Construction of Imports?

[Fishblister]

Way back when I had a fistful of cash I went to a shop called Bizarre Guitar in Phoenix, AZ and I was speaking to the owner at the time (Bob Diehls?) who told me that the then new Model series were assembled in Japan from part made in the US. Was he correct? BTW I eventually bought a Kramer American series which I thought was American made. Does anyone know if Kramer made the parts for those, or was it the other way 'round (Japanese parts, US assembly)? Wasn't sure where to post this.

[Hotrodder]

Re: Construction of Imports?

The Models were built in Japan with USA Hardware and electronics. All the wood parts was from Japan.

And I think you are correct with the Kramer stuff

[Fishblister]

Re: Construction of Imports?

Thanks for the info. [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[Doc Dryer]

Re: Construction of Imports?

Actually, I was under the impression that the "Model Series" Charvels were built in Japan TOTALLY {with the exception of the Model 5FX, which was ACTUALLY a converted Model 5A...The 5As had one hum, and sales weren't THAT hot, so some of them were sent to Ft. Worth to the service facility - NOT to Ontario, CA as a LOT think - and routed for the slanted neck pickup in TX}...But either the watchful eye of US luthiers, or Japanese luthiers TRAINED by US luthiers...

The wood portion of the Kramer "American Series" was made on the SAME lathes that ESP was building guitars on in Japan, and ASSEMBLED in the US...More info on the Kramers is available in SEVERAL places - Mike Wolvertons' AWESOME newer Kramer website at www.vintagekramer.com, and the 2 ORIGINAL websites where I cut MY teeth {Mike and Terry helped, or PRETTY MUCH WROTE the 5 part article with Michael Wright under the column "The Different Strummer" in Vintage Guitar Magazine}, Mike Mojabi's www.kramermaniaxe.com and Terry Boling's site at Kramer Krazy ...Also, a GREAT group of Kramer people with TONS of knowledge can be found at George Tarnopolsky's Kramer Forum at THIS link Kramer Forum

[Jim Shine]

Re: Construction of Imports?

This past weekend I was hanging out with an ex-Kramer employee at a guitar show and I picked his brain about some stuff. The "American" series were totally manufactured in Japan at the ESP factory. The only non-Japanese made parts was the Floyds made in Germany, and occasionally he said they also used Schaller tuners, but more often than not they used Gotohs.

[Fishblister]

Re: Construction of Imports?

My '87 Pacer Custom I has Seymour Duncan (JB in the bridege, quarter pounders for singles) pups and what was reported to me as an OFR. The tuners are indeed Schallers. The Floyd says Floyd Rose on it with no licensing disclaimer. Is that not the real one? Thanks for the links Doc.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Construction of Imports?

Yeah, they still used those trems even on the Japan made guitars. OFR's were made in Germany by Schaller. They even used real SD's in Japan guitars. You can still find Japan made guitars with stock SD pickups. Infact, SD has a line of guitars over there made by ESP.