Who SOLD more guitars than FENDER & GIBSON in 1987? KRAMER! NightSwan Aztec Unboxing, Demo & Review

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#thetoneking #KramerGuitars #nightswan

[@BigMateo24]

I wanted to like the Nightswan so bad. I ordered it as soon as they debuted at the Namm show, but for whatever reason, overseas shipments of Kramers were delayed for almost a year. When I finally got it I was severely underwhelmed to say the least. The electronics had bad solder joints which I had to repair. I should have sent it back, but at the time supplies were still limited. I tried but could not bond with the guitar. I traded it to a friend for a Jackson soloist, much much happier with the Jackson. Not going to buy a Kramer again.

[@MyLifEcademy-sr4hy]

What hit harder was Vivian had Buddy Blaze do the lightning bolts...later Dimebag Darrell got some lightning bolts too!!!

[@angusorvid8840]

I had that issue of Guitar for the Practicing Musician. I remember 1987 like it was just yesterday, thirteen and shredding away on my Kramer Baretta for hours a day, driving my crappy Ross solid state with an even worse solid-state Peavey and a Boss Turbo Overdrive. Good times!

[@srincident]

I bought Snake Sabo model. Loved it as it, but upgraded the pick up with a Super Distortion and some hardware from FU-Tone. I have an absolute 80s machine, now.

[@jaredray7001]

I saved up for the Kramer Jersey Star and the second I saw the Nightswan I flipped my script. I love EVERYTHING about it. If I was to custom order a Kramer it would be the Nightswan! EXCEPT for the double JB pickup set, never will understand it, especially when their a bridge and middle sitting right on top of one another. Might as well have either a) saved their selves some money and made it a one pickup model or b) do what I did and made the middle a Seymour Duncan Jazz.

[@charlesb7831]

I still have my original 1989 Kramer Nightswan Aztec, I still have the bill of sale and everything. I absolutely love it still. The fretboard has been recrowned 3 times lol. I can honestly say I was let down with the rereleased version. My original has the R1 nut and the rereleased has an R2. The biggest thing I love about the original is the R1 neck, unbelievably fast! I pulled my Seymour Duncan fullshred out (still have it) , and installed a Seymour Duncan heavy metal Live wire pick up with the original JB. It's an absolute shred monster and does mild to wild all in one. I also installed Fu-tone Brass big block and Titanium saddle blocks and screws on it and it's just amazing! I also have that Kramer Dave Sabo signature model with Fu-tone parts , just incredible guitar. I really wish they had kept the original specs on the Nightswan, it's actually what stopped me from buying one, just that model though, I love the rest of the Kramer's. So much so that I'm looking at getting the SM1 series! There are several interviews with Vivian Campbell saying that he was usually using the hand made Buddy Blade shredder guitars almost all the time. Blaze actually released with Vivian an anniversary model a few years ago now. It came with a certificate from the 2 of them and was about 5K for it. Fantastic episode, Cheers!

[@maxmustardman298]

I heard even the body was a tad smaller than the usual strat dimensions, a bit like the dinky thing in the 80s

[@charlesb7831]

@@maxmustardman298 the original body is what they called a 7/8th body. So the original is a downsized body. The 2 thing's that were selling points to me buying it, was the downsized body and the really fast R1 nut on the neck, incredibly inspiring guitar to play and motivate me. The Fretboard is absolutely effortless!

[@vincealv3567]

my all time fave is a USA Jackson SL1 ....a little pricy , but pure bliss !!!....anyone else love Jackson?

[@mikejohnson5375]

Kramer has done an amazing job bringing these guitars back . Best bang for the buck . I really enjoyed this episode.

