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Scored the '85/'87-'88? USA Kramer Baretta 1 !!!


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So I went back today to the pawnshop after doing a little research on the history of the Kramer Baretta guitars.

I figured the guitar body was a replacement , and the neck was probably from '87-'88.

I was prepared to explain to the clerk that I wasn't going to pay list because it was a parts guitar.

I was going to explain that it had a original neck with a replacement body,neck plate and possibly the pickup.

I was going in there to throw down about $175 out the door for it tops.

Well when I got back to the shop,much to my amazement, they'd cleaned the guitar up and removed all the colored tape off the guitar.

So I examined it, and I looked at the neck plate closely, and it has Kramer stamped on top, with the serial number D1890, and Made In USA under that.

I remembered reading that in  the history, they said in '85 Kramer was using both flat narrow and wider Fender like neck plates.

So because of that, I figured the neck plate, pickup, hardware, and body were most likely from '85, and the neck from '87/'88.

I talked to the clerk and we haggled back and forth for a bit.

We finally both agreed to $212+ tax for the guitar with the after market tweed case that had the original Floyd Rose bar inside.

Here are the updated pics with the body cleaned up to get rid of all the tape residue and dirt.

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That's a parts mutt i'm afraid, can't really tell if the body is a legit baretta for sure as it's an early sports manufactured one (actual USA production), really cool axe nonetheless, and i reckon it plays nicely? Btw body is likely 85, neck late 87-90. :)

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24 minutes ago, bkrownd said:

Mutts are cool.  It looks like a winner, and as long as it's straight and solid and feels good how can you go wrong for a mere $200?  :D

Amen, the neck alone fetches more in enthusiast circles :D

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Nice score. Parts mutt or not, for the price I’d buy that all day.  

 

Worst case scenario you can part it out and come out ahead, maybe even double your investment. 

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2 hours ago, scottcald said:

Haven’t seen a real 80s Kramer in person. Are those shredder necks?

This neck is not Ibanez shredder thin, but is a nice wide thin neck that promotes shredding.

I don't really play and type of metal shred music, but with the neck and the action on this neck,

I can fly up and don't this neck way faster that any guitar neck on any guitar in my collection.

It's an amazingly fast neck for sure.

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After some more investigation, I found out the the humbucker pickup in my guitar is not
a Seymour Duncan JB, but is an '83-'84 Schaller reverse zebra humbucker.

The Seymour Duncan JB was 1st introduced in the Baretta in '85.

This means that the body,pickup and all hardware could be from '83-'84

This pickup below is an earlly 80's Schaller Humbucker and is mounted with
2 adjustment screw per side, and the edge of the pickup ring is angled.

The humbucker in my Kramer is mounted the same way and the pickup ring
is angled as well.

 http://www.vintagekramer.com/parts/pkupcover.jpg

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52 minutes ago, Travis said:

So...  how does it sound...?

The guitar actually sounds REALLY good.

The Schaller Reverse Zebra is hot, but still has clarity and great note separation.

The pickup also cleans up extremely well when you lower the volume, and is is very balanced tonally as well.

 

 

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5 minutes ago, Texsunburst59 said:

The guitar actually sounds REALLY good.

The Schaller Reverse Zebra is hot, but still has clarity and great note separation.

The pickup also cleans up extremely well when you lower the volume, and is is very balanced tonally as well.

 

 

Then at the price you paid, you win the day, sir

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12 hours ago, Texsunburst59 said:

After some more investigation, I found out the the humbucker pickup in my guitar is not
a Seymour Duncan JB, but is an '83-'84 Schaller reverse zebra humbucker.

The Seymour Duncan JB was 1st introduced in the Baretta in '85.

This means that the body,pickup and all hardware could be from '83-'84

Congratulations on a great score!.. Just curious, have you dated the potentiometer?

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1 hour ago, Dave Scepter said:

Congratulations on a great score!.. Just curious, have you dated the potentiometer?

I took off the back plate Dave and the pot has no number codes on it at all.

I guess if I took the neck off, the neck pockets are supposed to be signed and dated by the guys who put the guitars together.

I may do that later on when the need arises.

 

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I forgot to post the pics of the guitar BEFORE it got DE-VanHalenized.

The clerk that sold me the guitar took pics of the guitar while it still had all the tape on the body

The store decide it would look a lot better and most likely sell quicker if it didn't have any tape on it.

To be honest, I could have gone either way with it, but I'm still happy with the plain look.

Here's the before and after pics.

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32907548518_258c96fbd2_b.jpg39839860773_c7ba08f8d5_b.jpg

 

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6 hours ago, murkat said:

check the sides of the pot

I'll do that when I get the guitar back from the tech.

He's going to take the neck off the guitar because he might have to shim the neck.

I told him if he does take the neck off, I told him to take a pic of the base of the neck and the neck pocket.

I should be able confirm the born dates on both.

 

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20 hours ago, Texsunburst59 said:

I'll do that when I get the guitar back from the tech.

He's going to take the neck off the guitar because he might have to shim the neck.

I told him if he does take the neck off, I told him to take a pic of the base of the neck and the neck pocket.

I should be able confirm the born dates on both.

 

Nice find! I am surprised there was no finish yellowing once the tape came off -- looks great in plain white, IMHO.

I was going to say, if you have occasion to remove the neck you'd also be able to see if the neck had been redrilled for the 'narrow' neck plate (or not).

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Another thing to support what Skip's already concluded about this amalgam of two Barettas:  The control cavity shape and flathead screws on the OFR are (along with the body contours, "D####" neckplate, and pickup angle) consistent with an earlier '84-era Baretta. 

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Well guys, I already have the guitar at my tech's shop.

He took of the neck and got me some pics of the neck and the body neck cavity.

I'm thinking that the body neck cavity has written B 85?

I'm not sure what all the letters and numbers mean on the neck.

Here's the pics.

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15 minutes ago, Steve Haynie said:

The shim would have me concerned.

I guess in marrying an older body with a new neck meant some compromises.

Having to shim the neck is one of them I guess.

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