Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

[BloodRose]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

How do I know if mine's an OFR?

Also, the serial number on this is "A28571." Does anyone know how to determine the date and place of manufacture based on this?

- Keith

Kramer was horrible about their serial numbering.
You have a Focus. The Focus' were Japanese made by ESP. They were nearly equivalent to the USA kramers of the day.. They just didnt get much respect because made in Japan was a bad thing then.. However, they are now increasing in value as we learned how nicely they are made. Im a big fan and have recently aquired several foci.
Original Floyds are as good as it gets, the tuning keys are top notch.
If you wanna soup it up, start with straplocks for safety and a good set of pickups.. If the guitar is in good shape, thats all you'll need.
They are good guitars.

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

Kramer was horrible about their serial numbering.
You have a Focus. The Focus' were Japanese made by ESP. They were nearly equivalent to the USA kramers of the day.. They just didnt get much respect because made in Japan was a bad thing then.. However, they are now increasing in value as we learned how nicely they are made. Im a big fan and have recently aquired several foci.
Original Floyds are as good as it gets, the tuning keys are top notch.
If you wanna soup it up, start with straplocks for safety and a good set of pickups.. If the guitar is in good shape, thats all you'll need.
They are good guitars.

+10000

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

What colour of guitar is this? The Focus 3000 had a pickguard with H/S/S did it not?

The color is a deep red -- sort of maroon. You're correct: My model has a black pickguard with a H/S/S pickup configuration.

If the frets are in need of refretting may i suggest 6100...

The frets are in serious need of help. They're feeling very rusty. I'm not sure if all I need to do is replace the old strings and file the frets, or if I should just have it refretted. What are these 6100 frets you mentioned?

- Keith

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

The color is a deep red -- sort of maroon. You're correct: My model has a black pickguard with a H/S/S pickup configuration.



The frets are in serious need of help. They're feeling very rusty. I'm not sure if all I need to do is replace the old strings and file the frets, or if I should just have it refretted. What are these 6100 frets you mentioned?

- Keith

6100 are my favourite large fret size... Large frets just feel right to me on a super strat... you may prefer smaller....

If the frets just need a polish or are good enough for a fret dress do so and leave them as is.... a refret can be costly... i just brought it up in case the guitar needed new frets my fav's are 6100's..

Back in highschool in 1987/88 a friend of mine at the time sold his late 70's Les Paul to buy a Focus 3000..... a few months later he was wishing he had his LP back... He was a huge Zep fan..... But the 80's Kramer Craziness got to him and he had to have one.... I bet these days he wishes he had the LP more then ever seeing how crazy the prices are.....

A Kramer was a Souped up strat... The hot rodded 80's version. Besides changing pickups, and fixing anything that maybe wrong it should be good to go....

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

It is the same as an Pacer Deluxe.
APS-1's and a JB, does not get more 80's than that.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

I've been reading great things about the Custom/59 hybrid. What's that all about?

- Keith

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

dude that sounds like a sweet axe...id take it off your hands...kidding.

the VH pup sounds like a cool idea, the JB might work equally.

personally...i would think about an invader, you might not like the look though.

the invader could help with the newer VH material, but roll your amp back, and its instant ...ice cream man.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

I have a Focus 1000 with a duncan distortion

Focus 1000JK with a JB
Focus 6000 with a Genesis sounds Mr browney
Focus 6000 with a Duncan Custom 8 and 2 Dimarzio FT1

What are you trying to go for musically? The Evh as prev mentioned is a custom shop model. If you want a great rock pup, the JB is great too.. The USA Kramers often came with JBs.
My Custom 8 rips too..

As far as the frets, if they arent worn down or grooved, you prob dont need a refret. Just take some .00 (I think) steel wool and rub the rust off.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

Hell yeah it's worth fixing up. I'd put a '78 Model/APS1/APS1 combo in there, get the frets crowned, dressed and polished, clean up the Floyd and give it a good setup. Those are workhorse guitars.

This thread is worthless without pics.

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

Hell yeah it's worth fixing up. I'd put a '78 Model/APS1/APS1 combo in there, get the frets crowned, dressed and polished, clean up the Floyd and give it a good setup. Those are workhorse guitars.

This thread is worthless without pics.

+1 :headbang:

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

i was watching Winger's Seventeen video on youtube today..... Always liked the Kramer in that video!

 

[blondie]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

souping up a guitar that isnt very good in the first place wont be worth it in the end i built a super strat from a squire and after i put shaeler tuners in it, a graphite bridge, a JB and a JAZZ in it and it STILL wasnt that good

i would get 1 step up like a striker or something simillar to that and then modify it

 

[rocksoldier]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

souping up a guitar that isnt very good in the first place wont be worth it in the end i built a super strat from a squire and after i put shaeler tuners in it, a graphite bridge, a JB and a JAZZ in it and it STILL wasnt that good

i would get 1 step up like a striker or something simillar to that and then modify it

Well, the striker is a cheap korean (?) plywood guitar with cheap hardware, the Focus is a very well made guitar, built by Esp in Japan, with a real floyd.

Just get some nice pickups for it (i have a Jb in mine) and it will sound great!

 

[blondie]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

i think im confused on the series by kramer...the focus cust $87.00 correct?

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

A Focus is just the japanese version of the American series...meaning that they are far from lowend!
Even Ed played a Focus from time to time!

 

[rocksoldier]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

i think im confused on the series by kramer...the focus cust $87.00 correct?

Ok, then i understand, you propably mean the new ones from www.musicyo.com, a completley diffrent thing.
I mean the old ones from the 80´s, which was a much higher quality (and price) guitar.
A new one wouldnt be worth souping up, i agree about that for sure.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

Yeah, man. I'd be a little different than most here and go for a '59 in the bridge and ap2s in the other two slots.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

This thread is worthless without pics.

Here ya go (needs a good dusting, I know):

- Keith

 

[ErikH]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

Nice. :bigok: Sharp color.
Some new pups and a good cleaning/setup and she'll be read to rock for another 20 years.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Is My Kramer Focus Worth Souping Up?

Lots of folks have been recommending a variety of pickup changes. Can y'all tell me why you recommend the pickup(s) you posted?

- Keith