Hamer Slammer Special 1

The finish on this guitar is nothing beyond sweet. I love the transparent red. And I generally don't like red things. Body style is great. I've been told the guitar suits me. It's comfortable, easy to play-Now I know how James Hetfield feels!! The bridge is great, easy to re-string the guitar, and you have room to rest your palm, without un-intentionally muting the strings. Nothing special about the tuners,or anything else on the guitar for that matter, but it works. And damn well! I bought it brand new at a wholesaler, all it came with was a patch cord. This was the first brand new gutiar I have ever purchased, and I could not be any happier. Well, unless I was a famous! It has dual humbuckers, 3 way switch, and 1 tone, 2 volume. The neck is comfortable, and the action is great!

I have an original style. That is to say, I play what I want/feel like. This guitar is average enough to allow me to do that. From playing in the church choir, to blasting out some Metallica, or Kenny Wayne Sheppard in my room. Of course, the Zoom effects board I use helps with that. I also have a Strat tho, and it is not as versatile, even after swapping out the stock pickups for a couple dimarzio, and one seymour duncan humbucker, designed to replace single coils. I've been playing for 10 years, mostly with the strat. My main gear, until recently, when I purchased a 30 watt marshall, was basically a 12 channel realistic mixer put through a Sony component stereo, with two sets of speakers. Great for making the neighbours mad, and just rockin it up. But even after getting the marshall, My XP is still just as versatile. I am looking at replacing the neck pickup with a gibson humbucker I recently purchased for my first guitar. Just to see what it will sound like. My only dislike, is that I can't get strap-locks to fit the neck pin, since it is attached to the neck bolt. I have to drill a hole to accomodate the strap locks. Probably won't do that though.

I have yet to find any flaws, aside from the aforementioned strap-lock incompatibility. The switch does have a bit of a dead spot in the middle position, but I think that is due to the fact it was hanging on the wall gathering dust in the store for a long time.

Sometimes, I think about getting rid of my strat, just so I won't have to choose between the two. I REALLY enjoy this guitar. I'm not turning my back on the strat though, it's like a part of me after all these years. This guitar will reach that point in due time as well.

I can't remember the warranty... Because I got it from a wholesaler, there probably is none. That's fine. I'm pretty handy, but have never had to get a guitar repaired.

Been playing for ten years. As stated before, I also have a Fender Strat. The guitar I learned on (which I still have as well), is a Jaguar. Not the Fender Jaguar, but a cheap, no-name company. It has a headstock like Jackson, but that's all I know. I haven't played it much since I got the Fender, only because it's in sad shape. All three of my guitars have their own distinct sound, but I could probably substitute the XP for both of them in almost any situation, and it would sound just as good. If it were lost or stolen, I hope I have insurance so I could get another one. If I didn't, I'd still replace it, although it would probably take a while. I chose it simply because it spoke to me. I had seen it many times before, and never gave it a thought. But it spoke to me one day, and I haven't regretted it at all.

P.S. If anyone knows anything about the Jaguar Guitar I mentioned, please, let me know!! I've only ever seen one other one, which looked like a strat. Mine has 2 single coil, and one humbucker. Also, any wiring diagrams that would help to replace the neck pickup of the XP with a gibson humbucker would be appreciated!! Thanks!

What do I know for sure about my slammer? Well it's has a transparent red paint job and 22 frets. It has three single coils a 5 way switch 2 tones and a volume control. What do I think it is? Well I bought it in a Pawn shop in North Carolina, it has Block letters saying Slammer and a smaller by Hamer. From what I've red this makes it the earlier Indonesian mode. (correct me if I'm wrong please!) Tuners are non-locking, and the fretboard is rosewood. If I remember correctly I paid 100 US used.

I mess around with just about every style, but use the Hamer for harder rock and blues. I'm using a Peavey amp, and recording on an older Fostex multitracker. I use an old boss multi-effects pedal. The noise level from the factory pick-ups isn't that bad considering the price. The sound is full but fairly limited. I use it pretty much at the highest tone levels muting it tends to give it a nasal sound (which I guess would be fine if I wanted to play country music).

There are flaws in the finish and actually you can see a thumbprint on the back! The fit is pretty good and there is very little fret buzz and the action is decent. I have one tuning peg that is getting loose and I guess it would probably be a good idea to change them all. This is not a guitar that I would use on stage, but it is good for banging around and performs way better than I expected for the price.

If you are starting a band I guess you could use it live. I mean, the first time I played live I used a Sears Rickenbacker replica bass. Seriously though, for a newer player starting a band this guitar is a great buy. I've played a lot of cheapo guitars in the past - Series "A", Profile, mexican fender's to mention a few and this one kicks their butts. It seems to be holding up remarkably well and the sound is fairly free of noise

I've never dealt with them, however I know a guy who gets his guitars custom made by them and absolutely swears by them and refuses to use anything else. He's the reason I bought the knock-off version while I was on a trip. I figured they wouldn't just put out any garbage since it would hurt their brand name.

I've been playing for about 15 years. I have a fender acoustic, a Samick 5 string bass that has been customized, a Yamaha keyboard, a fostex multi-tracker and some recording software for my laptop that I am still trying to figure out. If it was stolen I would probably buy a more expensive guitar to replace it. Then again who knows I might just pick something else up at the local pawn shop! I like the tone and playability of the guitar, I don't hate anything about it, it's just average in alot of ways. I wish it had a greater range in sound, but what can you expect for a 100 bucks. Great banging around or beginners guitar.

22 frets
candy apple red
fat neck

its not a bad guitar I found it didn't sound that great for rock on smaller amps, but when you plug into a bigger amp its alright. i'm using a multi effects pedel with it zoom 505. I find the top 3 strings sound decent enough to play but the bottom strings make my ears almost bleed. it seems to be mostly a blues guitar or for punk I wouldn't pit it against and Esp or LTD for metal tone. I like the heaviness you can get out of it for what its worth, but theres isn't much variety in the way of the higher pitched strings they just....hurt.

overall the action was alright I find its alittle high but not to bad.the pickups when i first got it where way to low inside the guitar. the bridge was missing a screw but thats what you get for going second hand. the only flaw i found was the bottom strings.

I don't really think its good enough to play live with unless you customize it like I have done. the guitar itself will last though, i've had it for 3 years and its still works fine, its gotten me through lots of jams but never a show because I havin't had one. I would use it at a gig without a backup but only once I get my new pickups installed.

I havin't dealt with the company but theres not alot of info on them. there was a 30 day warranty on mine because it was second hand.

i've been playing guitar for 3 years. I didn't know anything about guitars bought it sololy on looks. I would probably get something else if it was ever stolen. I think it has sedimental value being my first guitar in all. i only compared it to a LTD inwhich it didn't stand a chance and a jay terser les paul which it also never stood a chance but I have epiphone les paul humbuckers for christmas so i have to wait to put them in. I wish it had a better neck i find the fretting is really bad on the bottom strings and it just sounds aweful theres hardly enough room to put your fingers in the frets.

Made in Indonesea. 22 frets. 2 vol, 1 tone, 3-way switch (broken.) Passive H/H. Double-cut Les Paul Special copy with vintage burst finish. Cheap tuners. Comfortable neck. limited adjustment on the bridge/tail piece but intonation averages out pretty well. More than we used to expect for this kind of money. The one thing I've already noticed is that it would be nice to have a contour on the top where your forearm makes contact--I like playing this guitar so much that I probably have a bruise.

Fill a gap in my collection. The pickups are generally o.k.--the bridge may be a little micro-phonic. They are high output--clips the input of my POD like no other guitar I own. I actually had to drop the p'up down a little to reduce the output. Very useable sounds from both p'ups and blending with the volume pots is very cool. I have been running it through various POD amp sims and it's useable on everything. I am currently using the original strings which are lighter than I like but they have a nice bouncy feel so I may keep this one strung light. overall sound: I'm not embarrassed by this $99 guitar. It sustains very well and pinch harmonics sound good. my Sound rating means compared to anything not considering it's price range.

Factory setup was playable but not great. I was a little scared by the high factory-set action because I assumed that the frets would start buzzing as I dropped it down. Turns out the fret job and neck relief are well done and I was able to dial in just the right height for me--I drop them down until the fret buzz noticeably effects sustain on the E string then bring it back up a little--the fret buzz is not noticeable through an amp. Not one fret buzzes more than another and I haven't noticed any dead spots.

Fit & Finish are surprisingly good. again, nice fret job--no sharp edges and very even. There is a small chunk missing from the edge of the neck just beyond the last fret--oops. The 3-way switch on mine is broken--won't hold in the bridge position--so I have to leave it in the middle and use the vol pots until I fix it. the only other thing that bothers me about the fit/finish is the bezel on the neck p'up is warped--looks like the screws were put in offset so, if you look really close, it looks a little cheesy.

I love the tailpiece for palm mutes and for the basic feel and no-nonsence approach.

Overall it seems to be a well built instrument for the money--not at all what you used to have to put up with from a cheap guitar. I enjoy playing it and I'm not constantly thinking it's a cheap piece of junk.

