Kramer Elliot Easton Pro Special

FINAL UPDATE...whew...was this a labor of love...or OBSESSION!!! :)

I had a friend, David Reed, refinish and custom airbrush what I believe to be a 1985 Kramer Pacer Imperial Body (although it does accept a STANDARD STRAT SPACED NECK PLATE, it has the Kramer Pacer Imperial contours, routings, etc...so...who knows)...in Gloss Black w/a Circle of Ghost Skulls and overlaid Color Shifting Flames...came out really nice and left me w/a cool looking guitar.

Used the NOS Kramer EE Pro I Neck w/Vintage Black Schaller Tuners, Black 1 5/8" Floyd R2 Nut and Retainer Bar.

NOS Vintage WD KKT-3 Tremolo...Top Mounted against the body w/5 springs on back, as I wanted this to be essentially a "hardtail" since I've 4 other Floyd equipped guitars set up for the Floyd to be used. Took some time locking it down, adjusting the intonation and getting it in tune. Now I've this one and a 1986 Kramer/Warmoth Maple Board Neck Kline Space Graphic modified w/the bridge pretty much "fixed/locked down".

Pickups were settled upon as follows...
Neck: 1988 Gibson USA "The Original" HB-R from the neck of an '88 Les Paul.
Bridge: One of the first round of introductory public offered Seymour Duncan Dimebuckers...much more usable than the newer one that I had last year...although the difference in tones could simply be attributable to the body being made of maple...at least I believe it to be based upon weight (heavy) and the shade of the wood in the neck pocket.
***Check my reviews for both the Gibson USA "The Original" HB-R (a somewhat rare and unusual 80's Reissue of Vintage '59 PAF...SIMPLY AN EXCELLENT SOUNDING PICKUP) and the Seymour Duncan Dimebucker here on HC.

I cannot put into words...how pleased I have been w/the outcome of this project. I had started it to either use up or sell off all the "spare parts" that I had accumulated and laying around...mostly the NOS Kramer EE Pro I Neck and NOS WD KKT-3 Floyd were burning me up just sitting in storage...so I sold off most of my other parts on eBay (pickups, tuners, miscellaneous everything)...purchased the pickups and tuners off eBay w/the proceeds from my other parts sales...and bought new pots, pickup selectors and a coil tap mini toggle. Modified the Control Openings to accept the options that I wanted (3 Way Les Paul Pickup Selector Switch, 500K Volume and 3 Way Mini-Toggle), then had a local shop drill out the old Screw In Floyd Post holes and install modern inserts, Bushings and Posts, then solder and assemble/set up the guitar w/.10-.46 strings. There's been no looking back since. I absolutely love the guitar that came out of it all!

Final tally...

Neck- $110.00 Shipping form Chris' Guitars...a great place for both quality and price!

Body- $35.00...but...I got a neck plate and a 1985 Kramer Lasido neck for FREE...3 days later I turned around and sold the neck alone for $83.00 on eBay...so I made a PROFIT of $48.00 and a FREE BODY off the deal.

Dimebucker-...eBay...$55.00...they're selling for $79.00-89.00 usually.

Gibson USA "The Original" HB-R-...Mint and clean for...$20.00...a clean gold pair (HB-L, HB-R) just sold for $126.00 and a totally beat worn HB-R sold for $26.00 on eBay...
***I'm pretty happy w/my $75.00 worth of pickups.

Vintage Schaller Tuners...clean and original off an 80's Kramer...$20.00...again on eBay.

WD KKT-3 Double Locking Floyd w/Nut and String Retainer...NOS...eBay...$50.00.

Electronics...all NEW from PROSOUND Littleton...approx. $25.00...Q Parts Black Chrome Skull Knob for Volume...$11.95 from Music Go Round Littleton...

