80s Aluminium Neck Kramer

Telarkaster · September 13th, 2008, 03:47 PM

Thought I'd share pics of my bass: Early 1980's aluminium neck Kramer.
This thing is neck heavy and a back breaker. But I love it. Sounds like a piano, very distinct sound.

No pointy headstock here! Not even a banana headstock (Kramer fans know what that means).

A bit unforgiving on the left hand too, there is no give like on the maple neck of a P-bass...

So neck heavy that it cracked, but not down to the wood.

My bassist played it for 5 years before I told him to get his own. He went out and reluctantly got himself a Jazz. This thing is so stable it didn't need to be tuned in 5 years!

bobbybigmac · September 13th, 2008, 06:01 PM

Nice. That brings back some memories.
Here's me playing my Kramer bass back in 1974 or 75.
Bought it at Steve's Music in Montreal.
I think I paid somewhere around $350 for it brand new.

e-merlin · September 13th, 2008, 07:19 PM

I had its six-string twin for a while. I bought it as a curiosity, and kept it for a while, but the monetary value, coupled with the fact that money was short, caused me to eBay it. It was fun while it lasted, but I'm a Tele guy in the end.

FrankB · September 14th, 2008, 09:32 AM

I had one of those in Black. The neck was gargantuan and always cold, I recently sold it because It never sounded good to me after getting a PBass. I don't miss it either...

Telarkaster · September 14th, 2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbybigmac

Nice. That brings back some memories.
Here's me playing my Kramer bass back in 1974 or 75.
Bought it at Steve's Music in Montreal.
I think I paid somewhere around $350 for it brand new.

Great photo! I got mine at York's pawn shop on Ste-Catherine street back when they sold instruments (before the internet killed off a lot of small music stores) for about the same price in the mid to late 80's. I think they still sell for that price nowadays! Kramers in general are really undervalued in the used guitar market. I always thought mine was an early 80s model (81-82?), but looking at your photo makes me wonder if it's not from the 70s instead.

E-Merlin, I tried a 6 string and it had the same issues: heavy and neck-heavy, but it was still cool. I don't know if it could ever have been my #1, so I understand your decision to ebay it. I plan to hold on to my bass however, I play so infrequently that I don't need to replace or upgrade it. As long as I have a really huge padded guitar strap to distribute the weight I'm fine.

FrankB, a Pbass is a whole different animal, more woody and earthy and ergonomically friendly. I hear you. But the Kramer sounds like no other bass. If I ever join another band as a full time bassist, I would get a P for variety and to spare my back, but would hold on to this one for that piano sound. That and the fact that it's the only "vintage" guitar that I own!

broadcaster · September 14th, 2008, 04:01 PM

I had a one pickup aluminum neck Kramer back in 1980 or so. Neck dive city. I miss it not.

hockey_head · September 15th, 2008, 03:41 PM

kramer had one that was fretless from fret twelve up, that was inovative.
these were the common man's travis beans.

Rombel · September 15th, 2008, 06:02 PM

Hey Telarkaster and BobbyBigmac, I remember the first time I saw the alu neck guitars at Steve's on what was then Craig St., in the mid '70s... I jonesed for these things but unfortunately couldn't afford one.

Remember Chateau Music and Jack's? :-)

Telarkaster · September 16th, 2008, 07:48 PM

Rombel, Jacks is still on "Craig" street next to Steves. Was Chateau Music next to Theatre St-Denis on a side road just off on the east side of St-Denis? There used to be a really cool used music store there where I first tried a B-Bender tele, a midi guitar and a few vintage guitars. I forget what it was called but I miss it...

bobbybigmac · September 16th, 2008, 09:37 PM

Man that does bring back memories.
Jack's, Château, and Steve's were all within a block
or two of each other if I'm remembering correctly.
I remember you couldn't try anything at Jack's without
promising you were there to buy. They jumped on you the second your foot
was in the door. High pressure sales tactics for sure.
Now that I think of it I may have bought my Kramer bass at Jack's and later
my 1st Fender PB at Steve's. I can remember buying two 15" bass speakers
from Jack's when I was about 16 years old. The salesman sucked me in by
telling me the speakers were JBL's but there was no labels. Only a cheap ink stamp "JBL" They didn't have any boxes available so the guy tied the speakers together, thru the mounting holes, with twine.
What a dope I was

Rombel · September 17th, 2008, 12:01 AM

Château was between Jack's and Steve's on Craig (now St.Antoine St.).
And I think we all have horror stories about Jack's... mine involves a friend trying out a guitar, not liking it, and being shouted all kinds of nasty stuff by the clerk on our way out.
Can't believe they're still in business.

