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Kramer infinity sustainer - no sound when sustainer on

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  • Kramer infinity sustainer - no sound when sustainer on

    Hi guys, new here. Long time guitar player - new to actually working on guitars - but having fun with it.

    I picked up an interesting one - a Kramer baretta Infinity sustainer. Not much information about these guitars out there.

    ​​​​​Guitar works with the sustainer off. When switched on, it no longer puts out sound to the amp. The "sustainer" does work - it will vibrate the string indefinitely, but the sound output to the amp stops. Tapping on the pickups in this mode makes no sounds.

    The bottom knob, when turned with the sustainer off doesn't seem to do anything - again I can't really find information on what it is supposed to do ( I would have thought just another tone control like most electrics) but with the sustainer on it seems to change the output to the amp from complete silence to hardly audible.

    Already replaced the batteries.

    Any ideas of where to start? Replace that pot? Click image for larger version  Name:	PXL_20250105_141941812.jpg Views:	0 Size:	2.53 MB ID:	1008975
    Last edited by DanGP; 01-05-2025, 02:45 PM.

  • #2
    Looks like this thing is kind of a built in EBOW. Don't see why it would cut the sound.

    Kramer_Sustainer_Wiring_Diagram.pdf
    US4907483.pdf
    Click image for larger version

Name:	sustainerwiring.jpg
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Size:	61.2 KB
ID:	1008979

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    • #3
      Thanks for that. I was really having trouble finding much about this. The above pot I referred to appears to be the intensity pot - I'm wondering if that's part of the issue as it does seem to have some small when turned all the way. So low most probably wouldn't hear it

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      • #4
        Can we see the intestines?

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        • #5
          Sure, here's a link - wouldn't let me embed the images.

          in those pics, there are 2 wires - green and white - that I'm holding up, they were deliberately twisted together and taped. Doesn't look factory, but they do connect to the sustainer circuitry.

          Happy to pull anything else apart if needed. I appreciate the help.

          https://postimg.cc/gallery/3hy8y8r

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          • #6
            The schematic is drawn from the circuit board. I hope you will be able to figure it out.
            Attached Files

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            • #7
              + this
              Attached Files

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              • #8
                Can you pull out the circuit board and post photos of both sides? Move any wires out of the way for a clear shot.

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                • #9
                  thanks for the info so far that schematic and the tech info PDF help shed a lot of light on how it works.

                  I did try tweaking the sensitivity screws on the board a bit, they do seem to still have their intended effect, but do not fix the output sound issue

                  and i said earlier that the pickups don't make noise when I tap them - that was wrong. The bridge pickup does make a noise when tapping with a screwdriver, just very quietly, just like the sound coming through the amp.

                  Here are some shots of the circuit board pulled:


                  https://postimg.cc/gallery/Z0sw3Y7
                  Last edited by DanGP; 01-06-2025, 10:45 AM.

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                  • #10
                    It's useful to bear in mind some of the failure modes for guitar signals;

                    Buzz or hum, like touching the end of your lead - open circuit or high resistance (either signal or ground) or reverse connected signal/ground.
                    No sound and absence of hum - short between signal and ground.
                    Low volume - can be low resistance between signal and ground, or sometimes high series resistance. A pickup that's open-circuit internally can sometimes produce a very faint sound, sometimes accompanied by buzz/hum.

                    I often find it useful when tracing the signal through a guitar to plug it in and touch various points of the signal path to see what buzzes and what doesn't. I use a jewellers screwdriver or dental pick. If it buzzes you know you have a good signal path the output jack.
                    Last edited by Mick Bailey; 01-09-2025, 05:43 PM.

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                    • #11
                      Just wanted to thank you all and give an update - I was able to use the information in this thread to identify a problem with the wiring to the sustainer - little bit of solder and it's working great! Looks like I landed an interesting guitar for next to nothing.

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                      • #12
                        Superb. I wish that guitar was mine. I have a similar Kramer Pacer Custom Ii that I've owned for almost 30 years that's been my main guitar, but always yearned for the sustainer version.

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                        • #13
                          A friend of mine had one of the Kramer Sustainer models and I tried for years to buy it from him. I was visiting him once and noticed it was gone. He had sold it to someone else. Worse yet, the buyer didn't want the sustainer part, so it was gutted, parts tossed, and a regular passive configuration installed.
                          Last edited by The Dude; 01-31-2025, 12:34 AM.
                          "I took a photo of my ohm meter... It didn't help." Enzo 8/20/22

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                          • #14
                            I kept looking at it in our local shop. It was there for over a year - the pickup selector switch didn't work which was just a loose wire, then the sustainer thing. I finally bought when the store was sadly closing down. I had to do a google image search just to find out what the guitar was. I'm having a blast with it. Never had a sustainer or a Floyd rose (that was a learning curve in itself) but it's very cool. I wasn't sure what to think about the dual rail pickups at first, they seem kind of mid heavy, but it has its groove and really shines with higher gain. I haven't encountered another one.

                            Honestly, I was really kind of bummed out until the tips and schematics posted here helped me save it.

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