need tips on getting an explorer type guitar

[yacob_acs]

hey,

i saw this hamer xt standard flametop for 445 at city music. tried it out and really liked it. but i was wondering, being totally new to explorer guitars, whether it was worth the price. maybe i could get something a lot better for about the same price.

here are the specs: http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=400

i hope i could get good advice from some of you guys.

thanks

 

[subversion]

City Music's Hamer Std's offer price is one fo the best deals in town right now.

something similar in terms of the body outline would be LTD's EX-50, which is slightly less than $400...

Epiphone Explorer Std would cost about $200+/- more than the Hamer...

 

[yacob_acs]

hey thanks very much bro!

 

[asdf]

getting the hamer will wont be wrong.

 

[subversion]

hey thanks very much bro!

don't mention bro- do get the maple top version which is the most stunning visually. this is a good time to own one of these HAMERs.

i forgot to mention Jackson's Kelly KE-3 model which has the Explorer semblance, i used to own one:

Jackson KE-3 (List: $600)

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Look-wise, Hamer is less aggressive than LTD for that price range.
I prefer the Hamer...

 

[yacob_acs]

hmm.. but its kinda hard of a decision, i tried the hamer flametop and i immediately loved it. but the thing is whether its value for money.

i saw the cheaper version of the hamer (standard), which has seymour duncan p/ups and compared it to the flametop version (which uses duncan designed), i just found it shocking that the guitar with better pickups is cheaper than the one with the imitation version.

also i was hoping that it was going to be a MIK, or at least a MIC, but i found out frm the salesperson that its an Indonesian made. heard the indonesian made are not as good

 

[lemonade93]

Theres also Cort guitars that have that shape, you could give SL a call, Cort guitars are usually inexpensive but i could be wrong

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

hmm.. but its kinda hard of a decision, i tried the hamer flametop and i immediately loved it. but the thing is whether its value for money.

i saw the cheaper version of the hamer (standard), which has seymour duncan p/ups and compared it to the flametop version (which uses duncan designed), i just found it shocking that the guitar with better pickups is cheaper than the one with the imitation version.

also i was hoping that it was going to be a MIK, or at least a MIC, but i found out frm the salesperson that its an Indonesian made. heard the indonesian made are not as good

Who said so? Who are we to judge guitars based on their country of origin? I am very happy with my Samick, MII guitar.
MIM Blacktops are outplaying MIA Fenders, or so people say. It depends on the guitar and the guitar alone, nothing to do with the country of origin.
Buy according to your ears not according to your eyes. If the hamer flametop makes you happy then get it. period. because if you have to ask about it means it does not entirely satisfy you. Buying due to brand/country of origin/specs is a very big mistake.

PS: there's a joke about Fenders...
MIM: made by Mexicans In Mexico
MIA: made by Mexicans in America
jus' saying.

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Theres also Cort guitars that have that shape, you could give SL a call, Cort guitars are usually inexpensive but i could be wrong

Heehee, anything at sweelee is not expensive?

 

[subversion]

also i was hoping that it was going to be a MIK, or at least a MIC, but i found out frm the salesperson that its an Indonesian made. heard the indonesian made are not as good

i really hate these kinda dismissals... really. a lousy guitar is the assessment of the finished product, not where it's made in. that's why, there are flawed American guitars & fantastic Chinese/ Indonesians makes. people will accept the former but the latter- they are hesitant to part their money for them.

my Ibanez SZ520 here is Chinese- i play it more than my American LP Standard. it's the appeal, not the origin- for me, at least.

 

[yacob_acs]

all that stuff is what i heard of, from other online forums and from other guitarists. im just using it as a brief guide to buy my next guitar. i really do like the hamer, it looks gorgeous and it felt great when i first tried it out. that was the first time i actually touched an explorer. but i need to look at alternatives as well.

 

[subversion]

the issue with indonesian, chinese & other far eastern guitars is that it's inconsistent in its QC; you get very good & very lousy finished products in the same production line. people who come across an initial lousy chinese/ indonesian make would tend to associate it with the entire output because chances are, you'd get another few units which are equally repulsive before coming across an acceptable pick. so the generalization is inevitable.

 

[lemonade93]

Heehee, anything at sweelee is not expensive?

As a matter of fact yes, my friend got an American Deluxe Strat at... 1.7k? And if you can't get something inexpensive from them, you can get something REASONABLE from them. I honestly don't see why everyones so against SL, they are a good company overall

 

[LadyInTears]

As a matter of fact yes, my friend got an American Deluxe Strat at... 1.7k? And if you can't get something inexpensive from them, you can get something REASONABLE from them. I honestly don't see why everyones so against SL, they are a good company overall

gotten shouted at sweelee before? while testing a guitar have you ever seen some asswipe shophelper just snatch the guitar away and shout times up?

 

[lemonade93]

gotten shouted at sweelee before? while testing a guitar have you ever seen some asswipe shophelper just snatch the guitar away and shout times up?

Nope, but thats happened to be at Davis

 

[asdf]

gotten shouted at sweelee before? while testing a guitar have you ever seen some asswipe shophelper just snatch the guitar away and shout times up?

that's nasty. however from my experience, i was done trying the guitar and waiting for some shop assistant to come to take the guitar but no one came so i had to put back the guitar on my own.