Assembly and Set Up...Music Go Round Littleton...$125.00

TOTAL INVESTMENT: $318.95...for a KICKASS ONE OF A KIND CUSTOM MONGREL ASSEMBLED FROM VINTAGE PARTS!!! Comments from the guys who put it together ranged from excitement over the project..."this will be a fun guitar to assemble"...to..."it looks really cool w/the Skull & Flmaes" Graphic and it's just a nice playing guitar" when it was done. They LOVED the Neck Gibson HB but were a little less enthused w/the Dimebucker...which is not a big deal if you read the reviews...as the DIMEBUCKER seems to be either a "I LOVE IT" or "I HATE IT" Pickup...NO MIDDLE GROUND! :) ANYWAY...IT'S FINALLY DONE...AND SO AM I. KRAMERS ROCK!!!!! SRV/JIMI HENDRIX/EDDIE VAN HALEN...WILL LIVE ON FOREVER!!!

INCARNATION #3...an update to both of the below...guitaraddict13 submissions...


I disassembled the guitar and effected the following changes...

Body: Custom Painted Black Gloss w/Purple, Red and Yellow Flames from the bottom of the body (base under the Floyd flaming upward) and 7 Ghost Skulls laid across the top of the body.

Pickups: Duncan Dimebucker in the bridge and Nickel Plated '88 Gibson USA "The Original" HB-R in the neck, both hug in black metal pickup rings.

Controls: Gibson 3 Way Toggle Pickup Selector, Switchcraft 500K Volume, Switchcraft 3 Way Mini Toggle to split each pickup when desired.

Retained: NOS 1988 Kramer EE Pro I Rosewood Board Neck w/Black R4 Locking Nut, Vintage Schaller Tuners in Black, Black Tele Style Knurled Heavy Brass Knobs, Vintage 80's WD KKT-3 Floyd Rose Double Locking Tremolo in Black.

Assessment: A HOMEBREWED BASTARD WITH BIG SONIC BALLS!!!

Dig the funky chic of it being homebrewed, custom painted and assembled from the components that I selected.

Neck is excellent...one of the best I've ever held (that can be said for all the EE Pro Necks)...love the neck, paint is unique, selection of pickups give you a real variety of sounds...shrill searing leads, chunky rhythm and crystal clear cleans (when split) w/the Dimebucker Bridge P/U...either dark bowel shaking heavy rhythm and leads, vintage greasy gritty ZZ Top super thick leads or dark mood jazzy cleans w/the Gibson Neck P/U. Pantera and ZZ Top...I've got another guitar for Stevie Ray Vaughan stuff...TEXAS TONE PERSONIFIED!!!

Kramer Neck and Body fit together glove tight with the original Vintage Kramer Neck Plate. Eveything fits nice and tight...no finish/fit issues nor any issues with quality due to pretty much all NOS or brand new parts being used in assembly.

Put together nicely. No problems or doubts about this guitar. Backups are always a necessity w/a Floyd Rose equipped guitar.

It's ME!!!

It's a fun guitar, not a show piece, but a playable guitar that I can enjoy for what it is and not worry about it getting beat up or dinged or anything else that might affect it's...um..."character". It's been built to keep out and play w/out having to worry about any possible issues from being out in the open...dings, scratches, kids, pets, etc.! It is what it is...a MUTT built to be played!!! :)

***PLEASE NOTE...this is an UPDATE related to Modifications to the below "guitaraddict13 at 01/26/2004 12:15"...

I liked the Single Hum Body greatly...and it was extremely clean...but I really wanted another dual humbucker guitar...so I disassembled this one and sold off the parts that I decided to change.

I then reassembled the guitar with...

BODY: Mid Eighties ESP Manufactured Kramer Focus 2000 Body, Top Mount Floyd Routed, Dual Humbucker Route, Controls for Vol/Tone/Mini Toggle P/U Selector Switch...I changed these to a 3 Way Toggle P/U Selector, Volume and a Mini-Coil Tap, refinished in a Gloss Rainbow Sparkle Glitter...think "prismatic glitter flecks".

NECK: Remains the wonderful New Old Stoock Kramer EE Pro I Rosewood Neck as purchased from Chris' Guitars...with original Schaller Tuners in Black, Black Nut R4, Black String Retainer...