I mainly play in my home studio so road-worthiness is not my expertise but, aside from the broken 3-way switch, I would say this could be used live if the sound works for you. The sealed tuners don't seem too bad but the factory strings were not installed very well--less than a full wrap on all but the high E string--so I don't expect solid tuning until that's fixed. This really is just a slab of wood with some basic electronics so it should hold up.

I'm going to give this thing a 9 overall because I've been loving playing it and it was $99 so I have no buyers remorse. I think it embodies the intent of the original Special. It looks good, has good balance and heft, plays well standing up or sitting down and fits in nicely with the rest of my instruments. It has the distinct chunky voice that I was looking that I was hoping for and it's just a blast to hang it low and whale on it.

1983 Korean
22 fret
Flame maple top, mahogany neck (glued in) and body, double cutaway
Humbuckers, neck P/U possibly replaced (not sure with what)

Very nice clean sound. Solid, even tone across all strings. A/B testing with new guitars (similar design) in the same price range brought me back to the Hamer. The tone stood out, alive and full, where as the other low end Les Paul clones seemed a little limp on the E-string. It was the firm, commanding tone that sold me on it. I'd don't care to go lower than drop-d with it though, it starts getting a little muddy. It's not a nu-metal machine.
I did buy it to play rhythm though, and it's not filling that postion very well. Hopefully it's just bad technique (fairly new to this).

For a 20-year old guitar, it's held up ok. Only a few scratches. The P/U switch and one of the pots are almost shot. I wouldn't do a show with this without replacing them (nothing like sound cutting out, eh?). The frets are slightly worn. Plastic has cracked where screws have been overtightened.

I'm updating my 3/1/02 review of this guitar. I talked to a guy named Greg at BCR Music & Sound in LeMoyne, PA who deals a LOT of Hamers and says he was in on the development of this model. It's a great store, BTW. Anyway, he said to tighten the screws on the tuning keys and they will slip less and to especially make sure not to wrap the strings too many times around the post before tuning. He suggested I bring the Guitar in for a setup if I couldn't get it to work right. On the wraparound bridge, he said he doubted I had it set right for the action and said either change the string gauge (said the original strings are crap, too) adjust the truss rod a little more or both.

I followed his suggestions and put Fender super bullet 11's on it and it stays in tune and slips much less.

Greg also suggested replacing the pickups. I put a Duncan Custom 5 with a coil tap in the bridge and a Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell in the neck. I also replaced the pots and the 3-way switch, which went bad within four months. I did the work myself. the 3-way cavity is really tight, and everything else is kind of crammed in. Splitting those wires is a real headache, too, but it was definitely worth it. I am not real interested in getting a different guitar right now. You can get some fantastic sounds with this kind of setup. You cn't really get that 2/4 position glassy strat sound, but I can get a Strat-to-tele lead tone with the split and the neck pickup is the best thing I have ever played. It is so clear and clean. Blues on this thing are heaven.

Change the strings and tighten the tuners and they are not as ba as my original review. So upgrade this

The hardware is crap. Replace everything at once, i.e. all th pots and pickups AND ESPECIALLY THE CRAPPY 3-WAY SWITCH!!! I hear so much about Korean guitars and this problem -- Epiphones, etc. A real good switch cost me $5 retail. Come on!! You run the risk of a binary fault isolation problem, but go ahead and replace the pots and swith while you're doing the pickups. If you buy one of these cheap, I would just take it to a good shop and have them do all the work. It is worth the cost.

I am gonna paint this thing Yellow and will never sell it. If stolen, though, I would buy something better. This may be a future backup guitar. But I'm glad I have it.

The finish on my Specail was a flame burst. The finish is really nice if you polish it as much as i do. The pickups are stock. I dont like the non-adjustable bridge like the PRS guitars. I play drop tunings with (10-60)strings so I had to have it set up again. The tuners go out of tune really fast and the neck shape is hard to cope with at first but after a few weeks you can really rip on it.

I use this guitar with either 2x12 traynor solid state or a G100 Marshall stack(the ones made in the UK), and for effects I use a Zoom 606 Multi FX and a Dunlop Jimmi hendrix Wah. I own the Slammer XP-1 also and this gutiar has more of a heavy and sustained tone. It's really on the big end of sound. I like this. I use this guitar as my backup guitar and it sound good playing blues and even punk(even though I'm a die hard BLS Fan.

The setup I got it was horrible. I needed to invest $50 to it set up and make it playable..

This guitar is very reliable if you take care of it. The tune goes after a song but hey.. that's life..

never dealt with them.. too much of a hassle

I'm planning on replacing the non-adjustable bridge with an adjustable bridge very soon and I might get a new neck because it's very strenous to play even half an hour on it. This guitar is a very good deal for that much.

