09 Kramers ? [Archive] - Kramer Guitar Forum

sticktrix1

11-18-2008, 09:56 PM

Anything in a HoloFlash finish :)

Out with the old, in with the old......

Maybe if you could do for example, a ....
'standard' line
'special' line
'custom' line
or something?

and have standard as the 80's original version. special add a few different pickups in or fancy wiring things or electronics or wateva

and mayb custom line could have both the pups, wiring etc. and the graphics/wilder colours?

e.g holoflash :headbang

a lot of work, but it'd be cool, the same guitar that could suit a wider variety of people, it would feel more i guess,.... personalised :thumbsup

heem6

11-19-2008, 12:38 AM

I played my first vintage Pacer the other day.

Wow!

Now I know what all the fuss is about the old Kramers! That neck was sweeeeeeet.

I'd like to see a 24 fret FR guitar with that neck on it. Wide, flat, thin and heavily curved on each side.

Blitz

11-19-2008, 07:46 AM

Still think you need a single hum (baretta, pacer special) twin hum (Pacer imperial and Vanguard) a H,S,S (Pacer deluxe and Pacer Custom) that way you have all bases covered. Vintage Kramer had a good rounded product range in terms of style and tone thats why I say offer these models again. Then start offering optional custom finishes like Holoflash, graphics, flip flop colours most of these are linked to vintage kramer but would also fit in with todays bling culture and I think would make good sellers.
Chris

LUNACY THUNDER

11-19-2008, 01:37 PM

Liberty re-issue!

kramerlust

11-19-2008, 02:10 PM

I agree with part of Casey's thought- have a Standard line which all resembles the 80's stuff we love. I like new stuff from Kramer too, but that original or standard line would be killer. And needs to stick around for more than a year before being discontinued.
Thanks for asking us too!

KramerUK

11-19-2008, 02:23 PM

Would you want a reissue... or a 2009... a lot like a reissue, but with some nifty modifications?... no specifics here... just askin'

Everyone has their one favourite and they'll ask for it.
Overall I'd say that the concensus now is to see NEW development at Kramer, we've seen that you guys can produce the classics superbly but I for one think its time Kramer spread its wings and tried something new :thumbsup
There must be some cool new ideas in the R&D dept. ;)

In all honesty while the NS would be great to see, the mass appeal isn't going to be great IMO, so it's no surprise it's never made it to production.

The beak should do OK, but HV had that idea in the mid 90's.
Time for something new I think....

Shwayman11

12-21-2008, 01:53 AM

any chance of sneak peaks??? I'm dying to see whats in the pipeline

86barettaguy

12-21-2008, 04:41 PM

Would you want a reissue... or a 2009... a lot like a reissue, but with some nifty modifications?... no specifics here... just askin'

personally I would love to see the pointy-head baretta (the non-soloist body style) brought back to life and improved (not through added pickups though) for better fret access and comfort at the upper frets. Maybe a neck-through or set-neck version? :alien

VooDoo666

12-22-2008, 11:26 AM

NightRider

12-22-2008, 11:39 AM

Just send them to my house Kevin:thumbsup ... I'll make sure people get to see them:)

80sYamahaFreak

12-22-2008, 12:34 PM

Here's what I want to see from Kramer. The ESP Kamikazie, but in a creme finish, without the inlays on the body and a 3 way pickup selector instead of the push pull.

Holzar88

12-22-2008, 12:48 PM

I'm all for new designs, but I'd LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see a faithful Pacer Deluxe reissue, preferably pointy head stock and recessed Floyd. It seems like that would complete the coverage of the models that were among the most popular (sans Night Swan and Stagies, of course) during Kramer's heyday. Also, it would be the first of the reissues to have a HSS layout. Make mine that beautiful trans blue and maple board, please. Seriously, if I knew that was in the pipeline, I'd start saving my pennies now. And I'd be willing to save quite a few, as I've never actually seen a trans-blue/maple Pacer Deluxe for sale on eBay in the four or five years I've been looking.

I'd have ponied up for one of the new Imperials, but I just can't deal with the beak headstock.

TBDREE

12-22-2008, 02:05 PM

Id like to see something with a nut width bigger than R2. A LP body with a real floyd and EMGs would be nice. A tele body kramer would be nice too.

duff81

12-22-2008, 03:01 PM

How about making these again. Since I cant afford a baretta or 84. http://www.mussaloon.ru/pic.php?id=110:)

floydkramer

12-22-2008, 04:06 PM

id like a 24 fret maple board, OFR, & pickups that dont need to be changed out. in a body with a scooped lower horn.
(with simple & few controls)

NunoHalen

12-23-2008, 02:26 AM

I just would love to see a full high-end line up from kramer again. I also would like the sharktooth inlays to come back please, wiht the twelth fret inlay that says KRAMER.

