Hamer B12A 12-String Basses

The "Acoustic" Hamer B12A 12-string bass was designed in 1979 by Hamer Guitars in collaboration with Tom Petersson and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, and is a modification of the original double-cutaway B12A. Petersson first used the B12A during Cheap Trick's Dream Police tour, and basses of this model became his main basses for many years.

Although Hamer referred to this instrument as an “Acoustic” 12-string bass, it is a solid-body bass. It was designed to look like an acoustic guitar by incorporating a circular rout for mounting the pickups. Often the rout was painted black to give the optical illusion that the instrument body was hollow. The Hamer catalog description refers to this rout as a “sound hole” that is “tuned in size and location for ‘warmth’ and definition of tone” but this is a misnomer - there is no semi-hollow area around the pickups, and it is doubtful that a circular rout would have much impact on tone.

The B12A is found in the standard 34" long scale plus a handful of short scale basses were also produced. There are also variations in the necks and headstocks. The ‘59 Burst finish was the standard for this model.