Kramer Focus VT211S Super Strat Must Do Mods

The Kramer Focus VT211S is Kramer's entry level electric guitar which follows after the Fender Stratocaster. It sports a C shaped neck, 9" radius neck, 21 frets and a 25.5" Scale. It's an HSS pickup 5 position setup. Most have been reported with fret sprout but with a little work these guitars are very special. In this video a talk about a couple MUST HAVE's and a very nice BONUS. If you like this video please like and subscribe.
Where to buy the Trem Block for MIM Fender Stratocaster: www.ebay.com/i...
Where to buy the Trem Block for PRS Guitars or guitars with PRS/PRS Style bridges
Coming Soon on Ebay

[@Humblee115]

I’m moving in with my uncle in July. He has a Kramer Focus VT211s. I’ve played it once and it was awesome. I got a job in September to save up for a guitar but I’m just gonna use his because he doesn’t use it much, after 4 months of him having it he can play smoke on the water and seven nation army. I’ve been playing an acoustic guitar which is great. I learnt many songs that wouldn’t be as good on an electric guitar like the last of us theme, but I’m more passionate about electric guitar songs like Money City Maniacs and Dani California. I’m definitely gonna get a new amp when I move in, D E F I N I T E L Y. Even though I’ll be changing schools and I won’t know where to go in the new area, I think I’ll be fine because of the Kramer, one of the few highlights of moving. Thanks for the video!

[@tremdoctor007]

Glad you enjoyed, if you want more superstrat videos please subscribe as more are to come. The tuners on the VT211 S need to go, which means drilling out the holes but it’s easy and worth it. The tuners are the most glaring weakness, the rest is pretty good. Enjoy your new home.

[@Beauyuhkfer]

I went to the ebay store. I would like to purchase everything for the bridge trem you have available. You have the most in depth vid on mods for this guitar.

[@tremdoctor007]

@@Beauyuhkfer why thank you, many more videos to come. I have a beautiful Mexi Strat I converted to an HSS, dual volume pot and a single tone. Has my locking brass block and stays in perfect tune. I sold out of the PRS blocks which fits PRS band Musiclily PRS bridges. Just have about a half dozen Mexi Strat blocks at this time. The output jack Ferrill on any guitars but American Strats put the jack cable out at a bad angle which interferes with the tremolo bridge arm. I’ve purchased a couple of the American Strat “Boat” ferrules and will be demonstrating this including the Fender part number. An important mod that is useful and cheap

[@tremdoctor007]

@@Beauyuhkfer did you find the PRS screws? That’s a great mod.

[@Beauyuhkfer]

@tremdoctor007 no I did not find them yet. I received the 5 way switch and 5k pots. Copper taping the body now, meanwhile, waiting on a custom pickguard

[@Beauyuhkfer]

@tremdoctor007 I saw reverb has a '15 Kramer trem for that and only one left or just get og from Floyd Rose if possible

[@tremdoctor007]

@@Beauyuhkfer honestly if you are going to spend money on a bridge the PRS bridges made by Musiclily are outstanding. They are very well made and smooth as butter and they have a push in trem arm. Yes you can make the stock ones work pretty well but the package deal with the PRS is incredible. And it’s 6 screws so no modification to the body at all. Though I did route the cut for the block to give deeper dive.

[@goder18]

Looks like magic for me :) I can't imagine how fine adjusted everything should be, so it will not go out of tune when you tightening "floating" locking nut and bridge locks.

[@tremdoctor007]

The bridge is locked first just to control the ball ends, the floating Floyd nut is tricky, the order of which screws are tightened first and how much…. First snug, then repeat. Wish I could say it’s perfect but it’s not. But once set it does a great job locking the strings together do they keep each other in tune.

[@goder18]

So, that prove the need for fine tuners: either at the nut (like NutBuster) or at the bridge (like Floyd or similar)@@tremdoctor007

[@goder18]

Your video made me think hard about whether idea of precise string lock or locking nut has already been implemented by someone? The only result that I get is cam lever Bill Edwards Locking Nut. Surprisingly, there are no videos about this on KZbin, although they are still for sale on the official website. Have you heard anything about this invention and its application? Moreover, there is a very complicated copyright story associated with it, which involves such well-known brands as Kramer, Kahler, Schaller and Floyd Rose.

[@tremdoctor007]

There is a floating string locking device called the nut buster which has micro-tuners. It’s big and it’s expensive but it works. The Bill Edwards cam locks are cool for tool-less string locking but not sure how they’d work floating

[@goder18]

@@tremdoctor007 Yes, it's a fixed installation, but allows both ways - as a Floyd Rose locking nut replace/upgrade or behind the nut, similar to Kahler string lock for Gibson. I'd be interested in "behind the nut" solution as it is less invasive, but the price for shipment to EU stops me from this venture :) I'm just wondering, why it's not been reviewed by anyone if it claims to keep in tune without microtuners? And yes, NutBuster is a very good solution if it will not cost that much ;)

[@tremdoctor007]

