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Here's a guitar that perfectly shows the goofyness of what was going on with Kramer in the 80's.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=41438
The USA made hockeystick headstock guitars seem to be the most desireable. The first hockeystick headstock necks were made in the USA. Those had Charvel-like luthier/scarf joints but Kramer had problems with the luthier joints separating. Sometime in 85, Kramer started getting their hockeystick headstock necks from Canada. Those necks were made of 3 pieces of wood, no luthier joint. They lasted until sometime in early 86 when all necks(pointies) and bodies were then being made by ESP in Japan.
The key to an ESP body is the neckplate. The "E" series neckplates began on ESP bodies. The spacing of the neckplate bolts is WIDER on the ESP neckplates(starting at E0001). The A thru D series neckplates went on the USA made bodies.
The USA(Canada actually) hockeystick necks actually outlasted the USA bodies. In late 85, Kramer ran out of USA bodies and began attaching the last hockeystick headstock necks to ESP bodies. That started at serial number E0001. The Baretta in the link above is a perfect example... serial number E0077. That's an ESP body with a USA(Canada) neck.
I have a Kramer Rhoads(Vanguard) guitar serial number E0456 that is the same way, hockeystick neck attached to an ESP body. It's obvious the body is made by ESP. The body is WAY different(larger) from the other 1985 USA Rhoads(Vanguard) I have with a D serial number neckplate.
So........ the lesson to be learned here is that at least 456 guitars were made in late 85/early 86 with ESP bodies(E serial numbers) and USA necks(hockeysticks). Anybody else have a Kramer like that? I wonder how far into the E neckplates Kramer made it with the leftover hockeystick necks?
[ July 13, 2003, 09:44 AM: Message edited by: Greg Crowe ]
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=41438
The USA made hockeystick headstock guitars seem to be the most desireable. The first hockeystick headstock necks were made in the USA. Those had Charvel-like luthier/scarf joints but Kramer had problems with the luthier joints separating. Sometime in 85, Kramer started getting their hockeystick headstock necks from Canada. Those necks were made of 3 pieces of wood, no luthier joint. They lasted until sometime in early 86 when all necks(pointies) and bodies were then being made by ESP in Japan.
The key to an ESP body is the neckplate. The "E" series neckplates began on ESP bodies. The spacing of the neckplate bolts is WIDER on the ESP neckplates(starting at E0001). The A thru D series neckplates went on the USA made bodies.
The USA(Canada actually) hockeystick necks actually outlasted the USA bodies. In late 85, Kramer ran out of USA bodies and began attaching the last hockeystick headstock necks to ESP bodies. That started at serial number E0001. The Baretta in the link above is a perfect example... serial number E0077. That's an ESP body with a USA(Canada) neck.
I have a Kramer Rhoads(Vanguard) guitar serial number E0456 that is the same way, hockeystick neck attached to an ESP body. It's obvious the body is made by ESP. The body is WAY different(larger) from the other 1985 USA Rhoads(Vanguard) I have with a D serial number neckplate.
So........ the lesson to be learned here is that at least 456 guitars were made in late 85/early 86 with ESP bodies(E serial numbers) and USA necks(hockeysticks). Anybody else have a Kramer like that? I wonder how far into the E neckplates Kramer made it with the leftover hockeystick necks?
[ July 13, 2003, 09:44 AM: Message edited by: Greg Crowe ]
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