Kramer 100 Series

Kramer 100 Series

The 100 Series was introduced in 1988 by Kramer in yet another attempt to market a budget priced line. To be created in Korea, this was perhaps summoned by the rising prices from the Japan manufacturers which, as time has shown us, were getting better at building a quality guitar. At this time, the Focus lines were still being offered and higher overhead was causing Kramer to raise it's prices. Enter the 100 series...
The new 100 series were to be in the same class as the Aerostar and Striker lines which were also still being offered at the time.

The 100s consisted of one bass and six guitars. The body shapes of all but the 410(Randy Rhoads shape) was your basic 7/8 sized, superstrat style body with scalloped horns. All of course had pointy droopy headstocks, black faced, maple necks with rosewood or maple fretboards, dot inlays and black hardware. All pickups were a cheap variety with "Designed by Seymour Duncan" incribed in white on the blackplastic covers. All guitar models had recessed Floyd Rose II's. Model numbers again followed similar suit with the Focus and Striker lines.


110	210	310	610	615

The 110 was the Baretta copy with a single hum and volume control. The 210 was the Pacer Imperial copy with two hums, a volume and tone and three-way switch. The 310 was the pickguarded Pacer Deluxe copy with HSS configurationvolume, two tones, a coil tap switch and five-way select. The aforementioned 410 was the Randy Rhoads-shaped V copied much from the later era USA Vanguards with two hums, vloume, tone and three-wat select switch. The next model was the 610 which was essentially a copy of the Pacer Custom II (or later Custom I)with a sharp radiused, double cutaway body. It also sported a HSS config with slanted hum, two tones, volume, and coil tap. These also had a reverse headstock option. The 615 was basically the same guitar as the 610 but had a bound body.

The 710 was the bass which was a P bass copy with Spector P & J pickups, volume, two tones and three-way select. Initial colors available were white, black, candy red, flour pink, flour yellow, flour green, mettalic blue, metallic silver and violet.

This first mach of 100s was soon changed as Kramer's financial situation got worse. Kramer wanted to concentrate the 100 series as a major contender to the Korean Jackson/Charvel model being thrown on the market at the time. More models were made.

In 1989, the 111 model was introduced with a hum at the bridge and single coil at the neck. controls were one volume, one tone and three-way select. At this time, the 112 and 612 models were added featuring a new "custom-sculpted" body (which was a arched top in a nutshell) and similar appointments as it's brethren.

The 112 the same guitar as the 111 but with athe carved top. The 612 was the common HSS configuration with volume, two tones, coil tap and five-way select. This also had the carved top.


120	220	420	620	720

By mid-1989, Kramer began to feel the financial pinch and let go of the 111, 112, 612, and 615 as well as the flouresent color options. Then four new models(actually renumbered models) debuted-the 120, 220, 420 and 620. The 120 was a rehash of the 112, the 220 was a double hummed (bridge and middle) guitar with a sculpted body, the 420 was a remade sculpted 410 with the two hums in the bridge and middle positions. The 620 was the same as the 612 before it. The 720 was a reworked 710 changed by only a sculpted body. Prices for the 100s eries were between $479.95 to $695, the case extra as well as the reverse head on the 610, an additional $50. $50 extra for a lefty version, too.

Before the end in 1990, all 100s were dropped except for the 120, 220, 420, 620 and 720 bass. Colors by then were reduced to candy blue, candy red, black, white and ultra violet. The 100 lines went down with the company in 1990.