What`s more important, a great amp or a top of the line guitar?

[GAR]

Bolt-on neck styles like this are very configurable, so much so, that I would'nt recommend these over a homemade tinkering if you were to buy the parts used off Ebay for under $300.

If you're not the tinkering type or have no luck with handtools, I'd then ask:

Do you wish to play it, or hang it on the wall?

These reissues are great wall hangers: downsides are the pickup is for shit, paint is polyester, but the neck is solid hard maple, you get an original Schaller/Germany-made Floyd Rose Original and not a Licensed fake bridge.. Schaller m6 tuners will last 30 years, and you get a hardshell case - of what type is not stated.

keep in mind that whatever you get off the internet new thru a website like Yo - you will eventually have to find a local music store with a guitar tech to bench-setup the thing properly ANYWAYS and sometimes its these repair-guys that have their thumb out on the pulse of what old guitars are out there and possibly hook you up with an original Kramer for sale.

For that reason I'd say, ask around locally first about what folks think about the reissue Kramers, and usually someone will have a strong opinion or advice about how to score something of equal or greater value and functionality. Cuz if they dont' play for shit its a waste ANYWAYS. And I assume you wanna play or learn to play anyways at least..

[Nitro Express]

The stupidest thing I ever did was trade in a well used Les Paul Custom that was a great sounding and playing guitar for a kramer Baretta in 1985. I never thought the guitar sounded or played that great. But I had to have it because Eddie endorsed Kramers.

Supposedly the Ernie Ball/Musicman neck and guitar setup was based on Eddie's 5150 Kramer. That Baretta I used to have wasn't even close in the playability dept. The MusicYo.com 1984 Eddie Van Halen Kramer copies might look like the original but might not play like the original. Who knows what you are getting.

You can even carefully choose high quality components and make it yourself but be dissapointed with the result. I took a tour of a violin making school a few years back and the guy giving us the tour said 1 out of 10 violins plays exceptional. The other 9 are just nice. He said you can put as much care into all 10 of them but one out of the lot is going to kick ass. I think guitars have the same quirks.

If you really want to play it, play before you buy.

Who knows, they might be great guitars but you won't know for yourself until you play one yourself.

[Panamark]

Pickup and amp.

[ashstralia]

i've been in a fortunate
position to play hundreds
of new and used guitars.

fenders, gibsons, ibanez,
prs's, eggles, flys, name
it, i've played one.

same with acoustics.
i played 48 matons
before i found MY one.

dr. maddvibe's story
is right. if the guy's
got it, he (or she)
will make a fence post
sound good.

and one other thing,
it's not about the guitar,
or the amp,
but the soooouuuund.

sounds good?
is good.

[Panamark]

Mainly agree, except for when you plug a mother fucking humming shit pickup into a 100watt head... Try as you might, still sounds like
shit. Unless you and your listeners can zone out the hum.

But I can plug a strat into one of those little battery powered
baby Marshalls and get a sound happening. So I do agree
with that concept.. (But there are exceptions)

[ashstralia]

of course, mark.
if your guitar is
noisy, or uncomfortable
to play, it takes the fun
away.

i just remember as a kid
gettin my first fuzzbox,
turnin up the old coronado,and........

YEEEEAH!
i was ace frehley.

[Panamark]

I was Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols

[DrMaddVibe]

LOL!

Steve Jones....snicker!

"Problems!"

[Brett]

I've heard the 1984 reissue Kramers are decent, some really like them. Personally I wouldn't have anything to do with that Music Yo shit, and I just think $700 for one of those, whether near the real thing or not is outrageous. I've purchased real 80's American Kramers and Pacers for less than half that, and they're far better guitars. Granted I have not played the '84 reissue however.

[ashstralia]

we've got an original
beretta(?) in the shop
at the moment.

pretty beat up,
but i'll restore it.

the thing weighs a
fucking ton, though!

[kentuckyklira]

Re: Whats more important, a great amp or a top of the line guitar?

Originally posted by manwiththedogs
A good amp can make a budget guitar sound good, but a cheap amp can be a real problem.
What do you guys think?

Dito,

today´s cheap guitars are usually pretty good, cheapo amps are still shit!

If it isn´t full of tubes and says Marshall then it´s just a rectangular thing that makes a noise!

[Brett]

Ash, it's probably a maple body. I have a couple '85 Pacer Imperials, and one is nice and light and the other one is fucking as heavy as hell. Feels like a freaking Les Paul.

[twonabomber]

Originally posted by Brett
I've purchased real 80's American Kramers and Pacers for less than half that, and they're far better guitars. Granted I have not played the '84 reissue however.

do enough digging and you'll find those gems. kids don't want old Kramers, they're happy with whatever (insert nu metal band name) plays on their videos.

i'd buy a used USA made guitar before i bought a new foreign one.

[Nitro Express]

My Baretta was heavy also. It sounded bright instead of the nice thick sound of a Les Paul. Maple could give it a bright sound but someone told me Kramer used a laminated wood for some of their bodies.

I tried to likethe guitar but at the end of the day, I hated the neck shape and the tone. What's funny is when I tried the Ernie/Ball Musicman EVH guitars when they first came out I loved them. The only thing I didn't like what the pickup switch placement. It's much better on the Axis.

[Brett]

Yep I have two EBMM's and I always knock the pickup switch off the bridge pickup when I'd move my right arm over to tap. The placement on the Wolfgang is much better.

Yep you can pick up old Pacers and Barettas on Ebay for $300-$350 normally. I've bought a couple, and I can play the shit out them and they sound great. I've got all the expensive guitars I need, I love finding those old Kramer gems the kiddies don't want.