Day 2 of Guitar Build - Kramer Clone

[scottosan]

Beautiful! What bridge pup did you go with? Also I remember when you got your ibanez you were going to make a tone nerd version of a dimarzio evolution, can you also do a version of the tonezone, if someone wanted to buy one?

I did do a DiMarzio spec, but I didn't like the result, and really didn't have the right pole prices. DiMarzio uses a combination of thick set type Allen heads for what's normally the slug coil and Allen head screws for the screw coil. Using 2.rows of the stand Allen head screws doest have the same inductance due to that lack of steel mass between the coil. Those set screws have been a beotch to source. I was just able to source some and going to make some pickup that uses this type screws, DiMarzio, Mighty Mite, etc

Loof at the difference in mass

Here is the DiMarzio. From the top, the pole prices look the same, but see how the ones on top are the same thickness throughout and the bottom row is smaller after the head

I've also sources some brass plates with tame some of the high end from the ceramic magnets.

As for a ToneZone clone, it's too hard to do exact clones of machine wound pickups by hand. That said, the TZ seems like a dark pickup to me.

 

[SoooRad]

Musikraft does make great necks. I'm a little tempted to grab one of their currently available hockeystick necks to slap on a Pacer build I did. But I kind of like that mine is a beak. I also went with a poplar body for "era correct" vibe.

 

[demondestroyer]

I did do a DiMarzio spec, but I didn't like the result, and really didn't have the right pole prices. DiMarzio uses a combination of thick set type Allen heads for what's normally the slug coil and Allen head screws for the screw coil. Using 2.rows of the stand Allen head screws doest have the same inductance due to that lack of steel mass between the coil. Those set screws have been a beotch to source. I was just able to source some and going to make some pickup that uses this type screws, DiMarzio, Mighty Mite, etc

Loof at the difference in mass

View attachment 230998
View attachment 231001


Here is the DiMarzio. From the top, the pole prices look the same, but see how the ones on top are the same thickness throughout and the bottom row is smaller after the head

View attachment 231004

I've also sources some brass plates with tame some of the high end from the ceramic magnets.

As for a ToneZone clone, it's too hard to do exact clones of machine wound pickups by hand. That said, the TZ seems like a dark pickup to me.

Thank you for the detailed response! In the right superstrat basswood or alder with a floyd they rip, for me at least.

 

[PDC]

Here’s a little thing that to me is a big thing: I love how deep the neck sits in the neck pocket. Just a tiny ‘air gap’ between the body and the fingerboard at the 22nd fret. I can’t get comfortable playing a guitar with the neck, pickup and trem way high off the body. This turned out fantastic.

 

[scottosan]

NICE! I think you will like the poplar. The Poplar is warm enough to offset the thinness of the Floyd but still has alot of snap to it like Alder but it is a little softer than alder but not as soft as basswood and it still has a nice reasonance like alder does.

Both of my number 1 and 2 1983 Kramers are Poplar, I owned a couple of maple bodied 1983 Kramers and I didn't really like them as much as the poplar ones.

I've owned my number 1 since it was new and it is Poplar. The only downside is in about 20 years the Floyd post will egg out and you'll have to section in a piece of maple into the body and reset the post but it aught to last at least a good 15-20 years so you probably don't have to think about that for a long time. I've reposted both now they're both still great players.

There was/is alot of debate over Ed's Kramer Franky and 5150 and there was an employee at Kramer that said both were poplar and I think Matt Bruck confirmed at least the 5150 guitar as Poplar a few years back.

Your new Kramer looks great Scottosan!

The guitar plays exceptionally well. It does though seem a little on the bright side noth unplugged resonantly and plugged in. I've tried 2 pickups so far and the guitar definitely has a strong presence to it compared to other guitars. I wonder if a fat brass block would warm it up