Hamer Guitars

Hamer Guitars was an American manufacturer of electric guitars founded in 1973, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, by vintage guitar shop owners Paul Hamer, Jol Dantzig and John Montgomery. The company's early instruments featured guitar designs based on the Gibson Explorer (The Standard) and Gibson Flying V (Vector), before adding more traditional Gibson-inspired designs such as the Sunburst. Hamer Guitars is generally considered the first "boutique" electric guitar brand that specifically catered to professional musicians, and was one of the first guitar manufacturers to produce a 12 string bass guitar.

The company was incorporated in Illinois in 1976 by Montgomery, Dantzig, James Walker and Hamer. It was acquired by Kaman Music Corporation in 1988, which was purchased in turn by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation in 2008. Hamer offered a wide array of electric guitars and electric basses, and, since its foundation placed an emphasis on producing high-quality instruments with vintage aesthetics as well as creative innovations.