Kramer 110-ST

This is a late-80s made-in-Korea wonder for the apprentice mullet head. One humbucker. One volume knob. One whole sh*tload of screaming metal.

I found this on the cheap, rusted and dented, and nursed it back to shape with heaps of lighter fluid, sewing machine oil and TLC. The neck is a slim and fast maple (with rosewoord fretboard). The body is plywood, and houses an Unknown Brand Humbucker and a Floyd Rose II tremelo. The plywood body is an issue for some, I know, but I honestly didn't hear a problem - it sounds just fine. There isn't much in the way of "features" beyond the beautiful cut with a gorgeous sharkfin headstock and wonderful shiny finish (mine is silver with black headstock and hardware).

Wow. What a huge sound. My other guitar is an Australian Strat copy (S/S/S), and it's kinda nice, but I hardly ever play it because it sounds a bit weedy and doesn't scream harmonics under distortion. I've played a few newer Ibanez and Jackson budget guitars aswell, and they were okay but nothing amazing. This thing, however screams.

Played raw it's very bassy; not much for leads way up the neck, but fine for that dull, bluesy effect. Sounds very Clapton in a "Lay Down Sally" way. Makes you want to groove around.

Oh but when I plugged this through my ROD-10 (aka The Most Evil Overdrive/Distortion Unit In The Universe) I was in metal heaven. Shearing tones, and harmonics that screeched all over the place. It doesn't get much better than this for pure noisy riffage.

Definitely a top pick for a "budget" guitar, though I'm not sure how it would fare against the top-of-the-line. I think it may just hold its own. I was considering replacing the stock 350K pot with a 500K one before I plugged it in; now i'm scared to touch the electronics in case I lose this great sound.

I can't say how this was set up at the factory, but after I was done with taking apart the trem, nut, pickup, cleaning, put it all back together... Fantastic. Very straight neck (I didn't have to adjust it), nice low action. The finish is beautiful, though I have to take some points off for the plywood, because it does dent fairly easily.

Seeing as its held up for 15 years as an obvious gigging guitar up till now, I wouldn't be surprised if it lasted another 15 or more given enough TLC. The body is a bit soft, which means the strap buttons are a little wobbly if you tug on them the wrong way, but for the most part it should be fine. I was worried about the trem screws, but they seem to be holding too (even with the extra spring I added) so who knows.

I would totally try to find another one of these if I lost it. It sounds like the 100-ST is a bit more common and fairly similar, so maybe one of those, but there's really nothing I've played like this guitar. One humbucker, one volume knob suits me just fine - nothing to knock around, no fiddling, just tap the foot pedal if you want a different tone. Definitely a great buy for the price.

I think the guitar was made around 89 - 90 probably just before Kramer went bust. think it was made in Korea although it does say Kramer USA on the metal plate that helps to hold the neck onto the body. It has 22 frets. The colour is one of my fave things about it as it finished in a metallic purple that when sunlight hits it has a slight blue sheen to it very cool. the over all condition is a little poor I bought it from a friend who did not take care of it at all. It is in great need of setting up and some TLC just wish I could find a shop to take it to in the UK. The one and only pick up is a Seymore Duncan in a staggerd positon at the bridge end. It also has a Floyd Rose MK 2 trem wich is great but the arm has gone loose which is a shame really as it's the only down die it has. it never goes out of tune. The body is the normal strat style. The neck I think could do with being a little thinner but it's not bad. just wish the head was a reversed one instead but it still looks cool all the same. The over all look is of a 80's style hard rock guitar and that is what it is in fact I have seen a Motley crue video that had Mick mars playing a Kramer that looked just like mine but his had the two Theater of pain faces painted on the body.

I play rock music and I do mean rock music not this nu metal shite which means I play stuff by Skid row Motley Crue some Poison and a little Van halen you get the idea and this Kramer is just perfect for that kind of sound. The only problem is my friend who owned it before me at one time tried to fit an Ibanez pick up to it and did a crap job off it so he then tried to put the Seymore Duncan back on and ever since that day the guitar has had a buzz to it and I think he some how knackered the volume control (what can I tell you he's an idiot). But I remember it when it was new and the way it sounded then which was just amazing crisp, clear with a real hard rock edge to it so of course I want to get it back the way it was, also when it was new it came with a flowting trem this how ever is no longer the case not sure why but there you are.
likes and dislikes would be it looks cool and at one time it sounded cool so I need to get it restored for this I need help. I will score it 5 but when it's fixed I'll give it 10

Like I said before it is in dier need of fixing up so I will not score it here.

I think it would play live and would do it well ones it has some money spent on it. The wood does seam a little soft but saying that I have dropped it a couple of times and it has still stayed in tune.
The starp buttons are the nothing short of poor after I had owned it for a couple of days both of them came out of the body with the fixing screws just as I was slinging the strap over my shoulder this of course means the poor thing hit the floor again.
I would depend on it after it's fixed up or at least I hope I can.
I would always take a back up with me no matter what Axe I had

not tried to get any info about it from Kramer not sure how helpfull they would be since it is an old guitar. One thing I will say I have seen a couple of Kramers in shops where I live in the UK (North Staffordshire) like a Barretta, 600ST but I have never found one like mine and I can not find anything about the 110ST online so if any one can help with this let me know what you know. I am thinking of buying a new style Kramer at first I was going to have a Barretta FR404S/D but I do like the look of the Barretta PRO 2 but would need to save up a little more first these two Axes work out at #160 and #289 with shipping to the UK from Music Yo but I have never used them and not to sure about buying something like this online.

I started playing when I was 14 but stopped when I was about 21 and have started again now I'm 30 so need to get some much needed practise to get back to where I was before. I also own a Fender Strat I think this guitar has a much stronger body and better build quality to it but it lacks the rock star looks and hard rock sound of the Kramer. The strat is a 1979 model Japan made version in white with a black scratch plate not bad but it's no Kramer.