Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

stephen 37772012

stephen 37772012

New member
Ive built this kramer over the past couple months (ive had help with the wiring from here) but it was basically a basket case with promise and a good solid body and a straight neck. Now I know the neck is a different year and is an ESP made neck by the pencil markings on it, its an 87 from the research I got from the pencil markings and the binding just on the neck. But my question is about the body. I know it's an earlier body and cause the guy I bought it off of had taken the reversed banana style headstock off and put it on a squier!!!! (Blasfamy)!!! But back to the body in question, its a floyd ready but with the screw style post for the tremlo. Its also a floating trem. It also had a trem setter that I couldn't getting back right, so I left it pff.
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I cant get any info from the neckplate cause its a temporary "music yo" that I picked up till I find a proper one. I'll post pics of it, and any info would be wonderful. I cant handle having a guitar that I dont know exactly what it is. Any info would be appreciated!!!!
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Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

I built it to sell when I get completely done with it, bit I dont want to be that idiot who talks about how wonderful a guitar is and dont even lnow exactly what it is!!! We've all met that dude before!!! Lol....and it could make a bit of a difference in the price...less or more"hopefully more"...bit she dose play great, and has a nice tone
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

Very nice! I love the natural wood showing through! I had an 80's Basswood Charvel with a similar finish. Very interesting routing on the back...I don't think I've seen that before.
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

It's likely ESP made, whether it was a Pacer or Focus 2000. Anyway, I believe they're alder or poplar and I can tell that's older than the neck as it's got a topmount Floyd. By the time they went to the pointy HS, they had also started recessing the Floyd mount to drop the neck angle, and, IIRC, along with being 3 pc maple vs the older 1 pc, they had more of a D profile vs the earlier thin C.

It's got a lot of cool parts but I wouldn't bother trying to find a 'correct' neck plate. The refin and body/neck from different years will clue real Kramer fans in, right off the bat. I don't think you'll get more than a few hundred for it-not to be a downer or anything.
 
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Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

formula73 said:
It's likely ESP made, whether it was a Pacer or Focus 2000. Anyway, I believe they're alder or poplar and I can tell that's older than the neck as it's got a topmount Floyd. By the time they went to the pointy HS, they had also started recessing the Floyd mount to drop the neck angle, and, IIRC, along with being 3 pc maple vs the older 1 pc, they had more of a D profile vs the earlier thin C.

It's got a lot of cool parts but I wouldn't bother trying to find a 'correct' neck plate. The refin and body/neck from different years will clue real Kramer fans in, right off the bat. I don't think you'll get more than a few hundred for it-not to be a downer or anything.
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I agree on the neck plate thing and pricing...without the original neck and finish most buyers will be looking at it as a "Partscaster" even if the parts are good parts, will not generate extra $ unless someone really wants those specific parts or falls in love with the finish and decides they have to have it.
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

formula73 said:
It's likely ESP made, whether it was a Pacer or Focus 2000. Anyway, I believe they're alder or poplar and I can tell that's older than the neck as it's got a topmount Floyd. By the time they went to the pointy HS, they had also started recessing the Floyd mount to drop the neck angle, and, IIRC, along with being 3 pc maple vs the older 1 pc, they had more of a D profile vs the earlier thin C.

It's got a lot of cool parts but I wouldn't bother trying to find a 'correct' neck plate. The refin and body/neck from different years will clue real Kramer fans in, right off the bat. I don't think you'll get more than a few hundred for it-not to be a downer or anything.
Click to expand...

Pacer gets my guess, I think the Focus 2000 only had two knobs.
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

kramersteen said:
Whats with all the scratches and black splodges?
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I staind it black then sanded it of the tongue oiled it. I was try to go for an old chard look. A new twist on "the devil went down to Georgia" but this time he brought a kramer to rock jonny away!!! Just a twisted thought, dont think I hit it tho....but oh well
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

formula73 said:
It's likely ESP made, whether it was a Pacer or Focus 2000. Anyway, I believe they're alder or poplar and I can tell that's older than the neck as it's got a topmount Floyd. By the time they went to the pointy HS, they had also started recessing the Floyd mount to drop the neck angle, and, IIRC, along with being 3 pc maple vs the older 1 pc, they had more of a D profile vs the earlier thin C.