PICKUPS: Here's where the main changes occurred...I wanted a guitar that had a somewhat vintage humbucker sound...so I wound up procuring a Vintage 1988 Gibson Les Paul Humbucker for the neck...Chrome Nickel Cover, 8.75K Output (this pickup has a "circuit board" type back on it w/the following embossed "Gibson USA" "HB-R" "The Original") and then I bought a "Dimarzio Air Zone" F-Spaced, 17.3K output, in black for the bridge position. I've toyed w/these as far as mounting them directly to the body or w/black metal humbucking rings and wound up going w/the "Direct To Body" Mounting (used some wood shims under the pickups to adjust the height to acceptable levels for final mounting).

ELECTRONICS: I went ahead and used a Gibson 500K Pot for the Volume, a Gibson 3 Way Toggle Switch w/Black Tip and a Switchcraft 3 Way Mini-Toggle for On/Off/On Coil Taps for each pickup.

BRIDGE: Remains the New Old Stock Black Double Locking WD KKT-3 Floyd Rose w/Massive Brass Sustain Block (an incredible bridge in it's own right...I know...as I have another on a Warmoth SRV Tribute Strat).

FEATURES: EVERYTHING I WANTED!!!

Well...the pickups accomplished what I had hoped that they would!

With the Gibson "The Original" HB-R Neck P/U...I now have a Vintage Sounding heavy gritty greasy bluesy neck humbucker that rivals the Pearly Gates in my Kramer EE Pro Pacer Imperial (see review for that one her on HC, although it too was modified slightly w/a Bridge P/U change to a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom Trembucker). This thing was a true find at the right time...for $20.00 in excellent condition...you gotta love eBay!

With the Dimarzio Air Zone...I have a Bridge Sound that has EXCELLENT SUSTAIN & HARMONIC CHARACTERISTICS and gives me a clear and powerful (although not as powerful as a Dimarzio Tone Zone) Vintage Les Paul Tone that matches up well w/the Gibson HB in the neck.

Coil Tap yields very usable sounds in both the neck and bridge position, although I really rarely play anything clean!

Excellent. Parts fit together nicely...especially the Kramer Neck, Neck Plate and Body, are of good used quality or brand new, assembled by a good luthier and rock solid. Strung w/.10-.46 strings.

Should last as long as I do unless I decide to pull a Jimi Hendrix or Pete Townsend or Kurdt Cobain with it!!!

Yeah...right. I am Customer Support!

Well...for the price...I'd choose it over most of the Entry/Mid Level Guitars on the market today...especially since I'd wind up replacing Pickups on anything I bought anyway! I've concluded that I'm much happier w/a guitar that "frankied" from the parts that I select over stock guitars. Nothing against "stockers" but I've a thing for "Parts Mutts & Mongrels"!

This is a "Parts Mutt" assembled in 2004 from the following components...

Neck-New Old Stock Kramer Elliot Easton Pro I Rosewood Board...never drilled for mounting...tuners...unused. Sweet neck.

Body-Candy Red Solid Wood 2 Piece Focus Single Hum...in EXCELLENT condition. Exceptionally clean. Not sure what year this one is but the horns aren't as rounded/sharp a contrast as usual in comparison to the Baretta Series bodies...which is how one usually tells the difference between a Focus Body and a Baretta Body. Nice looking...I watched and waited for this one to come along on eBay...had to be clean to go w/the NOS Neck and NOS Floyd.

Floyd Rose-New Old Stock WD KKT-3 Licensed in black...massive brass sustain block. Great tremolo that sold for approx. $225.00 in the Eighties. Excellent sound/sustain characteristics...I know as I have another on a Warmoth SRV/EVH Tribute Superstrat.

Hardware and Electronics-Original Kramer Pots, Jack, electronics...Gotoh Mini Tuners in black, black locking nut & string retainer,Vintage Black "Neptune, NJ" Neck Plate from a Striker Series...clean and black...looks great...I don't care about the serial number or series it's from...as I'm not trying to pass this off as anything other than what it is...a parts guitar that I built for my personal pleasure.

