1984 Vintage Kramer Factory Custom - Built By Edward Heller of Kramer in NJ

Note: Reverb has a limitation on the number of pictures in a listing. So I have uploaded many more to the following gallery:

----The Story----

This unique guitar was listed on Reverb in June 2017 very briefly and then taken down quickly. The seller was contacted and a deal was made. The seller turned out to be Ed Heller, who worked at Kramer Guitars as luthier and designer (see: Kramer ProAxe) in Neptune, NJ in the 1980s.

His description of the guitar and how it came to be is shown, as an unedited screenshot in the pictures above. I'll let him do the talking as to the origin of the guitar. There are other messages, but that one specially lays out the story.

The buyer will be provided with all correspondence from Mr. Heller in regards to the purchase of this guitar. The guitar will also be shipped in the box Mr. Heller used – it still has his address on the box as well as the current owner’s address.

To give the guitar a check up and verify some information before sale, it was recently inspected by the  owner of Milwaukee Lutherie, Alex Allgood. He inspected the neck pocket, pickup, volume pot etc (shown in pics) and in his professional opinion, everything matches up with what Mr. Heller has said and the guitar's parts appear to be period correct and not artificially aged or reliced. He was also amazed at the quality and playability of the guitar, noting how nice the neck was. He also mentioned that a dowel was installed in the headstock, not as a repair, but more as a preventative measure.

----Playing The Guitar----

I’ve played and owned many guitars from lots of manufacturers, new and old, production and custom, and this is just about the easiest playing guitar I’ve ever laid hands on. The neck is unfinished and smooth as can be, not “gummy” or sticky in the least. The low frets lend the set-up to a low action and minimal fret buzz which makes everything easy to play. The electronics are perfect in their simplicity – one great sounding Seymour Duncan pickup (APH-1n) and one volume knob (period correct part). It weighs about 6lbs 12oz and feels like a featherweight compared to most other guitars. It’s effortless and irresistible to play. For unknown reasons, the Kramer logo that Mr. Heller use on the headstock is a decal. 

----Condition----

This condition of this guitar is remarkable, considering it's age - according to Mr. Heller, it was a Closet Queen. The Floyd Rose trem action is smooth, the bar moves freely, and the current set up is perfection (though if it is shipped, it may need to be readjusted).

The guitar is in fantastic condition and any cosmetic “issues” aren't visible beyond about a foot away. The Floyd Rose trem is as clean as it gets for a 35 year old guitar, not grimy like they typically are. The headstock has no dings and includes Allen wrenches. The neck is flawless, smooth, and as fast. The frets are clean and smooth, some of them may have been filed down a bit – as some players are known to have done in order to facilitate the lowest possible action.

There a few small dings in the body, namely on the edge near the rear strap button and a small ding on the forearm relief. There are also some light scratches on the back on the body and control plate cover that are very difficult to see. These are minor and not very noticeable blemishes.

The paint job, done with rattle-can bicycle spray paint, shows the aging you would expect given the type of paint and is not clear coated. The white paint has yellowed in some places more than others, there are raised tape lines, and a few paint imperfections on the back and in the trem cavity. Some “orange peel” roughness on much of the body. Finally one tiny spot on the back where the paint had flaked off (about ¼ inch). The neckplate has some corrosion that is consistent with age does not have a serial number.

The only thing out of place on the guitar is the installation of Fender Straplocks (one original strap button included). The front strap button was installed in a slightly different position from the stock position, I assume to prevent the new one from pulling out of the body. The original hole was filled with a small screw. It is possible this hole was left over from the original build where a screw eye was used instead of a typical strap button and Mr. Heller just preferred a normal strap arrangement. The screw hole would have been too large for a regular strap button, so a new hole was used. This is shown in the pictures provided and certainly makes the guitar safer to use.

The original case is also in great condition. The only thing beyond the ordinary scuffs are a couple of Boss stickers applied to the front and a spot where another sticker had been removed. The interior is clean, soft and holds the guitar safely.

Also included is a like new and custom red and white Levy’s Leather guitar strap with the Fender Strap Locks installed.

The buyer will be provided with the communications from Mr. Heller via USB drive and full resolution versions of the pictures you see here.

----Shipping----

It will ship from Racine, WI in the box that it came in from Edward Heller. The strings will be detuned and isolated from the neck. Bubble wrap will be placed strategically in the case to make sure the guitar doesn’t move a millimeter. The case will be wrapped with bubble wrap and the case filled with bubble wrap. 

Shipping is quoted for UPS Ground with full insurance. If you would prefer a different service or other arrangement, please contact me.

Alternatively, if you want to meet in person to pick up the guitar, that can easily be arranged. I am in Southeast Wisconsin. I am willing to drive to meet you and/or potentially deliver. Sorry, no international shipping.

I may entertain trade offers too, it won’t hurt to ask.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask, I am quick to reply with whatever information I can provide. Thank you for reading.