Basically I think there are some really important models that I think kramer should make and stick to (in addition to making maybe ONE new guitar per year or something), give us what we want:

1. Pacer Deluxe

2. Kramer Stagemaster (neck through model yea!)

3. Baretta's, ANY of them, they all rock.

4. The Sustainer (seriously, jackson just came out with a new guitar called the 'sustainiac'..don't let them steal kramers thunder, show them what TRUE kramer sustainism power is).

5. Nightswain - It's badass.

Ok, so basically bring back the best of the kramer line. But, you could put sharktooth inlays on all of them ;), (except the maple necked ones). That'd be new.

If Kramer can come back with those models and just give us the shred machines we love then I'll buy 10 of each! :)

brokrguy

12-24-2008, 10:56 PM

I vote for a Pacer Special - 1 hum, 1 vol, 1 tone, OFR, what more do ya need? Maple board and nana headstock...and I buy it!!!

What would really be great would be to re-introduce some vintage Kramer finishes like the bent-pipes, racing stripes, flourescents, and flip/flop's...

I still think this is one of the all-time, great-looking guitars: (pic from VK):

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc335/brokrguy/Pacer.jpg
:thumbsup

bkeen

12-24-2008, 11:18 PM

A Beak deluxe and Special!

:headbang :headbang :headbang :headbang

Pacer Guy

12-24-2008, 11:53 PM

I vote for the Beak Deluxe and Special as well :thumbsup :thumbsup

billmill310

12-25-2008, 12:34 AM

I vote for a Pacer Special - 1 hum, 1 vol, 1 tone, Floyd, what more do ya need? Maple board and nana headstock...and I buy it!!!

What would really be great would be to re-introduce some vintage Kramer finishes like the bent-pipes, racing stripes, flourescents, and flip/flop's...

I still think this is one of the all-time, great-looking guitars: (pic from VK):

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc335/brokrguy/Pacer.jpg
:thumbsup

i doubt they can use stratheads. their with gibson now, not charvel/fender.
but true, strathead + graphic = sex:strat
i'm thinking about trying to find some money for a voyager-strathead project.

_xxx_

12-25-2008, 10:46 AM

I'd like to see modern metal guitars, with a comfortable, rounded neck joint, sleek body with deep comfy carvings, thin and fast neck with a bit longer pointy headstock and with a blockable floating floyd (Tremol-No built in for example). Security Locks from the get go should be a given.

That should be a modern alien thing to kick the shite out of LTD, Schecter and all the other companies building 80's Kramer replicas. "A step ahead" literally, as it used to be.

All the old stuff from the 80's would be custom shop only, maybe with some special series for the public now and then.

Thinking about it, sounds kinda just like what Gary Kramer does with his new company. Only that Kramer would have much better access to the buying public, so it would take off quite fast.

robzilla

12-26-2008, 11:54 PM

I would vote for Lightning graphic nightswan re-issue or any Baretta style holoflash!!!

KramerUK

12-27-2008, 06:22 AM

You know I never thought that much about a Deluxe, but hell mine has been my main guitar for 15 years!! And a trans blue, maple config :drool Now that would have me saving my pennies

RattnRoll1986

12-27-2008, 09:45 AM

Yea I hope they bring back the 84 Reissue that would be great!

fasterthanyngwie

12-28-2008, 08:11 PM

I know it'll never happen but I'd like to see some of the older yo kramers in production again. I'm trying my hardest to find an old baretta fr404s with reverse headstock and jolly roger tuners in white. If they wouldn't mind making one of those for me I'd be most obliged!

Does anyone know anything about the stupid re-stock dates on musicyo? I've gone through the site manually and found all my old favourites with re-stock dates that are 7 months away and keep adding a day on every day so it never gets sooner? Will these ever return?

Hey duff81, while trying to find the baretta I'm after I've seen someone selling the one your after on craigslist in Nashville? It looks awesome - I don't know if I'm allowed to post a link though?

KramerUK

12-28-2008, 09:13 PM

Welcome to the forum :) You'll have to stick around a while before you can see the section for posting guitars you have found for sale, but why not PM duff the details :thumbsup Excellent to have another UK member onboard. The 404 does pop up from time to time even in the UK, just gotta be patient, highly unlikely that Gibson/MY will bring it back though.

fasterthanyngwie

12-28-2008, 09:34 PM

thanks buddy,

I've seen a few 404's over the last couple of months but but I really want the white/reverse headstock/jolly roges/24 fret. I've seen loads of the same in black with 22 frets?

