Kramer Nightswan Electric Guitar

Kramer's Nightswan Floyd Rose is back -- featuring Seymour Duncan "JB" humbuckers, a Floyd Rose 1000 Series tremolo and R2 lock nut, and an ebony fretboard.

$899.00

  • 12 x  
    $74.92
  • 8 x  
    $112.38
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $149.83
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    4 x  
    $224.75
Overall User Ratings (based on 9 ratings)
  • Overall:
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Sound:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Features:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Ease of Use:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Quality:
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Value:
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Manufacturer Support:
    3.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Wow Factor:
    4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
(9) (see rating details)
Submitted October 31, 2021 by a customer from gmail.com

"Great throwback guitar!"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I purchased the polka dot one, always wanted one in the 80's but they were hard to find. So happy they reissued this model. Plays great, ebony neck is smooth & plays effortlessly. Floyd Rose is great stays in tune. Pickups sound amazing. I play alot of 80's hair metal & this is a great addition to my arsenal.
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Submitted August 25, 2021 by a customer from gmail.com

"Sounds as good as it looks"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I finally got the Aztec. A guitar that I once had a photo of in my high school locker and on my wall in my room when I was in high school (late 80's). I have to say after a 32 year wait.. I was not disappointed whatsoever. First, the look.. It looks amazing, I've always loved the Aztec paint job. It's classy but still has great character and personality. The sounds, I was worried about the two JB's, especially the way they're stacked on these, but they sound amazing. Of course the bridge JB is incredible, but it was the middle position I was concerned about, first off it sounds great in that position and some have said it's in the way of their picking. I haven't had a problem w/ it, however I lowered mine just a bit, just in case and it sounds even better lowered a little IMO..The neck for me just feels perfect. I have been playing Ibanez RG's for the past 30 years, the last 5 years mainly LP style guitars, this guitar is like a perfect blend of a Les Paul and superstrat. I have a hard time putting it down. For those not sure if they want to wait for these to be in stock. Just order it and wait. I ordered mine a long time ago and it got updated a few times of the delivery date, the last date I got was Nov. 2021, so I was waiting and then all of a sudden there it was on my front porch in June. I rarely have a perfect score across the board on guitars, but I have to admit, I can't find one flaw. This is my first Kramer and I'm in love w/ it. Which was a very nice surprise. On a side note: The monthly payment plans zZ offers are amazing too.
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Submitted April 19, 2021 by Scott P in Springfield, OR

"Kramer NightSwan Polka Dots"

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Well I’ve had this guitar for 6 months now. When It came the frets were rough and a few were proud. So I did a level and crown and polishenthenfretsmafterward with various grits of sand paper 1000, 1500, and 2000 then rubbed Gorgamyte on them smooth as glass now.The nut was too high and my cowboy chords wouldn’t play in tune so I lowered the nut by using an abrasive block to sand down the shelf that the nut mounts onto. Problem fixed.I am still waiting for Gibson customer service two send me two tuning machines as two don’t function all that well. I may just get a set of Gotoh’s for it though, as I’ve waited 6 months and still haven’t received the tuners.I would not recommend this guitar for a beginner or for someone that doesn’t know how to do repairs. Gibson customer service is terrible.I did have to do a full set up and fret and nut work on the guitar, but I am a part time luthier and I never expect an 800 dollar guitar to be playable as is, out of the box. If you get one of these, spend 20 bucks at Stew Mac and get the Floyd Rose intonation tool. It’s a big time saver.Overall the fit and finish was good and there were no pokey fret ends. Now that I’m done working on it it is a fantastic guitar. Just be prepared to spend some money to set it up if you aren’t a tech.
Sound
The sound of the guitar with the JB pickups is is Fantastic. The originals had a Full Shred in the bridge. I have a Full Shred in one of my Jacksons. I prefer the sound of the JB. Some Folks have complained about the volume pot on the new Swans, but mine works perfectly.
Features
One of the most useful features of this guitar is the Floyd Rose. It’s a 1000 series, but Imsee no reason to switch it out for a higher model. Replacement parts are easy to obtain for it. Just be aware if you have to remove the nut for any reason you will need to use new mounting screws when you put the nut back on. The screws are really soft metal, and are a one shot deal. Also put a little bit of bar soap on the threads before you insert the screws. It libricates them as they are going in and lessens the chance of stripping them.
Ease of Use
This guitar sounds great, and the middle pickup really sings so sweetly. There is a learning curve with this guitar if you aren’t a professional tech or luthier. But with any new guitar, it is going to have to be set up and intimated/adjusted. If you can’t do the work yourself, pa\y a pro to do I and all will be right in the world.
Quality
This is a well made guitar with great fit and finish. Once a complete set up has been done and it’s dialed in, it will be reliable and the two way truss rod is really nice to have.
Value
Yes this guitar is worth $899.00. Just be prepared to spend some money on a set up and fret level and crown.
Manufacturer Support
Gibson’s (the company that makes Kramer) customer service sucks. I’ve ordered 4 Kramer’s in the last two years and getting replacement parts from them is like pulling teeth. I’ve waited 5 months and still haven’t received my parts. Also, on a Kramer SM-1 I bought. They forgot to put a ground wire to the claw, and so I took It to the Gibson warranty guy and they didn’t pay him. 6 months after the repair the warranty guy was trying to get me to pay him 50 bucksmformam4minch piece of wire and two blobs of solder.
The Wow Factor
I just love the Gibson scale length with the super Strat body and 24 frets.

