Choosing the Best Hamer Guitar – The Ultimate Buying Guide
If you're someone who is looking to break into the music industry, you should definitely start playing guitar. Not only are acoustic guitars some of the most intuitive instruments, but they can also provide a good foundation for understanding chords, key signatures and songwriting. By learning guitar, you can also engage with a wide variety of different genres of music!
One of the most difficult things about learning guitar is finding the guitar you will learn on. By narrowing down your search to products only by the Hamer brand, you can make sure that all of the models you look at are high-quality. However, there are still so many Hamer guitars for sale that many beginners are intimidated and don't know where to begin their search!
To help you find your dream guitar, we've created a comprehensive guide to the process. We've scoured the market to make a list of the 4 most notable Hamer products that will give you a good taste of what is available. In the event that you want to conduct your own search, we'll also be including a guide on what you should be looking for while finding the right Hamer guitar for you.
Our Top Rated Guitar Hamer Reviews for 2020
Hamer Xt Series Vector Electric Guitar - Honey Burst
Hamer Sunburst Flame Maple Archtop Electric Guitar
1. Hamer Xt Series Vector Electric Guitar - Honey Burst- Top Pick for 2020
The first thing you will notice when looking at this guitar is the shape. The design of this guitar is heavily inspired by the iconic "Flying V" style, giving it a unique shape that is unparalleled by other guitars. However, the personality of this guitar can easily be invalidated by how difficult it is to hold.
The way that the body is structured also forces a lot of the weight to be towards the bridge, making playing styles such as finger picking not very intuitive. If you're someone who prefers to simply strum incessantly, this might be the product for you. The price is a bit expensive for a Hamer guitar, but you definitely get what you pay for.
That being said, the guitar itself sounds great. It has a vintage tone that reminds us heavily of the 1970s, while the boomerang fret-board inlays also looks very impressive. It also comes with knobs and a switch to adjust the frequency ranges of the instrument, allowing you to have complete control over your playing!
Pros
Cons
If you're looking for a single guitar to use for a variety of different styles, you should seriously consider this product. Not only is it tied for being the most affordable product on this list, but it is also one of the highest-quality options. Simply put, the body of this guitar is gorgeous. It reminds us of that classic Gibson Les Paul shape and features a beautiful mahogany gradient design.
This guitar also comes with a Tune-O-Matic bridge that allows your guitar to stay completely in tune at all times. In the event that you want to tune it yourself or employ some type of alternative tuning, you can turn off the Tune-O-Matic bridge and manually turn the tuning pegs.
Though the tone of this guitar might not have as much bass in the sound as the aforementioned Vector model, it still sounds quite good and fits well within a few different genres of playing. In the event that you want to adjust some part of your sound, you can easily do so with the switch and multiple knobs included with the guitar. This guitar feels balanced and ideal, allowing you to play in a variety of styles without much effort.
Pros
Cons
Those looking for a guitar to play heavy metal music with should seriously consider this guitar. With a durable double cutaway body made of maple wood and a mahogany finish, this is truly an elegant guitar. The tone is also great and offers you a lot of power in the lower tones.
The fact that this guitar has 22 frets also makes it possible for you to tune the guitar strings down for metal music and still get a good variety of frequencies. It also comes with a Tune-O-Matic bridge, though there are more affordable products that also include one.
Pros
Cons
4. Hamer Xt Series Sunburst Electric Guitar
If you're interested in the aforementioned Maple Archtop guitar but aren't able to afford the price, this product is a great option. It has many of the same benefits such as the nuanced, low sound, but it is missing the Tune-O-Matic bridge.
That being said, this guitar does come with a whammy bar!
Pros
Cons
Cons
Choosing the Best Hamer Guitar – The Ultimate Buying Guide
The best Hamer guitar for you will be the one that fits your personal preferences. If you purchase a guitar just because someone else says it is good, there is no guarantee that it will work for your purposes. For this reason, we recommend you find guitars that have positive reviews and also are fitting for the music that you are trying to make.
Have any questions about what to look for in the first place? Here are a few attributes that you can keep in mind:
Price
Though it is possible to find great Hamer guitars that are affordable, it's important to note that the more expensive models in the market are typically the highest quality options. We have still included some good deals on this list, but if you want to have a wider range of options, you should keep your budget open or flexible.