I'll pass it on to Duff - it looks sweet! Although I could be tempted myself?

jackson 619

12-29-2008, 02:28 AM

can we see some more pacer deluxes like reb beach :drool

jumbowolfe

12-29-2008, 08:06 AM

Why would you want a Deluxe when overall they remain about the cheapest Kramer on the vintage market compared to Imperials and Specials?

Honestly, from my vantage point, the Deluxe's have been less desired overall from the Kramer collector base through the years, I don't really know why, but I do know that a Deluxe with favored options such as maple fretboards in the bananas generally sell way lower than say an Imperial or a Baretta with a maple fretboard.

Just my two cents on it. I'd much rather see these existing Imperial designs modified into different "newer" options such as a single coil in the neck position without a middle pickup, maybe offer a Pacer Special option (single pickup) with a coil tap, etc.

Mike

Pacer Guy

12-29-2008, 08:44 AM

That is one I'd like to see, an Imperial with a single coil in the neck instead of a hum :thumbsup Ala the George Lynch style :)

TommysGs

12-29-2008, 10:27 PM

I appreciate the Deluxes as much as anyone but from a buisness stand point I don't think a Kramer Deluxe reissue would sell for the kind of money they would have to charge for a made in the USA guitar.
There is already hundreds of Fender Strat copy's out there and very few companies other than Fender can get much money for them.

Gibson/Kramer needs to find thier nitch market.
That's probably going to be in the open face non pick guard type models.
Unfortunately they have already ruined the classic head stock by using on the cheapo 111s guitars.
The Banane head stock used on the 85 reissue's
would probably work good for a Imperial and Special reissue and the Pointy head stock will serve the custom I or II, Jersey Star, Night Swan or that era of guitar.

Although I still believe they dropped the 85 Baretta reissue to soon.
I think Gibson/Kramer should drop the whole reissue tag on everything.
They should go back to the original model designations.
The reissue thing makes people think a company is
trying to exploit an earlier success.
Perhaps that is why there are still new 85 Baretta
reissues for sale out there and they are not selling.

Probably the biggest thing Gibson/Kramer should do
is make thier guitars avaliable to the market a little
broader then the obscure musicyo website.

kramer.geetar

12-29-2008, 10:34 PM

How come the Specials and Imperials go for more on the vintage market? They didn't make the Specials for too long did they? It is true though about the Deluxe, you can find a really nice one for $450-$550.

brokrguy

12-30-2008, 02:06 AM

BillMill-

I sed nana head in my "Vote for the Special" post, not strathead (although I did show a strathead bentpipe to show the graphic)...

Me brain no work so good now from chemo but I not that dumb crazy to think strathead Kramers coming around the mountain again...at least until Gibson sells and we have Fender/Charvel/Jackson/EVH/Kramer...;)

I believe we would all agree that the next Yo offering should be:

SOON!! Those Imps are beauties - now let's see the follow-up!

:thumbsup

5150 pacer

12-31-2008, 08:58 AM

id love to see a vanguard modern v with a maple neck and gold hardwear

and also do you guys at kramer realize that if you were to make the necks alittle wider you guys would put ibanez out of buisnes??? at least with thier lower end models($800 and down range)

i say make a shred line of guitars to rival the jacksons and ibanez with the super slim and wide necks. i dont see you guys losing i mean even gibson has changed to wider thiner necks.

i put an ibanez neck in my striker and i took it to guitar center to match it with the jem they had and i was stuned. i played the jem for about 2 min and then played my guitar for an hour and everyone kept asking how i was geting the sounds i was geting out of it.
and keep in mind the jem is(was, now) my dream guitar, but now its all about kramer!!!!!:bananahea

but regardless the kramer guitars are amazing and when i got my striker 2 years ago and put up the youtube videos i think at least 150 people have asked me about it and have gone out and gotten one because thier are alot more vids up now with strikers :thumbsup

kramer is deffinatly going to be the future:toast

jumbowolfe

12-31-2008, 10:50 AM

I bet if you took a poll as to what width nut people prefer, the split would be about 1/2 and 1/2 of which one to make. If you make a wide neck, you're going to piss off the VH crowd. If you make an R2 or an R1, then you'll piss off the Jackson shredders.

Best thing to do is offer models with both. Kramer traditionally made more R2 based guitars (and a TON of Swans with R1's) back in the 80's, so I think its only correct to go with the R2 design on the throwback type models. Maybe on newer stuff try some wider, different profiled necks, but most Kramer nuts prefer the R2 necks.