Pickup-As this baby only houses one pickup...I wanted to make sure it was the right one...decided it had to be a F-Spaced Duncan...either a Pearly Gates, Distortion, Trembucker Distortion, Custom Custom or Invader...since I've got a Pearly Gates Neck and Custom Custom Bridge in the Kramer Elliot Easton Pro Pacer Imperial Mongrel listed above this one, an Invader in the Bridge of my 1986 Kramer Stagemaster Custom (Neon Pink Flat Top), and, I've used the TB6 Distortion...which was really a fun pickup...very IRON MAIDEN...I decided to go w/the Trembucker TB2 Distortion.

Raw powerful tone. Really happy w/the TB2. Run this through my Marshall straight or through a Boss Metal Zone for distortion. Meets my needs. I've owned Alesis Quadraverbs, other Pedals, Processors, etc...tried Line 6, Johnson and Tech 21...all interesting to toy with...but I always come back to my JMP 2x12...it covers it all from Fender Clean (low input w/o pedals) to Mesa Mean (high input w/your choice of pedals).

Components were pretty much all either New or New Old Stock, w/the exception of the body which was clean and unmolested, everything fits together as it should...no gaps...no complaints or issues...as if Kramer had screwed it all together at the factory. Had a nice set up done on it by a friend that works at a local shop...top mounted floyd...nice low action...no buzz...extremely playable high quality USA neck.

Solid as a rock. Built to last. I don't abuse my guitars so they'll last for as long as I do. Finish seems bulletproof...Candy Red Metallic...beautiful color...fits in nicely w/my Candy Tangerine Warmoth SRV/EVH Superstrat, Neon Pink Kramer Stagemaster Custom and Warmoth/Kramer Kline Space Graphic Baretta Mongrel.

Kramer is long gone...dead and buried. Musicyo keeps the visage alive...although I've not had the pleasure to check one of their models out personally. Highly recommend "VINTAGEKRAMER.COM" for information and parts as well as a nice group of people in the forums...not a bunch of jerks like in some of the other forums out there...eBay is excellent for parts or for finding nicely survived Vintage Kramers.

$315.00 in parts assembled over the past year and $100.00 for assembly and set up...not too shabby for an as new 80's Superstrat style guitar made from Vintage Kramer NOS or New Parts...guitar feels great to play...I'm infatuated w/the Kramer Signature Easton Pro I necks...so much so that the purchase of my first one so impressed me that I picked up the second just for future project useage. Absolutely the most comfortable neck I've ever played. Sure...I could have bought a new Peavey V-Type or picked up a Pre-Owned complete guitar (Kramer, BC Rich, Ibanez, Charvel, Peavey, Fender...whatever) in varying degrees of condition and or price range, but, I've found through the years that I have more of an attachment and desire to play "parts" guitars which I've had custom assembled for me the way I want them w/the components I've selected over "stock models" that look pretty and almost fit the bill as far as components. I've bought and sold about 50 guitars since 1989 in a futile effort to find "the one"...and held onto the following...

1989 Alvarez Yairi DY53 Acoustic
1986 Kramer Stagemaster Custom
1988 Kramer Elliot Easton Pro Pacer Imperial Mongrel
1986 Warmoth Maple Board Neck/Kramer Kline Space Graphic Baretta
2003 Warmoth SRV Floyd Superstrat-Maple Board Neck/2 Pc Alder Body

1989 Squier Venus 6 String (now my daughter's-Madison)
1991 BC Rich Gunslinger-Maple Board Neck (slotted for my son...Brayden)
2002 Ibanez AF75 Jazz Box (now my soulmate's-Michelle)

...this Kramer Easton Mongrel is my LAST PROJECT...part of a "Pair of Easton Parts Mongrels" that I've had assembled. I've hit the "I own more guitars than I can justify" stage (plus I've got a handful of guitars that I truly enjoy playing in rotation). I have played individually and privately for my own enjoyment, release and relaxation since 1989 and will continue to do so until I pass on to...well...whatever comes next. Heaven would be getting instruction from and the opportunity to jam with SRV and Jimi...but now I'm just day dreaming! Hopefully my kids...and their kids will be able to enjoy my "toys" when I'm gone...and this EE Pro I Special will be one of them.