Musical Background:

Playing and building/repairing guitars since 1983

Musical Style:

Hard rock and metal
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Submitted September 9, 2022 by Robert L in Bellmawr, NJ

"Excellent Superstrat"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I was admittedly very skeptical of these. I lived near the old Kramer factory in NJ, at the time Kramer was churning their USA made originals, so they were on every local stores walls, I got to play those, have owned the MIJ Focus models from that era, and have had experience with the Music Yo abominations… While I’m no Kramer expert, I can say my polka dot Nightswan is an excellent guitar. Aside from the typical out of the box setup issues, which wasn’t THAT bad, it was in impeccable shape when it arrived. Most impressive were the frets, as that is almost always the issue, not a single dead spot and super clean edges. Floyd 1000 works great, but as usual, 9 times out of 10, the fine tuners suck… You would think that Floyd Rose would address this issue by now, it’s a common complaint, and one I personally have been experiencing since 2008 when I purchased my first Charvel Production Model. The JB in the bridge is an absolute beast, and I’m generally lukewarm at best about JB’s, but coupled with the surprisingly lightweight mahogany body, this guitar sounds absolutely huge. For me I have little use for that middle JB, so that’s lowered and out of the way. The neck reminds me of the one on my Focus 6000, very thin and fast.I would love to buy one of the Baretta or 84 models next, I absolutely would.

Musical Background:

35 plus years playing

Musical Style:

Hard Rock, Metal, Classic Rock
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Submitted February 23, 2024 by a customer from pm.me

"Very satisfied"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I purchased this hoping to inch out some 80's tones and I think its going to scratch that itch. Here is some things I like/dislike about it:Pros- The price point is amazing especially for what you get- No real quality issues with mine- I personally really like the shape of the neck not just from the back side, but top also. There is a part in Van Halen Panama on the lower frets where a quick bar slide is required and on my PRS CE 24 I struggle just a bit, but with this neck surface there's just something about it where its much easier to play. The higher frets are really accessible where I have to do some wrist bending on my PRS CE 24. I'm a big fan always of Jumbo Frets so those are also nice- Seymour Duncan JB pickups are great- I like the placement of the volume knob and the switch that's used. I also like the resistance in the volume knob.- Out of the box for me the Floyd Rose setup felt great where little movements made big impact. I have another guitar where everything has to be more pronounced on the whammy which I feel makes it harder to use than with this guitarNeutral- I didn't initially want the black/blue polka dots, but it actually looks pretty nice in person with the right guitar strap even more soCons- The tuner knobs are really close together, but not a big deal- That middle pickup is almost in the way, but overall doesn't seem to impact me and my playstyle. Would have been nice if it was placed differently, but thats part of what makes this guitar this guitar
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Submitted April 10, 2022 by a customer from wpa.net

