WTB: 1984/85 Kramer Pacer

Zapple

Bit of a long shot this….

Looking for a 1984/85 Kramer Pacer ideally white with a black scratchplate, HSS, block logo black banana headstock…

Svennn

I had a metallic red one back in the 80's and would gladly have one now so I know why you are looking. Good luck with the search

CountryDave

I owned one about 20 years ago. Superb guitars.

Moleman

Sorry I don’t have one available to sell but I do recall seeing a few Kramers hanging new on the wall at Allbang & Strummit store in London’s West End around 1984/5. Back in those halcyon days a Baretta was priced at £599 (black or white colours only). Hoping that you find your guitar!

kipple

Zapple said:

Bit of a long shot this….

Looking for a 1984/85 Kramer Pacer ideally white with a black scratchplate, HSS, block logo black banana headstock…

Look at this
https://reverb.com/uk/item/45564232-kramer-pacer-deluxe-1980s

If you are looking for a Kramer pacer deluxe and for a banana headstock given that this is a 'C' Plate 84 I think the price on the one in the link is reasonably close to being on target for what these can sell for on reverb these days although it does say 'Offers' which would suggest a better price is available and personally I would definitely try negotiate a lower price. 
Seller also say's shipping to US only but quite often sellers can be talked into shipping. 

I would definitely ask to see the trem post holes as these era have trem posts that are just massive screws that screw direct into the wood and the holes can become enlarged and wallow out, they can be repaired easily but it's worth checking to see if they have wallowed and I would specifically check them just in case they have already been repaired as some repairs are real hack jobs in which case then just walk the other way. 

Also I'm not 100% sure but looking at the spacing between the string clamps on the Floyd nut It could be that the nut is an R5 as  some of these were and I know because I have this same neck same era and it's definitely an R5 although mine is a maple fretboard. Killer necks the R5 and very easy to play and even though they are a bit wider at the nut they are thinner on the back and shoulder. So if the nut width matters to you I would ask the seller to check and measure it, assuming this is even of interest to you.

If this don't float your boat I would be inclined to ask on the kramer facebook groups or on the kramer forum as there are quite a few traded and sold on there regularly, I wouldn't wait too long to buy any vintage kramer right now as the prices are going up very quickly . 

Zapple

Thanks for the messages chaps. Yeah the prices have gone a bit silly.

I let my Pacer go in the mid-90s. It wasn't in great shape when I let it go and I'd made the mistake of getting it refretted and wasn't happy with the work done.

Kind of hoping to find a project to restore. So if anyone has one lurking in a cupboard and is prepared to let it go. Please let me know.

@kipple that looks like a particularly clean example! Thanks for all the info and things to look out for. 

kipple

Zapple said:

Thanks for the messages chaps. Yeah the prices have gone a bit silly.

I let my Pacer go in the mid-90s. It wasn't in great shape when I let it go and I'd made the mistake of getting it refretted and wasn't happy with the work done.

Kind of hoping to find a project to restore. So if anyone has one lurking in a cupboard and is prepared to let it go. Please let me know.

@kipple that looks like a particularly clean example! Thanks for all the info and things to look out for. 

It's all good mate. seriously though you should join the kramer forum and get to know some people there get a bit of trust and you will end up finding what you are looking for at the right price, there are plenty of people on there from the UK and Europe.Always better prices on there than Ebay or reverb, some of the people on there have insane collections of vintage Kramer and you would be amazed just how many are in the UK. The knowledge base there is really good which helps a lot when advice is needed for buying decisions, I'm a novice compared to most of them on there.
You will find a pacer on there.... Especially projects. be warned though it's ADDICTIVE
Something to consider is the Focus 3000D it is every bit as good as Pacer Deluxe and in fact they are the same guitar and made by ESP the same as the so called USA Kramers were. 
I have owned a few and still own american Kramer and I currently have Japanese domestic Kramers known as JK series and own a Focus 1000 9 Kramers in total and in my top 2 is my Kramer Focus 1000 and it cost me £450.. Last year.

See 1st pic 1985 Kramer Focus ESP built and the pic below it is my most recent purchase a 84-85 Vanguard with bolt on neck which is the exact same neck as the Nana headstock Baretta's with Lasido built necks.
https://i.imgur.com/1zHy606.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wRmty91.jpg
 

Zapple

@kipple nice looking guitars! Also good to see a 5150! I've got the 50w head...which is just the right level of insane for me ;-) 

The Focus 3000 is on my radar as well. Didn't know about the JK series....thanks.

Just to check it's https://kramerforumz.com you're talking about? 

kipple

Zapple said:

@kipple nice looking guitars! Also good to see a 5150! I've got the 50w head...which is just the right level of insane for me ;-) 

The Focus 1000 is on my radar as well. Didn't know about the JK series....thanks.

Just to check it's https://kramerforumz.com you're talking about? 

Yes that's the forum I was talking about. 
If you do look into the JK series there are different levels JL EK LK etc which are all Japanese domestic only models. The JK were the higher end models although it was really only the hardware where you will find the differences, for example the JK1000 will have a Made in Germany Floyd rose whereas a LK1000 or EK1000 will have a takeuchi trem. 
I have 3 x JK1000 and all 3 are killer guitars. One of my JK1000 has an ash body and it is an absolutely amazing sounding guitar something that I would never ever part with.

The Kramers are a match made in heaven for the EVH5150III amps 
The JK1000 and Focus 1000 all have one piece necks with non tilt nana Headstocks the same as the So called 1983 'Holy Grail' Baretta that had the Non tilt headstock with a one piece head. All other barettas after that version were tilted headstocks and none were one piece necks they were mainly scarf or 3 piece, and yet... The JK1000 and focus continued that tradition of non tilt headstocks with one piece necks. Funny really... I guess ESP who were building them and selling onto the Japanese markets may have insisted on higher quality for the Japan markets compared to USA ones..

Matt_McG

I had a Japanese Focus 1000 as my first serious guitar, with the non title banana headstock. Still miss it.