If you've ever played an R5 beak, its a love it or hate it type neck. Personally, I think they suck ass, but thats just my opinion.

Pacer Guy

12-31-2008, 12:27 PM

On the subject of R2 versus R4, I've got to vote for the R2... And I have a fairly large hand. I have a Jackson with an R4, and I can hardly play it, and seldom do. Maybe its more due to the compound radius and flat profile on the back of the neck, but it just feels weird to me. I guess I have played way to many Kramers, and Fenders in my time to really appreciate the new style necks.
But I would have to also put in a vote for Kramer to offer a new style neck for the shredders, if it means more Kramers being sold, then I'm all for it... Just leave a few cool R2's in the mix.

5150 pacer

12-31-2008, 05:31 PM

yes i deff agree that if kramer diversifies the necks style alot of the big companies will be pissed

but yea thatll be a coold idea, have the kramers for the evh guys and then some to please the steve vai guys :thumbsup

i deff agree alot of good will come to kramer in the following years:toast

markshredder

01-02-2009, 06:01 PM

I have a few guitars with wider spaced nuts, but I overall prefer R2s.

I genuinley think there is a market for 'shred' axes with narrow string spacing given that Ibanez and Jackson fill the wider spaced niche.

Mac

01-03-2009, 05:27 AM

We will be showing some new stuff at Winter NAMM. If you happen to be out there........look for the guy at the Gibson booth with the longest hair......oh yeah..... and the shortest guy in the room... that would be me.

Will you be bringing any of it to the musicmesse in march/april?

and im not too fussed about whats re-issued i think the designs of the later kramers were the best, like the lower horn scoops on retta III or proaxes but what i wanna see is those custom kramer inlays (block logo and claws) thats what sets kramers apart in terms of there fretboards for me!

otherwise im gonna say i'd like to see a 2009..its proof kramer is progressing and keeping up with todays market and can compete using with the knowledge of what kramer was in the 80's :thumsbup

either way im sure it'll be great

Dersu Uzala

01-09-2009, 12:16 AM

All the old stuff from the 80's would be custom shop only, maybe with some special series for the public now and then.

Thinking about it, sounds kinda just like what Gary Kramer does with his new company. Only that Kramer would have much better access to the buying public, so it would take off quite fast.

Someone already mentioned it earlier, a deal was in the making and sadly it fell through. Disaster really.

VooDoo666

01-09-2009, 12:31 PM

Disaster really.

Not really.

KramerUK

01-09-2009, 01:23 PM

Wouldn't say its a diasater either, Gary is doing his thinkg, Kevin and the guys at Kramer are doing theirs.

Mike, I do see where you are coming from with the Deluxe, but its not just the collectors market that Kevin and the guys are going for surely?
The overall appeal of the Deluxe with the masses could make it a hit.

But the top and bottom of it is, anything new from Kramer is going to be great, and sell well I'm sure :thumbsup

R2 is a standard fav. but I play my R3 a lot and for comfort on a thin neck its stunning

bkeen

01-09-2009, 01:35 PM

moku

01-09-2009, 01:53 PM

my two cents:
individual opinions are obviously divided on what to issue/bring back. everyone's got his/her own idea, and we already have some good suggestions here in this thread. after all it's already done. gibson/kramer has decided that already. so how can we do to fruitfully advance this discussion further?
perhaps the focus should be what could Gibson/Kramer do that would position itself back to the center (or at least close) of the industry? what is the niche (that tommmysgs mentioned above) that kramer needs in the industry? obviously kramer is something we all love. perhaps we have to put aside our own preferences for certain models/options and think collectively to brainstorm issues like what's kramer's market and competition.
personally i like the idea of dropping the word "reissue" in their models, not living off the past but to making new models that advance its name (like it once did in the 80s). i once saw a kramer t-shirt that said, "a step ahead of its time" or something to that effect. hope whatever kramer brings out it can reclaim that legacy.
anyway, my two cents. hope i didn't offend anyone.

_xxx_

01-09-2009, 09:04 PM

How can anyone discount the demand for HSS guitars? If there wasn't a demand, Fender would be dead. And if you look at the demand of American Floyd Classic Strats you can see people are willing to pay the price. They go used for about $1200.

