Features
TOUCHSTYLE MASTERY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
The Hammer of Thor gives you ... everything!
Here is a listing of the many, many features that make the Hammer of Thor the Ultimate Touchstyle Instrument ...
TILT-BACK HEADSTOCK = LONG SUSTAIN
The 14-degree tilt to the headstock requires an additional 9 steps in the manufacturing process, but it does one wonderful thing: it gives you longer sustain. You see, by tilting the headstock toward the rear it brings string-pressure to bear on the zero-fret and the composite nut. This is where the string contacts the wood. When you make a better contact, you get longer sustain. It's just physics.
Tilt-back head means you tap a note, and then just hold it, and it sustains for a long time.
HIGH-RATIO TUNER MACHINES = PRECISE TUNING
16-to-1 ratio on the quality tuner machines allow you to precision-tune your instrument. No slipping, no sliding. And that means ... you sound good.
GRAPH-TECH HIGH-TECH NUT = TUNING STABILITY
Graph Tech is a Canadian company, headed up by Dave Dunwoodie, who has patented a series of break-through polymer compounds and made these the key element in the fantastic custom nut and custom string saddles supplied on Hammer of Thor.
The charcoal-colored String Saverâ„¢ Saddles are a unique combination of materials made to enhance tone and dramatically reduce string breakage, because they have a lubricant that is released in minute amounts under the pressure of the string. This reduces the string's tendency to 'hang' as it changes direction while going over the nut. By making this point 'slippery,' the string slides easily, and gives you more stable tuning.
This means that you tune up, and as you play, you stay in tune longer.
SUPER-QUIET STRING DAMPENER = BETTER MUSIC
This incredible material is so good at damping out unwanted vibrations that they use it in the foundations of large buildings in Los Angeles, to minimize building vibration from earthquakes! But it's more important to you because it stops open string ringing, and that gives you more control over your music.
You see, with the tapping technique, every time you tap the string you make a note. But when you take your finger *off* the string, you don't want it to go on ringing! And that's exactly what it would do if we didn't provide this wonderful string dampener material on your Hammer of Thor.
HIGH QUALITY 'LONG-STRINGERS' = LONG SWEET SOUND
More than just a trade-name, the LongStringers are ... long. On a power tapper like the Hammer of Thor, normal guitar strings just aren't long enough to reach from the bridge to the tuner machines. And so we have quality strings of nickle-steel manufactured by the thousands in the far East, so that we can provide quality sets of replacement strings, at reasonable cost.
Better sounding strings, and reasonable cost, but most important ... they're long enough to use!
MOTHER OF PEARL FRET DOTS = EASY TO SEE
Where some other manufacturers use formica, the material in your mother's kitchen counters; but your Hammer of Thor comes with large 8mm mother-of-pearl fretdots. Sure, mother-of-pearl is pretty. That's one reason why it's used on the best guitars in the world.
But mother-of-pearl is the gigging pro's secret. You see, on a dark stage, in a crowded club, in the middle of the gig, the mother-of-pearl seems to ... glow. You can see mother of pearl dots more clearly than other materials. It helps you see your fretboard.
TRADEMARK 'TRUE NAVIGATION' FRET-DOT PATTERN = ACCURATE PLAYING
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REAR-VIEW WHITE EDGE-DOTS = EASY TO USE
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PREMIUM DARK-WOOD WENGE FRETBOARD = FEELS GOOD, LOOKS SHARP
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NOVAK FANNED FRETS = BEST TONE IN THE WORLD
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PARALLEL FRETS OPTIONAL = CUSTOMIZE TO YOUR FAVORITE TUNING
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LAMINATED NECK-THROUGH CONSTRUCTION = LESS ADJUSTING
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PREMIUM DARK WOOD AFRICAN MAHOGANY = WARM AND RICH SOUND
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ENVIRO-FRIENDLY CLEAR FINISHES = BEAUTIFULLY PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT
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DUAL 'WHEEL-CONTROL' PRECISION TRUSSRODS = BEST PLAYING ACTION
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THINLINE RIGID BODY SILHOUETTE = COMFORTABLE WHEN SITTING
To get good sustain, a guitar must be rigid along its length. Building an instrument without a body, or weakening it by cutting away wood for the pickups can allow the instrument to flex, producing an odd "chiming" tone, because it throws random vibrations into the string, interfering with the string's naturally-occuring "harmonic series" of overtones.
