CRAVE Guitars says…
Thumbs up: Rare colour, all‑original, unique construction, light weight, short‑scale 24‑fret playability, quality Schaller pickups and tuners, coil switching, hard shell case, portability, vintage bargain
Thumbs down: Lacking the percussive ‘thump’ of a traditional bass, short‑scale, divisive aesthetics construction and materials, 1980s pigeonhole preconceptions. Doesn’t fit most stands or hangers
Decree: Don’t be shy and dare to be different. Unlike anything else out there (including the Steinberger). The Duke is an intriguing proposition for the bass guitarist (and guitarist) wanting something poles apart from the ‘usual susptects’ in a convenient package and a budget price. Traditionalists look elsewhere (and miss out)
Model Description:
In the 1970s, Kramer introduced a number of unique guitar and bass designs. The main distinguishing feature was their aluminium necks with ebonol fingerboards. Rather than the approach taken by Travis Bean, which used heavy through‑neck machined aluminium necks, Kramer used lighter ‘T’ shaped forged bolt‑on aluminium necks with wood inserts, not only to make them lighter but also warmer and with a more wood‑like feel. The Duke models came in both guitar and bass formats and represented the last of Kramer’s experiments with aluminium necks. After this, Kramer resorted to ‘normal’ wood necks. The downsized 24‑fret 30½“ short‑scale headless and ‘body‑less’ The Duke bass was more common than the guitar. The vast majority of Kramer The Duke basses came in gloss black or white with occasional other colours including red and a few with aftermarket custom graphics. The Duke basically (sic!) comprised two models – the Standard (1981‑1983) with a single DiMarzio humbucking pickup and the Deluxe (1982‑1985) with dual Schaller Jazz Bass‑style pickups mounted adjacent to each other in the bridge position. The Deluxe also featured a 3‑way mini‑toggle switch for series/split/parallel sound options. There were a few detail differences over the life of the model such as pickups, bridges and tuners, probably due to part availability at the time. While The Duke may initially bear many visual similarities with the better‑known Ned Steinberger‑designed Spirit headless bass introduced in 1979, there are many differences beyond the superficial. The minimalist design was popular in the 1980s and goes in and out of fashion over time. It could be easily pigeonholed as a convenient ‘travel guitar’, although they are much more than that. While the Steinberger is still in production, Kramer has not re‑issued The Duke. Now… here is a secret… Kramer The Duke basses are tremendous value on the vintage market – for once you really can pick up a decent example at a genuine bargain price. Shush. Grab one while you can.
Guitar Description:
Oh my word!! Where does one start with this intriguingly diminutive 1983 Kramer The Duke Deluxe Bass, resplendent in a gorgeous Trans Blue finish. As mentioned above, black and white ones are ten‑a‑penny while Trans Red is scarce, a The Duke in this factory Trans Blue finish really is a cool & rare example. Even better, most of The Dukes have tight radius body edges while this one has much more rounded edges making it all the more comfortable to play. Factory information from Kramer has long since disappeared but the serial number dates it to 1982 or 1983. Given its features, I reckon it’s the latter. Many production examples had their necks painted, which caused cracking where the different materials met, while this one proudly displays its aluminium and wood neck build. No truss required here. The synthetic ebonol fingerboard is smooth and very ebony‑like. This The Duke is in very good condition with the usual signs of having been used for over four decades. Tonally, The Duke Bass sounds very different to pretty much anything else due to the smaller wood body, the bolt‑on 24‑fret short‑scale neck, a zero fret and the neck’s aluminium, ebonol and walnut. The light weight and easy playability add to the distinctive tone. The unusual dual J‑Bass pickups and passive electronic switching only add to its deviant uniqueness. Don’t expect the signature ‘thump’ of a Fender Precision, the subtle tonal nuances of a Fender Jazz Bass, the ringing sustain of a Rickenbacker, the lively midrange of a Gibson EB or the funky ‘slap’ of a Music Man Stingray. What it does have is crystal top‑end clarity and a slightly dark even‑handed intensity. The switch options are handy but don’t really change its nature by a great deal. Clearly, The Duke bass won’t appeal to the conservative majority but for anyone wanting something different and/or with an interest in American musical instrument heritage, it is quite a remarkable instrument and not one easily to be ignored.
Features:
- Made by Kramer in Neptune, New Jersey, U.S.A. in 1983
- Downsized 2‑piece maple solid body finished in rare gloss Trans Blue polyester
- Headless aluminium bolt‑on neck with walnut inserts
- Ebonol fingerboard with zero fret, 24 frets and aluminium dot markers
- Scale length 30½” (775mm)
- Original Schaller tuners mounted on the body lower bout
- Original chrome hardware
- Original Schaller dual J‑Bass pickups
- Original passive electronics with 1 volume, 1 tone control and 3‑way series/split/parallel selector switch
- Original pots, knobs and jack socket
- Original Kramer‑branded bridge assembly
- Original hard shell case (no logo)
- Weight: 7lb 14oz (3.6kg)
Trivia:
Ebonol is a synthetic product that bears a strong similarity in looks, hardness, and stability to ebony wood, making it ideal for use as a substitute for ebony in the manufacture of musical instruments. Ebonol is a high‑pressure laminate made from layers of high‑quality engineered black paper infused with phenolic resin, which are then compressed under heat and pressure to bond the layers of paper together and to cure the material. Ebonol is often referred to as ‘paper phenolic’ and is very similar to the material used to make bowling balls. Another more modern alternative to ebonol is called Richlite, which has been used by both Gibson and Martin.
The origins of The Duke Bass lie with abortive attempts by Kramer to manufacture the TL-8 eight‑string bass. The story goes that the wood ‘wings’ of the body were cut off, as was the Kramer signature ‘tuning fork’ aluminium headstock. A good example of an experiment that actually went on to be manufactured and sold.
In a twist of irony, both Kramer and Steinberger brands now belong to the same parent company, Gibson Inc.
Detail Gallery:
