versitile instrument..this means it covers alot of ground and it has it's own unique sound..which is what we are all looking for right?..the semi hollow body adds some nice sparkle and bottom to the instrument..I get great clarity with my semi distorted jangles..awesome..the clean is very organic but not sloppy. Everything on the guitar just feels good..The only small gripe that I have is the pickups..I don't like 59's...McCarty pu'ps and antiquities are much more "complex" BUT the 59's don't squel like a STUCK PIG when I go high gain so it's only A SMALL GRIPE.

Hamer has set the standard for quality per dollar basis..they are LEAGUES ahead of every manufacturer..essentially on par with custom build hand crafted instruments..(probably b/c they are hand crafted..duh)

I have 2 other hamers...a 93 swamp ash Daytona..better than my custom shop strat..and a studio...WOW ..once I got rid of the JB for a PRS artist pu..(check out the artist pickup..so underratted..has more balls then a vintage bass..but still has clarity bass and treble). 14 hand buffed layers of laquer(nuff said). Can only get better hardware on super pricy instruments (mcnaught, jaros, buscarino). I am dependant on hamer guitars..they are a crucial part to my sound..advertising and endorsements are not equal to build quality..something fender and gibson should try and remember

they rule..even during the move from Chicago to Conn.

Been playing 15 years, I own a Hamer Daytona and Studio. A PRS McCarty and EG(domino pu model), Warmoth custom, and a Danelectro.Amps- Bogner Ecstacy 100b and a Matchless lightning. Definitiely buy another..even if it wasn't stolen. Great sound, Great Price, Great Playability, The fact that everyone doesn't have one is nice.