# Woah whats up with kramer



## CapinCripes (Nov 26, 2011)

last time i checked kramer was a zombie of its former self owned by gibson turning out shite guitars but then i checked today and holy shit it seems maybe gibson has grown a brain SM-1 EMG looks like a damn nice guitar.


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 26, 2011)

They look to be trying to regain part of the market. I remember the old Music Yo stuff was hit or miss, but for the most part solid. 

I'm interested to see what the quality is like on this stuff. It looks like they raised the prices on a few models (even taking the fact those are MSRPs into consideration) so I hope the quality went up as well. 

I'm also curious to see if those are Schaller made OFRs or the Korean variety that's becoming so prevalent on sub-$1200 guitars. 

I'm digging these:
Talk about Soloist vibe. I see more folks are jumping on the Jackson bandwagon. 





This reminds me of some of those Charvel Wildcards. 




Still trying to push the Eddie Special. Can't say I'm complaining.





Also worth mentioning is that most models, at least those with MSRPs north of $999, have USA SD, EMG, or Gibson pickups. Not bad.


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## yellowv (Nov 26, 2011)

Oh snap. I need more details on these. That 84' is like a reissue of the reissue. Those 84' reissues a few years ago were great guitars and held their value very well. The could be promising depending on origin and quality of hardware.


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 26, 2011)

By those prices, my bet is somewhere in Asia other than Japan. Not that that's a bad thing, as the recent Epiphones have been getting better and better every year. 

The hardware, minus tuners, but really they all have locking nuts, all seems to be quality. At least on paper. I'm interested to know which version of the OFR they're using. 

As for the 84' I think that's something like the 6th or 7th incarnation it's had with the Kramer logo alone. 

EDIT: Here's some pricing on them. http://www.americanmusical.com/Kramer


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## yellowv (Nov 26, 2011)

Yeah at those prices I'm guessing China w/ Korean Floyds. I think if want to cure my Kramer GAS I will look out for a Focus 1000.


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## Exit Existence (Nov 26, 2011)

My local guitar store had their big annual guitar sale last weekend and the kramer rep was there with these new guitars

Very very high quality, I played the black soloist and I think he said it was going for 800 or 900. Very solid realy nice ebony board and inlays. Felt about as nice as my USA Jackson soloist at half the price. Way better than any jackson or Ibanez at that price point


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## gunch (Nov 27, 2011)

Good thing they haven't done a legit Nightswan reissue yet or I'd have to go do some desperate things.


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## Jack Secret (Nov 27, 2011)

MaxOfMetal said:


>




I'm sorry but what are those inlays exactly? Okra?


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## ExousRulez (Nov 27, 2011)

This guitar has the EXACT specs iv'e been looking for in a production model YES! 

I love the headstock, medjumbo tuners, I love the slim taper neck profiles, I love ebony, I prefer single coils for cleans and I love the black finish. 

My perfect guitar


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## BucketheadRules (Nov 27, 2011)

Those new higher-end Kramers look absolutely great.

They do the SM-1 in white with Duncans too:






And has anyone seen these?











Pardon me while I go and whore myself to raise funds.


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## Necris (Nov 27, 2011)

Jack Secret said:


> I'm sorry but what are those inlays exactly? Okra?



 The inlays are supposed to be the headstock shape, I believe.


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## danger5oh (Nov 27, 2011)

Jack Secret said:


> I'm sorry but what are those inlays exactly? Okra?



I'm sorry, but I'm in a hospital room at 5:30am and this post literally made me laugh out loud at a very inappropriate volume... I totally needed that.

But seriously, why would they make it in the shape of their headstocks? Seems rather redundant.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Nov 27, 2011)

Necris said:


> The inlays are supposed to be the headstock shape, I believe.



No gumbo guitar?...


