Now, I’m not considered your conventional guitar player. I’m certainly not a guitar pro. However, I live with two certified guitar teachers, and the former guitar player of a professional band. I’ve played with at least a half dozen different guitar players, and am qualified to make judgments on the different sounds and styles they promoted. My first and only guitar is a Kramer.
My Kramer guitar is a cheep Fender Stratocaster imitation. Kramer was known for using aluminum fret boards on guitars back in the early 1980’s, which is really icky compared to what the Fender Stratocaster is made of. Kramer guitars were quite heavy at the time, and felt somewhat wacky. It wasn’t long before Kramer guitars switched to wooden fret boards, like the Fender Stratocaster was using.
One of the company’s founding members was named Gary Kramer, but he soon disengaged from the Kramer guitar company. However, the name of the guitar stuck. Even Eddie Van Halen ended up using a Kramer guitar in the early 1980’s. It became the best selling guitar of 1986, beating out the Fender Stratocaster. So, though it is often looked upon as a cheep Fender Stratocaster, there are some bragging rights to carrying a Kramer.
Eventually the Kramer guitar brand was sold to Gibson, which has been one of the most prestigious of guitar companies for decades. I bought my Kramer guitar for my little brother at only $120 sometime before Kramer went out of business. It was his first guitar. A few years later I bought that same Kramer guitar off of my brother for $80, after my father gave him a real Fender Stratocaster!
The naked sound of my Kramer guitar leaves much to be desired. After all, I do live with three accomplished guitar players. My dad owns a Martin acoustic. My little brother owns his Fender Stratocaster. My older brother owns a black Ibanez electric guitar. Even though I’m not a skilled guitar player, the poor tone can’t be entirely my fault. Everyone tells me that my Kramer is the worst guitar in the house. I guess after the 1980’s were over, Kramer stopped making top of the line guitars. Fender Stratocasters always seem to be nice, though.
The Fender Stratocaster has a full, heavenly sound. It even feels better in your hands, and is easier on your fingers. The Kramer guitar feels clumsier. The tone is more raw, and probably a little too on the trebly side. If you’re really into learning to play the guitar, my advice is to save up for a Fender Stratocaster. If you only want a guitar because your friend has one, maybe you should look for a Kramer on eBay. It’s bound to be cheep, but good enough to get you by as you learn.
Playing the Fender Stratocaster is more fun, but that’s only because I’ve heard the difference, and felt the difference. Ultimately, the Kramer is my first guitar, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything less than $300. (No one in his or her right mind would pay that much for my Kramer guitar.)
If you do buy a Kramer guitar, instead of a Fender Stratocaster, different pedals can help you sound better. In the future I will write an article on different pedals, and their uses.
