My Kramer Pacer - All The Crazy Mods & Specs! - Dagan's Guitar Stories Episode #1

[@nj1255]

I'm not sure how you made me sit through a 26 min long video, talking about a single 5 year old guitar, without me losing interest. Well done! This is one of the best "my guitar" videos I've ever seen. And yes, that's truly a glorious guitar!

[@DaganWilkin]

Hahaha what a compliment 😂 cheers!

[@jamesmarkham7489]

I saw both cky and him in the early 2000’s. Great memories.

[@DaganWilkin]

🤘🤘

[@noeditbookreviews]

I did too. We were pretty big fans of them at the time too. It was awesome. We got to meet them after the show. I have somehow lost my signed Deron Miller pick since then.

[@BCG5150GUITARS]

I was thinking the same. CKY is awesome and HIM.

[@BCG5150GUITARS]

CKY & HIM sticks

[@jasonrogers7318]

Dagan is starting with his own thing. I look forward to your future videos. Hell yeah man! Cheers 🎉

[@posthard-coreshorts]

Cant wait for a video or short regarding that Mirror Tele! One bucker? Floyd rose? Too fun not to talk about!!

[@aliciafranco5704]

Yeah! I second that suggestion ❤ Dagan is sexy and talented 🤟🔥🤟🔥❤️

[@a-World-Of-Payne]

Dude, that Kramer is amazing and what an awesome collection of memories it holds. The single coil sound on the neck pickup sounds really nice as well.

[@willredelsheimer5919]

Huge fan of your content from the middle of the U.S. God I would love to just sit with you and jam and pick each other's brains some time. Alas for now at least you keep dropping gold like this. Much appreciated brother! 🤘

[@DaganWilkin]

That’s so much dude! Maybe one day 🤘

[@lawndart188s]

So stoked you have your own channel. Love from GA,USA

[@johnnyrasmussen9441]

The cool thing about the Kramer is that it is a natural relic looks cool as hell thank you 4 sharing the Kramer.

[@1148-w1d]

It's been a lousy day in the US. I needed this video. Thank you!

[@darthresch952]

This was a great kickoff for guitar stories. I love Kramer. I always wanted one as a kid and eventually had a couple. All my favorite players played them. I love hearing the history and changes made to people’s main axe. I can’t wait for more episodes in this new series!

[@DaganWilkin]

Cheers! 🙏🤘

[@98Audio]

LOVE this!! That is the COOLEST guitar!! The story of it's journey and your personal touches is killer and droppin sustaniac knowledge w/ Via tricks is the best!!

[@DaganWilkin]

Haha cheers mate! Yeah, the Vai tricks are always a lot of fun 😂

[@Pneuma78]

Love the fact that you made the pacer yours. Can’t wait for the next episode.

[@Naughtforeye]

Hell yeah, Dagan has his own channel!!! That is a fine example of an 80's rock machine I can get behind. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE aged White with matching headstock on a Strat styled guitar

[@Nathan.Hancock]

As a compulsive guitar fiddler myself I love everything about this! The history behind the paint job, the trem system, the electronics and the fact you slapped some nice tuners on it purely because you had them lying around! Amazing stuff and very inspiring Dagan. Would love to see the history of some of your older axes too!

[@marcomisia]

This guitar is so cool, Dagan! Really liked this video 🤘🏻

[@DaganWilkin]

Thanks!

[@frankiechan9651]

Now that is one guitar that has seen some serious "stuff". More and more for me, guitars are interesting for the stories they hold. It's great when someone can look at a scar and immediately tell you where and when it happened and why or why it is important. Or go over the history of various mods and why they may not be there anymore. I'm over case queens and am against artificially reliced guitars - I want to know where the gunk came from.

[@bigtmoneyd]

I've been playing the tiger striped one for about 5 years and it's my favorite. Nice guitar there

[@DaganWilkin]

Awesome! Yeah, I've always wanted one of those Tiger Stripe ones 👌

[@NShomebase]

Best kind of instrument, beyond brand and price. One with a history with its player.

[@DaganWilkin]

Absolutely 🤘

[@Grabenwie]

This guitar has been thru hell and back! Very nice story! Keep on the good work!

[@zintherv]

Thanks for the story time man. Love watching it. Stickers on the back are top tier.

[@DaganWilkin]

Cheers dude!

[@TheDeskChicken]

That was great, love tinkering and modding and watching others who do the same.

[@andrewpappas9311]

That Kramer looks absolutely gorgeous and sounds awesome, man, I would love to see a video on that Kramer Telecaster or the white Mick Mars Strat next to it at some point as well

[@oldskoolhero84]

Got an new subscriber in me. Great video

[@handyandy006]

Great to see a break down of your main guitar, always wondered which pickups you had in the Pacer. Can’t wait for the next one now🤘🏻 P.S I’ve still got that tele guitar from the Mustang PMT comp. Still makes me laugh you nearly vomming in the back of it trying to restring the guitar😂🤘🏻

[@DaganWilkin]

Hahaha! Brilliant, great to hear mate

[@OonaEskeli]

Very enjoyable vid, that guitar is amazing! Greetings from Finland 🇫🇮

[@s.t.0.p]

I'm looking forward to getting a Kramer Pacer for Christmas! It's the quentesential shred guitar in my eyes

[@rosskrause3926]

They are awesome guitars.

[@DaganWilkin]

Great choice! 🤘

[@moonlight11511]

While I don't own any as of now, you've opened my eyes to Kramers since all these videos I've seen you using or promoting them, so I think I'll look into buying one!

[@Jackie_Rosewood]

Love your guitar Dagan!!🎸🎸🎸 Can’t wait to hear more stories of your other guitars!!🎸🎸🎸🤘🏻🤘🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@DaganWilkin]

Thanks! 🤘

[@organicsin]

well done sir..looking forward to the next episode.

[@JordanSnow-r6m]

Great video man! You rock! It would be cool to see a video on your guitar/gear collection sometime

[@BillyE5150]

Sounds great man!

[@ChristopherMeinck]

This was such a great story. Your love for this guitar and how you’ve transformed it into your personal beast is so great. I’ve got the same guitar. Plays very good, but very generic in its current form. Interestingly, the headstock paint started coming off, like a giant decal. Maybe that’s a sign lol. Looking forward to more in this series. Rock on brother.

[@ereimul1444]

love this. keep it going. keep rocking.

[@DaganWilkin]

Thank you! Will do!

[@Hangmansjoke85]

Can't wait for the Pacer custom II video. Love the look of it and looking forward to hearing it's story and getting a closer look at it 🤘

[@DaganWilkin]

Thanks, I'm looking forward to chatting about it too!

[@spooks2611]

Loving the content from you! Ended up buying a Baretta due to one of your pmtv videos. Rock on Dagan!

[@DaganWilkin]

NICE! Yeah, I love a good Baretta

[@Lefty-Guitar-Enthusiast]

Grew up 10 minutes from the Kramer factory in Neptune NJ. A friend of ours worked there. That's how I acquired my left handed Pacer Custom II in 1990

[@DaganWilkin]

Very cool!

[@JoeR203]

Sustainers are fun. I have a Kramer Baretta that I got from MusicYo in the early 2000s for $400 and it has a sustainer in it.

[@ritzsoloz6110]

Amazing guitar !!! Love it so much!!! TQVM Dagan!

[@korgeth]

right on!

[@kamucho]

Killer run down! I actually had no idea how the sustainiac worked, fascinating

[@DaganWilkin]

It's a cool bit of kit, for sure!

[@teotvrdeic8260]

great playing, great guitar and great guy!

[@bedlam46]

So here is one for you, ... in 1986 or maybe 87, i saw a guiatr player cover "far beyond the sun" live .. he played a pacer .. OMFG! .. mind blown! it was only a few weeks after the album had hit the charts.. and a home town hero was ripping this shit.. i was 18! .. kramer become a name for me that day,, as that is what stefan played at bogeys rock club cardiff.. it changed my world..he will always be my true hero..

[@DaganWilkin]

Ah that’s awesome! 🤘

[@floydhalen78]

It`s an amazing video! The modification is absolutely incredible - such a great tribute to the legendary Kramer brand.

[@seancorker5815]

That’s cool mate. I’ve got a Pacer Custom 2 from 1985 I bought new at the time and It’s been my number 1 for 35 years. It’s stripped back to bare wood, had more pickup changes in then I can remember, FU tones Aluminium big block and drop Dtuner. My other Kramer is an original beak neck from the early 80’s. That’s got p90’s in it and rips!