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## yellowv (Nov 27, 2011)

They are better than the Carvin sperm inlays


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 27, 2011)

yellowv said:


> They are better than the Carvin sperm inlays


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## Jack Secret (Nov 27, 2011)

yellowv said:


> They are better than the Carvin sperm inlays




Well, this I will admit to. No idea Carvin's thoughts on that one. My new Carvin build will be inlay-less on solid black ebony. What guitar could it be? Start of Jack's Carvin Winter???

No. Just one guitar this time. I promise. No, really. Stop looking at me like that. STOP!


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 27, 2011)

Jack Secret said:


> No idea Carvin's thoughts on that one.



Maybe they took the whole "wanking" thing too far.


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## butch (Nov 27, 2011)

The inlays are referred to as "claw" design. Don't ask, I didn't come up with it...

Cheers,
Butch


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## -42- (Nov 27, 2011)

My reaction to the new Assault models.


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## Justin Bailey (Nov 27, 2011)

Lets hope Gibson does the same thing again and shows Steinberger some love. It's a shame to have such a great name and great guitars not get any attention from the company that owns it.


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## snowblind56 (Nov 27, 2011)

The SM-1 is essentially an old Kramer Stagemaster, reissued minus the "Stagemaster" name and with what could be the most absolutely retarded switch location that I have seen.

Check out the bottom pic at the link below.
Kramer Stagemaster and Liberty

Years ago, I had the chance to buy an old Stagemaster. I decided to think it over and went back for it and it was gone. For me, that was the one that got away. It was one of the nicest guitars I have ever played.


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## Ironbird (Nov 29, 2011)

Seeing these Kramers is bringing me back to 2001, when I was seriously getting into electric guitar and Tom Morello was a god. At the time, I GASed so badly for a baby blue Kramer Pacer!

Although my taste in music and guitars has evolved over the years, who can say no to this magnificent beast?


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## JPMike (Nov 29, 2011)

Is it me or when I see Kramer I think of Superstrats and not LP copy shapes?


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 29, 2011)

JPMike said:


> Is it me or when I see Kramer I think of Superstrats and not LP copy shapes?



Not really, for the bulk of it's existence Kramer made super strats.


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## Andromalia (Nov 29, 2011)

Ironbird;2762343
[URL="http://images.kramerguitars.com.s3.amazonaws.com/Products/Doublecut/Baretta/Gallery-Images/K84VRREBF1-Finish-Shot.jpg" said:


> [/URL]



Will Kramer successfully get sued by two guitarists for the _same _model ?


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## -42- (Nov 30, 2011)

^Owned by Gibson

/bullet dodged


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## Thep (Nov 30, 2011)

Still waiting for a steel panther sig.


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## slapnutz (Nov 30, 2011)

MaxOfMetal said:


>





BucketheadRules said:


>



To be honest I would be really really interested in these if they only didnt have Pickup rings for the humbucker. Its just something gibson/jackson/esp love to include for some valid reason i'm sure.

Need more direct mount h/s/s config guitars out there.


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## gunch (Nov 30, 2011)

slapnutz said:


> To be honest I would be really really interested in these if they only didnt have Pickup rings for the humbucker. Its just something gibson/jackson/esp love to include for some valid reason i'm sure.
> 
> Need more direct mount h/s/s config guitars out there.



In their defense it'd look a tad unbalanced considering the difference in width between a direct humbucker route and a direct mount single coil route.

2 direct mount hums on the other hand, you can't get anymore sexier than that.


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 30, 2011)

Andromalia said:


> Will Kramer successfully get sued by two guitarists for the _same _model ?



They didn't get sued last time this model was in production in the early 00's.


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## Andromalia (Nov 30, 2011)

Well, they did paint a target on it.


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## Esp Griffyn (Nov 30, 2011)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Still trying to push the Eddie Special. Can't say I'm complaining.



I absolutely love that!


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## The Munk (Nov 30, 2011)

Thep said:


> Still waiting for a steel panther sig.



Already happened.


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## Rossness (Nov 30, 2011)

Thep said:


> Still waiting for a steel panther sig.



you mean this one-


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## Clydefrog (Dec 1, 2011)

I would love a Japanese (or American) Kramer... but those inlays :\


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## AwakenNoMore (Dec 1, 2011)

I have a Music Yo era Kramer Imperial. I love it.

