Hamer Talladega- anyone play this?

[qblue]

The reason I ask about this guitar is that it is designed similar to a Baja Telecaster. When I bought my Baja in 2007, the Hamer Talladega was introduced. The single-coil version has a set in neck, with a soft V-shaped neck, and a 4-way switch. The switch operates in a similar fashion to the Baja; both will allow series and parallel combinations of the two Seymour Duncan pickups, as well as bridge-only and neck-only settings. The difference is the Baja's S-1 switch allows out-of-phase settings, while in series or parallel.

The Hamer is priced @ $3800; I got my gr8 MIM Baja for $700, before the price increase.

I'd like a comparison of the sound both produce, not the typical 'which one is better?' debates. I know the Hamer is a boutique guitar of high-end users; the lowly classic player Baja is a working man's dream. I'm looking for the person whose played both.

 

[rocksteady Max]

The Talladega is another proof that there is a god. It's a sweet sweet guitar.

But I don't see anyway of comparing it to a Telecaster.

 

[Rhomco]

Give me a week!

I just made a ridiculus "Best Offer" on a minty used tobacco sunburst Tal on ebay and much to my delight it was accepted! Now understand........ i'm a Tele devotee of over 40 years but the Hamer Talledega guitar reached out and touched me last year when it was featured in "Premier Guitar" magazine. I went so far as to start a build/assembly of my own semi-tal and inquired at Seymour Duncan about buying the Tal pickups. They will sell them but a bit pricey at $300.00 plus shipping. The Tal pickups are a hand wound, steel pole version of the SD Phat Cat. I opted for a set of SD Phat Cats for my Mahogany tele body and Maple/Rosewood neck project.
Pins & Needles,
Rob

 

[qblue]

Bump.

 

[ac15]

i'm a Tele devotee of over 40 years but the Hamer Talledega guitar reached out and touched me last year when it was featured in "Premier Guitar" magazine.

I did the same with my Hamer Monaco III. I bought it sight unseen, specifically after reading about it in ToneQuest Report. Hamer is one of the few guitar brands that you can buy sight unseen and be pretty sure it'll be flawless.

 

[Bernie]

I did the same with my Hamer Monaco III. I bought it sight unseen, specifically after reading about it in ToneQuest Report. Hamer is one of the few guitar brands that you can buy sight unseen and be pretty sure it'll be flawless.

Sorry for the slight hijack, but I read a review of the Hamer Newport in GP in 2000 (apparently the first guitar to receive perfect scores across the board) and it stuck with me enough to keep my eyes out for one. Last week, a mint one showed up on Craig's List and I checked it out. The guitar was pretty much NOS, literally in a closet for years. It played and sounded fantastic, so I bought it for a pretty good price - I was first in a line of 8 buyers. So it may have taken 9 years, but it pays to be patient lol. Funny, I always lusted after them but never bought one - this is my first Hamer and it is so impressive in every way I'm sorry I didn't buy one sooner. If their other guitars are as nice as this one I really missed the boat on this company, but better late than never.

To the OP - no experience w/Tally, but consider used, you can probably find one for way under retail, and if you look hard enough, it won't take 9 years! If the build is anything like the one I got, you won't regret it.

 

[qblue]

I guess you're right. The biggest difference between the two is the neck, the Baja being bolted on and the Hamer glued on, like a Gibson. I listened to the sound clips they offered on the website, and I thought the guitars sound similar, especially with the effects they used (delay and reverb).

 

[Willie D]

Good hebbins, that's beautiful!

 

[qblue]

To the OP - no experience w/Tally, but consider used, you can probably find one for way under retail, and if you look hard enough, it won't take 9 years! If the build is anything like the one I got, you won't regret it.

I'll bet you live in the midwest where you might find a good deal like that, especially since the Hamers are manufactured out there. I am from Chicago, but I don't get there too much these days. But I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Are those Seymour Duncans on that beauty? The single coil versions of the P-90 pickup?

LOL; I found an Echotone on Craiglist (Cherry red) for $500! Oh YE of little Faith! Too bad I already have a a Gibson ES-347; not enough GAS for pursuing it.

 

[Bernie]

I'll bet you live in the midwest where you might find a good deal like that, especially since the Hamers are manufactured out there. I am from Chicago, but I don't get there too much these days. But I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Are those Seymour Duncans on that beauty? The single coil versions of the P-90 pickup?

LOL; I found an Echotone on Craiglist (Cherry red) for $500! Oh YE of little Faith! Too bad I already have a a Gibson ES-347; not enough GAS for pursuing it.

I live in California, that's probably why it took 9 years lol...and yes, those are Seymour Duncan Phat Cats (P90 in a HB sized package) - they were initially developed specifically for the Newport, then afterward became an official part of the SD line. BTW, I think Hamers are made in New England now, or at least some of them are.

 

[ac15]

BTW, I think Hamers are made in New England now, or at least some of them are.

Yes, they are made in Connecticut now.

