kramer stagemaster

[buzzsaww]

good? bad? made in usa? user comments wanted.
I don;t know much about kramers
Thanks

[Accept2]

Re: kramer stagemaster

Made in Japan by ESP. Cool guitar, but too expensive in comparison to the Model 6.......

[buzzsaww]

Re: kramer stagemaster

it seems like model 6's have gone up. what's so special about 6's compared to 5's and 4's?

[pro-fusion]

Re: kramer stagemaster

Model 4=bolt-on strat, not even comparable to 5 or 6
Model 5=Soloist w/two hums and dot inlays
Model 6=sharkfins, baby!

Models 5 and 6 usually sell in the same range on eBay, it seems to me.

[Doc Dryer]

Re: kramer stagemaster

I happen to be the COLLECTOR of the Kramer archtop Stagemaster Series here on the JCF...I own 4 archtops, and have bought and sold several more...They are MAGNIFICENT GUITARS, and will give a US Select Soloist a run for it's MONEY !!! [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] ...Actually, I walk RIGHT PAST my US Jackson neck thrus to pick up a Stagey or a '94 metallic black Japanese Soloist Prefessional XL = almost EVERY TIME ! ! ! ! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ December 21, 2002, 03:34 AM: Message edited by: Doc Dryer ]

[Dave L]

Re: kramer stagemaster

Those Archtops are sweet! Plays every bit as good as my Soloists. If you didn´t know it, you would never suspect they were japanese. Hardware, materials and construction are all topnotch.

I got mine for 400$ because it was pink. What a steal! I would have paid extra for the pink [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[kickaxeguitars]

Re: kramer stagemaster

Stageys are indeed GREAT guitars and i prefer them over Soloists ANY day of the week.
Keep in mind that not all Stagemasters are created equal though.
The main differance is neck profile.
Archtop: Wide/thin
FlatTop: narrow/normal

They are easy to tell apart at a distance as the flattops have diamond inlay on the fretboard, while the archtops have "headstock"inlays.

Either model you can't go wrong with.

I also would but in and say that their is NO comparsion to a Stagemaster and model 6.
Those jap Charvels had BUNK electronics and crappy Floyd wannabe trems.

ALL Kramer Stagemasters had Seymour Duncan 'pups from the factory and a REAL Floyd Rose tremolo.
It was also optional to get gold hardware on these, someting Charvel never offered.

SOooo, if you want a fair comparison, compare a Stagey to a Soloist.(but why bother as a Stagey is just as good or BETTER then a Jackson for half the price. If you don't get caught up in the overhyped "bye USA" crap you will realise what a STEAL these great guitars are in the used marketplace.

I've owned all 3 guitars mentioned. I liked the Stagemasters (all 5 of em) better then the model 6's(all 3 of em) and WAY better then the Soloists I've played(too many to count, never bought one cus I thought they were NOT a good buy)

[Accept2]

Re: kramer stagemaster

A Soloist to a Stagemaster? The Soloist is way better. Although Kramers early guitars kicked ass, their later production was absolute crap. So yes, there are nice Stagemasters out there, but there is also alot of crap out there........I have never seen a bad Soloist.

[kickaxeguitars]

Re: kramer stagemaster

And I have Yet to find a bad Stagemaster. Yes there are bad Kramers, as there are bad Jacksons(see korean made models by BOTH companies)
However, Kramers upper end stuff was usually very well made..

[redmanjj]

Re: kramer stagemaster

I own both Charvel/Jacksons and Kramers, and I'll buy them both again, where I can find a good deal.

Kramers are hard to find for some reason in Vancouver (Canada), but when I do they are cheap.

I play my Baretta as much as I play my 650XL. No, I don't own a Soloist, as my ability really doesn't justify the difference in price!

[pro-fusion]

Re: kramer stagemaster

How does the Stagemaster compare to the ESP The Mirage Custom? Since ESP made both guitars around the same time period, I had always assumed they were pretty much the same thing. But if you look at the Stagemaster body, it is very similar to a Baretta body, where the Mirage is a dead ringer for a Soloist.

The one thing that bothers me about the Stagemaster in viewing it on eBay is that access to the uppermost frets doesn't look very good compared to a Soloist. Also, the Stagemasters I've seen on the Bay all seem to have small frets.

[shreddermon]

Re: kramer stagemaster

Doc, Chuck, et al -

I saw a Stagemaster in a local shop a few weeks ago. My memory's bad, but I think it was a pink archtop. Might've been a flip-flop paint, though. Honestly, I didn't pay a lot of attention to it. (...I like Kramers, but I hate those inlays. Besides, I was oogling some J/Cs on the wall instead. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ) It might still be there, if you or anyone else is interested. New Music in Albany, NY. (518)459-8298.

[Dave L]

Re: kramer stagemaster

The Stagemaster Archtop, however, is very very similar to the ESP Horizons from the same time. But the ESPs usually command higher prices.