It's got a lot of cool parts but I wouldn't bother trying to find a 'correct' neck plate. The refin and body/neck from different years will clue real Kramer fans in, right off the bat. I don't think you'll get more than a few hundred for it-not to be a downer or anything.
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Do you think if I put a paint job on it that it would bring a little more $$$?? Cause hell, ive got near $500 in it!!! I allways wanted to build a kramer, their great guitars. But maybe I need to find another body and matching neck, then put all the new hardware and electronics in it. The kramer itself ive only got $10 & a ace frehley action figure in it!!! Not a big loss!!! Lol
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

stephen 37772012 said:
Do you think if I put a paint job on it that it would bring a little more $$$?? Cause hell, ive got near $500 in it!!! I allways wanted to build a kramer, their great guitars. But maybe I need to find another body and matching neck, then put all the new hardware and electronics in it. The kramer itself ive only got $10 & a ace frehley action figure in it!!! Not a big loss!!! Lol
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This is just my opinion, cut your losses and don't paint it...if you already have about $500 in it then cut your losses (both time and financial) and sell it on eBay or Craigslist (potential trade opportunities) if you don't like how it plays. If you like how it plays then I would suggest finding a pickup combo that sounds killer in this guitar.

This is just my opinion...
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

Appreciate it!!! I love how it plays, and sounds. But it was an attempt to build one for profit since I had peanuts in the body and neck. It was all the pricey goodies that I hoped would make it profitable...but sometimes you learn the hard way
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

More details on the body would help narrow it down; is the neck pickup route factory or after? Were any of the knob holes added later? Given that it has a mini-toggle and not a blade or full-size 3-way, I'm going to assume the neck pickup was added later (and the fact that it looks off-center).

Woodscrews for the bridge puts in in the 80s, but it could be almost anything except a Baretta (slanted bridge pickup on those) or Striker (pickguards on those IIRC).
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

DrNewcenstein said:
Given that it has a mini-toggle and not a blade or full-size 3-way, I'm going to assume the neck pickup was added later.
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The layout looks factory to me.3 knobs & a mini-3-way toggle was the norm on 2hb models.
Could be wrong,tho...

.02
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

stephen 37772012 said:
Appreciate it!!! I love how it plays, and sounds. But it was an attempt to build one for profit since I had peanuts in the body and neck. It was all the pricey goodies that I hoped would make it profitable...but sometimes you learn the hard way
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Most welcome! And not an indictment on you/not trying to bash you at all as I've done the similar things before in my life, but going from pennies in the body and neck to $500 is kinda hard to crack a profit especially since most of the 80's Kramers and Charvels (non San-Dimas) are around/under the $500 range...

I personally dig the look of the body. Reminds me of an old Model 3 I had that was "refinished"
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Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

Very nice. Love the neck. With the Cannon Input Jack I'd say it's probably a Vintage Pacer. As a Kramer Fan, if you're selling on eBay or someplace where fees for eBay/Paypal/Shipping all factor in...it will be viewed as a Mutt Build, esp with the Musicyo Neck Plate and refinish.

Strictly my opinion and based on my experiences buying/selling quite a few guitars over the last 14 years; but, I'd say you'd do well to get your investment back at most as a complete guitar. So many old Kramers get parted out because the total net for parts is more often greater than on a complete guitar.

I just sold an E.E. Pacer Custom I built from all Vintage Parts other than a SD Custom Shop MJ DemartinI TB and a Big Brass Block Upgrade. Had it on eBay at "Cost Pricing" of $660.00 with a few watchers but no real interest. Fortunately a local gentleman with his Income Tax Refund in hand saw my For Sale listing on CL and realized it was a vintage build with all quality parts and a great guitar to boot so I was able to sell it for what I had in it - $600.00.



Looks like a fun player; good luck to you whether you keep or sell.
 
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Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

Another Kramer fan chiming in. It only takes a little patience to find an original Pacer in the $500 range. The body certainly looks like an early 80s Pacer. While there was probably some overlap I associate that neck style with the later sharper radiused bodies. This one needs a vintage correct neck. With a classic beak, strat or banana headstock, a period correct neck plate with an OFR made in Germany, vintage Duncans JB /Jazz with Maricela Juarez stickers and a cool Kramer paint job, the Kramer fans would be appreciative of a fine restoration. Unfortunately, they'd still offer less than $500 and immediately part it out.


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Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

That's an old Pacer, like Satchel's. I'd love it with a one piece beak head neck and a fancy finish. The state it's in right now doesn't promise taking the market by storm.
 
Re: Early to mid 80's kramer body, need help identifying it

Rand-O-Monium said:
The layout looks factory to me.3 knobs & a mini-3-way toggle was the norm on 2hb models.
Could be wrong,tho...

.02
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The three knob and three way togglelayout and duel humbucker is factory, it had it original paint when I got it
 
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