Hamer T 51 1991 Custom Leather. Only 1. Built For Bill Kaman, II. Very Rare. Collectible. Boots.

HAMER

BILL KAMAN

PERSONAL GUITAR.

“Broadcaster”

“Esquire”

ORIGINAL CUSTOM LEATHER COVERED BODY WITH INTRICATE FLAME PATTERN.

A PIECE OF ART.

ONLY ONE.

1996.

EXTRAORDINARY INVESTMENT.

PRISTINE CONDITION.

About the Guitar:

All guitar collectors and guitar players know Bill Kaman, II.

And they know that he loves wearing cowboy boots. And that he plays guitar as well as he designed and made them.

Bill Kaman, II is an ICON of AMERICAN GUITAR HISTORY.  From the NAMM site:

“Bill Kaman served as president of Kaman Music Corporation, a company started by his father. Under Bill’s direction, Kaman Music expanded its product line, developed overseas markets, and acquired new companies to be managed under the corporation. In addition, he has also insisted on new and innovative improvements to the instruments under the Kaman name, particularly the Ovation guitar. Bill served on the NAMM board during the early days of market and development activities, supporting the industry’s growth beginning in the early 1990s. “ (copyright-NAMM).

That’s a good word summary of Bill but is like a single thirty second frame from a four hour movie.  Several of my friends worked at Hamer during Bill’s active days there.  One tells the story of Bill walking onto the floor with his trademark boots echoing as he walked.  As he says, “Short of combat boots, cowboy boots were the only footwear that could support the energy and innovativeness that was Bill-in other words-the BOOTS FIT-SO HE WORE THEM.”

Unfortunately for me, the BOOTS DO NOT FIT.  They are size 12.  I wear size 9, so that puts me out

The former owner of this ONE OF A KIND GUITAR provided me with this email that he received directly from Bill Kaman:

“Yeah, I had that one made. Tony Murga did the body, He's a good friend. You need to get one of his alligator straps. The cool thing about that "Esquire" T51 was that the forward position of the switch was the pickup tapped at 50%, the middle was off and back

was full power.  Bill Kaman”

 

NOTE:  Terry McInturff, of TERRY MCINTURFF GUITARS, personally did the set up of this guitar for me-before coming into his own as ONE OF THE BEST LUTHIERS IN THE BUSINESS-Terry worked with several major guitar makers-including a long stint with HAMER-so he knows their guitars as well as anyone does.

Details of this guitar:

MODEL:   T-51 aka “BROADCASTER” and “ESQUIRE”

YEAR:  1996

SN:  646180

BODY STYLE:  “TELE”

BODY:  ASH COVERED WITH CUSTOM LEATHER SUEDE IN INTRICATE FLAME PATTERN BY THE FAMOUS BOOTMAKER, TONY MURGA. ALONG WITH THE LEATHER GUITAR COVERING, TONY ALSO MADE BILL KAMAN A SET OF BOOTS TO MATCH THE GUITAR AS WELL AS A MATCHING STRAP.

PICKUP:  ONE DUNCAN “1/4 POUNDER”.  And as noted by Bill, “the forward position of the switch was the pickup tapped at 50%, the middle was off and back was full power.”

 

PICKUP:  3 WAY BLADE (see Bill’s note above)

 

BRIDGE:  WILKINSON.

 

NECK:  MAPLE.  SLIM “C” with 13” curve/radius.

 

FINGERBOARD:  MAPLE

 

TUNERS:  SPERZEL LOCKING.

 

CASE:  ORIGINAL HARD SHELL.

CONDITION:  PRISTINE CONDITION.  Does not show any wear at all on guitars.

THE BOOTS:

CUSTOM MADE BY TONY MURGA.  INCREDIBLE CRAFTSMANSHIP.  SIZE 12.  BILL DID WEAR THESE BOOTS AND THEY SHOW SOME WEAR (and do have sawdust embedded into the soles straight off the floor of the HAMER factory).  MATCHED TO THE GUITAR-OR GUITAR MATCHED TO THEM?

THE STRAP:

CUSTOM MADE BY TONY MURGA.  INCREDIBLE CRAFTSMANSHIP.  MATCHED TO THE GUITAR-OR THE BOOTS?

This piece neatly fits into the “VERY CLOSE NICHE OF HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE GUITARS” for these reasons:

1.    ONE OFF BY MAJOR MAKER.

2.   CUSTOM MADE FOR FAMOUS PERSON.

3.   PRISTINE CONDITION.

4.   UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS.

5.   ARTISTIC.

I would recommend this guitar to COLLECTORS or DEVOUT “HAMERHEADS”.  A member of either of these groups will RELISH and CHERISH this piece.

 

EMAIL DOCUMENTATION:

Richard...  
Hi. It was nice speaking with you last week.  
A few things...  
1) Below is a reply from Bill Kaman, former head of Kaman Corp. that owned Hamer until last year.  
Bill...  
Hi. This is Jon Maye up in New York, ex-Music & Sound Retailer Magazine, etc.  
Can you do me a favor? Among my pile of Hamers was one of your former ones...the T51 Esquire that was brown/tan suede/leather covered and had a matching pair of size 12 boots (that also fit me :) The T51 had a 1996 serial number on the headstock and inside the one boot was an inscription dated 8/20/96 that read, /"Bill,  Enjoy & thanks for Everything. --Tony."/ //  
Photos attached.  
Anyway, it came time to part with it recently for an 8-string Veillette-Citron Bass trade and the new owner asked if I could get an email documenting it's provenance.  
Thanks for your help.  
Jon  
 
(REPLY) / Jon,  
Yeah, I had that one made. Tony Murga did the body, <>. He's a good friend. You need to get one of his aligator straps.  
/ /The cool thing about that "Esquire" T51 was that the forward position of the switch was the pickup tapped at 50%, the middle was off and back was full power. / / / /Bill Kaman