Hamer Californian

US made '89 Rock AXE. Miss the '80s new music is so processed, compressed & depressed. 2 pickups. Bridge bucker, neck single, 3-way switch, and volume knob. No tone knob, I rarely use them anyway. Upside-down jack input-cool just like my Jem-why isn't this standard? Schaler floyd licensed bridge-quite nice but the pieces that hold the strings need replaced-operates with a stiffer feel than the Ibanez Edge. Mahogony body-web site says one piece. Maple neck, with flame maple fretboard, and what looks like real abalone dots. Metalic burgundy paint Where's my spandex? Almost 27 frets-they're cut on a slant. Don't yet know if this is useful-they're tight up there.

There's only one guitar that gets a 10, one that I played at a show and told the Gary Jacobs, the guy who built it that it's the best sounding guitar I ever played. This Hamer sounds great. When I get time I'll tinker with different pickups to try to optimize the sound. It's got the standard Hamer pickups in there. I was looking for a crispness when I purchased it. A nice even tone throughout. I think the mahogany/maple gives the good defined bottom & mids with a crisp attack. String clarity is good, yet it's got a ballsy sound with good sustain. The notes bloom slightly not as much as a les paul. It's designed for rock/metal and delivers strongly. Due to the placement of the neck pickup, the neck tones aren't as fat as a strat, more like the middle pickup. The middle position on the switch doesn't quack as much as I'd like. When I change pickups I'll look for more variety in sound.

Just picked it up from a pawn shop. It's 11 years old, which is why I gave it an N/A. The neck had way too much relief, and the action was very high. It was dirty, and beat looking. Thought about it for 2 weeks before buying. I went in, and pointed out all the work that needed to be done to the manager, and that I was taking a gamble on the condition of the truss rod when buying. Talked him down some & walked out with it. When I set it up, sure enough the nut on the truss rod was completely backed off. I loosened the strings, said a prayer, and tightened the truss rod considerably. A few more tweaks and it's perfect- WAY TO GO HAMER!!!. I'll dress the frets when I get time. One problem I must point out. There is a body crack at the trem post holder on the side of the arm. It is at a point where the wood is thin, and thus perhaps too weak structurally. I filled it with some glue.

Knocked off a few points for the crack. Those aluminum neck guitars get a 10 in this category. But for something that sounds decent you make sacrifices here for real wood. I suspect it will need the normal truss rod adjustments from time to time. The pieces that hold the strings in the bridge should hold up better than they did. However it is 11 years old, and maybe the guy who had it before just tightened the hell out of them. Beyond that there is nothing to make me believe that there are any problems in this category.

Hamer is still a medium sized American company in the guitar market. Their name is associated with quality guitars, not endorsements. I expect them to be more than adequate.

Been playing 16 years.I bought this because I wanted something to play all the time. I played an Ibanez Radius (which is just like a Satriani) all the time before getting this. These are my beater guitars. The Radius has a slightly garbled sounding midrange for chords. I even have a FRED in the bridge. I have an alder bodied Jem which sounds and plays fantastic. Incidentally I only like the alder bodied Jems. To me Basswood lacks midrange definition. It's smooth but not at all complex. I'm afraid of beating the Jem up because it's so nice, and the neck is to wide for me (across the fretboard). This is more of a distraction than problem because you always have to be aware of it, but it is still very playable. I imagine Vai designed it this way because of his long alien fingers. Other guitars: Multicolor Universe (talk about wide necks). Les Paul Deluxe w/ P90s, G&L Legacy (best strat for the money). And last but certainly not least: PRS custom 24 ('87) WHOAH!!! The Radius will go. It met it's replacement. The Jem and Californian are similar in sound quality. There are differences in tone due to what you'd expect of the wood differences. The Jem is way more versitile due to it's available pickup combinations. But I have other guitars to get quack or great neck tones from. The Jem may go too. This Hamer is a suitable replacement, and for the money-forget it. Besides that when I pick up the Hamer, turn my eyes off and play, everything seems right. Haven't played many guitars like that. The universe will likely go in a display case. I just like looking at it too much to get rid of it. The Paul and Legacy are the best at what they do, and they'll have to pry my PRS from my cold dead hands when I go.