EVH 5150 Replica **Opinions needed**

[MrDowntown]

Need some opinions on this item, please. It's a local CL ad....been there for a couple months now. Seriously considering this.
Description here:

1985 KRAMER EVH 5150 replica/custom guitar.Many extras including nice hardshell case/NOS EVH 5150 strings in package /EVH picks in factory canister/"Blue Note" premium [black] strap with dog chain hooks. /"On Stage" brand black guitar stand/4-1986 rare/candid photo's of Eddie on stage with his 5150 guitar and 1986 "VH-5150" album included!............Guitar specs-Custom built in L.A. California in 1986 -32 yrs. ago! [Red/White with clear coat Lacquer paint.]....Floyd Rose Tremelo/Seymour Duncan [USA] "CUSTOM/CUSTOM" SH-11 bridge Pickup [with paperwork]/Schaller chrome tuning machines [made in Germany]/EVH 5150 -correct volume knob.....Sounds awesome and plays great! ......[Contact for more details on guitar and more pictures!].....Local pickup only/We can't ship!...$950.00 OBO.

 

[Rick Lee]

Not worth $950. The paint job isn't even close to the real thing, never mind the lack of relic'ing. However, that is a very nice headstock. It is the exact shape of the Holy Grail No Bozos ad Baretta, though Ed never played one of those. You can get the neck and body from Musikraft, the other parts from lots of other places and have a nicer guitar for a lot less money. The DIY painting and relic'ing would be fun.

 

[MrDowntown]

the relic'n (or lack thereof) doesn't bother me...the paint scheme not matching more closely...yea, that is a detractor.

i'm curious though...mostly looking for some history/education on the Kramers. if it's truly a 1985 kramer, what would it be, with the single/slanted Hum, maple neck/board and that head-stock. the ad also says custom built, so it could be a focus body and a knock-off neck??

 

[paulyc]

I’ve never seen that headstock with a maple board from an actual Kramer so I’d say the neck is a knockoff. The body could be anything, Kramer USA, Focus, or a knockoff.

 

[MrDowntown]

I’ve never seen that headstock with a maple board from an actual Kramer so I’d say the neck is a knockoff. The body could be anything, Kramer USA, Focus, or a knockoff.

exactly....

i've emailed the guy, maybe i'll get some answers, though i'm doubtful.

 

[Rick Lee]

The only time Kramer made headstocks like that was 1983-4. They made very few of those Holy Grails before they got outsourced to ESP and the shape changed to shorter and narrower. A real one would have a neck plate with a serial # starting with C. There is a classic Kramer Facebook page run by a bunch of old factory employees. They should be able to tell you.

 

[paulyc]

I don’t think Eddie’s ever had the slanted pickup either, they were straight by the time 5150 came out.

 

[wIsEbLooD]

does not look like a 5150, for 950 I would pass.

 

[MrDowntown]

Yea i passed. I appreciate the feedback.

The gentleman did email me back...
Said it was a Baretta and also this:

Its an ESP Japanese Kramer.[ESP made Kramer guitars in Japan for the Japanese market at that time/1986 model.]...The serial numbers and the Kramer logo on the Kramer metal neck plate on back authenticate this.I actually requested the ESP body/neck over the Neptune,NJ- USA model.In my opinion ESP guitars in the eightees were awesome!

Little confusing to me but whatever.. I passed.

 

[harddriver]

If it is indeed a an authentic 85 Baretta it might be worth $800 or so. The body should be either Poplar, Maple or possibly Alder if it's an ESP. Most of the Barettas came with rosewood fingerboard neck like the holy grail white baretta in the Kramer magazine ad with EVH holding it. I think that was 83 into 84 or 84 into 85. You might want to go look at it if it is local and see if it is a quality guitar, the all Maple neck seem to be rare even if it is ESP.

I think the serial number should be a late C serial number but more than likely is a D or E serial number. As far as I know there were no serial numbers on the the backs of Kramer necks, unless the ESP one came with one, the neck plate would be a cast one that say Kramer neptune NJ instead of the chrome steel plate . The old ones are just stamped Kramer then the serial number below. The EVH paint is definitely not factory but if it's a pro job that's a plus if you like it.

The only thing that would scare me is people do reproduce the body and necks these days and you can purchase a neck plate from a parted out Kramer so if you go look at it I would say open the control cavity up an see if it has the thick shielded black paint on the inside of the control and tremelo cavity regardless of body color. A new build probably don't have that it would just be body color overspray usually.

I would say it's worth checking out. People are paying a $1000 for an EVH stripes that is basswood and not where near the quality of those year Kramers. As a company they were at the top of their game in 1985, just saying.... Stay away from the Focus or Strikers.

I re-read the ad, he states right up front that this is custom Replica built in LA California 32 years ago??????? You implied this was an actual 1985 Baretta.

 

[Chupa.Cabra]