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FMIC destroys another classic brand - no more Hamer


BG76

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Quote Originally Posted by caeman

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If it weren't for FMIC buying those brands, they would have each disappeared into history, never more producing instruments, and only hipsters and lawyers would be able to buy them.

 

I would rather there was no new Gretsch, Hamer, Fender, etc... even if I couldn't afford the old ones at least the brands would still mean something. I'm not a hipster or a lawyer but I have a lot of old Gibson/Fender/Gretsch, etc.... What do hipsters do that make them so much money?
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Quote Originally Posted by tim gueguen

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Yeah, it was Kaman that put the strategy Hamer had been using in place, not Fender. You can debate whether Fender should have changed that strategy, but it wasn't their idea. Not to mention that they didn't specifically buy Hamer, they bought Kaman's music division, which just happened to include Hamer. An obvious question is why they didn't kill Hamer when they bought Kaman. Instead they gave it five years of additional life, and reportedly the workers will produce instruments for other Fender owned brands.

 

When a company buys a large group of companies like that, it would be very poor form to put out the memo the day they buy it to lay off everyone and kill the brands. I'm sure fender didn't really factor Hamer much into their equation (tak is huge, also KMC has large distribution of products including here in Canada). When they bought KMC Fender basically transitionedinto different factorys and slowly moved production of the US made instruments such as the Hamer Custom Shop and Ovation into existing Fender Shops then closed the OG factories. That {censored} takes time.
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Quote Originally Posted by tim gueguen

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Yeah, it was Kaman that put the strategy Hamer had been using in place, not Fender. You can debate whether Fender should have changed that strategy, but it wasn't their idea. Not to mention that they didn't specifically buy Hamer, they bought Kaman's music division, which just happened to include Hamer. An obvious question is why they didn't kill Hamer when they bought Kaman. Instead they gave it five years of additional life, and reportedly the workers will produce instruments for other Fender owned brands.

 

When a company buys a large group of companies like that, it would be very poor form to put out the memo the day they buy it to lay off everyone and kill the brands. I'm sure fender didn't really factor Hamer much into their equation (tak is huge, also KMC has large distribution of products including here in Canada). When they bought KMC Fender basically transitionedinto different factorys and slowly moved production of the US made instruments such as the Hamer Custom Shop and Ovation into existing Fender Shops then closed the OG factories. That {censored} takes time.
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Quote Originally Posted by BG76

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This is a joke, right? Gretsch guitars are nothing like what they were in the mid-late 50s. Sure, Baldwin made some crap but FMIC has hit an all time low.

 

Rose colored glasses my friend. smile.gif The Baldwin era Gretsch stuff was worse IMO than the Norlin era and CBS era Gibsons and Fenders. I'd much rather have a MIJ Gretsch from today. As far as the ultra-high end USA stuff, it's probably THE best stuff Gretsch has ever made - or right there with it insofar as build and materials quality.


 

I thought it funny the author of the article didn't mention Cheap Trick with Hamer but if anyone has ever played a REAL Hamer (Danzig years) they're killer - much like a real Gretsch, BC Rich or Jackson.

 

No doubt. Pun unintended. wink.gif But still, I agree with what Pewt and Tim pointed out. Fender bought Kaman, which included Hamer. Hamer wasn't the main reason Fender bought Kaman, and the business strategy and climate, along with Hamer's troubles, were already in place when Fender bought them. I suspect Kaman would have had to drop the line eventually too - it's just not selling; a lot of that is for the reasons erksin pointed out. If there was interest in them, and if they were selling, then it would be a different story - but those guitars (true Hamers and budget Hamer branded import models) have not sold well for quite some time.


It's sad to see a once-respected brand going the way of the dodo, and I agree it's a bummer, but I don't think it's fair to set the blame entirely at Fender's feet.

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Quote Originally Posted by BG76

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This is a joke, right? Gretsch guitars are nothing like what they were in the mid-late 50s. Sure, Baldwin made some crap but FMIC has hit an all time low.