While this "chimey" sound can be interesting, if bounced through keyboard-like effects, it's not the true sound of guitar and bass that the world has come to love. For this reason, for the best tone, a rigid body is a necessary part of the instrument.
However, in the past, a big fat body was too wide to fit comfortably between your knees when playing seated, resulting in an uncomfortable sitting posture. But that's easy to fix.
The slender "thin-line" body of the Hammer of Thor is rigid along its length, for the warm drive and rich tone you crave, but its width and weight have been minimized, for comfort riding on your shoulder, and fitting comfortably between your knees when playing seated.
Better design = better tone. Better comfort = better music!
TONE-BALANCE CONSTRUCTION = ELIMINATE DEAD SPOTS AND RINGING
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THREE SOUND-SYSTEMS = THE RIGHT SOUND FOR EVERY SONG
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BARTOLINI PICKUPS = WORLD-FAMOUS WARM TONE
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DUAL BARTOLINI ACTIVE-CIRCUIT PREAMPS = CLARITY AND DRIVE
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NOISE-FILTERING CAPACITORS = ELIMINATE HUM AND BUZZ
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DUAL NESTED TONE/VOLUME CONTROLS = BETTER SOUND CONTROL
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DUAL STEREO/MONO OUTJACKS = FLEXIBLE WIRING PLANS BUILT-IN
When you look at the Hammer of Thor, you see what looks like two mono output jacks, one for melody and one for bass. And in fact these two output jacks will work just fine that way. Just jack in the two oxygen-free ClearCables we supply with your Hammer, and you have outstanding clear sound on the melody channel and the bass channel.
With the selector switches and tone/volume knobs for your magnetic pickups and your Ghost "Acoustiphonic" sound, you can blend for the melody, and blend for the bass.
But there is more than meets the eye with these outjacks!
If you were recording in studio, and your sound guy wanted to split out the magnetic and piezo sound on the melody ... no problem! Just jack a stereo output cable into the melody outjack, and our circuitry automatically separates the magnetic sound from the piezo sound.
You can do the same on the bass, and that means that if you wanted to, you could have four audio outputs: Bartolini melody, and Ghost melody, plus Bartolini bass, and Ghost bass.
Giving you more power and control, and just doing more is the way of the Hammer.
THE BUZZ FEITEN INTONATION SYSTEM = PLAYS MORE IN TUNE
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CUSTOM GRAPH TECH 'STRING-SAVER' PIEZO SADDLES = CRYSTAL-CLEAR SOUND
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CUSTOM SLOTTED BRIDGEPLATES = ELIMINATE UNSIGHTLY DANGLING WIRES
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CUSTOM 'TWELVE-TONE' BRIDGE = EACH STRING SOUNDS MORE DISTINCT
Usually, a guitars string saddles rest on a bridge plate, and this works well.
However, one day, in the workshop of world-famous luthier Ralph Novak, he showed me something new. He had built two guitars, pretty much identical, except for one thing. On one guitar the six string saddles rested upon a single wide bridge plate, much like any guitar.
But on the other guitar, each string saddle rode upon its own individual small bridge plate.
Ralph tuned the two guitars, then played the same chord on each guitar.
Amazing! On the guitar with individual bridge plates, you could hear each string singing clear and distinct. The chord sounded more open, and more crisp.
Because the vibrations from one string were no longer being muddied into the other strings by the bridge plate. Want the clearest sound? Get individual bridge plates. So we designed a superior individual plate -- we call them platelles -- and that's what comes standard on your ToneWeaver Hammer.
The last time we checked, Ralph was actually using our platelles on his new hand-made instruments! You want to sound like the best? Get the best sound.