Bolt on Explorer style lefty with 24 frets in Matte black for $259? Duh winning.


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## 0 Xero 0 (Dec 27, 2011)

I've had GAS for a Nightswan for a while. Since Buddy Blaze still makes that model, I bet Kramer couldn't use that name. These are really exciting! I wish I could have gotten a musicyo Kramer. They seemed like great deals.


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## gunch (Dec 27, 2011)

Speaking of them, does anyone have any expierience with Buddy Blaze's stuff? I looked on his website and he seems to be doing Made in Indonesia Nightswans now.


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## TomParenteau (Dec 27, 2011)

Those ugly inlays are the headstock shape. 

In the wood-neck Kramers, you got your "strathead" which are pretty rare. I had one, #A8007 it got stolen. They were exact copies of the Fender headstock which led to the threat of a lawsuit. Very few were made.

The next one was the "beak-neck," because it looked like a bird beak! After that was the "nanner" and the "claw." There may have been "hockey sticks," but I think those are just "nanners" by another name. 

They call it a "claw neck" when it has those inlays shaped like the "claw" headstock.

No 7-strings again this year! Shame on you, Kramer.

The guys on the Kramer forum are really digging the 2011 models they have bought. I have not tried one myself as I am only interested in 7s these days. It's nice to hear they are putting out good stuff at a great value again.


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## Advv (Dec 27, 2011)

I'm diggin' the SM-1... except for the inlays. Wish they had put the old diamond inlays on instead.


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## 0 Xero 0 (Dec 27, 2011)

Has anyone here tried the Striker Custom FR-424CM? It has an alder body and a flatter, 16" radius. There aren't any reviews on the interwebs for them. One odd thing is that even though the kramer website seems to be on the fritz and I can't find the guitar there. It is at musiciansfriend though.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/kramer-striker-custom-fr-424cm-electric-guitar


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## Animus (Dec 28, 2011)

Brings back memories. One of my first guitars was a Kramer Striker in 1986.


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## drgordonfreeman (Dec 28, 2011)

BucketheadRules said:


> Those new higher-end Kramers look absolutely great.
> 
> And has anyone seen these?




YES YES and YES. I've been wanting a string-through LP body forever now!


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## Viginez (Dec 28, 2011)

0 Xero 0 said:


> Has anyone here tried the Striker Custom FR-424CM? It has an alder body and a flatter, 16" radius. There aren't any reviews on the interwebs for them. One odd thing is that even though the kramer website seems to be on the fritz and I can't find the guitar there. It is at musiciansfriend though.
> Kramer Striker Custom FR-424CM Electric Guitar: Shop Guitars & Other Musical Instruments | Musician&#39;s Friend


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## Knyas (Dec 28, 2011)

0 Xero 0 said:


> Has anyone here tried the Striker Custom FR-424CM? It has an alder body and a flatter, 16" radius. There aren't any reviews on the interwebs for them. One odd thing is that even though the kramer website seems to be on the fritz and I can't find the guitar there. It is at musiciansfriend though.
> Kramer Striker Custom FR-424CM Electric Guitar: Shop Guitars & Other Musical Instruments | Musician&#39;s Friend



Sylosis lead guitarist currently uses them live and possibly for recordings too, considering that I'd say there must be something fairly good about them when he owns Caprisons and ESP's. Not to say they're actually better, but they must be somewhat good.


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## 0 Xero 0 (Dec 28, 2011)

^ Yeah, I suppose you're right. I hate not being able to test out guitars in person. Maybe someone will chime in. Also, I've been really curious as to how kramers from the last decade or so stack up to the 80's models when kramer was _the_ guitar. I still GAS for a nightswan or a nightswan II.


