If the serial number of your Kramer starts with the following serial
numbers, it is NOT a USA Made or "American" series Kramer:
1) Two letters followed by a serial number (e.g. AA1234, AC1234, FA1234,
FC1234, SA1234)
2) One letter followed by five letters (e.g. b12345) The only exception to
this would be some of the "E" series neckplates did have one letter followed by
five letters (e.g. e12345).
3) Five numbers, no letters (e.g. 12345)
4) Model numbers preceding serial number (e.g. XL-1234)
5) A chrome or black neck plate with nothing on it but a Kramer headstock
and a serial number stamped on them. These neck plates are smooth flat neck
plates with no "Neptune, N.J." stamped on them
Keep in mind that just because the neckplate is imprinted with "Kramer,
Neptune, NJ" does NOT mean that the guitar was Made in the USA or an "American"
series. Kramer was very careful to not stamp "Made In USA" anywhere on its
neckplates starting in about 1985/1986.
Starting in late 1985, virtually all Kramer guitars were being made
by ESP Guitars in Japan. Although the "American" Series guitars were made by
ESP in Japan, they were assembled in the US. In general, the following is a
good way to determine if your Kramer is USA made or an "American" series:
- If your Kramer has a Strat or Classic headstock and has a Kramer logo
with a capital "K" followed by a lower caser "ramer", the guitar is an early
1981-1984 USA made Kramer guitar.
- If your guitar has a banana headstock and a block style Kramer logo in
all caps "KRAMER", it is a 1984-1986 USA Made/American Series Kramer Guitar.
- If your guitar has a pointy headstock and a block style Kramer logo in
the same sized lettering in all caps, it is a 1986/1987 American Series Kramer
Guitar.
- If your guitar has a pointy headstock and a diminishing sized Kramer
logo with the letters diminishing in size from the K to the R and, there is a
script "American" decal after the "KRAMER" logo, it is a 1987-1994 American
Series Kramer Guitar.
- If your guitar has a pointy headstock and a diminishing sized Kramer
logo but does not have "American" in script after the logo, it is NOT an
American series guitar.
The following wood neck guitar models were the ONLY Made in USA or
"American" Series guitars:
- Baretta Series, Pacer Series, Stagemaster Series, Vanguard Series,
Voyager Series, Classic Series, ProAx Series, NightSwan Series, Ripley Series,
Spector Series, Paul Dean Series, Richie Sambora Series, Triax, Enterprize,
Elliot Easton Series, Sustainer Series, Liberty Series, & Condor Series.
The following wood neck guitar models were NOT Made in USA or
"American" Series guitars. These guitars were made either in Korea, Indonesia,
or Japan.
- Striker Series, Focus Series, Hundred Series (e.g. 410, 610), Thousand
Series, XL Series, Aerostar Series, Showster Series, and Ferrington Series.
Furthermore, the Gorky Park special edition model is also an overseas made
guitar.
Another good way to tell if your Kramer is an overseas made model is if it
is made out of plywood or composite wood. Also, if your Kramer has "non-name"
pickups or "Designed by Seymour Duncan" pickups, it is an overseas model.
Finally, if your Kramer came with a Floyd Rose II, Floyd Rose with no fine
tuners, or a Floyd Rose unit that does not require the ball ends of the strings
to be cut off, it is an overseas model.
Oh yeah, If you bought your Kramer from Music Yo' you can be sure it is a
low cost Korean instrument. Please don't confuse any product that comes from
Music Yo' with the original.
Logo circa 1976-1977
Logo circa 1979
Logo circa 1978-1984
Logo circa 1985-1986
Logo circa 1987-1990
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