 

[PapaBeef]

I never had the pleasure of playing a Talladega.
But I love Hamers.
Even their imports kick butt for the money.
I've never played a bad Hamer yet.
Here's a link my daughter sent me a while back.
No Tally, but some pretty cool Hamer stuff nonetheless.
http://dumontguitars.blogspot.com/

 

[Rhomco]

Here we go! Mixed Review, Hamer Talledega

I just made a ridiculus "Best Offer" on a minty used tobacco sunburst Tal on ebay and much to my delight it was accepted! Now understand........ i'm a Tele devotee of over 40 years but the Hamer Talledega guitar reached out and touched me last year when it was featured in "Premier Guitar" magazine. I went so far as to start a build/assembly of my own semi-tal and inquired at Seymour Duncan about buying the Tal pickups. They will sell them but a bit pricey at $300.00 plus shipping. The Tal pickups are a hand wound, steel pole version of the SD Phat Cat. I opted for a set of SD Phat Cats for my Mahogany tele body and Maple/Rosewood neck project.
Pins & Needles,
Rob

I received my nearly new Tal yesterday and played it for about an hour in my old 5E3 Fender Deluxe. This is my first Hamer and I must say they know how to build a great guitar. Flawless in every regard. Now having said that, I am not sure I will keep it but not for any reasons other than it may not suit my desires exactly. The neck is a strange "V" shape to me and a bit too large for my taste. Thats just me, I am a 60's Les Paul/Modern Fender neck fan. I find the 14" neck radii a touch flat but that is not a deal breaker on this guitar. The frets are a joy to play and I cant find a bad note anywhere on the neck. The pickups I thought I would die for are just not what I expected at all, I find them leaning to the nasalish side. I feel that Hamer is trying to woo the Tele crowd with this pickup model and It does sound good but I dont dig it. Ironically, I bought a set of SD Phat Cats and had just finished installing them in my Gibson LP so I had something to compare with. I am knocked out by the P-90 ish tones in my old LP with the Phats in there. I now wonder what the Tal would sound like with Phats instead of the steel pole derivative originals? I also wonder why Hamer introduced the Tal Pro with different pickups, mahogany neck and a Wraptail. I'm thinking that is the way I want to go with my homebrew now.

Sooo, hope I have not cooled your desire for a Tal. You must know it's all subjectivity and preferences when it come to guitars. I ALWAYS ASK MYSELF the same question when I am evaluating a new guitar.... "Is this one I would take to play if I could only take two guitars"? The jury is voting as I type.
YMMV,
Rob

 

[bfgz]

Hamer is one of those guitars that you just CAN'T go wrong owning one....I had a 97 Hamer Eclipse with the Factory installed Seymour Duncan Mini Humbuckers.....They build a wonderful instrument and if you get one used it will come at a great price point generally.

and yes i sold it in a fit of GAS and have regretted it ever since!

 

[kelnet]

Pictures, people, pictures!!

 

[tiktok]

The pickups I thought I would die for are just not filling my hole at all...

Erm...

 

[beep.click]

I've never played a bad Hamer yet.

You're lucky. I've played quite a few that were sub-par. And some of their designs, which really catch my attention, on paper -- in real life, they don't sound good to me.

Even their imports kick butt for the money.

I agree; I recently found a really good one, used. Good neck; nice pickups. Nothing to complain about on that baby.

 

[PapaBeef]

You're lucky. I've played quite a few that were sub-par. And some of their designs, which really catch my attention, on paper -- in real life, they don't sound good to me.

Even if I couldn't get the sound I was looking for out of them, it wasn't due to a lack of quality.
Of course, I'm sure like with any company, some of their designs didn't quite pan out the way they wanted them to.
But there aren't a lot of dealers around here & I've only actually played a handful of their US built guitars.

 

[greggorypeccary]

Hamer USA is basically a custom shop. Comparing a Taladega to a Baja Tele, is..well...apples and oranges.

beep.click I assume those were imports? I'm definitely a Hamer fanboy, but they put out so few guitars a year that I refuse to believe they'd let anything out of the factory that was anything less then perfect.

 

[qblue]

I received my nearly new Tal yesterday and played it for about an hour in my old 5E3 Fender Deluxe. This is my first Hamer and I must say they know how to build a great guitar. Flawless in every regard. Now having said that, I am not sure I will keep it but not for any reasons other than it may not suit my desires exactly. The neck is a strange "V" shape to me and a bit too large for my taste. Thats just me, I am a 60's Les Paul/Modern Fender neck fan. I find the 14" neck radii a touch flat but that is not a deal breaker on this guitar. The frets are a joy to play and I cant find a bad note anywhere on the neck. The pickups I thought I would die for are just not what I expected at all, I find them leaning to the nasalish side. I feel that Hamer is trying to woo the Tele crowd with this pickup model and It does sound good but I dont dig it. Ironically, I bought a set of SD Phat Cats and had just finished installing them in my Gibson LP so I had something to compare with. I am knocked out by the P-90 ish tones in my old LP with the Phats in there. I now wonder what the Tal would sound like with Phats instead of the steel pole derivative originals? I also wonder why Hamer introduced the Tal Pro with different pickups, mahogany neck and a Wraptail. I'm thinking that is the way I want to go with my homebrew now.

Sooo, hope I have not cooled your desire for a Tal. You must know it's all subjectivity and preferences when it come to guitars. I ALWAYS ASK MYSELF the same question when I am evaluating a new guitar.... "Is this one I would take to play if I could only take two guitars"? The jury is voting as I type.
YMMV,
Rob

This is the kind of review I'm looking for. The Tal is being marketed to woo the Tele player. My Baja has the only soft V-neck Fender makes (at this time). I think it has a 4-way switch on the Tal; the Baja has an out-of -phase S1 switch on its 4-way switch config. I wish I could find one to check out.

Anyone else with a history of playing a Talladega?