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

If you included Canada and checked on North American guitar sales Godin in Quebec on average for the last 30 years would be the #1 in sales. They have been making guitars in a northern Quebec forest in a town that for over 100 years only had a sawmill. Every employee 'knows' wood. It is a family run business. They ship guitars in parts to the U.S. and Berlin Germany to be assembled thus eliminating duties. Small blemishes that are expected on a $2000 Gibson make a Godin a factory second. They are obsessed with quality. In Europe they have a Fender, Gibson status as a serious pro guitar. In the last few years that Kramer made guitars in the U.S. they were only assembled in the U.S. they were made by Godin. If Gibson were smart they would go back to this arrangement. For very little extra bucks every guitar would be killer!!!

[@countzero5150]

Kramer has become my favorite current brand. I appreciate that they are doing all the retro designs. I've picked up a baretta vintage, two gunstar voyagers, a voyager fr, and the Snake Sabo baretta. I've been on the fence with the nightswan and the jersey star.

[@wills8705]

The Kramers from the 80s were great guitars. I have 2 USA made and 3 Japanese (ESP) made. These are virtually the same exact instruments except 1 was assembled in the US and with better PUPs. I have 2 of the reissied Kramers (Baretta and the 84). The quality control is complete junk. Out of the box both of these guitars aren't worth half the sticker price. I had to level several frets and file every fret end on both of these. They weren't intonated and the floyds were no where near level. The tuners are pure garbage and you should never have to install new tuners are a brand new $800+ guitar. QC is so bad that they installed the longer bolt for the D'tuna on both and I had to remove and put the correct bolt it. For the going prices, you're better off buying a MiM Charvel, guys.

[@TravisHaynes-z1s]

1987 ? I would have said Ibanez or Charvel but not Kramer .... well , I suppose EVH guitar being part Kramer helped.

[@95Sn95]

I always wondered why more metal guitarist didn't use BC Rich, ever since when I was 14 or so in 87/88 I was born in 73 I laid my eyes on a pimped out Warlock maybe a New Jersey special? White gold tone hardware, Active pickups Floyd rose I have been in love with BC Rich especially warlocks. Around my early 40s I did a bunch of research and thought about buying a entry level warlock then online I see 2 Korean warlock Shadow Pro X's... I had to have it I didn't care if I had to have a fire sale to buy it. So looking at the add from a shop like back street guitars or music or something like that in NYC had 2 one for $600 one for $700 so I called and asked if one was b stock or something well guy said no hold on I'll look up our add well apparently it was a typo and he said he would honor the $600 price so I took the saved $100 and bought a sweet a real BC RICH hard case for warlock. That is such an awesome guitar all mahogany hardtail body and neck, neck thru, gold tone hardware (I loved so much) emg 81/60 pickups, that matte black paint on body and neck it is one of the sexiest guitars I've ever seen and it sounds evil and notes will sustain for a fortnight! It's so easy to play and the neck profile is sooooo nice. At the time I see one of the guitarists from the group "in flames" played one, his just had gold chrome pickup covers added to it.

[@BrianSGuitars]

I just got the new Kramer SM-1H in Shockwave Purple! Super playability right out of the box! Sounds great with the JB! Killer!

[@spaceavenger54]

I have yet to see any video reviews of this guitar where that middle pickup sounds good at all . Just my personal opinion.

[@petemcgregor9774]

Those little Beretta's etc for the price, same little rockin guitars.

[@allenbrown3688]

I am 73, caravan !! guitars country and western

[@markrosenquist8259]

I would have thought Charvel. ESP is very popular nowadays.

[@petemcgregor9774]

Hey Maw adjust the volume please. 😃

[@AQMusic10]

Love the new guitar! Kramer really knocked it out of the park with that model. It’s great when a new guitar can take you back to a certain time frame and reignite the magic of what got us into guitars and music. Get well soon Dusty 🤘🏽🎸

[@nefariouspreludev2.046]

It doesn't look perfect to me

[@zaz4667]

TK - you said the specs read "medium jumbo" from the literature included with the Kramer. Can you confirm that? Do you have dial calipers to do a measurement on height and width? Or can you compare with a known guitar with medium jumbos? I wanted a black nightswan if they had medium jumbos but the Kramer website and all the online music websites conflicted about the fret size. Some said mediums and some just say Jumbos. I emailed Kramer and pointed this out but they never got back to me after the initial response. They said they would email the factory.