[@DaganWilkin]

Very, VERY cool, mate! 🤩

[@silotwenty]

Lots of character in that Kramer, awesome sounds. Cheers!

[@DaganWilkin]

🤘🤘

[@yikelu]

I love the authentic relic look and the mods. As far as the neck heel, I've done that mod twice myself, using some of the F style contoured neck plates. Use the plate as a template, pencil in some lines, then go to work with a rasp, finish up with sandpaper to smooth it out. It's actually incredibly controllable and the transition line comes out pretty dang smooth; I didn't even paint it over it in one case.

[@DaganWilkin]

Awesome, thanks for the advice!

[@jamesnorton7601]

Dagan you may be the only person that can make a Blackstar sound good. The guitar is personal and lovely mate. Rock On!

[@DaganWilkin]

What?! Blackstar make INCREDIBLE amps mate, with an amazing roster of artists.

[@lazrbeam117]

The viva LA bam days revised with those cky and him stickers

[@DaganWilkin]

🤘🤘

[@pablodacostaguitar2410]

great guitar and great video dude really enjoyed congrats 🤟🤟🤟

[@DaganWilkin]

Thank you Pablo, mate! 🙏🤘

[@Flukey_1970]

Awesome mate looking forward to more stories and love your sphinx cat 🤘

[@DaganWilkin]

Haha, cheers!

[@SB-kw6oo]

Happy Sunday dude, loved the series and you should do car stuff too 😎

[@DaganWilkin]

Thanks! That's the plan! 👀 🤘

[@Kevin-metal]

Loven it mate😅

[@charrelhalekor2613]

I really enjoyed that. 🤟🏻

[@DaganWilkin]

Glad to hear it! 🤘

[@connorreynolds7251]

Dagan needs a signature guitar series

[@DaganWilkin]

Maybes one day!

[@krishyde3512]

your bridge pickup sounds like a les paul on steroids the best bridge pickup ive ever herd

[@DaganWilkin]

Hell yeah! Schecter make some amazing pickups

[@jamesr_whiterock_ocmd_3629]

We need a degan signature pacer!!

[@brooksrownd2275]

Great subject for a video! Hope to see the videos on the vintage ones sometime soon. ;)

[@DaganWilkin]

Coming soon! 🎥

[@banced1]

I have an 85 Striker 200st. It was my second guitar. i got it new. Still have the leather gig bag. It has a 3 way and 2 humbuckers as opposed to all the other ones I've owned or seen. They are all HSS. I've seen 100st with a single humbucker and a 300st with 3 single coils. The Floyd doesn't have locking capabilities but it does say "Original Floyd Rose". There is a locking nut. The strings tend to slip back and snap upon release if you dive too deep. It seems like a Pacer without the name. Still love playing it, among all the others I've collected since.

[@DaganWilkin]

Oh wow, that’s super interesting! Sounds like quite the Kramer 🤘

[@Dad-Gad]

Love the Clockwork Orange sticker 👍

[@atealime]

Hell yeah, CKY rules

[@DaganWilkin]

🤘🤘🤘

[@fly5150.]

Dude this guitar is beyond awesome and unique. Inspired me to get more into crazy mods with my Baretta. Rock on!

[@DaganWilkin]

Awesome to hear! Amazing guitars out the box, but it’s always fun to modify them 🤘

[@DrMurdercock]

CKY sticker adds 100 points. CKY had and still has, some of the wildest, most creative weird and some times insane to play riffs. Some of Derrons riffs, just twist my brain up and leave me feeling abused when I try to play them

[@KnapfordMaster98]

I feel you with the gloss neck preference! They just feel nice.

[@Jayhawk720]

Awesome guitar Dagan. Sounds amazing and looks great. I totally get that way of messing with guitars. I did it with my Strat and it just makes it a bit more special and fun to do. Love the videos and the channel.👍😎🎸

[@mister_syre]

Congrats on the first episode! You really made me considering buying a guitar with a Sustainiac. I always looked at OEMs but I might just buy the pick-up and install it on my current guitar.

[@rosskrause3926]

I have had several early Kramers from the 80's as in 2 Barettas..then I got 1 of the newer Barettas and loved it and only swapped in the push in tremelo bar and Gotoh tuners.. and about a year ago I got one of the newer Vintage Pacers with the Orange Tiger striped guitars and loved it too and swapped the tuning keys..a push in bar and put in a SD Black Winters bridge pickup..both excellent guitars. so nice to see this video with the changes.

