Not Good News: Fender shutting down Hamer.

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/Daily/News/FMIC_Suspends_Hamer_Production.aspx

 

[bagman67]

Hooray for consolidation and the concomitant elimination of choice in the market!


I was never a fan of Hamer's stuff, but even so, it's a dark day when any storied brand gets shelved.

 

[-CB-]

you could see that happen when  Bill sold the company to Fender.... a few years ago.

 

[greywolf]

Hamer made some nice guitars,  at least they aren't shutiing down Gretsch  !

 

[AutoBat]

I don't believe I've heard any mention of Hamer in well over a dozen years.

 

[Cagey]

I was just thinking the same thing. If I've seen one, I probably assumed it was a leftover from the '80s.

 

[mayfly]

That's too bad.  Hamer really kept the flame going during those dark dark days in the late 70s and early 80s.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Hamer was a class act instrument, hands down.  Well crafted, beautiful, and toneful.
Fender said the same thing when they bought Tacoma guitars, that they would not shut them down.  A few months after the acquisition, they got their pink slips.  I know a couple of folks from their ended up at the Turtle House, but not sure who remains now since it's been 3 1/2 years since I briefly worked there.

I just hate to see this happen to a small business with the legacy that Hamer has had.

 

[tfarny]

Hamer made a great product, no doubt. Sad news.

 

[-CB-]

im orry to add.. this almost certainly ends usa production of Ovation.  get em while they're hot....  Ovation and Hamer are all the same really.... in the same building, using shared resources.

 

[alterbridgefan]

You sure about that? :icon_scratch:

Hamer hasn't been heard of in years, and I doubt they were making any money. It made sense. Ovation, on the other hand, has tons of players, followers, signature models, etc. That would be stupid, to shut them down. :dontknow:

 

[bagman67]

Ovation ain't goin' anywhere. They're still a valuable brand that moves a lot of merch.


Hamer was bought by Kaman, which manufactures Ovation guitars, in the late 1980s.


Kaman got purchased by FMIC (Fender).


Fender can do what it likes with all of Kaman's brands, and apparently they find Hamer to be not-worth-while to market.

 

[Hbom]

It is indeed sad to hear this, although it seemed inevitable after their acquisition by FMIC.
The past few years Hamer USA guitars were pretty much a custom order business with little or no advertisement or promotion by Fender.
FMIC seemed to prefer to promote Hamer imports and hide the USA built guitars.
I do believe that among Hamer fans, it is believed that some of the best guitars built were from 2000 to'06.
They are usually for sale used at way below their build value if compared to the big 3.
Always sad to see what was once an American small buisness go away.
:rock-on: