New Kramer Guitars

[Afghan Dave]

Hey ho... Gibson not content with buggering up their own heritage have chosen to piss on Kramer's.

Now in my eyes Jackson - Charvel - BC Rich & Kramer guitars dominated 80's Hard Rock... All the bands I loved played these brands and I saw them in every glossy MTV video or poster on my bedroom wall.

Sadly just like the bands that played these iconic guitars, they spawned countless "low-rent" wannabe imitators that copied and detracted from what the originals had achieved.

Kramer distribution via the Music-Yo website at least offered some heritage models like the "Jersey Star" (Richie Sambora) and "1984" (Van Halen). IMHO - Accurate historic headstock shapes and logos are important for a brand.

That has all disappeared...Now Gibson offer the all new Kramer range for 2010...

New Logo - Derivative designs - Generic rubbish - WHY?  :( :(

http://www.kramerguitars.com/Default.aspx

At least you can get back to some of what made Kramer iconic via http://www.buddyblaze.com/ and Gary Kramer Guitars.... :?

[Jonny]

EDIT: I don't like them.

[gingataff]

I had huge GAS for a Nightswan when they came out.
That 're-issue' is shameful.

[Afghan Dave]

I'd give my back teeth for a proper Nightswan..

[Andrew W]

Wow those are horrid.  When the pound was so strong against the dollar I almost bought one of the "1985" guitars - it looked great value for money - but they never seemed to have any in stock so in the end I bought a Charvel, with which I'm really happy.  It may just be my perception, and I know people say that Fender has done nasty things to Jackson, but looking at today's Charvel and Kramer line-ups I think the Charvel brand looks much stronger.

[Philly Q]

New Logo - Derivative designs - Generic rubbish - WHY?  :( :(

http://www.kramerguitars.com/Default.aspx

Before clicking on that link, I was thinking they can't be that bad, because Kramer themselves just made generic superstrats before there were generic superstrats.....

But these take "generic" to a whole new level.  In fact they look exactly like those countless "low-rent" wannabe imitators you were talking about.  They even have a model called the Pariah, which is up there with Peavey's Void and Tragic models in the ill-advised-guitar-name stakes.   :|

To be fair, the Pacer Classic looks pretty close to the original.  It even has the silly little mini-switch instead of a proper toggle switch.  And it has the original (post aluminium neck period) Kramer logo.  

And I don't dislike these Assault models, even though they are copies of ESP's Les Paul copies:

http://www.kramerguitars.com/Assault.aspx

[murraymurray]

i love the old kramers, simple and awesome. musicyo seemed bad, i heard the reissues were decent, but for the money id rather get an original
but yeah, checked that link, closed it pretty quick, saw the pariah series  :?

ive got one of the japanese made focus1000's from 85. nice guitar, especially with a painkiller in it.
my band mate has an original nightswan with the lightning graphics, but he dropped it and snapped the headstock off, got it fixed and its pretty good again, but still such a shame, hes got an old baretta on the way from the states too, but i might try and steal it off him.

[Lew]

A friend has an original Nightswan and it's glorious

[gwEm]

hmmm... they could have done so much more than that. its not a total disaster, just average - which somehow makes it all the worse.

[Prawnik]

I had huge GAS for a Nightswan when they came out.
That 're-issue' is shameful.

I didn't know they did a reissue Nightswan. I am still gassing for an oirginal, and I have no nostalgia for the 1980's or hairspray metal.