[@DaganWilkin]

Awesome collection & mods 👌

[@rosskrause3926]

@@DaganWilkin I had to sell both but will be getting more soon..both of the newer Kramers had excellent necks..especially the Pacer Vintage.

[@bluematrix5001]

that video of how to shave the heel would be great

[@impega624]

Awesome guitar man! Can’t wait for more of this series. Whilst I’m here, what do you think of the Jackson soloists? I’m thinking getting a slx dx

[@DaganWilkin]

Thanks! 🤘 Yeah, Soloists are killer guitars. The SLX DX’s are great options too.

[@Irving_Lara]

Man love that guitar!!!

[@The..Butterfly..Effect]

I had to click because I saw a beauty

[@adiohead]

I love it! I'd like to get the Jersey Star model as I have a Richie Sambora USA Strat already. You didn't mention the trem stopper in the back cavity (unless I missed it).

[@DaganWilkin]

Oh yeah! Sorry, I never use it - hence my lack of acknowledgement 😂 Love the Sambora Strat too, definitely worth checking out the Jersey Star! ⚡️

[@bluematrix5001]

I think the Config and sound of this Gtr is perfect for Rock and hard Rock! plus I love maple necks, are more playful top me

[@Slippers]

That is one crazy guitar, what an evolution! Would love to go full EVH on a strat someday and customise the heck out of it just for fun.

[@DaganWilkin]

Hell yeah! Well, the Frankenstrat in the background is one I made when I was 16, so I guess I’ve already done it! 😂 But yeah, I’d definitely love to have a Strat to do my own thing with!

[@Ricky-Jones-1979]

It has a life of it's own!!! I love it & myself who's no1 guitar is a Fender Stratocaster which has had more necks than I can remember & everything else plus a Floyd Rose mk1 with no fine tuners (Brad Gillis is a hero but the late Gary Moore during his Rock period is my fave!!!!!!) & a brass nut & Gotoh lockin tuners (hight compensation) & it NEVER lets me down!!!!! The pickups are Bare Knuckle VH2 bridge, Sultain middle & a Sustainiac !!!!! I ALWAYS return too this guitar although I have various Haynes, Suhr & Charvel's but my beat up pile of rubbish as my band mates call it sounds like nothing else & I love it!!!!!!

[@DaganWilkin]

Sounds like one hell of a guitar, mate! I love a good MK1 Floyd too, also because of Brad Gillis!

[@walkdontrunplz]

First time I've heard of somebody swapping out name brand pickups for something like a "stock" pickup from a guitar manufacturer. Sounds amazing though, the amount of work that was put into that Pacer is nuts too

[@DaganWilkin]

Cheers! It’s not a stock pickup though, Schecter make fancy custom pickups in their own right, some of which you might not even find in a stock Schecter guitar!

[@martinclayton7260]

It's a lot like my MIJ Jackson dinky fusion. I have a Bare Knuckle Ragnarok in the bridge, and a Fernandez sustainer in the neck. It also has a detuner on the Floyd. It sounds fantastic, and it also has stickers all over it.

[@DaganWilkin]

Awesome mods, on an awesome guitar 🤌

[@OwenBelcher_08]

I love this guitar

[@DaganWilkin]

Me too 🖤

[@Joeytheblonde1327]

This video made me want a pacer in the worst way….so I bought one lol

[@A-a-Ron008]

Loved the Kramer, would love to see a vid on your homemade Frankenstrat 🤘

[@johnfinlay4963]

Love my old Kramers . My 84 Kramer Pacer is a beast . Best playing guitars ever . Original Floyds nothing better . Put EMG 81’s in them . 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@coeycruz]

I absolutely love Kramer guitars, and this one is more than amazing! 😃🤘

[@GabrielSkolderblad]

That cream/brown color combination reminds me of noctua fans that's very popular with computer geaks.

[@DaganWilkin]

I don't know what that is, but after a quick Google search I agree! haha

[@joyboricua3721]

Sounds spot on

[@johnnyrasmussen9441]

Yes i want too see the mirror tele as well.

[@anthonymcgill8035]

Cool video, man…been wanting to grab one of those Pacers for a while now.