:thumbsup

Yes. But the headstock says "Fender" and even I wouldn't ever even dream of buying any sort of strat besides Fender. Never ever. It like buying a Mercedes with a Toyota logo, even if the quality would be as good or better.

masterdebradwick

01-13-2009, 12:24 PM

I would love if they started making the 2009 Kramer like original Kramer. For instance, the striker doesn't even look like a striker. Looks like a soloist or a Schecter. Just something with 2 humbuckers, a floyd, and that nice round that original Kramer's had. Plus I don't feel the need to make pacer's, 1984 model's, and the art series as a reissue. They should make 'em standard. And not just high end model's for the pacer's and stuff either. Like low end stuff too. Different pickups, licensed floyd's and things of that nature as well. I dunno, that's just my idea. Might make Kramer more mainstream and affordable and appeal more to a larger audience.

j-ozzy

01-13-2009, 01:29 PM

I dont think gibson will let them.. But im with ya bro!

KramerLeftyFreak

01-13-2009, 04:18 PM

I dont think gibson will let them.. But im with ya bro!

Gibson WON'T LET THEM, or else they would have done most of this already. The hard working Kramer guys are not stupid, they have the passion for Kramer's just like we do. They're being blocked.

Take a look at the link below.....Gibson is rated the NUMBER 5 WORST COMPANY TO WORK FOR in the United States for 2008......this explains a lot about what the Kramer boys have to deal with:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/30/netflix-adobe-google-make-best-places-to-work-list-att-ebay-radioshack-among-the-worst/

mmmtacos

01-13-2009, 04:57 PM

Ebay is 47th:lol

KramerLeftyFreak

01-14-2009, 10:55 AM

Ebay is 47th:lol

Ha! I know! Also, now I feel sorry for the DHL guys I see running packages around NYC all day long through my work day.

P.S. - My company has a branch in Nashville. One of my contacts in Nashville and I were having a chat about Gibson last week. I told her about Kramer, and she said: "Oh, I know Kramer...I've heard about Kramer around the office. A lot of people that work here are Ex-Gibson employees, and I've heard plenty of negative things about the Gibson/Kramer relationship."

Now mind you, this particular person whom I chat with from our Nashville office knows NOTHING about guitars.....yet, she knows a lot about Kramer now due to the employees she works with :)

I'm just sayin...........

bkeen

01-14-2009, 12:21 PM

Yes. But the headstock says "Fender" and even I wouldn't ever even dream of buying any sort of strat besides Fender. Never ever. It like buying a Mercedes with a Toyota logo, even if the quality would be as good or better.

Yes but Fender doesn't make an american strat with a floyd and doesn't have an R2 beak feeling neck! ;)

I have both and prefer the Beak necks!!

:thumbsup

unchained1984

01-14-2009, 03:06 PM

Interesting comments all round, my hat sits with Mike here, and I'm not knocking the deluxe because it's a very versatile instrument of that there's no question. I've just never been a single coil guy and for me I like to see the wood I'm paying for and not have the pups sited on a pickguard. When the average joe pictures a Kramer I'd be surprised if single coils enter their mind. For me the Imperial was easily THE best all round choice no question and with those stained trans finish options they hit the nail on the head. I say all this as a dyed in the wool baretta man of course.

Ultimately if the cheaper models most likely do continue then I hope Gibson don't continue to associate U.S model names with them, it's high time that was sorted.

Kannibal

01-14-2009, 03:31 PM

Although I still believe they dropped the 85 Baretta reissue to soon.
I think Gibson/Kramer should drop the whole reissue tag on everything.
They should go back to the original model designations.
The reissue thing makes people think a company is
trying to exploit an earlier success.
Perhaps that is why there are still new 85 Baretta
reissues for sale out there and they are not selling.

Probably the biggest thing Gibson/Kramer should do
is make thier guitars avaliable to the market a little
broader then the obscure musicyo website.

I agree with you general line of thought and only argue the following:
1) The didn't stop the 85 RI too soon but too late if they're laying around. next 3 sentences dead-on. 2) They can't charge more for an RI than you can buy an original for.

and G/K isn't going to do anything because if they were it would already have happened. The same parent corporation owns both GC and Gibson so if they wanted to push Kramer it would get pushed. My guess is that Fender won't stand for it in the GC's & Sam Ash's at the Kramer price point. They have to be USA, and if they are then its $1000 ea. minimum. GC surely doesn't want them ( investment in hard to move stock) and Coke (Gibson) and Pepsi (Fender) have no interest in Kramer (Canada Dry) being in those stores. The only way GC works is to convince you that you're a cheap bastard or "know nothing" if you buy anything but Gibson or a Fender CS. Most old Kramers are 350-800 so how do you sell the new ones? There is no leader with a "vision" so there is no direction except the RI model and it can't work as long as old ones are so inexpensive to get.

I agree make it more accessible to purchase one though. Someone has to generate buzz for the line, and I don't know if it can be done unless you can somehow build a guitar better than the competition at the price point, or go boutique. Unfortunately I don't see either happening soon and its a shame. Just IMHO.