Kramer Assault 220

It was one of those days where there was a BIG (300+) Guitar auction in Bath - and in a mess of calendar clashes a second slightly smaller, but still substantial (50+) Guitar auction in Glasgow!

The Glasgow auction I managed to get 3 lots, a Legacy acoustic Bass (with hard case), a cherry Epiphone Dot 335, and a job lot of a silver sparkle Hagstrom D2f with a missing tailpiece; plus a mystery "Kramer electric Guitar in dark burst"?? There was no photo of this and no further clues as to what it might be, or it's condition? I checked Kramer's website and they don't use the term "dark burst" so all I can do is look at burst finishes that might be described that way and work from that. I'm fairly sure it won't be one of the old ones with the aluminium necks, and I fear it will be one of the "strat" copy Pacer models, (still as Gibson now own Kramer this would mean I get a "Gibson Stratocaster" again), but I hope it will be the Les Paulish "Assault 220" Model.

In the end, for 4 Guitars the shipping wasn't too bad so I went with it and a few days later 2 very large parcels arrived, (well one came one day with the Kramer and the Hagstrom in and the other the next day). With its arrival all my questions with the Kramer have been answered; and there is good and bad news. First it is the Assault 220 and "darkburst" is what Kramer call a "redburst flame top", which I must say looks very nice. On the down side, and none of this was mentioned in the description, is a LOT of problems! The back cover plate and the ¼ inch jack socket are missing; this means that the wires to the socket have been cut so there is some BIG question marks as to whether the electrics still work? The top grommets on the bridge end string holes are gone and this has meant on the high E the string has cut into the top a bit, fairly small but it does show that the grommets will need to be replaced before I try to restring it. There is a moderate chip out ot the back of the headstock, (probably nothing can be done about this). Finally there are some large white emulsion paint splatters and runs on the back, (and one on the side). All in all far more project work than I was looking for, (but hopefully all doable).

In the end I got Butser Mountain Music to do the work for me in return for some work on their website and renewing their Internet domain names, and a fine job they did too. I was especially pleased with the removal of all of the paint. I didn't think it would all come off but it has and they have got it looking almost brand new!

As well as looking good, it is a nice Guitar to play, with a wider than average neck that gives more room between the strings for my fat fingers, (though still not as much as a uke).