ProfJames Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 Anyone on the forum that owns one? Was maybe thinking of getting one as my headless bass acquisition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMG456 Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 Would't want to put you off if your heart is set on it but you're losing a bit of the joy of headless by not having straight pull tuners. Bit like the Warwick Nobby Meidl (sp?) bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 I've got a red one that I was willing to let go. Please PM me if you're interested. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfJames Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 12 hours ago, EMG456 said: Would't want to put you off if your heart is set on it but you're losing a bit of the joy of headless by not having straight pull tuners. Bit like the Warwick Nobby Meidl (sp?) bass. I've seen a Kramer Duke and wasn't that put off to be honest. Should I be aware of thus issue? It's purely a luxury buy for me, aluminium neck and short scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 If you are set on a Kramer The Duke there are a few things to be aware of. 1. Make sure the one you buy is actually a Kramer. There's a visually very close copy in the Hondo Alien. However no every Hondo version has an aluminium neck and the hardware quality is very poor. The easiest way to see it's a proper Kramer is to check the neck plate where it will say so. Also the string retainer at the end of the neck only has a single bolt holding it in place on the Kramer and 2 on the Hondo. The Hondo also has a wooden fingerboard, while the Kramer has an ebonal one. Don't be conned by unscrupulous sellers. There were no exceptions, if it doesn't have all the Kramer features it isn't one. 2. Be aware that even the Kramer version is a bit of a bodge. Kramer made the bass headless by simply sawing the headstock off their standard aluminium neck. It has guitar type machine heads rather than bass ones and the string path between them and the bridge saddles is somewhat conveluted. Also the hardware used on the Kramer models, while being decent quality, varies from one example to the next. I'd make sure that you get one with the Schaller 3D bridge and Schaller machine heads. Because they are now old and no longer in production the prices are somewhat inflated over what would be expected of a bass of similar quality. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodwind Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 As a Kramer Aluminium neck fan I thought I'd chip in. I played a Duke a good few years back at a shop on denmark street. The tone was really good! Very full and capable of serious attack. It was not a light weight bass by any means, but I and the friend I was shopping with were both very tempted by it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 5 hours ago, BigRedX said: If you are set on a Kramer The Duke there are a few things to be aware of. Top knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 5 hours ago, BigRedX said: Kramer made the bass headless by simply sawing the headstock off their standard aluminium neck. Now that's what I call Old School. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 31 minutes ago, Happy Jack said: Now that's what I call Old School. "Angry luthier reacts badly to criticism" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfJames Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 Thank you all, appreciate your knowledge. The guy I bought my Magnum from is selling it............will let you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 16 hours ago, Happy Jack said: Now that's what I call Old School. All the Kramer aluminium bass guitar necks start off the same. They simply slotted the finger board differently for the different scale-lengths - 20 frets for 34" scale and 24 frets for 30" scale, and removed the "tuning fork" head for The Duke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 1 minute ago, BigRedX said: All the Kramer aluminium bass guitar necks start off the same. They simply slotted the finger board differently for the different scale-lengths - 20 frets for 34" scale and 24 frets for 30" scale, and removed the "tuning fork" head for The Duke. You mean 33 3/4". 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Hellzero said: You mean 33 3/4". 😉 TBH since I don't have any of my Kramer aluminium-necked basses anymore I can't comment. To the OP any chance you can post some good photos of this instrument? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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