Kramer Striker FR424S/D Reviews 
5 / 5 based on 2 reviewsI purchased this guitar online from musicyo.com for $179.99 + shipping/handling fees. I didn't know what to expect when I ordered the guitar in fact I wasn't sure if I really should trust a guitar this cheap. About 3-4 days after placing the order UPS knocks on my door and leaves a box. I anxiously run out and open it up.
Inside lays a beautiful metallic blue Kramer Striker FR424S/D I was impressed already from just looks alone.I examine the guitar I couldn't see any flaws in the finish and the neck was as smooth as butta!
The pickups are just amazing they have such clarity with a lot of lows and warmth. When I further examined the guitar I noticed the screw for the tremolo bar was loose so I opened the spring cavity and tightened the little allen screw attached to it that fixed the problem.
Next, this is kinda my fault, but I broke a couple screws that tighten down on the strings to the saddles in the Floyd rose but they were cheap enough to replace. After a few months of use I noticed the middle pickup started to short out on me so being as creative as any musician would be I did surgery. After taking off all the electronics I find that the wires to the middle pickup were spliced by the bridge pickup.I examined the middle pickups wires and found that I actually had to cut resolder and then shrink wrap the wires back together a bit of work but well worth it.I didn't want this to happen again so I drilled a new hole which would put the wires out of harms way. This worked nicely but the drill made some scratches on my finish and this bothered me so I completely stripped the finish of this 3 month old guitar (call me crazy but for the money I paid I can always buy another!) So now I am looking for an airbrush artist to paint the body for me.
The construction is very good but it needs tweaking and the d-tuna is useless unless you block the trem off. The Floyd is just beautiful and the metal bar that holds the pivot posts for the trem is there for an excellent reason.That metal bar takes a lot pressure off the body and makes me feel a bit safer when I am pulling up on the floyd.I have an Ibanez RG470 and the pivot posts cracked the wood so I have to get that repaired and I don't really want to anymore since the striker seems to be holding up quite nicely.This guitar was well worth every penny although it doesn't have as much sustain as an Ibanez or Jackson it is the closest guitar in the cheap realm.I like to do custom work(even on my amps)and this is an inexpensive way to get started. Musicyo has great customer support I have contacted them several times about Floyd rose parts and have given me timely and informative responses each time.
With all my little perks (which were done by choice not by necessity) I believe I found the perfect guitar for my style which really is not defined so I hope the guitar grows with me. For the money you can't beat it period. Although the guitar has a stigma from being so cheap all I can say is I am a very happy guitarist with a very good axe which will be really unique once I get some paint on it!
Greg Hysondis rated this unit
on
2001-06-27.
I purchased this guitar from Music-Yo.com. (great service, support and very quick shipping, by the way) I paid $179.99 + Shipping.
For $179.99, you can't beat it. I hadn't owned an electric 6 string in over 20 years and was looking for something to play around with. I checked out virtually all makes and models in the $300 - $800, price range, in the music stores, and the Striker is as good as any of the Ibanez's, Fender's, Gibsons, Jackson, ESP's, etc, that I had tried. The Floyd Rose Tremelo, works fine.
As for negatives, I haven't found any. Oh wait, it was hard getting used to tuning with the tuning keys upside down.
As for construction, it all seems fine. It came ready to play. I chose the cracked yellow finish, and it is pretty cool looking. No blemishes, the fingerboard is trouble free, no buzzes, nothing strange. This thing stays in tune, too. I've beat the heck out of it and it stays in tune.
I would recommend this guitar, as well as Music-Yo.com, to anyone who is interested in purchasing a guitar in this price range. If you want to spend $800 for a guitar, go ahead, I had better uses for the exra $600+ and am happy with my purchase. I'll buy another model in the next three months, just for variety.
Art Margis rated this unit
on
2001-06-27.
