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Just bought a vintage 1976 Kramer 350B
- Thread starter thezerech
- Start date
Yep. IIRC, Dave DeForest was the guy's name. I bought a refinned '57 P there (lived in the area at the time), as a box of parts minus the pickup. That was the first wave of vintage fevah, IME, in the '70s. Still have that one in my closet.
Re-rail attempt:
OP, there was a Kramer club thread a while back; you might enjoy pix of basses similar to your new beauty. And of course, you could add yours, if you like.
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/the-kramer-club.506392/
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For some reason I read that as "they're very popular in the dorm room scene" !
Oh, man, I loved the Guitar Trader flyers! I think reading those as a wee 14-year-old is where I first experienced GAS.
This is my first vintage bass, is there anything I should do to maintain her that I wouldn't do on a newer bass?
I'd try to resist the urge to mod it.
My 76 450B has Dimarzio J bass stacked humbuckers, a Wilkerson bridge, Bart pre amp, and was defretted. All the original stuff is long gone, and there's no going back after you route for new pickups.
Sometimes I think I should have left it alone. But, you have a bass long enough, you just get to thinking about improvements. Or maybe do an upgrade over a simple repair.
Mine was my first and only bass for thirty years. Bought it at a party in 1979, thinking, "four strings, how hard can it be?" No previous music experience. Got a roll and tuck Kustom bass head and 2-15 cab with it. Ready to rock for $300, $75 down and the rest over the next three paydays. It came with three strings.
Did you get the hardcase too?
If I recall, the msrp on the 450B in 1976 was $600. With an extra $100 or so for the case. That was a lot of dough when a gallon of gas or a pack of Marlboro smokes was 50 cents.
There is a great website called vintage Kramer that has all kind of cool stuff. You'll find price lists, vintage ads like the Stanley Clarke full page, and tons of pictures.
My 76 450B has Dimarzio J bass stacked humbuckers, a Wilkerson bridge, Bart pre amp, and was defretted. All the original stuff is long gone, and there's no going back after you route for new pickups.
Sometimes I think I should have left it alone. But, you have a bass long enough, you just get to thinking about improvements. Or maybe do an upgrade over a simple repair.
Mine was my first and only bass for thirty years. Bought it at a party in 1979, thinking, "four strings, how hard can it be?" No previous music experience. Got a roll and tuck Kustom bass head and 2-15 cab with it. Ready to rock for $300, $75 down and the rest over the next three paydays. It came with three strings.
Did you get the hardcase too?
If I recall, the msrp on the 450B in 1976 was $600. With an extra $100 or so for the case. That was a lot of dough when a gallon of gas or a pack of Marlboro smokes was 50 cents.
There is a great website called vintage Kramer that has all kind of cool stuff. You'll find price lists, vintage ads like the Stanley Clarke full page, and tons of pictures.
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Agree on not modding it. A lot of these have replaced parts, bridges, etc. They are way cool as is.
As for maintaining, I've used Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish to clean the headstock. A little product goes a long way. You don't need to use much at all. One of mine went from faded to looking like a mirror.
As for maintaining, I've used Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish to clean the headstock. A little product goes a long way. You don't need to use much at all. One of mine went from faded to looking like a mirror.
Yeah, I won't mod it, I might eventually get new frets on it but if I do I'll at least keep the originals. Unfortunately no I didn't get the hardcase though I really want to get an original case. I'll check vintage Kramer, I've looked at them briefly. Though I'll buy an non-original strap I won't even bother trying to find a Kramer strap. I can't really find a case online an original at least, do you guys know any that would fit? I could just try some at the store.
I used to have a beautiful 650B, but that one is gorgeous! I love how people whine about 10 lb basses like its some sort of horrible thing. Play an Alumineck Kramer with a Walnut and maple body for a couple of nights then you can complain 
Or a Dan Armstrong. 10 lbs is a joke.
The tone is worth the weight, and I bet the prices on these will go up sooner or later, so hang on.
Or a Dan Armstrong. 10 lbs is a joke.The tone is worth the weight, and I bet the prices on these will go up sooner or later, so hang on.
Probably time for a picture. Yep, 13.5 lbs on the bass scale.
This thing has gone from sub zero in the truck to hot lights and back. I noticed it would creep towards the sharp side as it warmed, and go slightly flat during breaks.
Perfect for fending off aggressive drunks.
I like the 350, it looks like they got the pickup right in the sweet spot, while the 450 has them spread out.
This thing has gone from sub zero in the truck to hot lights and back. I noticed it would creep towards the sharp side as it warmed, and go slightly flat during breaks.
Perfect for fending off aggressive drunks.
I like the 350, it looks like they got the pickup right in the sweet spot, while the 450 has them spread out.
