Gallery:
Gary Kramer R-29 Black Ver.2009 Customized By MorenoZago
-------------- Description (from Gary Kramer website) -----------
"Turbulence R-29 offers the same ergonomic benefits featured on our R-36 seven string version. The design begins with the ergonomic top arc. The arc utilizes a player’s body frame to without adjustment, place the guitar’s neck and body in perfect balance and playing position. Secondly, a shortened bottom cutaway provides effort-less access to its extended fingerboard featuring 29 jumbo frets. And lastly, you’ll notice comfortable forearm support is generated by contours that naturally place the hand and wrist in a perfect picking position. Additionally, for seated players, the Turbulence guitars are equipped with a removable, left-leg rest which puts both the player and the instrument in perfect relation when used in a sitting position.
If tuned down to a low B, our 6 string Turbulence R-29’s extended upper range helps this instrument perform in full sonic range of a regular 7 string 24 fret guitar. This unique feature helps players who use low tunings, do not feel comfortable on wide 7 string necks and are not willing to give up on their upper fretboard register. In regular tuning, Turbulence R-29 outplays the regular 24 fret neck by opening the possibilities of its hyper register. This instrument will not only make sure that you are seen on the stage, it is also one of the rare birds which will make sure that you are being heard differently as well."
-------------- Specification of the original version (from Gary Kramer website) -----------
CONSTRUCTION
- Set neck
- 25.5'' scale
NECK
- Maple
- 12'' bound Maple fingerboard
- Dual parabolic Black position dots
- 29 jumbo frets
- Matching color headstock
BODY
- Mahogany
- Delta wing shape with contoured surfaces
- Detachable aluminum leg rest unit Glossy paint job with satin neck
HARDWARE
- Recessed Double locking tremolo
- R-3 (43mm wide) locking nut
- Black
ELECTRONICS
- Direct mounted Gary Kramer H/S Ceramic pickups
- Volume, Tone (push/pull) and mini 3-way switch (5 sound combination switching system)
-------------- My custom upgrade parts -----------
- DiMarzio D Sonic Black - DP207F (F-spaced)
- Seymour Duncan Hot Rails SHR-1 Neck
- Q-Parts Dome Potiknob Vine Chrome Potiknop
- Göldo E500P Push/Pull Pot - 500kohm logarithmic
- Marvel Security Strap Lock System - nickel finish
- Planet Waves 50A13 Henna Guitar Strap - adjustable nylon
For scratches:
- Arexons Mirage "rimuovi graffi" (scratches remover)
-------------- Review and custom upgrades --------------
The guitar is amazing, very light weight and comfortable. it has a nice case, and documentation of autenticity. It has't got an original strap.
Pickups was too low powered for me, but i've decided, before buying the guitar, to customize it and to mount DiMarzio + Seymour Duncan.
Durabulity is ok: the previous 2008 version has a matte black body. The 2009 version has a glossy body finish, so scratches are easy to remove: on a matte color, scratches are not removable. On this 2009 version, only the back of neck are matte, and it's very taste for hand.
Finish: The guitar is arrived with some barely scratches to body surface (i've use arexons with cotton wad to remove scratches). I don't know, if it was depended by the shipment or if the guitar was produced with these scratches. Now the guitar is perfectly glossy, using arexons.
The neck and fingerboard are a bomb! It's very fast for my hand! The 24 and 29 frets are easy approachable.
I've tuned the guitar on B. The floyd rose is a little too much sensitive: the right hand will be light on the floyd when it isn't used, to don't change tune during the performance.
The guitar has not lost the tuning in a month. It's perfect.
The top strap binding was dangerous: the strap detach often. it depends by the wing inclination. So i've mounted the "Marvel Security Strap Lock System - nickel finish".
Pickups...
I've mounted DiMarzio with no problems. For Seymour Duncan, i've had to open the pickup, scratch the pickup plastic casing to incorporate the wire inside the pickup, and make the wire exit on the right side. I've scratch the plastic of Seymour Duncan casing and "screws wings" to be able to insert the pickup to guitar. The Seymour Duncan pickup was too big, and the central exit of wire was incompatible to pickup allocation.
I've changed the pickups wiring system:
- DiMarzio are always in parallel to Duncan. The 3-way switch activate down:dimazio, center:dimarzio+seymour, up:seymour.
- The original Push/Pull Pot commands tone and:
- - Push=DiMarzio humbucker coils in series,
- - Pull=DiMarzio humbucker coils in parallel.
- - The Pot has now the "Q-Parts Dome Potiknob Vine Chrome".
- I've changed the original volume Pot with a Push/Pull pot (like in the tone pot). It commands the volume and:
- - Push=Seymour Duncan humbucker coils in series,
- - Pull=Seymour Duncan humbucker coils in parallel.
So... now the guitar has 2+4+2=8 sound combination, and tone, and volume
In the end, i've mounted the Planet Waves 50A13 Henna Guitar Strap, which refers to guitar colors and neck/fingerboard red finish.
Conclusions:
The original guitar is amazing excepts for:
- original pickups (but it depends by any player)
- barely factory(?) body scratches,
- dangerous top strap binding.
It is for me an awesome start to make a perfect customized guitar.
The price of this customized (by me) guitar, including customized parts and original case and shipment to italy, is much lower, comparing to all "as is" guitar, and considering the incredible result!
Gallery:
Gary Kramer R-29 Black Ver.2009 Customized By MorenoZago
Follow us on Twitter
Review: Gary Kramer Turbulence R-29 Black ver.2009 - Customized by Moreno Zago
I'll let you know in the Klassifieds section
.
)
Linear Mode
