Is my Kramer plywood?

[ChadVanHalen]

So I bought this Kramer years ago for a couple hundred, it was marketed as a Pacer so I figured if it was really an old Pacer then I hit a goldmine if not I paid what I should have for an overseas Kramer... The pups were shit, didn't stay in tune, all that yadda yadda and lost interest in it except practicing how to solder...

So now I'm looking to add something else to my rig to switch guitars for in this national act thing we're doing and have been thinking getting one of those Shred Neck pre assembled kits to paint (I've really wanted a Lynch guitar to custom paint and they so happen to have a Lynch guitar that has gotten pretty alright reviews) but digging out this Kramer I have been thinking of doing something to this...

So upon closer inspection after a few years of knowledge under my belt I'm a big fan of the neck still, may have to get rid of the finish along the neck though but no biggie but looking at the body I think it's plywood...

So there she is... Is it plywood and I should buy a new body to put it on or is it good enough to swap all the guts out for since they're all gammied from a much younger and less experienced solderer?

 

[Chris6870]

Yes. It's a Striker body. You can tell my the way the lower horn sticks out. Keep the neck. It's not a Striker neck. Looks to be a Focus neck which is the same as the necks that were on the "American" models (minus the American script), which were actually made in Japan by ESP.

 

[ChadVanHalen]

Yes. It's a Striker body. You can tell my the way the lower horn sticks out. Keep the neck. It's not a Striker neck. Looks to be a Focus neck which is the same as the necks that were on the "American" models (minus the American script, which were actually made in Japan by ESP.

Oh thank God it's a mutt, there's been plenty of bored weekends I've gone through Vintage Kramer trying Sherlock the make of my mysterious Kramer but I couldn't match body and neck together...

Alright, neck will be kept and replacement body from Warmoth or KnE or something will be on its way, thanks!

 

[Chris6870]

Is there more than one set of holes drilled in the neck? Striker has a different bolt pattern than Focus or Pacer, so extra holes would confirm the body doesn't go with the neck. Warren from Southeast Guitars http://www.southeastguitars.com/index.htm
makes exact replica bodies, He made me a nice Mahogany Baretta body.

 

[GuitarGoat]

Even if the body goes with the neck, it could be pretty nice. I have a 610 (I think that's the model...) that had a sweet neck, just a bad body. The bridge mounting studs ended up ripping out so I got a Focus body, redrilled the holes in the neck and it's great now. My neck looks pretty similar now that I think about it.

 

[ChadVanHalen]

Is there more than one set of holes drilled in the neck? Striker has a different bolt pattern than Focus or Pacer, so extra holes would confirm the body doesn't go with the neck.

Just the 4 holes but it does feel like it was at one point a set neck since there is a bunch of dried glue all over the heel... Who would rip the set neck of a Focus out and drill it into a Striker?

 

[ChadVanHalen]

So it looks like the neck plate was glued on and the neck was attempted to be glued on this body as well...?

 

[sytharnia1560]

I tend to put a little dot of glue on my bolt on necks, just for that little bit of "hold" factor so I can do my jake e lee neck bends

 

[Soulstealer]

I think that's the stock Striker neck. They're really pretty similar to any other Kramer neck, and the best part of those guitars.

Even with that plywood body, I would try upgrading the hardware and electronics first. You might have a decent usable guitar. If not, swap it over to a solid wood body.

 

[Mesa\Kramer]

They used Plywood on some of the cheaper models.

I wouldn't be suprised if it still sounds good, and not any better than any other wood

 

[Hung Huy Tran]

Even with that plywood body, I would try upgrading the hardware and electronics first. You might have a decent usable guitar. If not, swap it over to a solid wood body.

+1

I wouldn't be suprised if it still sounds good, and not any better than any other wood

+1

 

[Kidkramer71]

You can also tell strikers by the neck plates they are thinner then the focus. ,
or American Kramers .
The only other one's I have found with the same slim neck plate is the voyagers most voyagers were American accept for the newer ones .
I have had strikers that sounded and played great .
There is guys that make kramer specs bodies online look around if you want that kinda body .
Pickups are the first thing to try . You can always use pickups in another body .
Best of luck.
Jim

 

[sytharnia1560]

d'oh

not wanting to derail the thread but I see you have a line 6 spider amp.... I am thinking of getting one cheap to use as the wet signal in my wet/dry set up, how do you find the effects section??

 

[sled]

Here's my Striker.

In the early 90s I replaced the PUPs and added the Kahler.

It's a decent gtr and I like the neck.

If memory serves the body is laminated.

 

[ChadVanHalen]

d'oh

not wanting to derail the thread but I see you have a line 6 spider amp.... I am thinking of getting one cheap to use as the wet signal in my wet/dry set up, how do you find the effects section??

If you get em cheap they are pretty decent for practices mainly... Effects wise reverb and delay is the way to go since the only parameters you can change is tap tempo and mix, so it's hard to get a decent chorus/phase/tremolo from it but the delay and verb ain't that terrible

 

[83stratman]

Not a focus neck. A Focus neck of that era would have the semi volute just like the American series. A Focus or F series never used those tuners either. Looks like a straight up ST series guitar to me, even the tuners are correct for a ST. Strickers evolved to ST. And yes, that body appears to be ply wood.

 

[Chris6870]

Hard to say for sure. Kramer was all over the place. I have 4 Americans with the pointy headstocks and they all vary on the volute. I had 12 at one point and side by side you could not tell the Focus' necks from the Americans other than the logo. I'm not familiar with the import line other than the Strikers, I looked at VK again and it looks like it could be a 310 by the looks of the horns that stick out further than a Striker and the neck.
http://www.vintagekramer.com/company46.htm

 

[Soulstealer]

Weren't they all ESP-sourced, up to a certain point?

 

[Chris6870]

Weren't they all ESP-sourced, up to a certain point?

The "American" models and Focus were ESP. Although some parts at some points were made by Sports and some others. The cheap ones like Striker and Aero were Korean made.
Focus was "made in Japan" and sold as a lower level than the "American" models even though the American models were also made in Japan by ESP but were assembled in NJ.
A Focus is a killer axe,since it's essentially an ESP with an original Floyd Rose and maple body, and can be had for $300 and under.I bought one for $150 from an online retailer with a cracked neck. Threw an American neck I had on it and it's a great player.

 

[Soulstealer]

Weren't they all ESP-sourced, up to a certain point?

The "American" models and Focus were ESP. Although some parts at some points were made by Sports and some others. The cheap ones like Striker and Aero were Korean made.
Focus was "made in Japan" and sold as a lower level than the "American" models even though the American models were also made in Japan by ESP but were assembled in NJ.
A Focus is a killer axe,since it's essentially an ESP with an original Floyd Rose and maple body, and can be had for $300 and under.I bought one for $150 from an online retailer with a cracked neck. Threw an American neck I had on it and it's a great player.

I've got a Focus 3000 on the way, my first one. The pickups and trem aren't original, but it was cheap. Gonna upgrade those to some good stuff.

I have three Striker 500STs right now and an Aerostar body, that's why I chimed in about the plywood. I think the Striker necks are great, solid maple with nice rosewood, great profile. After replacing basically everything except the German Floyd, they sound pretty good for what they are.