 

Rose colored glasses my friend. smile.gif The Baldwin era Gretsch stuff was worse IMO than the Norlin era and CBS era Gibsons and Fenders. I'd much rather have a MIJ Gretsch from today. As far as the ultra-high end USA stuff, it's probably THE best stuff Gretsch has ever made - or right there with it insofar as build and materials quality.


 

I thought it funny the author of the article didn't mention Cheap Trick with Hamer but if anyone has ever played a REAL Hamer (Danzig years) they're killer - much like a real Gretsch, BC Rich or Jackson.

 

No doubt. Pun unintended. wink.gif But still, I agree with what Pewt and Tim pointed out. Fender bought Kaman, which included Hamer. Hamer wasn't the main reason Fender bought Kaman, and the business strategy and climate, along with Hamer's troubles, were already in place when Fender bought them. I suspect Kaman would have had to drop the line eventually too - it's just not selling; a lot of that is for the reasons erksin pointed out. If there was interest in them, and if they were selling, then it would be a different story - but those guitars (true Hamers and budget Hamer branded import models) have not sold well for quite some time.


It's sad to see a once-respected brand going the way of the dodo, and I agree it's a bummer, but I don't think it's fair to set the blame entirely at Fender's feet.

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I mean, let's be honest. Hamer guitars are not really a good fit for our current guitar aesthetic. Maybe they will be one day again but I can't see someone taking a hamer on tv and it fitting in unless maybe they're in a pop band.

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I mean, let's be honest. Hamer guitars are not really a good fit for our current guitar aesthetic. Maybe they will be one day again but I can't see someone taking a hamer on tv and it fitting in unless maybe they're in a pop band.

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Quote Originally Posted by V

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I mean, let's be honest. Hamer guitars are not really a good fit for our current guitar aesthetic. Maybe they will be one day again but I can't see someone taking a hamer on tv and it fitting in unless maybe they're in a pop band.

 

To a degree, the same could be said for BC Rich, Jackson, Charvel and Dean. Pointy guitars still have legions of fans, but they're not nearly as popular as they once were.
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Quote Originally Posted by V

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I mean, let's be honest. Hamer guitars are not really a good fit for our current guitar aesthetic. Maybe they will be one day again but I can't see someone taking a hamer on tv and it fitting in unless maybe they're in a pop band.

 

To a degree, the same could be said for BC Rich, Jackson, Charvel and Dean. Pointy guitars still have legions of fans, but they're not nearly as popular as they once were.
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Quote Originally Posted by Phil O'Keefe

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To a degree, the same could be said for BC Rich, Jackson, Charvel and Dean. Pointy guitars still have legions of fans, but they're not nearly as popular as they once were.

 

And let's not forget that Dean started out making very Gibson-inspired designs. They died once too.
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Quote Originally Posted by Phil O'Keefe

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To a degree, the same could be said for BC Rich, Jackson, Charvel and Dean. Pointy guitars still have legions of fans, but they're not nearly as popular as they once were.

 

And let's not forget that Dean started out making very Gibson-inspired designs. They died once too.
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Quote Originally Posted by BG76

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I would rather there was no new Gretsch, Hamer, Fender, etc... even if I couldn't afford the old ones at least the brands would still mean something. I'm not a hipster or a lawyer but I have a lot of old Gibson/Fender/Gretsch, etc.... What do hipsters do that make them so much money?

 

Mean something?


This isn't TGP, and nostalgia is mostly that.


If it looks good, feels good, and sounds good, what's the problem?


There are cheap Squires that are totally great instruments.


You make it sound as though these things come unglued on the Guitar Center sales floor. What are all these magical, remarkable qualities that have, supposedly, altogether vanished?

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Quote Originally Posted by BG76

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I would rather there was no new Gretsch, Hamer, Fender, etc... even if I couldn't afford the old ones at least the brands would still mean something. I'm not a hipster or a lawyer but I have a lot of old Gibson/Fender/Gretsch, etc.... What do hipsters do that make them so much money?

 

Mean something?


This isn't TGP, and nostalgia is mostly that.


If it looks good, feels good, and sounds good, what's the problem?


There are cheap Squires that are totally great instruments.


