Don’t get all shirty about the price. Instead, take a look at the headstock, remind yourself that this is a Hamer and count your lucky stars you’re able to get within sniffing distance of this legendary brand.

Hamer reckons the SATQ could cause you a headache, albeit a nice one. “You’ll have trouble deciding if you prefer the great looks or incredible sound!” spouts the website. True, this instrument is a triumph of form and function, combining eye candy like the quilted top and abalone inlays with serious artillery like the twin Duncan humbuckers.

The build is luxurious and impeccably tidy, from the bound fingerboard to the natural maple cap, while the physical performance evokes a lost collector’s item, letting you slide through a volley of vibrato-eavy blues licks like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Verdict

It’s always good to see Duncan humbuckers, and in the SATQ’s case it’s even better to hear them. Buttery at the neck and purposeful at the bridge, these units should delight older players who are still fuming that they couldn’t afford a Les Paul, but they might not be mental enough for younger and harder players to make the financial stretch. You know who you are, so act accordingly.

4 Stars

Pros: all-round class and kudos.
Cons: it doesn’t like Slipknot riffs.

Next: BC Rich Assassin FX6