THROUGH-BODY STRING ANCHORING = LONGER SUSTAIN
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GRAPH TECH GHOST SYSTEM: DUAL PREAMPS = CRISP ACOUSTIPHONIC SOUND
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PUSH-PULL ACOUSTIPHONIC TONE/VOLUME POTS = QUICK TONE ADJUST
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CUSTOM INSTALLED BARTOLINI/GHOST SWITCHES = SELECT OR BLEND SOUNDS
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MAGNETIC/PIEZO MINI-MIXER = PRECISE SOUND BLENDING
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DUAL OR QUAD AUDIO OUTPUT = SPLIT OUT SOUNDS FOR PROCESSING
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DUAL MONO OXYGEN-FREE 'CLEAR CABLES' = ELIMINATES LOSS OF HIGHS
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FIVE SECOND BATTERY CHANGE = BEST GIG PERFORMANCE
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GRAPH TECH HEXPANDER MIDI-BREAKOUT CIRCUITS = SYNTH AND MODELLER SOUNDS
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DUAL MIDI-VOLUME POTS = QUICK SYNTH OUTPUT ADJUST
No more running over to fiddle with the knobs on your synth rack. Just reach down, turn the knob, and get instant response from your synthesizers and modelers. Critical to achieving the perfect blend of natural and synthesized sounds!
DUAL MIDI SWITCHES = FAST SYNTH-PATCH SELECTION
Arrange your patches the way you want them on your synth, then use rapid-action on-board selector switches to quickly step up or down to the perfect sound you want. Everything you need to control your wall of sound is at your fingertips with the Hammer of Thor.
DUAL 13-PIN MIDI-READY OUTJACKS = GET SYNTH AND MODELER SOUNDS
Conforming to the Roland standard, jack inthe cables that come with your synth or modeler. Security catch built in. Natural position of the instrument keeps cables away from your strings. Will not interfere with hands playing on the fretbooard.
Get access to 'All the Sounds of the Rainbow' by choosing the infinite universe of synthesizer voices available today. Quick controls allow you to solo the synth voice, or layer it atop or behind the natural beauty of the Bartolini and Ghost sound-systems. The choice is yours.
MOBIUS PATENTED 'MEG-STRAP' = EFFORTLESS UPRIGHT POSITIONING
Correct upright positioning is the key to good posture, comfort, and the long-term health of your wrists and hands. Protect your hands and use healthful upright posture. This makes it easy to read music, confer with bandmates with a glance, and flirt with the women in the audience. (How far you get depends on your skill.)
Our patented MegStrap provides correct, upright positioning for touch-style play, giving both hands free and unfettered access to roam the entire fretboard comfortably and easily. Increases your reach, feels good while playing, and supports healthy posture for a better life.
SCHALLER-STYLE STRAPLOCKS = SECURE FOR SAFETY
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THREE COLORS OF HARDWARE TRIM: BLACK, CHROME, OR GOLD = GET THE LOOK YOU LIKE
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ALTERNATE SUPPORT SYSTEMS: REAR CONNECTORS = USE LAPBAR OR BELTHOOK
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FAST-LEARNING BASS-BOTTOM TUNING = NEAR-DOUBLE LEARNING SPEED
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OPTIONAL CHAPMAN-STICK AND OTHER TUNINGS = FLEXIBILITY OF CHOICE
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'EASY TOUCH-STYLE BASSICS' METHOD BOOK = REVOLUTIONARY FAST METHOD
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'EASY TOUCH-STYLE RHYTHM' METHOD BOOK = BASS AND WALKING BASS MADE EASY
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'EASY TOUCH-STYLE MELODY' METHOD BOOK = EASILY READ AND PLAY MELODY
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FULL ONE-YEAR WARANTEE = FULL COVERAGE ALL PARTS AND LABOR
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UNIVERSAL GUARANTEE OF SATISFACTION = FEEL COMFORTABLE ORDERING
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BEST-RANKED CUSTOMER-SUPPORT = RESPONSIVE TO YOU
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ALL KNOBS GO TO ELEVEN = THE MOST POWERFUL INSTRUMENT IN THE WORLD
We took the printed numbers off the knobs, because we didn't want to brag.
Since the knobs don't have printed numbers any more, you just as easily say that all the knobs go to one hundred and seven! But we won't tell anyone that you have this kind of advantage, on top of everything else.
It will just be our little secret.
[PS: We just listed this feature here to see if you had the raw endurance to read the entire list of features and advantages. You have probably noticed the almost-endless features and advantages you get with the Hammer of Thor. It just goes on ... forever. And when you claim the Hammer, the power is all yours.]
** See specifications page for pictorial graphs of layout, dimensions, and sound-system controls.