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I've noticed that some have Studio underneath Hamer on the headstock and others don't. Is there any significance to this?

Thanks,
Steve


Originally Posted by SoCalSteveI've noticed that some have Studio underneath Hamer on the headstock and others don't. Is there any significance to this?

Thanks,
Steve

Check your PM's, Steve.

Hmm, my best guess is that it's a feature from a certain model year(s). Mine is a '94, and it doesn't have the Studio on the headstock, just quot;Hamer USA.quot; It's important to check for the USA marking if you're looking to buy one, as it's very easy to confuse an American Studio with an import. All American Hamers say quot;Hamer USAquot; on the headstock, while the imports just say quot;Hamer.quot;

Ryan

I'm with Ryan in that I know that they used to put the name of the model on the headstock, but I can't remember when they stopped. It is an indication of the year model, but the serial number is the best way to determine the year of its birth.

Also, earlier USA Hamers Studios were called the Sunburst. Not the Studio.
Now the Sunburst name refers to the import model.

Kent

Yeah, Hamer's naming conventions can be a bit tricky at times. The Studio and the Special are the same thing, except the Special has a flat top and the Studio has a carved top. They make two Studio models: the Studio and the Studio Custom. The Custom adds body and neck binding, crown inlays, and more prominent flame/quilt tops. The differences are purely cosmetic.

The Studios have been around since the early 90's I believe, before that, they were called the Sunburst Archtop. These days, that name is used on the import models.

One thing to keep in mind, certain model years had really thin necks. From the mid 80's until 1993, most Hamers were built with thinner necks. They began moving to thicker necks in '94, and by '95 most of the necks were either medium thick or 50's LP thick. My '94 has a relatively chunky neck, but I've seen others from that year with pencil thin necks. There will always be a slight amount of variation, as these guitars are 100% hand-built. If you're buying used, just be aware of the varying neck sizes.

Ryan

Good point, Ryano. And neck thickness vs. year model varies from model to model, as well. My Daytona is a '93 and it has a nice chunky neck.

Thanks guys!