Kramer experts: need help

[ProgWok]

I have a question for the Kramer experts out there.

I have an old Kramer 600-ST (Striker), one of the overseas (Korean?) models. I bought it used, but I think the original pickups were in it (h/s/s). My question: does anyone know what kind of pickups these are? (Unfortunately I don't have any pictures). They have black plastic covers over them saying 'Designed by Seymour Duncan' in gold lettering. Without the caps they look kinda cheapish. But the sound is not bad at all. The humbucker is splittable (as the guitar has a coil tap switch), the single coils have but one wire and a grounding.

I've been wondering whether the 'Designed by...' distinction was for the pickups or only for the caps. Were these pickups manufactured by Kramer themselves, or did they have it done by another company?

Any information is welcome.

By the way: I replaced the bridge and neck pickups with a Dimarzio Steve's Special and a Pro Track.

 

[Jester700]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

IIRC they were sort of early versions of todays "Duncan Designed" or "Duncan Performers" - modeled after Duncan pickups, but manufactured overseas cheaply. I don't know how well those old things stack up to modern day counterparts, but many people think the new versions of that are pretty good (some even say they can't hear a difference between the originals & the copies, but there's mucho disagreement on THAT one!)

The higher lines (Pacer American, etc) came with actual USA Duncans.

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

I would be more concerned about the guitar body... it is made of PLYWOOD... not exactly the best for good tone...

 

[ProgWok]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

Yes, I know. Plywood...
Still, I was amazed by its sound, especially for a plywood body! However, the neck greatly compensates any minor con of this guitar. The DiMarzio's really make it sound killer. Lots of sustain too.

Plywood isn't necessarily a bad thing. Take a look at some of those old Gretsch guitars. It's a preference, in a way. I've played and heard mahogany guitars that sounded awful, and guitars with 'cheap' wood that sound great.

As for the pickups: they were a bit noisy when playing high gain (which is why I replaced them), but they sounded not bad at all. In fact, I installed one of them in another guitar now.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

I have one of the first year Strikers with the beak headstock and for a plywood guitar it plays well. Even without a full locking setup you can do Satch and Vai stuff for a song or 2 without going out of tune. They came standard with Grover minis!!! I may swap the Floyd Rose non fine tuner model with a generic Floyd Rose II licensed and a set of sperzels and this will probably not go out of tune much at all. And eventually invest in one of those Tremel-no gadgets once they come out to fully lockout or dive only settings on the fly.

 

[ProgWok]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

Mine came with a Floyd Rose II. The tuners are marked Kramer, but they feel very solid. I wouldn't want to replace anything on this guitar.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

I had a and 87 or 88 Striker.... horrid Floyd copy on it....... The type where the strings with the ball still on the string slip thru the fine tuner arms.... cheap cr*p for sure... The plywood gave out around the trem posts and the trem gave away into the pickup rout... Thinking back that guitar was a lot of money for plywood.. Also back then i thought i had a piece of gold as i loved Kramers!

 

[Jester700]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

Well, IMO plywood isn't necessarily worse than many other "nontraditional" materials, like lucite, composites, etc. Not everyone agrees that "resonant tonewoods" are necessary, though I haven't found anything I prefer to alder, ash, or basswood YET (still looking, though).

If it sounds good, it IS good.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

Well, IMO plywood isn't necessarily worse than many other "nontraditional" materials, like lucite, composites, etc. Not everyone agrees that "resonant tonewoods" are necessary, though I haven't found anything I prefer to alder, ash, or basswood YET (still looking, though).

If it sounds good, it IS good.

Ya true... I didn't know my Kramer was plywood when i bought it in 1987.... i thought i was getting a great guitar.... so i felt i was ripped off when it started to break on me every other week... But i do remember liking that guitar... it was my first real Electric guitar of my own.... Worked a year to save when i was in highschool to get it and a Marshall combo... Once i got it i felt like a king.. and later i felt let down.... I did end up smashing that guitar to pieces a few times and glued it together again.... after the Kramer i bought a real guitar... A 76 Les Paul.. turns out there is almost as much glue in my 76 LP as in that old Kramer... go figure....

 

[Leather Rebel]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

I have a question for the Kramer experts out there.

I have an old Kramer 600-ST (Striker), one of the overseas (Korean?) models. I bought it used, but I think the original pickups were in it (h/s/s). My question: does anyone know what kind of pickups these are? (Unfortunately I don't have any pictures). They have black plastic covers over them saying 'Designed by Seymour Duncan' in gold lettering. Without the caps they look kinda cheapish. But the sound is not bad at all. The humbucker is splittable (as the guitar has a coil tap switch), the single coils have but one wire and a grounding.

I've been wondering whether the 'Designed by...' distinction was for the pickups or only for the caps. Were these pickups manufactured by Kramer themselves, or did they have it done by another company?

Any information is welcome.

By the way: I replaced the bridge and neck pickups with a Dimarzio Steve's Special and a Pro Track.

Most of the USA Kramers back in the day came with a JB bridge, so it's probably similar to a JB. You could put a meter on it and see. If it measures around 16kOhms, that's probably what it is. I don't have a clue about the single coils though. There are several websites out there for Kramer fans. You may want to check them out. Both www.vintagekramer.com and www.kramermaniaxe.com have some helpful info and more links.

 

[ProgWok]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

Ok, great info. Thanks!

 

[Jester700]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

after the Kramer i bought a real guitar... A 76 Les Paul.. turns out there is almost as much glue in my 76 LP as in that old Kramer... go figure....

I'm not going to Gibson bash here; I'm trying to cut down on it... ;-)

If you liked the "feel" of the guitar but it was just cheesy, keep an eye out for an old Kramer Focus model (1000, 3000, etc). Those were very nice for the price, had real floyds, etc. You can score an old one in good shape for a couple hundred and have a nice guitar - again, IF that's the feel you're after.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Kramer experts: need help

I'm not going to Gibson bash here; I'm trying to cut down on it... ;-)

If you liked the "feel" of the guitar but it was just cheesy, keep an eye out for an old Kramer Focus model (1000, 3000, etc). Those were very nice for the price, had real floyds, etc. You can score an old one in good shape for a couple hundred and have a nice guitar - again, IF that's the feel you're after.

Oh ya i have my eyes wide open for the Focus guitars! But around Toronto i never see any for sale..... i heard that many stores do not take them in for resale because not many people are looking for them.....

A buddy of mine in Highschool (in the 80's) sold his 70's les paul to buy a Focus.. a candy red Baretta style single hunbucker Focus.... I liked it a lot... i had the Striker but really wanted the Focus... I could of bought the Focus but i also wanted a Boss HM pedal too at the time so i went cheap on the guitar so i could get the pedal as well..... I was young and stupid! Anyways after a year or so this guy was crying that he sold his LP for the Kramer....

WhoFan