It's hard to tell from the picture, but if the 350B you're getting has the original wood pickup surround (like my 450B does), be very gentle with it. They are extremely fragile! Mine has the OHSC, so I can't help there; there's a Kramer Owners Club here that will probably be a help for that. And, please, resist the urge to mod it; originals are getting pretty scarce, especially ones as nice as that one is. Yes, Kramer lumies are sustain monsters; obnoxiously so, in fact. I thought a Rickenbacker was bad, but my Kramer is just ridiculous. Even my little headless Duke has way too much for me. And, if you look up neck-dive in the dictionary, there's a picture of one of these. Mine dives like a scared U-boat, but the sound... wouldn't trade it for anything! Singlemalt; yours must be the Kramer heavyweight champ. Mine only weighs 10 lbs. +/-; less than my 11 lb P-Bass, anyway. Does look nice, though.
Singlemalt; yours must be the Kramer heavyweight champ. Mine only weighs 10 lbs. +/-; less than my 11 lb P-Bass, anyway. Does look nice, though.
Thanks, do you guys think it's likely to find an original case? Even if it's for different Kramer as long as it fits, I was thinking of just testing some out at the store seeing if they fit. As well as buying a quality strap. I dont think I could get an original anyways.
An original case might be a tough thing to find. Truth is they never held the basses that securely, the necks always slid out of the notch and the headstock rested in the bottom of the case. I bet everyone of the old cases has a rip in the lining where the head stock moves back and forth. I also had to replace the latches on mine.
I'd try the SKB bass case or the Gator. It's pretty close to a P bass size and shape. A good gig bag would work.
I'd try the SKB bass case or the Gator. It's pretty close to a P bass size and shape. A good gig bag would work.
I think it's unlikely, but not impossible. eBay has been a good source of odd things for me; you never know. My original case holds my 450B very well, as does the case for my Duke. That doesn't mean all the Kramer cases did, though. But it's certainly better than the Gibson case for my '13 Thunderbird; the inside of that thing is a bad joke. However.. I just tried something out of curiosity, and it seems that the case for my Carvin LB-20 fits the Kramer like a glove. It does have a big "Carvin" on it, but it fits the bass very well (and the "Carvin" is a plate; unscrews easily on mine). And I know you can buy the cases separately; I found out the LB-20 case fits an Alembic Epic very well, too (mine didn't have one, and an Alembic case is rather expensive-when they're available).
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Yeah, Kramers are probably under-rated. Never played one but one time and the neck felt odd to me. But it was special.
I was in the band Blazze in L.A. at the time, sometime in 1979, and we rehearsed in Ron Bushy's (Iron Butterfly) place in Northridge (San Fernando Valley). Who walks in but Randy California and Tim Bogert to yak with Ron. I was playing my 1969 eggplant-glo Ric, Tim wanted to play around on it. I was awestruck of course. Then he went outside+came back in carrying HIS bass. A Kramer, aluminum neck (I have no idea of the model). He let me play it. He told me he liked it but did have to get used to it. We probably jacked around 3-4 hours, had fun. Randy and Tim were thinking about getting something started, but they never did actually. Tim Bogert-----dang.
But that is my one and only Kramer story (and Bogert story too) and although I never owned one, I figure if Tim liked it, it had to be something good!
PS: I am a HUGE Cactus fan since day one of that short-lived band!
I was in the band Blazze in L.A. at the time, sometime in 1979, and we rehearsed in Ron Bushy's (Iron Butterfly) place in Northridge (San Fernando Valley). Who walks in but Randy California and Tim Bogert to yak with Ron. I was playing my 1969 eggplant-glo Ric, Tim wanted to play around on it. I was awestruck of course. Then he went outside+came back in carrying HIS bass. A Kramer, aluminum neck (I have no idea of the model). He let me play it. He told me he liked it but did have to get used to it. We probably jacked around 3-4 hours, had fun. Randy and Tim were thinking about getting something started, but they never did actually. Tim Bogert-----dang.
But that is my one and only Kramer story (and Bogert story too) and although I never owned one, I figure if Tim liked it, it had to be something good!
PS: I am a HUGE Cactus fan since day one of that short-lived band!
Truth is you can probably get by without a case, they are made of aircraft grade aluminum and super poly coated hardwoods. A thick bag should protect from scratches. I bet you could literally use one as a weapon and it would play in tune a few minutes later. People say certain basses are workhorses but the Kramers are indestructible (aside from the super fragile pickup surrounds). I have always wanted to try a guitar version of the alumineck as well, never even seen one though.
Snap, I had one in 1983 but sold it late 80's I managed to find another one after years searching, its in very good condition, made in 1976.
Cool. My first electric guitar was the Kramer Stryker , a "Super-Strat". I destroyed the neck by abusing the floyd rose tremolo with the practice amp propped in a window facing outward on maximum gain. Which is what your supposed to do when you're 13.
One bonus factor of your bass is that you can now use the word "bifurcated" on a regular basis.
One bonus factor of your bass is that you can now use the word "bifurcated" on a regular basis.