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## MaxOfMetal (Dec 28, 2011)

0 Xero 0 said:


> Has anyone here tried the Striker Custom FR-424CM? It has an alder body and a flatter, 16" radius. There aren't any reviews on the interwebs for them. One odd thing is that even though the kramer website seems to be on the fritz and I can't find the guitar there. It is at musiciansfriend though.
> Kramer Striker Custom FR-424CM Electric Guitar: Shop Guitars & Other Musical Instruments | Musician&#39;s Friend


 
These were the last hold overs from the Music Yo days, and it shows. Very hit or miss. They can be pretty good, but really bad too. As a Gibson dealer the last shop I worked for used to get a couple of them in. There was usually at least one or two that we had to send back. 

For $350 it's a lot of guitar, but be prepared to send a couple back.



0 Xero 0 said:


> ^ Yeah, I suppose you're right. I hate not being able to test out guitars in person. Maybe someone will chime in. Also, I've been really curious as to how kramers from the last decade or so stack up to the 80's models when kramer was _the_ guitar. I still GAS for a nightswan or a nightswan II.


 
Like all companies, there were varying levels of quality, even back then when Kramer was in thier hayday. 

Just because it's a USA Kramer doesn't mean it's going to be superior to anything. It just means it was stamped "USA", which given Kramer's history could mean as little as the parts being assembled in the US.


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## 0 Xero 0 (Dec 28, 2011)

^ Yeah, that's the impression I've been getting as well. The only thing I really like that the new guitars lack is the flatter radius and the alder body. It seems like most of their current line is around 12" or less which I don't like as much.


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## BucketheadRules (Dec 28, 2011)

slapnutz said:


> To be honest I would be really really interested in these if they only didnt have Pickup rings for the humbucker. Its just something gibson/jackson/esp love to include for some valid reason i'm sure.
> 
> Need more direct mount h/s/s config guitars out there.



See this:



silverabyss said:


> In their defense it'd look a tad unbalanced considering the difference in width between a direct humbucker route and a direct mount single coil route.
> 
> 2 direct mount hums on the other hand, you can't get anymore sexier than that.



All this, but also:

IIRC having pickup rings allows you to adjust the height, that isn't so easy without rings. I don't know if it's possible or not to adjust pup height without rings, but I imagine it isn't a walk in the park.


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## TomParenteau (Dec 28, 2011)

The US-made ones were consistently good as far as the quality of the necks goes. The parts selection was a huge variable, though! It seemed like what went on there was whatever they had lying around.


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## Blasphemer (Dec 28, 2011)

Ironbird said:


> Seeing these Kramers is bringing me back to 2001, when I was seriously getting into electric guitar and Tom Morello was a god. At the time, I GASed so badly for a baby blue Kramer Pacer!
> 
> Although my taste in music and guitars has evolved over the years, who can say no to this magnificent beast?
> 
> [/URL]



Me. that headstock is icky.


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## leandroab (Dec 28, 2011)

yellowv said:


> They are better than the Carvin sperm inlays



It's not sperm! It's the bone spirit spell from Diablo 1 !!!


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## guitarister7321 (Dec 28, 2011)

Glad to see they brought back the older headstocks/logos. I was so pissed when they switched to the new logo on everything, except for one model, last year.


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## TomParenteau (Dec 28, 2011)

The logo on the black 'nanner headstock on my blue Music Yo-era 7-string is pretty awful.


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## asher (Dec 30, 2011)

leandroab said:


> It's not sperm! It's the bone spirit spell from Diablo 1 !!!



This guy knows what's up!


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## MaxOfMetal (Dec 30, 2011)

BucketheadRules said:


> IIRC having pickup rings allows you to adjust the height, that isn't so easy without rings. I don't know if it's possible or not to adjust pup height without rings, but I imagine it isn't a walk in the park.



Huh?

I see you've never owned a guitar with direct mounted pickups. 

It's just as easy to adjust as ring mounted pickups. The pickup sits on a piece of foam which provides the resistance to the pickup screws, thus keeping the pickup firmly in place. When you want to raise the pickup the foam expands, still holding it in place. When you want to lower the pickup the foam compresses further. 