[@ThePreciousguitar87]

Eddie Van Halen, Richie Sambora, Vivian Campbell, Mick Mars, even Andy Timmons were playing Kramer Guitars and lots of other!🤘

[@rbilleaud]

Great guitars back in the day, and not outrageously expensive. Not sure what they're like today. My first real guitar came down to a choice between Kramer and B.C. Rich. Ultimately chose the B.C. Rich, but I'm sure I would have been just as happy with the Kramer.

[@synthinator375]

Great channel !

[@maxmustardman298]

Yeah kramer had a headstart on the trending brands at the time, I think you couldnt even get a charvel or jackson from a store shelve until 87 or so, before that it was all custom order

[@ryant3600]

I have the Aztec, got it from ZZ Sounds and out of my 20 guitars, it is perfect. Came out of the box perfect, perfectly set up, intonated and it was indeed tuned in E standard. . Sounds amazing, feels amazing, looks amazing.. It's a great guitar... So far all my "gibson" imports have been outstanding... Hey I was born in 73'. And yes, in the 80's the big three for me were: Jackson, Charvel & Kramers. However by 87 /88 Ibanez was my #1 brand. I bought this because in high school I had Vivians ad from the magazines holding this guitar barefoot we all know the one.. Had that photo in my school locker and on my wall in my room.. I dreamt of owning that guitar for decades.. Now I have one, no it's not the original, but it's still amazing. And seeing that Vivian does have his own Gibson and Epi models and Kramer is owned by Gibson, not sure why they can't just say this is a Vivian reissue? I'm hoping they will do the Blaze Lightning bolt Nightswan. And as for pickups. I have played a lot of Dimarzios, Seymours, Gibsons and EMG's and I have to say I think the JB is probably the best pup I have. Problem is, I can't see to solder in pups anymore, so I've been experimenting with a lot of EMG's lately, since they're solderless. And Their retroactives are very close to the JB.

[@tankdarla637]

DIO came out with a BANG in early 80s...sorry I missed this last night...

[@ToneMasterGeneral]

The reality is that your Friedman needs to be really cranked to get those tones you mentioned. Use an attenunuater or better yet a Fryette Power Station. A TS808 and a Boss CS-2 wouldn't hurt either. Hope this helps

[@markrosenquist8259]

Wow! Is that running through the Friedman? Sounds incredible! In the very first clip with the green Kramer. Just started watching.

[@jimshomestudio4669]

Try Greenbacks for your JEL. There are several different ones currently available, but they’re all really good.

[@workingorder2189]

I really dig and hope you continue to bring out magazines in future vids. Also, I'd love to see you do a video on your Hamer and forgotten guitar brands.

[@eddiejr540]

I heard or read somewhere that Vivian’s wife named the guitar the “nightswan”!!!

[@petemcgregor9774]

Kramer?

[@GMoneyDon]

Love my Lefty mid 80s Kramer focus,,,HSS

[@checodehoyos]

Enjoyed your video ! Thanks

[@2GoldensTosa]

You’re forgetting Gretsch.

[@kinghubie68]

Great video really enjoy🎸

[@melvynobrien6193]

Isn't Kramer owned by Fender?

[@charlesb7831]

Owned by Gibson now

[@angusorvid8840]

The original Nightswan came with a Duncan Full Shred in the bridge. They sounded and played great. I used to go to a local guitar shop in L.A. and play the Nightswan through a Randall RG stack. Sounded awesome, and it was the rig Viv was using that year with Whitesnake.

[@jazzcat1056]

How time flies. I recall seeing Whitesnake with Motley Crüe in 1986. Life was exciting back then.