SurroundedByManatees Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 (edited) sold Edited June 21, 2020 by SurroundedByManatees 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iMilanek Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Lovely bass 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Really nice example; its rare to see one with the walnut pickup surrounds intact, so shows its been well looked after. I have a fretless version and love it - great range of tones, plenty of growl, and ringing sustain - quite modern-sounding really for a 40+ year old design. A boutique bass in its day, I think Nick Lowe used to play one. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
three Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 The coolest bass I've seen in a long time! I played one of these back in the late '70s in a shop: really different and great playability. There was a lot of nonsense talked in the day about the aluminium implying that Kramer's would lose their tuning easily. I've absolutely no need for this but I'd love it 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Another Kramer (and Travis Bean) fan here. I also still have my 1979 Kramer 450B Fretless (which after looking closely seems to be an original fretless and not a defretted one) with the same colour hard case, but with the serigraphic logo. I also still own an original Stagemaster Imperial Bass, but do prefer the sound of the 450B... It's quite well balanced when strapped and mine weights 4.5 kilos (next week I'm going to put a new set of Schaller lightweight tuners on it). If I may post a picture here it is and no it's not for sale... GLWYS ! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 That's just one hell of a sexy looking bass! From the engraved pick ups (which are just so cool) to the original case, it just oozes class.. 😊😎 GLWTS 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingPrawn Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Great Bass. I bought one for a Quo Tribute band I play in several years ago. Not a Travis like Alan Lancaster used but a great looking instrument. I would snap this up if I had the cash. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 27 minutes ago, KingPrawn said: Great Bass. I bought one for a Quo Tribute band I play in several years ago. Not a Travis like Alan Lancaster used but a great looking instrument. I would snap this up if I had the cash. Alan played a Kramer 350B too, as well as the Travis, as you probably knew. The tone of the Kramer is unsurprisingly pretty close to the Travis Bean (I've also got a TB2000 and a Kramer 650B) but rather more user-friendly in terms of lighter weight, and the wood inserts on the rear of the neck which are warmer on the hands. I've never understood why alu-neck Kramers weren't more popular; they're fantastic instruments. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Cool bass. Out of interest what’s the relief like on the neck? Assume it has no truss rod (like all the best basses) ped 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurroundedByManatees Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 2 hours ago, ped said: Cool bass. Out of interest what’s the relief like on the neck? Assume it has no truss rod (like all the best basses) ped There is a little relief. Pretty much like a standard Fender. There are sadowsky 45-105 stainless steel strings fitted now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 That's nice - I bought a Kramer a couple of weeks ago... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody1957 Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Lovely, lovely bass..played one years ago in the 70's, borrowed from a friend for a gig at Dial House WMC in South Yorkshire while my Jazz as being repaired. Fantastic tone through an old Orange amp and a Hiwatt cab...but seemed to remember it was a bit neck heavy.. Did I dream that?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 8 hours ago, Woody1957 said: Lovely, lovely bass..played one years ago in the 70's, borrowed from a friend for a gig at Dial House WMC in South Yorkshire while my Jazz as being repaired. Fantastic tone through an old Orange amp and a Hiwatt cab...but seemed to remember it was a bit neck heavy.. Did I dream that?? Maybe just heavy overall. I was expecting the one I got to be neck heavy, but it balance pretty well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurroundedByManatees Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) Just found my kitchen scales; it weighs in at a moderate 4,4 kilo. It has a little neckdive (on a mono Betty strap, a rougher one might eliminate this), but I feel it balances well. Edited June 14, 2020 by SurroundedByManatees 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 15 hours ago, ped said: Cool bass. Out of interest what’s the relief like on the neck? Assume it has no truss rod (like all the best basses) ped Indeed @ped there's no truss rod and the relief is like the one on your Vigier, so almost dead straight. My 450B fretless has 30~90 strings gauge for the moment (I can't remember why I put these), but 45~105 almost doesn't change the relief. Really great basses, totally underrated. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 Just now, Hellzero said: Indeed @ped there's no truss rod and the relief is like the one on your Vigier, so almost dead straight. My 450B fretless has 30~90 strings gauge for the moment (I can't remember why I put these), but 45~105 almost doesn't change the relief. Really great basses, totally underrated. Interesting, thanks. I'd like to hear some good sound samples but YT doesn't have anything decent - there's one clip but the sound of both pickups sounds out of phase or something and I also want to hear one slapped! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 13 minutes ago, ped said: Interesting, thanks. I'd like to hear some good sound samples but YT doesn't have anything decent - there's one clip but the sound of both pickups sounds out of phase or something and I also want to hear one slapped! That's a bit harsh @ped Why - what's it done wrong? 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 2 minutes ago, silverfoxnik said: That's a bit harsh @ped Why - what's it done wrong? 😁 It's wasted my morning going down the bass vid rabbit hole, that's what! Actually the clip is quite good, the bloke seems cool and down't waffle on endlessly. Especially I like the sound right at the end: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Here's one a bit slapped, but not spanked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 On the bridge pickup à la Mark King. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Hellzero said: On the bridge pickup à la Mark King. I like the guy at the end who says 'that's enough' 😂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurroundedByManatees Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share Posted June 19, 2020 (edited) sold Edited June 21, 2020 by SurroundedByManatees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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