Kramer Focus 1000, need advice. mij model? esp?

[xMichaelx]

Theres a 1984 85 model Kramer Focus 1000 at a locall music store for sale. I've read that if its a mij made in japan model than it was made by ESP back in the day. How can I tell if its the mij model Kramer Focus? It has a floyd rose and a seymour duncan jb pickup and one volume knob.

[Gtr_tech]

The entire "Focus" line was Japan made by ESP AFAIK. I have that same guitar....same color too. I refretted mine with Dunlop 6000 wire and it plays/sounds amazing now. 150$ pawnshop prize....

[Slobrain]

Actually ESP did not make all the focus line. the early days of Kramer the focus body was made in the USA at a facory called Sports. This factory make wooden ducks for hunting and other wood items. The necks were made by Lasido and ESP. You need to look up the serial number to determine which yours was.

Go here,

Serial Number Identification

It wasn't till around 1986 or 1987 that ESP took over building the focus guitars and American bodies and necks. I have an 1987 F1000 that has the three piece neck that was made by ESP, its got the routed recessed FR. The neck is exactly like the neck that came on my 1987 American Baretta. The truss adjustment is on the headstock. The older necks were ok but the three piece necks played really good. They had a sort of D contour back and really fast action.

ESP was also shiping the necks and bodies to the Kramer factory in NJ to build the American version. Funny thing is that my F1000 MIJ played way better than the American Baretta. go figure...

[David Schwab]

Actually ESP did not make all the focus line. the early days of Kramer the focus body was made in the USA at a facory called Sports. This factory make wooden ducks for hunting and other wood items. The necks were made by Lasido and ESP. You need to look up the serial number to determine which yours was.

I bet that's the same place that used to carve the American Showster bodies. They had a manually operated dupli-carver that would do six or eight bodies at a time. I'd been there a few times, but that's a long time ago so my memory of the place is fuzzy! At Showster we started getting necks from Lasido right before I left. That's right before Kramer did the American Showster series of guitars. Lasido necks are easy to spot because the fingerboard comes up past the nut in an odd manner.

[xMichaelx]

kramer focus

I went back to buy the kramer a few weeks ago but it had already been sold.

[big_teee]

I went back to buy the kramer a few weeks ago but it had already been sold.

It must have been a good deal!
That's my luck.
B_T

[Gtr_tech]

I bet that's the same place that used to carve the American Showster bodies. They had a manually operated dupli-carver that would do six or eight bodies at a time. I'd been there a few times, but that's a long time ago so my memory of the place is fuzzy! At Showster we started getting necks from Lasido right before I left. That's right before Kramer did the American Showster series of guitars. Lasido necks are easy to spot because the fingerboard comes up past the nut in an odd manner.

So you must know Rich Koerner then.....

[David Schwab]

So you must know Rich Koerner then.....

From Time Electronics. Yes, I've met Rich. Haven't seen him in like 25 years. He worked on the early AS prototypes.

[Gtr_tech]

From Time Electronics. Yes, I've met Rich. Haven't seen him in like 25 years. He worked on the early AS prototypes.

Rich is a sharp guy. Very old school....