After some years you do have to replace the foam, but it's a cheap and easy fix that needs to be done maybe twice a decade. 

Pickup rings came into existence in the 40's and 50's in order to hold pickups in place far off the guitar's often arched top. Take a look at an ES or Les Paul, you'll notice that pickups are held in their rings pretty high off of the guitar's top. I use those as examples because they're very common (both legitimate and copies), but a lot of archtops of the time had them as well, and still do to this day. Guitars without arched tops used pickguard or direct mounted the pickups, as there wasn't really much room for the rings. 

These days, I see rings being used on cheaper guitars to hide rough routes.


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## Don Vito (Dec 30, 2011)

BucketheadRules said:


>


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## AwakenNoMore (Dec 31, 2011)

Though its a little off topic, I quite prefer direct mounted pickups to junk plastic rings. much clear look IMO.


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## McBrain (Dec 31, 2011)

I only prefer direct mounted if the routings are nice. I actually put a pickup ring on my Horus to hide the giant route that only fit the baseplate of their own pickups, that most people replace.

Had they just used a standard Gibson/Duncan route I would have left it. There was a slight difference in tone, but I don't know if I can say that one is better than the other.

My point is that direct mounted pickups only look great if the routes are shaped (more or less) to match the baseplate of the pickups.

Horus with original pickup: 




Horus with EMG pickup:




(Borrowed from Caparisonforum.com http://www.caparisonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?815-How-To-Install-EMGs-in-a-Horus-WARNING-LOTS-OF-PICS) 

My Horus before:





My Horus after:





And sorry for the OT


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## Rapture (Jan 1, 2012)

Why won't they do a reissue of the good ol' classic B A R E T T A


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## Rapture (Jan 1, 2012)

Inlays?


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## MaxOfMetal (Jan 1, 2012)

Rapture said:


> Why won't they do a reissue of the good ol' classic B A R E T T A



That's pretty much what the 1984 model is.


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## MetalHeadMat (Jan 1, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


>





I'm in love!!!

Like the EMG 89 in the bridge


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## uncle_sprinter (Jan 1, 2012)

When I saw the black one I did the opposite of vomit in my mouth

I came in my pants


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## uncle_sprinter (Jan 1, 2012)

@McBrain - That's a lovely Kamer you have there .


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## McBrain (Jan 1, 2012)

uncle_sprinter said:


> @McBrain - That's a lovely Kamer you have there .



Yeah yeah... I know.  

Got a bit off-topic there...


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## uncle_sprinter (Jan 1, 2012)

McBrain said:


> Yeah yeah... I know.
> 
> Got a bit off-topic there...



lol I was just saying, don't worry you won't burst into flames for going off topic for a tad.


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## 0 Xero 0 (Jan 2, 2012)

There's a guy over at the kramerforum that has both 2011 stagemasters and a baretta special and he really likes them. I'm not sure how much better the higher end is from the bottom end (like the SM-1 and 84 vs the Baretta Special) though. I wish I could try one out.


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## Tommysixgun (Jan 24, 2012)

I have both the EMG and Duncan models. They're much better instruments than the crap MusicYo was selling

Tommy


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## elrrek (Jan 25, 2012)

Tommysixgun said:


> I have both the EMG and Duncan models. They're much better instruments than the crap MusicYo was selling
> 
> Tommy



Crate Powerblock FT-MF-W!


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## USMarine75 (Jan 25, 2012)

I regret not buying a 1984 Baretta reissue a couple years ago. 

And it was only $700!

http://www.vintagekramer.com/musicyo1984.htm *<-- great Kramer website **


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## elrrek (Jan 25, 2012)

USMarine75: have you seen these then?

Best you can find this cheaper than list:
The 84

Or you could go super budget:
Baretta Special


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## 0 Xero 0 (Jan 26, 2012)

Tommysixgun said:


> I have both the EMG and Duncan models. They're much better instruments than the crap MusicYo was selling
> 
> Tommy



And there he is. Nice to see you over here. I didn't know anyone from the kramerforum frequented over here.