You make it sound as though these things come unglued on the Guitar Center sales floor. What are all these magical, remarkable qualities that have, supposedly, altogether vanished?

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Quote Originally Posted by HP Hovercraft

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I'm pretty sure the PRRI and up are US-made.


Also, Fender doesn't own Gretsch.


I wish Fender would do something with Sunn.

 

My PRRI is made in Mexico. And I'm fine with that. It's a nice product and Esenada, where the factory is, is a cool town.
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Quote Originally Posted by HP Hovercraft

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I'm pretty sure the PRRI and up are US-made.


Also, Fender doesn't own Gretsch.


I wish Fender would do something with Sunn.

 

My PRRI is made in Mexico. And I'm fine with that. It's a nice product and Esenada, where the factory is, is a cool town.
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Quote Originally Posted by BG76

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I would rather there was no new Gretsch, Hamer, Fender, etc... even if I couldn't afford the old ones at least the brands would still mean something. I'm not a hipster or a lawyer but I have a lot of old Gibson/Fender/Gretsch, etc.... What do hipsters do that make them so much money?

 

Boy, your world would be full of awesome guitar brands that you cannot afford without a mortgage. Classics will always be classics, and the older stuff (Real stuff, if you will) will always have its market of doctors and lawyers and wankers who want something with a high price-tag and some history to go into a collection or on their wall... But please remember that all instruments were made to be played. By keeping the brands going, people can get their hands on something that they can enjoyplaying without high insurance costs - and the manufacturing is not as bad as you make it seem. Epiphone has made their guitars overseas for many, many years.


I just got a Gretsch resonator for Christmas. It plays and sounds great. Can't complain about the price my wife paid, either. Unless I was 'one of those guys' ... It's going to gig with me for years.


FWIW - Fender doesn't Own Gretsch, they are contracted to design and distribute. They have gone back to more 'Gretsch-like' methods but want to maintain a brand that people can afford (they do have their Custom series that cost a pretty penny if you want something like the olden days)...

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Quote Originally Posted by BG76

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I would rather there was no new Gretsch, Hamer, Fender, etc... even if I couldn't afford the old ones at least the brands would still mean something. I'm not a hipster or a lawyer but I have a lot of old Gibson/Fender/Gretsch, etc.... What do hipsters do that make them so much money?

 

Boy, your world would be full of awesome guitar brands that you cannot afford without a mortgage. Classics will always be classics, and the older stuff (Real stuff, if you will) will always have its market of doctors and lawyers and wankers who want something with a high price-tag and some history to go into a collection or on their wall... But please remember that all instruments were made to be played. By keeping the brands going, people can get their hands on something that they can enjoyplaying without high insurance costs - and the manufacturing is not as bad as you make it seem. Epiphone has made their guitars overseas for many, many years.


I just got a Gretsch resonator for Christmas. It plays and sounds great. Can't complain about the price my wife paid, either. Unless I was 'one of those guys' ... It's going to gig with me for years.


FWIW - Fender doesn't Own Gretsch, they are contracted to design and distribute. They have gone back to more 'Gretsch-like' methods but want to maintain a brand that people can afford (they do have their Custom series that cost a pretty penny if you want something like the olden days)...

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Just about every old Gretsch I ever saw had problems. Rotting binding mostly, but a lot of bad neck joints, crappy pots, and other niggles the Gibsons of the same age don't usually display. In the Baldwin era they got worse. Fred farming out distribution and production to FMIC was the best thing that could have happened to the brand. Saved it from the dustbin of history, and they are good instruments nowadays up and down the line, tho still quirky. If they wern't a little quirky then the wouldn't be a Gretsch, lol.

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Just about every old Gretsch I ever saw had problems. Rotting binding mostly, but a lot of bad neck joints, crappy pots, and other niggles the Gibsons of the same age don't usually display. In the Baldwin era they got worse. Fred farming out distribution and production to FMIC was the best thing that could have happened to the brand. Saved it from the dustbin of history, and they are good instruments nowadays up and down the line, tho still quirky. If they wern't a little quirky then the wouldn't be a Gretsch, lol.

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