"Shred Machine but mediocre quality"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This guitar absolutely rocks....after I did a considerable amount of 'clean up' since the manufacturer (Gibson overseas) did a horrendous job on the frets. I would have returned it but given the shoddy quality of Gibson, I wasn't expecting a better one and, I've learned to do my own setup work including fret edge filing, fret leveling, and crowning/polishing. This guitar needed a neck overhaul effectively. Once I spent the day fixing cruddy fret work and finished the setup, the guitar sounds fantastic. Fast neck and the 24.75 scale length (not because Gibson, but because Vivian Campbell spec'd it that way in the 80's as he preferred the Gibson length) make some of those wicked 80's span reaches just a tad easier.I will probably also mod the electronics (not the pickups as I love the JB's as well as having a bridge/middle pickup...really unique sound!) but I will most likely drill a new hole and move the volume knob. With my playing style, I tend to sweep the knob while strumming chords. To fill the existing hole, I'll drop in a kill pushbutton. I've done that before on a custom guitar I built for my friends in the band The Protest (Christian Heavy Metal group.)Due to the quality concerns, I would not buy another Kramer unless it's either a cheap Baretta or a vintage 80's guitar. However if you are handy with tech work and really want that hair band shred, this guitar can do the trick.
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Submitted March 23, 2021 by Kyle M in Tacoma, WA

"Nightswan aztec"

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Cool nostalgic guitar , needed to do a set up out of the box didn’t take long until it was playin and I’ll still need to tweak it more . Mine showed up with two very small dings one on the headstock one on the body they are very small so I won’t send it back . Ebony board looks real dry so that’ll need work , frets seem ok but will need polishing. The neck plate was hit by the polishing wheel a bit hard so shows scratches not real impressed on that . Definitely change out the volume pot as it’s either off or on no in between.the pickups seem legit not bad but I think I’ll change to a full shred in the bridge like the original swans . The Floyd 1000 seems to work fine and hold tune but there is a cheapness about it . I’ll be changing it out to a German Floyd original. It’s light and well balanced easy to play . No case or even a gig bag at this price point I think Gibson should have included one or the other . I’m very hesitant to buy overseas made guitars as all of my others are USA made high quality , but at this price point I’d buy it again rather then spend $5k on a old beat swan . Kicking myself for selling my vintage swans back in the day .

Musical Background:

Classical , rock , blues , metal

Musical Style:

I play everything from classical to metal . I use high end Mesa boogie mark V , headrush , Mesa lonestar , Mesa F30
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Submitted July 25, 2021 by Cody J in Pittsburgh, PA

"Kramer Nightswan… be prepared"

Overall: 1 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
First off, the guitar is beautiful! Such a great looking instrument… unfortunately that’s where it ended for me. I will say in the 15 years of guitar buying and selling I’ve done, the setup on this guitar was the worst out of the box I’ve ever experienced. Ridiculously high action, way too much neck relief, pickups not adjusted correctly, and sandpaper rough frets. These are things that can be fixed with a full set up and fret finishing… odd that a new guitar has such rough frets though. The things I couldn’t live with that are making ship the guitar back for a refund; they sent me a left handed trem bar with a right handed guitar, and the neck has about 8 dents in the back that you feel as you play… like someone took a butter knife and just whacked the neck a handful of times. Unacceptable for a new guitar. Sad it ended this way, always liked Kramer :(

Musical Background:

Touring/Session Musician

Musical Style:

Power metal, thrash, prog
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Submitted September 2, 2023 by a customer from comcast.net

"Sounds awful"

Overall: 3 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I've read several reviews stating the JB pickups sound great. I am not sure what the issue with mine is. I have the NightSwan and while there is no tone control it sounds a guitar with the tone turned all the way down. It is very muddy with no clarity. Reminds me of a wah pedal all the way down, and this is the bridge pickup, the neck/middle is worse. I can't make it sound good. I have 34 other guitars that sound fine in the same setup. Using a Synergy with the Vai, HBE, IICP, Diesel VH4, Pitbull, Plexi, and JCM 800 for testing. This guitar sounds awful on them all, Other guitars all sound fine. I have not opened it up yet to check the electronics.
Sound
Horrible
Features
Components are fine, feels very well made. Pickup switch is my least favorite. It is a small nub.
Ease of Use
Impossible to get good sound out of mine.
Quality
Guitar is well made. Fretwork is great. Neck needed slight adjustment, but is nice and smooth, no jagged fret ends.
The Wow Factor
I want to like this guitar, the paint job is perfect, no flaws, and looks fantastic. It sounds awful. The $200 Baretta special sounds better.
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