Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

guitarfeak

guitarfeak

New member
I know it may be hard to tell from the pictures but can anybody possibly tell me what type of wood this Kramer body may be made of? I have heard that the Focus bodies were either alder or maple. I just don't really know how I can tell the difference. Thanks,

Ryan

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Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

it's a little hard to tell what's going on from those photos, but it seems like it has a few green areas in there that could indicate poplar.

poplar was much more common in the 80s Kramers than maple. the 80s Focus and Striker lines were totally made in Asia as entry-level economy instruments. many of them were good, but they are not extraordinary.
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

JB_From_Hell said:
According to a former member here, it's far more likely to be alder.
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Agreed.
The grain lines on the lower bout of the body in the last picture looks more like alder than poplar to me. The sealer kinda gives the impression of a greenish tint so it sort of resembles poplar as well.
I would tend to think that maple was reserved more for the "American" Kramers as opposed to the Focus line of guitars.

What are your plans for this project? Looks like you're really digging into it, so it would be cool to hear your build idea/specs and perhaps see more pics.
 
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Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

darthphineas said:
poplar was much more common in the 80s Kramers than maple. the 80s Focus and Striker lines were totally made in Asia as entry-level economy instruments. many of them were good, but they are not extraordinary.
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you are partially correct.. The striker was made in asia as entry level and the body wood was plywood but the focus was made in japan and was a copy of the american line of Pacer, Baretta, Vanguard and Voyager series.. the wood as others have stated was alder

I laugh at the very notion that a focus is entry level..unless ya think paying over a grand for a guitar still puts it in the entry level category..
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

I was actually planning on staining it but I lost interest in doing that and decided just to paint it a solid color. Not really sure which color I'm going with yet. I was just getting sick of the original cream color.

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Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

Brandenburg said:
I laugh at the very notion that a focus is entry level..unless ya think paying over a grand for a guitar still puts it in the entry level category..
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1984 retail price list

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1985 retail price list

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1986 retail price list

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Focus were Japanese, Striker were Korean. Kramer was pretty notorious for not committing in literature what woods were used on many models. they generally bought whatever was most affordable.
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

darthphineas said:
1984 retail price list

june1984price-3.jpeg




1985 retail price list

jan1985price-3.jpeg




1986 retail price list

pricelist86c.jpg




Focus were Japanese, Striker were Korean. Kramer was pretty notorious for not committing in literature what woods were used on many models. they generally bought whatever was most affordable.
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well i bought a kramer focus 1000 around 89 or 90.. paid over a grand new with case..filled out the paperwork and ordered it through a local store.. mine was unusual in that it had a reverse headstock and an emg 81..

i remember paying alot of cash though

still, focus arnt entry level unless we have a different bar we measure guitars by which is possible..imo a focus is equivalent to a dinky
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

Kramers were pretty well competitive with all of the big names back then. Just take for instance the parts list alone...they were ready to rock, just add a strap and a cord. Everyone should have a Kramer in their arsenal in my opinion.
I miss the kramerforum...from what I gather, it's archive only now...no new posts.

Edit:
Do the math on how much those guitars would be in today's market. And we are talking about bolt on necks here. (Kramer did have some neck thru's though, Showmaster,etc..)
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

guitarfeak said:
I was actually planning on staining it but I lost interest in doing that and decided just to paint it a solid color. Not really sure which color I'm going with yet. I was just getting sick of the original cream color.

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Click to expand...
Awesome!! Is it the guitar as your avatar? Personally I always had a liking for the vintage white/cream color.
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

Brandenburg said:
well i bought a kramer focus 1000 around 89 or 90.. paid over a grand new with case..filled out the paperwork and ordered it through a local store.. mine was unusual in that it had a reverse headstock and an emg 81..

i remember paying alot of cash though

still, focus arnt entry level unless we have a different bar we measure guitars by which is possible..imo a focus is equivalent to a dinky
Click to expand...


Depends on the Dinky. ;)

In 1989, I paid the same or less for a Stagemaster and a Sambora, both American series via Gestapo Center. I seem to remember specifically that I paid $850 out the door for the Sambora...2 JBJs and 1 Jazz neck J.

Focus and Striker did have real deal Floyds. I still have the neck from my 2000, it's in excellent shape. But the fact is, when I bought mine in 1985, it was Kramers entry level. So maybe your confusing me as saying the Striker and Focus are on the same level as those $100 beginner kits.

A few years later they introduced cheaper and cheaper models, which moved the Focus up the ladder a bit. I'd still not put one up against a real Baretta or a real Pacer, of which I have both.
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

My Focus 6000 has by far the best neck I have ever played.

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Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

metalchurch79 said:
Kramers were pretty well competitive with all of the big names back then. Just take for instance the parts list alone...they were ready to rock, just add a strap and a cord. Everyone should have a Kramer in their arsenal in my opinion.
I miss the kramerforum...from what I gather, it's archive only now...no new posts.

Edit:
Do the math on how much those guitars would be in today's market. And we are talking about bolt on necks here. (Kramer did have some neck thru's though, Showmaster,etc..)
Click to expand...

There is a new Kramer forum up, www.kramerforumz.com. :)
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

IIRC, ESP made the Focus series for Kramer. I think they also made a lot of the parts for the US series and shipped them over to be assembled here. There isn't a lot of difference in quality between the MIA and MIJ ones. The Strikers, yeah, those are plywood, although I have seen a few with non-fine tuner Floyds on them.
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

Yes ESP made a lot of parts for the American series that were assembled in Jersey. So did Sports and Larrivee and Lasido. Warmoth was in the running for the Nightswan parts, but lost out to ESP.
 
Re: Kramer Focus 6000 Body Wood

darthphineas said:
Depends on the Dinky. ;)

In 1989, I paid the same or less for a Stagemaster and a Sambora, both American series via Gestapo Center. I seem to remember specifically that I paid $850 out the door for the Sambora...2 JBJs and 1 Jazz neck J.

Focus and Striker did have real deal Floyds. I still have the neck from my 2000, it's in excellent shape. But the fact is, when I bought mine in 1985, it was Kramers entry level. So maybe your confusing me as saying the Striker and Focus are on the same level as those $100 beginner kits.

A few years later they introduced cheaper and cheaper models, which moved the Focus up the ladder a bit. I'd still not put one up against a real Baretta or a real Pacer, of which I have both.
Click to expand...

well my focus had a real OFR..reverse headstock.. candy apple red..case.. emg81..

I also owned a striker 600 and 200. the 600 had a FRII and the 200 i wanna say had a 2 point pivot non-locking trem

Id sorta like to buy an 80's focus 6000 or 1000..might be my next guitar

too me.. entry level guitars are $50 to $300 new.. price isnt the only requirement i base what is entry level but its one of them.

expensive especially since you consider that I bought a used gibson SG,LP, and fender strat for the approx. cost of the focus.. hard to remember but the focus still cost a a bit more than those 3 guitars combined.. that focus was the last new guitar I ever bought..
 
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