Tuning System
When you think of tuning an electric guitar, it's likely that you think of turning the pegs at the top of the instrument's neck to change the specific pitch of each string. This isn't wrong, but in our digital age manufacturers such as Hamer have been developing more automatic ways of tuning the guitar.
For example, the Tune-o-Matic system was created specifically to help guitars tune on their own, utilizing a special bridge that adjusts the string tension on its own. This is incredibly unique and removes the player from the process of tuning, ensuring that the guitar will always be in tune. Not all guitars come with this system, so if you want it you should specifically seek it out.
While we think that the Tune-o-Matic is a great system to use, we also think that tuning your own guitar is an essential skill. If you plan to become a dedicated guitarist, it's very likely that you will eventually play on an instrument that isn't yours. For this reason, you should be familiar with how to tune a guitar in a more traditional manner. Another benefit to tuning your own guitar is that you can use open tunings and even make up your own combinations!
Whammy Bar or Not?
Whammy bars are pieces of equipment that you attach to the end of your bridge in order to adjust the tension of the strings. When you push or pull on the bar, the tone of the strings will become unstable, creating a kind of electric guitar vibrato! Whammy bars have historically been used by guitarists across many different genres to add nuance and personality to their playing, but they aren't included with every instrument.
If you're someone who enjoys listening to guitarists who use whammy bars, though, then you should consider getting an instrument that comes on. In the event that your electric guitar doesn't support whammy bars, you can always invest in a whammy pedal!
Extra Sound Knobs
Controlling the tone of an electric guitar is largely affected by how you play it, but certain models also come with knobs and switches to change the sound. While some guitar will come with a variety of different knobs and switches that help adjust the frequency ranges, some will only come with a volume knob. If you are someone who wants to have a good amount of variety in tone with your instrument, you should get an instrument that has a few different knobs.
Body Shape
The body shape of guitars varies significantly, so you should consider what looks best to you. On top of the aesthetic appeal, though, many guitar bodies also have stylistic advantages. For example, guitars with a dip in the top right corner of the body will make it easier to play higher notes with the left hand while other guitars might feel more restrictive.
Electric guitars often come in a large range of different body shapes, something that allows them to have some outrageously cool designs! However, body shapes that look awesome might require different technique to play efficiently.
For instance, the Vector guitar mentioned in our guide has a really unique shape, but is ultimately heavier than other models and also more difficult to grip. If you want to choose your guitar based on aesthetic preferences, you should understand how that can translate to playing!
Action
Action is a term used to describe how far away the strings are from the fingerboard. Guitars that have a higher action will have more distance between the strings and the fingerboard, making it difficult to press the strings down efficiently. In contrast, guitars with low actions might not be able to hit every note as clearly. If possible, we recommend that you borrow a guitar from a friend or family member to see which type of action feels most comfortable for your fingers.
Overall Durability
If an electric guitar isn't made of durable materials, it will eventually fall apart. For this reason, you should only purchase products that have high-quality foundations. This won't be a problem with a Hamer guitar or Hamer bass, but you should still take it into consideration.
Good Reviews
We scoured the market to include only Hamer products that are truly high-quality on our list. However, if you're looking for a product on your own, there is a chance that it might not be as reliable as it seems. Make sure to read a Hamer guitars review to ensure that you are actually selecting a reliable instrument.
In Conclusion
Out of all of the Hamer guitar models we looked at to complete this guide, none were as impressive as the Hamer Monaco XT Electric Guitar. The second you look at this guitar, it grabs you in with its impressive body coloring. The mahogany back and sides not only feels incredibly durable, but it also sports a unique gradient design that is reminiscent of many classic guitars.
The body shape of this product is also very similar to the classic Gibson Les Paul, giving you a slender grip that fits around a player's waist well. On top of all of these design benefits, this guitar also comes with a Tune-O-Matic bridge and plenty of knobs to make sure that you have the perfect sound at all times!
At the end of the day, you should only purchase a guitar that you feel completely comfortable playing. If you truly don't know where to begin your search, we recommend checking out any of the models we have included in our guide. If none of those options peak your interest, we recommend that you do your own research.
We hope this guide has been helpful so that the next time you are in the market for an electric guitar, you know exactly what to look for!