Rattlesnake Cable Company - High Quality Instrument Cables - Made in Montana
Kramer :: 450G
450G
 
Score: 9.4   05/14/2011 at 03:43 AM
by redeyedjim
 
Durability:  
Tone:  
Playability:  
Craftsmanship:  
Overall:  
 
Purchased New:   no
Date Acquired:   1977
Price:   350
Name:   redeyedjim
Email:   N/A
 
  Style of Music: Jammy

Comments: My first electric guitar, bought used when I was 14 or so in 1977. I'd never seen anything like it -- the friends I played with had Les Paul copies or SGs, for the most part, and this guitar was incredibly exotic at the time. It was too much guitar for me at the time, but I grew into it, and now I can't imagine parting with it.

Definitely the heaviest guitar I have ever played -- must weigh 16 pounds, maybe more; it's like a tank.

The original owner replaced the stock pickups with a pair of DiMarzio humbuckers, and added a Q switch, which is a passive filter that brightens the tone.

I played it this way for about 15 years, but I was always frustrated with the stock nut, tail piece, and bridge. The strings would constantly bind in the nut, throwing the guitar out of tune -- it you bent a string you usually had to retune, which was obviously annoying. At some point I stumbled on the Kahler tremolo and its Floyd Rose-style locking nut, and I haven't looked back. I had a local luthier install it, and it really upgraded the playability of the guitar.

I suppose these mods have affected it's value, but they also transformed into a professional quality instrument. It's a beautiful guitar that's very satisfying to play. I just love this guitar. It has a very loud and clear tone -- not piercing or overly bright, just very clear. It colors up well, but it can also stand on its own. Wonderful sustain, good fretboard access. The action is good, although the upper frets aren't quite as accessible as my buddy's Strat. Still, it plays beautifully.


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