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The Kramer Club

#81
KramerBassFan said:
Does it have rollers that let you adjust the string spacing on the bridge?
Just for grins, what is the serial Number?
:smug:
I'm glad.... Kramers arent for everybody, but I love them.
Also, does it have a case?
Click to expand...

:smug: serial number X A 5335.
No, there's no rollers on the bridge. To be honest, I don't find it that comfortable. WHen intonating it, I fear that when moving one of the individual bridges of each string i might move the one beside it and ruin the other string's intonation (hope this makes sense)
I don't think the case is original. it's sort of a generic flight hard case. Came with the bass, but i'm quite sure it's not original.
 
#84
KramerBassFan said:
Well, does it have fretboard binding, and diamond inlays?
If it does, i'd say no, because trying to epoxy over MOP inlays may not give very good results.
If it has no binding, and just dots, then if you really must... :D
Click to expand...

Yep, it does have fretboard binding and diamond inlays.
Guess I'll just wait till I get the money for a cheap fretless... this bass has too much sentimental value and for now it doesn't feel right to modify it.
 
#86
Quick cellphone pic of my bass...

Sorry for the sticker, i needed to have some color...

kramer forum III.jpg
 
#88
Had a fretless Kramer back in the 80's! It was my main bass through college. Had it modified, added a J type pickup and the Badass bridge.

Incredible sounding fretless, had growl and sustain by the boat loads. BUT, it was just too darn neck heavy. And in the winter (when I lived in NY), the neck would stay cold.

kramer.jpg
 
#89
My very first bass was an '85 Kramer Pioneer JJ like the one below, but black with a maple FB. Fun to play and quite versatile, wish I hadn't traded it for a Guild Pilot that sounded like @ss.

I also still have my brother's Focus 1000 guitar, like the one below except black and with 1 pickup. One drunken night years many years ago I ripped out the frets with needlenose pliers. Later filled the slots with wood putty and added a neck pickup. Wish I'd left it alone.:crying:

IME the mid '80s Japanese Kramers like my Pioneer and the Focus were every bit as good as the American stuff they put out. A (dear departed) friend had an '80s Korean Striker that just wasn't in the same league.

jordacr said:
Took a family shot last night. Sorry about the guitar:eek:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...
 
#92
amimbari said:
looks to me from the pics, that the Striker/Focus/Pioneer, use the same similar bodytype just different names thru the years unless I am wrong :confused:
Click to expand...

Yep, pretty much right. Except for a few small differences.
Pioneers had nicer hardware, and electronics.

The Strikers Had Plywood Bodies.
The Striker was the bottom of the Kramer Bass pool, (until the Aerostar later on)

The Focus was pretty much a Pioneer bass, except made overseas. In fact, when the Pioneer series was dropped, it is believed many of the parts for them were shipped overseas to be used on the Focus line.

And then, the Pioneer line was American made, and had the nicest hardware, pickups, etc.
 
#93
KramerBassFan said:
Ahh.... looks good! :D
You oughta keep it the way it is.
You will definitely regret modifying your first bass.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Yeah, i think you're right...
The bass is in pretty good condition, though it's missing one of the original tuners, and the "spector" logo has been wiped out of te pickups with the use. there are also quite a few scratches on the back, but none goes through the finish... (i guess it's quite a thick finish!) and they are not really that noticeable.
 
#94
ClassicJazz said:
Had a fretless Kramer back in the 80's! It was my main bass through college. Had it modified, added a J type pickup and the Badass bridge.

Incredible sounding fretless, had growl and sustain by the boat loads. BUT, it was just too darn neck heavy. And in the winter (when I lived in NY), the neck would stay cold.

kramer.jpg
Click to expand...

Great picture!
I'm curious, the neck would stay cold, but it wouldn't warp, or did it?
 
#95
jmorbita said:
Thanks! Yeah, i think you're right...
The bass is in pretty good condition, though it's missing one of the original tuners, and the "spector" logo has been wiped out of te pickups with the use. there are also quite a few scratches on the back, but none goes through the finish... (i guess it's quite a thick finish!) and they are not really that noticeable.
Click to expand...

Yep, sounds about right, Kramer laid the finish on QUITE think.
Was the tuner that had been replaced the G tuner?

And on the Aluminum neck, or "Lumie" as some people call them, it probably got quite cold, but never warped.
 
#99
jmorbita said:
Great picture!
I'm curious, the neck would stay cold, but it wouldn't warp, or did it?
Click to expand...

Na, the neck would never warp. It stayed cold because it was made of aluminum. It had some wood inlays on the back of the neck for feel I guess (plus it looked cool!), but the bulk of the neck was aluminum. Had no clue what the fretboard was!
 
#100
amimbari said:
you should have said:


Because alot of people break off their G tuner.... due to the small stubby pointy headstock and all. :D

Charvel made the point so long, there's enough wood to compensate for the "stubbiness"...lol
Click to expand...

I meant they'd break them off by being careless, and running into a wall with their Headstock. :D

But hey, I guess a Kramer headstock is more angled at the joint with the fretboard than Charvels were..... so hah :D

And on Lumie necks, the wood insterts on the back were, like you said, to make the neck less cold, and feel more like wood.

The fretboard was a material called Ebonol.
Its a high density composite plastic, used in bowling balls and so forth.
VERY durable material. :smug:
 

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