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## eaeolian (Jan 26, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Just because it's a USA Kramer doesn't mean it's going to be superior to anything. It just means it was stamped "USA", which given Kramer's history could mean as little as the parts being assembled in the US.



In fact, it usually meant that. I'm pretty sure nothing but artist guitars were actually built in Jersey from about '84 on, and even then only for the big names. ESP and LaSiDo made most Kramers. That said, there's a lot of killer guitars, as both of those companies obviously know how to make good parts.

I've played 5 of the Pacer Classics - 4 of them were very good guitars for $350, and one was a total dog. I'd be interested to play a Stagemaster.


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## caskettheclown (Jan 26, 2012)

I think the "Okra" inlays are supposed to be animal teeth of some sort...

maybe i'm crazy though.


All I know is i'm glad Kramer is putting out more guitars!


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## BucketheadRules (Jan 26, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Huh?
> 
> I see you've never owned a guitar with direct mounted pickups.
> 
> ...



OK, thanks for the info. My post was just based on uninformed assumptions.

I actually do have one with direct-mounted pickups - a Sterling JP100 - but I didn't need to adjust the pickups, it was set up amazingly well when I got it.


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## TomParenteau (Jan 26, 2012)

0 Xero 0 said:


> And there he is. Nice to see you over here. I didn't know anyone from the kramerforum frequented over here.


 I'm from here and I frequent over at the KramerForum.


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## 0 Xero 0 (Jan 26, 2012)

caskettheclown said:


> I think the "Okra" inlays are supposed to be animal teeth of some sort...
> 
> maybe i'm crazy though.
> 
> ...



The inlays are actually called headstock inlays. Okra isn't metal enough for an inlay.



TomPerverteau said:


> I'm from here and I frequent over at the KramerForum.



Nice to see some others. I'm new over there so I don't know too many people. This is what I consider my "home" though, haha.


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## TomParenteau (Jan 26, 2012)

Me, too. This is my favorite forum, and it would be even if I wasn't into 7s.

I was playing Kramers long before I ever tried a 7-string. Before Floyd Rose systems were available to the public. Before Van Halen started endorsing them. Hell, before Kramer even had wood-neck models!


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## 0 Xero 0 (Jan 27, 2012)

Nice! I didn't acquire my first 7 string until August and would definitely stay here no matter how many strings I had, haha. I've been wanting to try out one of the 7 string strikers for a while now. Have you tried one?


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## TomParenteau (Jan 27, 2012)

I have about a 2001 MusicYo-era 7-string Striker. It's real good for how little I paid, but it's not super-nice of course. And I hate the black headstock.

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sevenstring-guitars/146877-ngd-tom-p.html


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## USMarine75 (Jan 27, 2012)

elrrek said:


> USMarine75: have you seen these then?
> 
> Best you can find this cheaper than list:
> The 84
> ...


 
^ I hate you. You point this out to me _AFTER_ I pulled the trigger on a Framus Cobra cabinet... 









[BTW I never heard this before, but apparently Eddie's black and yellow striped Charvel on the back cover of VHII was buried with Dimebag Darrell?]


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## 0 Xero 0 (Jan 27, 2012)

TomPerverteau said:


> I have about a 2001 MusicYo-era 7-string Striker. It's real good for how little I paid, but it's not super-nice of course. And I hate the black headstock.
> 
> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sevenstring-guitars/146877-ngd-tom-p.html



I have a 7621 currently that I like. I'm hoping a striker 7 will show up on the klassified section sooner or later. How does it play? Also, the new 84 is pretty sweet. The only thing that I would be nervous about would be that it's all maple.


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## TomParenteau (Jan 27, 2012)

The body is alder. It plays real well, especially for the price. The coolest things are it's not black (except for the headstock face), it's not basswood, and it doesn't have the all-too-common rosewood fretboard. Great features for such a low price.

Too bad Kramer stopped making 7s...For now, anyway.


