Kramer Nightswan History: PART 1

The Kramer Nightswan was Vivian Campbell's signature guitar from 1987-1990. Vivian is most famous for playing in Dio, Whitesnake, and Def Leppard. This is the guitar he used in the video "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake, and is one of Kramer's more popular models.
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[@joachimlindback]

I bought Nightswan in 1989. Love the combo of a R1 nut, 24 frets and 24 3/4 scale length. The Full Shred pickup is great.

[@charlesb7831]

I've had my Kramer Nightswan since new back in 1989-90. Still have it. Nothing else plays like it, it the Aztec model. Just love the neck! It's a shred monster. It's not for anyone that has sausage fingers, but it has tone! Beautiful guitar. Great video!

[@SoundsofTime]

FYI: The proper pronunciation of Campbell is more like "Campbull" - I work with a Campbell pronounced the other way, so please forgive me as it's forever cemented on youtube.

[@kevinadams1822]

Great job brother.

[@visionop8]

I have an 87 Nightswan (Im not the original owner, I was 6 when it was made) and nothing else plays like this thing! It originally had a lightning finish and these were problematic and it faded so the original owner removed the paint and gave it a tung oil finish. I have to say I really like it this way! It's beautiful. Has original SD Full-Shred and JB pickups and the Floyd rose in it is 33 years old and still works like new. I have quite a few guitars but this one is and always will be my favorite. The neck is magic and the body shape is killer. I love it!

[@banditdarval9401]

Why even have it without one of the original finishes. Ridiculous

[@tylerconley7739]

@@banditdarval9401 because its a good playing guitar probably......

[@Lunesta_XCIII]

got a picture of it ?

[@jumbowolfe84]

Thanks for the VK shout out brother!

[@BonJovi1987Fan]

I have a 2020 reissue of the Kramer Jersey Star in Alpine White because of Richie Sambora.

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Love these guitars because of the scale length and looks. Might have to get one of the new Gibson models..

[@angusorvid8840]

My favorite thing about this guitar is the Full Shred that came in the bridge of the original '87 model. After trying a Nightswan at a Guitar Center in Los Angeles I was so impressed with that pickup that I bought one at a small shop and ordered five more Full Shreds. I wound up installing Full Shreds in my main guitars, including my Kramer Baretta and a Charvel Holdsworth model. A very high clarity, high performance pickup. Blows most DiMarzios out of the water. I always called it Duncan's DiMarzio. It has hex poles, so it has what most players think of as a DiMarzio look, but they really do make it a hyper sensitive pickup and add tremendous clarity with high gain. Great sustain also, and they coil split very well. I always pair them with a Jazz in the neck, which is my favorite neck pup of all time. Kramer made very solid guitars till about '88. Then their quality took a serious nosedive.

[@mhayes848]

Camp bell

[@PsychoCidWS6]

The weird pronunciation really makes me go :/ But otherwise it's great to document this stuff

[@angusorvid8840]

Ha Ha! Spandex buckle rash! Yeah, he dressed very 80s on stage. I played the L.A. club scene in the 80s and I would move my belt buckle so as NOT to give my guitars buckle rash. I never made it to the professional level so my guitars got a lot less wear and tear.

[@originaftermath720]

Great Video One thing to add is that to my knowledge the compound radi fretboard was developed by grover jackson and his team.

[@eddiejr540]

Holy crap!!!!.....is there anything that grundge music did not ruin.-!!!.....great vid my brother!!!!

[@ellisonlowrimore7751]

Agreed!

[@jacksonmarshallkramer5087]

Cam bell? Maybe Cam bull. Try that. Put the emphasis on Cam and bull is softer. Everyone knows how to say Campbell. Like the soup company.

[@EricCPOP]

Really want this as my next guitar. Love the black version with the mint green Polka dots. Prefer it over the original sky blue body.

[@bigtorrisi]

Anyone remember the Tokai VC75 (I have two BTW). Its a great guitar based on the Rand guitar.

[@stringking24]

Cam bell wtf!

[@eliassuhonen7812]

The Crackle swan and the relic swan are the same guitar except the neck :)

[@SoundsofTime]

I have also heard this. The original neck was a Warmoth with standard dots. Later, a Kramer neck with diagonal dot inlays was put on.

[@jacksonmarshallkramer5087]

Hate the pointy Richie Sambora headstock and the huge logo. The short hockey stick headstock from the Baretta would be so much cooler. Upside down, of course.

[@MetalMan73100]

I bought my Nightswan in December of 1991, basically at half price due to Kramer going bust the year before that. A truly great guitar, but with two features not to my liking. One is the placement of the pickups. Prioritising a middle pickup over a neck pickup is a baffling decision. Just awful. The second minus is the way too small frets, but that can be amended with a fairly simply though pricey modification by replacing the original frets with bigger ones.

[@negative2974]

Jesus...hard video to listen to

[@philfrank5601]

Who's Vivian camBELLLLL😂

[@stringking24]

i"ll check back when you learn how pronounce names

[@tomdaniels3392]

the new Kramers SUCK!!!!!!! many many QC issues, things have not changed , same issues that put them out of business are still there. Extremely inconsistent build quality on the Kramers built by Gibson( imagine that). It is the blind leading the blind. STAY WAY FROM THE NEW KRAMERS!!!!!

[@Angelo-fo8de]

You have valid points with QC. Otherwise the new Kramer spank the old ones ! One main reason is the bushings in the Floyd Rose ! Most older Kramers need a lot of work in this area.

[@Havanacuba1985]

I’ve had two of the new ones the Pacer Vintage Tiger & the 84 black/red bullseye both were excellent with great necks ,pickups & floyd rose . I’m hoping to get one of the new nightswans soon

[@paulkreeft2091]

You’re pronouncing Vivian wrong, it’s pronounced Vyvian Cam- bell