Hamer XT... are they anygood

[Uk Ant]

Ok, so these guitars are made in Korea or china, cost similar amounts to Epiphones and Tokais made in similar places... but how do they compare?

Not that I'm really in a market for one... but then again you can pick up second hand ones pretty cheap.

[Diocletian]

you can pick up second hand ones pretty cheap.

Where?! I'd like to get a black one with binding to do a Martin Barre type thing.

[Uk Ant]

Hmm, can't find a black one with binding atm on the bay. There's a nice sunburst on there atm.
Sunburst Hamer XT

[richard parker]

I seem to remember that the HC reviews of these guitars were not at all favourable.

[Uk Ant]

I seem to remember that the HC reviews of these guitars were not at all favourable.

That doesn't surprise me.
I'm just kinda stuck in the middle of price brackets on these sorts of guitars, Full blown US made Gibson's, PRS's and Hamer's are just too expensive, and the Korean, chinese made ones just aren't up to scratch next to my MIJ Tokai.
I've got a bit of hankering for a double cut LP of some form... but you just don't get that many about.

[marvar]

They aren't all that bad, the XT is def made in China-
I have 2 of the older models, before the XT designation, that were made in Korea.
I had an XT but got rid of it, it just didn't feel as good the the Korea made ones, the tuners, pickups and pots were pretty junky and neck seemed to shift with the slighest bump.
If you can find a Korean made Hamer go with it, better parts, and a better build quality, and a good value.

[Uk Ant]

They aren't all that bad, the XT is def made in China-
I have 2 of the older models, before the XT designation, that were made in Korea.
I had an XT but got rid of it, it just didn't feel as good the the Korea made ones, the tuners, pickups and pots were pretty junky and neck seemed to shift with the slighest bump.
If you can find a Korean made Hamer go with it, better parts, and a better build quality, and a good value.

I'm now looking at Tokai love rock II's, which are double cuts and I can find a brand spanking new one for £600 (about $900) which is a MIJ guitar for half the price at least of an American made, second hand Hamer, although This is really nice... if I had the cash, but I just can't see myself raising those sorts of funds.

[richard parker]

Where are you seeing Tokais for £600 ? Seems very cheap for a Japanese one. I've seen plenty of Korean ones around this price. I was looking at a Japanese Loverock for a while but I wasn't sure about it. Then a Gibson Firebird Studio turned up in the shop that frankly blew the Tokai away in every respect and cost me less than they were asking for the Tokai. They also had an LP Studio that I was quite interested in and I thought that was a better guitar than the Tokai and again, it was less expensive. Not knocking Tokais in any way because I know they make nice guitars but the idea that they're superior to Gibsons did not accord with my experience. I will say that the Tokai looked better put together than the LP Studio but only just and it didn't sound half as good.

What about Gordon Smith ? They do some nice double cuts within your price range.

[Uk Ant]

What about Gordon Smith ? They do some nice double cuts within your price range.

I just can't dig Gorden Smith's, although they're really good guitars for the money.

One of the best places for Tokai's, Korean, Chinese and japanese are Richtone Music.
They have a love rock II for £600, which is where the MIJ guitars tend to start... but they go much higher. They also deal in Charvel's for when I'm having a eighties rock day... although that never lasts long enough for me to actually buy one... but I may one day

[Uk Ant]

Love rock II

[Lu_B]

Tokais nice guitars - I have 3.

My first was a MIK 335 copy, still my favourite go to guitar, it started all my adventures with SD's when I put in a set of Seth Lovers. Picked up a MIJ Love Rock off fleabay for £250 (an absolute steal!) threw in a set of Pearly Gates and its a rock monster. My latest is a MIJ 20003 SG.

Still looking for my fourth, this time it has to be a special or junior with P90's an in TV Yellow.

The DC's always seem to be a little cheaper than the regular LR's, don't think they're as popular.

Don't dismiss the MIK Tokais they really great guitars for the money.

[Uk Ant]

Tokais nice guitars - I have 3.

My first was a MIK 335 copy, still my favourite go to guitar, it started all my adventures with SD's when I put in a set of Seth Lovers. Picked up a MIJ Love Rock off fleabay for £250 (an absolute steal!) threw in a set of Pearly Gates and its a rock monster. My latest is a MIJ 20003 SG.

Still looking for my fourth, this time it has to be a special or junior with P90's an in TV Yellow.

The DC's always seem to be a little cheaper than the regular LR's, don't think they're as popular.

Don't dismiss the MIK Tokais they really great guitars for the money.

The only non jap one I've had was a Korean gold explorer, which was a pretty good guitar, even next to my Love Rock, but I just never played it so it had to go.
Problem these days is that more and more of them are made in China, and I just don't trust chinese build quality at all.

[Lu_B]

The only non jap one I've had was a Korean gold explorer, which was a pretty good guitar, even next to my Love Rock, but I just never played it so it had to go.
Problem these days is that more and more of them are made in China, and I just don't trust chinese build quality at all.

I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for, for years I bought (and sold) many a guitar and amp from the budget end of the market - I'm talking sub £300 brand new. They never felt quite right always needed a tweak or an upgrade.

In the end I came to the conclusion that its better to wait and find a decent guitar or amp secondhand. I sold 14 mediocre guitars and 2 amps, then settled with 6 decent guitars and 1 amp.

Now I don't even look at the MIC's, MIM's or MIK's on the internet, thats not to say there aren't gems out there but they are harder to find.

I do have a MIC Gretsch Electromatic though but that felt right when I played it in the shop.

[Uk Ant]

I do have a MIC Gretsch Electromatic though but that felt right when I played it in the shop.

This is a good thing.
I've learnt my lesson on buying new guitars on line rather than actually trying the things in a shop.
Luckily I've got some half decent shops in Derby, and richtone are not far away if I have the hankering for a Tokai, and guitars4U is only twenty minutes away if I win the lottery (so many lovely guitars... so many big price tags).