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## USMarine75 (Jan 27, 2012)

I was going to go with one of these for a retro 80's shredder...











But now I may have to grab the Baretta!


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## elrrek (Jan 27, 2012)

USMarine75 said:


> But now I may have to grab the Baretta!



Considering the news about Jackson/Charvel Japan , I may end up doing that myself.


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## USMarine75 (Jan 27, 2012)

elrrek said:


> Considering the news about Jackson/Charvel Japan , I may end up doing that myself.


 
^ ?


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 27, 2012)

USMarine75 said:


> ^ ?



There was a thread posted claiming that the Japanese Jackson factory is closing.


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## 0 Xero 0 (Jan 27, 2012)

TomPerverteau said:


> The body is alder. It plays real well, especially for the price. The coolest things are it's not black (except for the headstock face), it's not basswood, and it doesn't have the all-too-common rosewood fretboard. Great features for such a low price.
> 
> Too bad Kramer stopped making 7s...For now, anyway.



Yeah, it seems solid. The only thing I dislike about the ibby is it's black  I really like basswood though. I get some great, dare I say, djenty/prog metal tones out of it with the BKPs in it. I'd love to see them take a crack at making a 7 string again. They can probably learn quite a bit if from The Arusha Accord about how those guitars should sound (not that they play 7s). They'd have to make a winner to compete with ibanez, schecter, and esp though.



USMarine75 said:


> I was going to go with one of these for a retro 80's shredder...
> 
> But now I may have to grab the Baretta!



Too bad those darned 7 string charvels were just to tease everybody... That was downright douchey ¬__¬


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## Holy Katana (Jan 27, 2012)

Justin Bailey said:


> Lets hope Gibson does the same thing again and shows Steinberger some love. It's a shame to have such a great name and great guitars not get any attention from the company that owns it.



Gibson tends to do that, unfortunately. Like what they did when they bought out Oberheim, the synth company most famous for the OB-Xa, which was incidentally the synth Van Halen used on 1984. Rush used one for a while as well. They initially did make some stuff, one of which was jointly developed by Don Buchla, one of the earliest synth pioneers (and still makes stuff today), but then they just sorta stopped until 2000, when they licensed the name for use by an Italian company, who made a modern OB-series synth. It drew some criticism for not being analog and not sounding like an Oberheim, but Korg was doing the exact same thing with their MS-2000.

Anyway, that fizzled out, and Gibson have basically been sitting on the name for the better part of a decade.

Fender does this, too, like with Guild, Sunn, and ARP (another synth company).

You'd think that since synths are very much back in fashion these days that at least one of them would try to cash in on it, but nope.


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## 0 Xero 0 (Jan 27, 2012)

^ I wish kramer and the other companies under the gibson umbrella the best, but I don't think much of the guitars gibson makes. IMO, if you buy one made in the last 20 ish years or so, you're paying for a name unless you're an endorsee. I think fender is doing a lot better than gibson with EVH, Charvel/Jackson, and the other companies. Even so, if I wanted a strat or tele, I'd get a G&L


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## Holy Katana (Jan 27, 2012)

I'm personally partial to Fender when it comes to vintage-style guitars anyway (although I _love_ 335s and LP Customs), and I agree that they handle their sub-brands better, but as a hardcore synth geek, I'm more than a little miffed that they won't bring back ARP.


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## Tommysixgun (Jan 30, 2012)

0 Xero 0 said:


> I have a 7621 currently that I like. I'm hoping a striker 7 will show up on the klassified section sooner or later. How does it play? Also, the new 84 is pretty sweet. The only thing that I would be nervous about would be that it's all maple.



Xero and Tom....great to see you here! 

I have two 7 String Strikers that have been turned into badass, metal machines. The Neck pickups are removed and filled in, a better, Japanese Floyd installed and an SH-14b pickup added. The Crackle finish is pretty badass too. I've been looking for another stock Striker to see if lightning will strike 3 times.

Great for playing lots of stuff. They have mean tone






Tommy


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