@@goder18 I posted this video because I tried it myself and had never seen anyone else try it. Micro-tuners aren’t necessary to keep the guitar in tune, locking the strings together is. Frankly installing the Floyd nut is the best solution, even through its more intrusive. Floyd Roses in US Dollars is generally around $35 so it’s a cheap experiment and you’ve got the nut for future use permanently mounted. I tune the guitar carefully and make sure the clamping caps are pushing the string down so tightening them won’t change the pitch. It takes a bit of finesse but it does work, maybe not perfectly for a studio recording but good enough for a live gig to keep someone’s precious Stratocaster in tune. I will be posting a video of my precious Seafoam green Player Strat soon which stays in tune quite nicely with the floating Floyd. It’s a whole lot less expensive than a Nut Buster. My Stratocaster, in fact all my Strat style guitars including anotherKramer Focus and Squier both have PRS style bridges with locking blocks and permanently mounted Floyd nuts. The locking nut screwed to the neck kinda necessitates the locking bridge because one end no longer relieves the string tension so the bridge side string balls can move in the holes in the block enough to lose tune. Those blocks are for sale on eBay.

[@goder18]

Regarding bridge locks itself, it looks like a very smart solution! I've had an idea to make micro (or even full range) tuners by using the holes in the trem block: drill oval holes, similar to what you done for the locks, but all the way through the block, hex machine bolt (most probably M3) as long as the trem block height, and sliding cradle in oval shape (matching the hole in trem block) with two holes: one threaded to match tuning (machine) bolt and another one to hold the string ball. Actually, It is a same design as most headless tuners, but all hidden inside the block and access to tune from the back. Not very convinient, but suppose to fit almost any strat-type tremo. Do you think it's doable? ))

[@tremdoctor007]

Everything is doable with enough planning and trial and error. The blocks are underutilized for sure. Go Yoh makes a bridge with locking saddles which are pretty cool. From what I’ve seen only Wilkinson makes locking saddles. I have designs but haven’t made them yet. For my design I think locking the strings at the block with micro-tuning saddles is the combo. Sometimes an idea 💡just hits you, strike while the iron is hot. Need a vise, saw, drill bits and a nearby hardware store, that’s how I do it. Often the prototypes are pretty crude but it’s the concept that needs to be proven, over and over. I always had access to really good machinists who would make anything I drew up.

[@goder18]

Unfortunately, I don't have possibility to set up a work bench at home and have no access to good machinist. Most probably I'll try to learn a CAD program and will play with 3D models to prove design idea. @@tremdoctor007

[@tremdoctor007]

Does it bother anybody else when their TREM arm hangs up on the output jack?

[@wiracendekia]

is that fit well with stratocaster standart fitment pickguard? i want to change it but i dont want to take risk, buy it and make new holes

[@davespin9034]

Yes it fits standard pickguards, and 6 or 2 point Fender / Fender Style Bridges.

[@jasonh2254]

If i just wana keep the bridge on the deck and whammy will it stay in tune without doin the pilot bit prs screws. just getting the floyd locking nut. i do wanna try your string tree posts i put graph tech string trees on mine i got 5 focus guitars set up with gfs stuff sounds decent but itll knock out a little here and there on the main 3 im using right now. I have a tremonti prs se with the trem.i could swap but the block is steel i like the brass better for what im playing.

[@tremdoctor007]

I recently completely modded out this guitar • painted a white striped pattern similar to EVH’s first guitar • Routed the body for deeper dives • installed a 2 point Trem by Wilkinson Swapped out the pickguard for a single Humbucker, SD Black Winter P/U • Installed a Trem-Endus to stabilize the bridge • installed my locking block on the bridge • Jim Duncan pot Verdict, looks cool and plays awesome and stays in tune. No Floyd Rose nut. I experimented multiple times with just having the Floyd locking nut. I found it still went out of tune. The thing is once you lock down the strings at the nut, with deep dives the ball of the string can shift around or strings hang up a bit on the saddles. I’m certainly a fan of Floyd Nuts, most of my guitars use them. Give it a try and see how it works. The PRS screws work without sharpening the knife edges, they help center the bridge and the fulcrum is much more buttery. The stock screws tend to drag, the bridge slides up and down on them. Best first mod by far are the PRS screws. All bridges have countersunk holes just not knife sharp edges. PRS bridges do.

[@jasonh2254]

@@tremdoctor007 thanks for the reply I will def pick up the prs screws give that a go I just get a little out I'm using gotoh machine heads the stay tight ones I really look forward to utilizing those screws I might notch the saddles see if that helps mine are like old school fender ones I've got the ducan custom in mine bournes pots.i have used heat shrink tubing on the lower ones at the saddle no string breakage and seemed to help it stay in tune but the high e b g always go south

[@tremdoctor007]

@@jasonh2254 you are welcome. There are cool inexpensive roller saddles that actually roll but also keep the strings aligned on eBay. I sell the PRS screws if you can’t find them on eBay. I discovered the PRS screws a couple years ago, a must for 6 hole tremolos. The stock stamped fender saddles are absolutely the WORST. Melt them down and make sporks out of them 🤣

[@Leon-ry5ou]

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