misrule Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Hi, folks -- I'm GAS-ing for a Kramer like this beautiful, but I suspect overpriced, one on Italian ebay: [url="http://cgi.ebay.it/Splendido-Kramer-XL24---da-musicista_W0QQitemZ140322578534QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090524?IMSfp=TL090524132001r2058"]Italian Kramer[/url] Does anybody know what they feel and sound like? And are there things I should watch out for -- like neck problems or dive? They look like a mid-Seventies BC Rich. But they sell for a few hundred dollars in America. Ta in advance. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 I would expect it weighs a LOT. Looks to have more wood (!) than a std 450B and they weigh 12 0r 13 lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ape Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Hi Mate, I've got a XL9 myself that doesnt look a million miles apart from the XL24, mine is more like a BC Rich warlock style body though, has the same machine heads, bridge and similar woods, dimarzio pickups but mine are P style and a few more swtiches on mine but I'd imagine the sound wouldnt be miles apart. They sound really great, very funky sounding bass but can get lots of different tones from them, they play really well as well mines a 20fret version so a fairly short neck and really easy to play. From questions I've had as I'm selling mine on here it seems that quite a few of them suffer from issues with the neck not being straight so I'd imagine thats the biggest thing to lookout for. Obviously with them having a aluminium neck they suffer from neck dive but I've never found mine uncomfortable to play. I hope some of this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misrule Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 [quote name='ape' post='542171' date='Jul 16 2009, 12:51 PM']Hi Mate, I've got a XL9 myself that doesnt look a million miles apart from the XL24, mine is more like a BC Rich warlock style body though, has the same machine heads, bridge and similar woods, dimarzio pickups but mine are P style and a few more swtiches on mine but I'd imagine the sound wouldnt be miles apart. They sound really great, very funky sounding bass but can get lots of different tones from them, they play really well as well mines a 20fret version so a fairly short neck and really easy to play. From questions I've had as I'm selling mine on here it seems that quite a few of them suffer from issues with the neck not being straight so I'd imagine thats the biggest thing to lookout for. Obviously with them having a aluminium neck they suffer from neck dive but I've never found mine uncomfortable to play. I hope some of this helps.[/quote] Thanks, ape. I saw yours -- but I'm really after the other body shape. Is the neck really heavy, then? You'd expect aluminium to be light. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misrule Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 [quote name='MoonBassAlpha' post='542163' date='Jul 16 2009, 12:47 PM']I would expect it weighs a LOT. Looks to have more wood (!) than a std 450B and they weigh 12 0r 13 lbs[/quote] Yes, I wondered that too. It's one big slab of hardwood. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ape Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 [quote name='misrule' post='542183' date='Jul 16 2009, 12:59 PM']Thanks, ape. I saw yours -- but I'm really after the other body shape. Is the neck really heavy, then? You'd expect aluminium to be light. Cheers Mark[/quote] Aluminium is light but its a great big lump of it so definitely not lighter than wood lol, mine is fairly heavy but I've never really found it to be a problem and I don't use a padded strap, the neck dive is bad though to the point where if you took your hand off of the neck its going pretty much straight to the floor lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ape Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Its a shame you don't live closer you could of come round and had a play on mine to get an idea of what they sound and feel like and get an idea of the weight as I imagine the XL24 would sound fairly similar so you'd have an idea of what your dealing with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misrule Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 [quote name='ape' post='542195' date='Jul 16 2009, 01:06 PM']Its a shame you don't live closer you could of come round and had a play on mine to get an idea of what they sound and feel like and get an idea of the weight as I imagine the XL24 would sound fairly similar so you'd have an idea of what your dealing with.[/quote] Thanks for the offer, ape. Sadly, I don't come to Nottingham often -- though I used to live there years ago. Good luck with selling yours. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerboy Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 I have the 8-string version of this (I think joegarcia does too, but his might only be strung up as a 4). It has the normal aluminium tonal clarity and brightness (and even more top end due to octave strings!). It is heavy (but only by modern standards), but still lighter than a lot of my other basses. The seller doesn't seem to have mentioned the fact that it's 30" scale anywhere, but it is. The switches are coil taps and phase, I think. Anyway, it can make a lot of different noises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misrule Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 [quote name='dangerboy' post='542273' date='Jul 16 2009, 02:36 PM']I have the 8-string version of this (I think joegarcia does too, but his might only be strung up as a 4). It has the normal aluminium tonal clarity and brightness (and even more top end due to octave strings!). It is heavy (but only by modern standards), but still lighter than a lot of my other basses. The seller doesn't seem to have mentioned the fact that it's 30" scale anywhere, but it is. The switches are coil taps and phase, I think. Anyway, it can make a lot of different noises.[/quote] Thanks, dangerboy. Is it heavier than a Thunderbird? -- that's my benchmark. Is the body shape comfortable? And how's the neck dive on yours? Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misrule Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 By the way, the Italian one on ebay went for £859. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ape Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 [quote name='misrule' post='542318' date='Jul 16 2009, 03:30 PM']By the way, the Italian one on ebay went for £859. Cheers Mark[/quote] Makes mine seem a bargain lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 It's also short scale which I don't think anyone or the eBay listing mentioned. All the Kramer aluminium necks were the same length they change the scale length with the number of frets they fit. 24 frets like the XL24 is always 30" scale length. 20 frets is standard 34" scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarnacleBob Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 FYI - there is a 1981 Kramer flying V bass (aluminium neck) on Gumtree, Glasgow today. Chap is open to offers but no pics yet - I know its the other end of the country for you but just to let you know BB [url="http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/85/41976685.html"]http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/85/41976685.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Again short scale (24 fret neck). Not very many details but it's probably an XKB-10 rather than a Gibson-style V shape (although those do exist). Be aware that there's only one pickup and design used ought to be at the neck rather than the bridge to the pole spacing is incorrect for the strings where it's being used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misrule Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 Thanks, guys -- I'm really looking for the XL24 shape. Their others don't do as much for me. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerboy Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Just had a little play. No neck dive at all, and in fact quite a bit lighter than my Travis Bean (which is the bass I'm used to). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misrule Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 [quote name='dangerboy' post='542674' date='Jul 16 2009, 10:13 PM']Just had a little play. No neck dive at all, and in fact quite a bit lighter than my Travis Bean (which is the bass I'm used to).[/quote] Good news -- thanks Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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