Telarkaster · September 18th, 2008, 09:22 PM

You know, I didn't want to slag Jack's, but honestly they have the worst customer service I've ever seen. If you tell them that you're just looking they give you the dirtiest of looks. I've never actually tried a guitar there, I was so offended by their lack of tact and general rudeness.

I wonder who buys stuff there...parents looking for a guitar for their kid who know nothing about guitars and buy the first thing the salesman suggests? How do they stay in business? Is it a front? One of life's mysteries...

Rombel · September 19th, 2008, 01:26 AM

Jack's will probably be there until Steve's makes the right offer and finishes buying up the whole city block...

September 13th, 2008, 03:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
Telarkaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal Quebec Canada Posts: 1,801	80s Aluminium Neck Kramer Thought I'd share pics of my bass: Early 1980's aluminium neck Kramer. This thing is neck heavy and a back breaker. But I love it. Sounds like a piano, very distinct sound. No pointy headstock here! Not even a banana headstock (Kramer fans know what that means). A bit unforgiving on the left hand too, there is no give like on the maple neck of a P-bass... So neck heavy that it cracked, but not down to the wood. My bassist played it for 5 years before I told him to get his own. He went out and reluctantly got himself a Jazz. This thing is so stable it didn't need to be tuned in 5 years!

September 14th, 2008, 09:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
FrankB Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Havertown, PA. U.S.A. Posts: 742	I had one of those in Black. The neck was gargantuan and always cold, I recently sold it because It never sounded good to me after getting a PBass. I don't miss it either... __________________ http://www.myspace.com/frankbrigandi http://www.myspace.com/rotosonic If less is more, then I am going to give it my all, and do nothing.

September 14th, 2008, 04:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
broadcaster Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Midwest Posts: 591 1 Photos	I had a one pickup aluminum neck Kramer back in 1980 or so. Neck dive city. I miss it not. __________________ The tone is in your fingers.

September 16th, 2008, 09:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
bobbybigmac TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: West Coast Canada Age: 49 Posts: 84	Man that does bring back memories. Jack's, Château, and Steve's were all within a block or two of each other if I'm remembering correctly. I remember you couldn't try anything at Jack's without promising you were there to buy. They jumped on you the second your foot was in the door. High pressure sales tactics for sure. Now that I think of it I may have bought my Kramer bass at Jack's and later my 1st Fender PB at Steve's. I can remember buying two 15" bass speakers from Jack's when I was about 16 years old. The salesman sucked me in by telling me the speakers were JBL's but there was no labels. Only a cheap ink stamp "JBL" They didn't have any boxes available so the guy tied the speakers together, thru the mounting holes, with twine. What a dope I was __________________ No ma'am I'm not Elvis, I'm just the bass player.

September 15th, 2008, 03:41 PM	#7 (permalink)
hockey_head Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: shortsville, ny Age: 51 Posts: 379	kramer had one that was fretless from fret twelve up, that was inovative. these were the common man's travis beans.

September 15th, 2008, 06:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
Rombel Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: YUL Posts: 429	Hey Telarkaster and BobbyBigmac, I remember the first time I saw the alu neck guitars at Steve's on what was then Craig St., in the mid '70s... I jonesed for these things but unfortunately couldn't afford one. Remember Chateau Music and Jack's? :-)

September 16th, 2008, 07:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
Telarkaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal Quebec Canada Posts: 1,801	Rombel, Jacks is still on "Craig" street next to Steves. Was Chateau Music next to Theatre St-Denis on a side road just off on the east side of St-Denis? There used to be a really cool used music store there where I first tried a B-Bender tele, a midi guitar and a few vintage guitars. I forget what it was called but I miss it...

September 17th, 2008, 12:01 AM	#11 (permalink)
Rombel Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: YUL Posts: 429	Château was between Jack's and Steve's on Craig (now St.Antoine St.). And I think we all have horror stories about Jack's... mine involves a friend trying out a guitar, not liking it, and being shouted all kinds of nasty stuff by the clerk on our way out. Can't believe they're still in business.

September 18th, 2008, 09:22 PM	#12 (permalink)
Telarkaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal Quebec Canada Posts: 1,801	You know, I didn't want to slag Jack's, but honestly they have the worst customer service I've ever seen. If you tell them that you're just looking they give you the dirtiest of looks. I've never actually tried a guitar there, I was so offended by their lack of tact and general rudeness. I wonder who buys stuff there...parents looking for a guitar for their kid who know nothing about guitars and buy the first thing the salesman suggests? How do they stay in business? Is it a front? One of life's mysteries...

September 19th, 2008, 01:26 AM	#13 (permalink)
Rombel Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: YUL Posts: 429	Jack's will probably be there until Steve's makes the right offer and finishes buying up the whole city block...