[Rick Lee]

Well, I don't really believe the guitar makes too much of the sound, but rather one's fingers, the amp and effects. Plug any of my axes into my pedalboard with the same settings on it and the amp and you'd be hard pressed to hear much difference between them all. I mean, look at what a beater the original Frankenstrat is and how awesome Ed made it sound with such low tech on those first few albums. I read somewhere that Ed wanted Kramer to make an exact replica of that guitar for the kids. But Kramer couldn't stand the thought of putting their name on and charging so much for such a beater.

Obviously, the Ernie Ball's DiMarzio pickups are a little hotter than what came in the Kramers back in the day. I mean, did anyone actually keep their stock pickups in a Kramer? NO! I went through EMG's, a SD-59 and Gibson PAF in several of my Kramers. I guess the difference in sound is made by how much better you play because the neck is more comfortable on some guitars than on others. If you have some Hondo POS guitar and a real Les Paul Custom, which are you gonna play more enthusiastically and want to practice more with?

Anyway, you look like a giant in those videos, so maybe the Ernie Ball is gonna feel too small for your mitts. You might be better off with the old, wideneck Kramer stuff. Lots of awesome hockey stick maple necks on eBay.