For the features see other rewiew please...

I think it is a beautiful guitar and not only for the price...I compared it with a lot of different guitar:
-Epiphone Sg special:the Epi has a muddy tone...
-M'Guitars Steve Vai copy:the M'g dont has the same full tone and has a lot of feedback...
-Maison Jackson copy:the bridge pick up of that guitar is very bad...
-Japanese Fender Stratocaster:i think the strat has a better clean sound but the overdrive sound is very bad!
-Mexican Fender Stratocaster:why the Strat is so expensive comparated to my Slammer???

Very Good

Excellent!

I bought it in an italian store (i am italian) for 150 euro because in Italy the Slameer isn't famous. It was made in 2002 in Indonesia.It have 22 frets.It have 2 volume,1 tone and a 3 way switch (Gibson Style).Pick up configuration:H-H. Stock Hamer passive pick up.I think the mine is a special version...

I play 70's rock,blues and a little bit of metal.It suits very well.
I use a Zoom 505 and a Crate GX20M. Is the best guitar i ever heard!!!I sell my Epiphone Sg for buy the Slammer!The Epiphone sound very fat for me,and the Strat copy very thin...so i buy it.

The factory set up was great.

I would gig with it without a back up because it is reliable.

I love it. If it were stolen i buy it again.For the price is a great guitar.

This is a 2001 model Hamer Slammer Special, Indonesian Manufacture.
It is the transparent red model. Both the body and neck are solid mahogany. The specs just say 'solid wood' body, so I was pleased to see it was actually decent mahogany with nice grain. The neck is screwed on, but also appears to be glued (at least mine does). When I had the neck pickup out, I could see glue oozing out of the joint. The neck is rather petite (I like it) and the fretboard is rosewood, and has a fairly flat radius. Electronic wise it has a pair of Ceramic humbuckers (8.35 ohm, and 8.45 ohm resistance) which I replaced, two volumes pots(one for each pickup), and one tone pot - reverse what I am used to. The tuners are smooth machined types, better than the covered ones I see on some guitars in the same price range. The bridge, as mentioned by others, is a very simple design, basically a stop tailpiece with the strings wrapped around it, and string saddles molded right on top. Cheap, lacks intonation adjustability, but delivers good sustain. I removed it and replaced it with a cheap "Baddass" copy bridge that has adjustable saddles for fine tuning intonation. I had to modify the saddles to get the string action height set, and it works great!
Overall I like the features, though the bridge and pickups arn't great.

I am really getting into electric delta blues, and I like the blues in general. I would like to play other types of music, but I am not good with really complicated chordings... I am using an early 90's Crate TD-70 amp (backup) and a Peavey classic 50. The guitar has a full, fat sound, but a bit dark on the neck and middle switch settings. Good bass, loads of mids and rather mellow on the top end. To add a bit more treble sparkle I swapped the original pickups out for Alnico V PAF types (house brand bought from Custom Guitar Shop parts)and restung it with B-52 Rockers (very resonant strings with lots of top end sparkle - accidentally put a set on a strat **BRIGHT** but full tone). Now the guitar sounds terrific. The new pickups produce a good vintage tone, and adds top end that was missing, also they have better clarity between strings, just a tad less muddy. The original pickups were not too bad for this price range. I was really suprised.
I can get really nice blues sounds going through my Voodoo labs overdrive, or just straight into the clean channel. It has decent harmonics, and no discernable dead spots on the neck.
With the new pickups I give it an 8, 7 with the originals (they wern't bad).

The fit and finish was not very good. The finish of the wood has imperfections that show through the varnish (poorly sanded in areas) and one of the bridge stud mounts was put in a slightly oversized hole, so it was very loose. I tightened it up by applying several coats of varnish inside the stude hole, and let it dry. Then I tapped the stud mount back in with a rubber mallet. Its ok now. The neck is nicely finished and feels good to play. It is a good guitar functionally, but not so good cosmetically.

It is hard to say, but if the wood is stable, it should be fairly reliable, that is until the cheap pots start to wear out. I tend to just set all my controls on maximum and leave them there, so pots last me a long time on a guitar, even cheap ones. Otherwise, not much to break on this guitar. Its amps and cables I worry about most.

Who knows. I bought it over ebay, and don't have a warranty.

I have been playing for 11 years. Overall I like this guitar and I get alot of happyness out of playing it. Its simple, has a good humbucking tone, and is made of real, solid mahogany, oh, and it has a decent action for a cheap guitar. Just fine for the blues. Why would I want to play down and desperate music on a fancy, expensive guitar? Ludicrous.