[@danielmckim6238]

Happy to hear you’re engaged

[@DaganWilkin]

Thanks! 🤘

[@c.h.fieldsports9876]

Awesome stuff ,, that sustainer is brilliant, I never knew they even existed 😂, straight into eBay to look for that ,, now, where’s my chisel 😂,, 👍👍🤠🎸

[@DaganWilkin]

😂😂 Have fun!

[@c.h.fieldsports9876]

@ 👍👍🤠🎸

[@TheTopGun920]

CKY 🤘

[@DaganWilkin]

🤘🤘🤘

[@jmtbuilds175]

Kramer has a new 84 model with two humbuckers, a 3 way switch and two additional switches to split the coils. I pre-ordered it Saturday.

[@DaganWilkin]

Not that I’ve seen? Where did you find it?

[@rustygill]

I do need to get myself a Kramer!

[@DaganWilkin]

Aye rights lad!

[@jaime.27.CBR.]

At the final minutes of the video ... you can see he has a relic cat too hahahhaa 😂

[@The_Rodge]

I think I had intended to leave a comment in some prior video asking about this guitar, so this works out!

[@DaganWilkin]

Haha excellent 🤌

[@johnconnor6706]

I know I've said this before in another video, but you basically modded your guitar to what mine comes stock - the Schecter DJ Ashba signature. I also had the Floyd upgraded from FU-Tone. It also has an angled heel joint. I have the satin white one with black racing stripes, but I like it so much I want to get the gloss quilt maple with black stripes one. It has the pickup selector in the same position (just like the Nuno model), neck Sustainiac, bridge EMG 81, killswitch, single volume, top-mounted Floyd 1500 with push-in arm (again, I had upgraded with D-Tuna, brass block, noiseless springs, titanium block inserts, etc). It also has a cool 2 over 4 reversed headstock that allows straight string travel through the nut to the tuning pegs. And if you don't like the "birds on a wire" fret inlays, you can always get Neck Illusions fret "stickers" to easily make whatever design you want. It would make modding a guitar way easier to what you want as it's already set up 90% of the way you want it. Just a thought. Cheers! Love your videos!

[@DaganWilkin]

Yeah, I love the Schecter Ashba guitars, and Ashba in general! I definitely need one at some point. But, for me it’s more fun to mod things myself!

[@scottdunn2178]

In late 1984 I got my first "real" guitar - a black Kramer Pacer Carrera with a Floyd Rose and Schaller pickups. As cool as it was... I really wanted a Jackson 😅

[@DaganWilkin]

Ahhh what I’d give for an original Pacer Carrera these days!

[@scottdunn2178]

@DaganWilkin They're rare... and it's hard to find one that isn't beat up.

[@anthonymiller3970]

I have the same guitar but a 2014 model with a non painted headstock. I put an original gold Floyd Rose on mine. Gold tuners and a brass tremolo block. I still have the stock pickups in mine. I don’t play it much only because it’s heavy. I play a Squier Standard Stratocaster that I modded over the years that fits my hand better than the Pacer. The Pacer has a very skinny neck. I loved it when I first got it but I find it’s harder to fret bar chords with compared to other guitars I own. Nice axe 👍🏻

[@DaganWilkin]

Thanks! This later one doesn’t really have a thin neck, it’s kinda similar to a Fender modern C, I reckon? Great mods though!

[@mastergelo_rg550rfr]

Cool video :) hope to also hear about that HSS natural wood finish superstrat :)

[@DaganWilkin]

Yep! I’ll be shooting that soon. It’s my lovely 1987 Kramer Pacer Custom II

[@adrianj3198]

Phil Collen from Def Leppard also has a sustainer in his guitars, although not the Sustainiac brand

[@DaganWilkin]

He does indeed, it’s one made by Hard Driver.

[@dixee6498]

Dagan! I didn't know you had your own channel. Why didn't you tell me? Always like your lively and upbeat reviews. Subscribed.

[@waynebridger4998]

Kramer is a guitar brand I’ve always liked, due to the Richie Sambora “jersey star” model. I’ve not owned any, as of yet. I’m waiting til I find the one for me

[@1jm.]

when you sit on the couch i cant tell if the couch is really small or your just tall😂jealous of the guitar tho

[@DaganWilkin]

Haha! I'm very tall