Kramer guitars in the 1980s

Through the 1980s, BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars controlled the Kramer name, and 2 plants built it: ESP Tokyo factory and Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road.^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}

3 eras touch the 1980s across 2 lines. The version changed in 1985 and 1987. A guitar from either side of those years can be a different Kramer.

Year by year

Year	Controlled by	Built at	Changed
1980	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}
1981	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}
1982	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}
1983	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}
1984	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}
1985	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}	yes
1986	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}
1987	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road, ESP Tokyo factory^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}	yes
1988	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road, ESP Tokyo factory^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}
1989	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road, ESP Tokyo factory^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}

Eras in the 1980s

Line	Years	Controlled by	Built at	Grade
Kramer ESP-built imports (Focus, Aerostar; BKL era)	1985–1987	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	No plant on record	secondary^{[1, 2, 3]}
Kramer ESP-built imports (Focus, Aerostar; BKL era)	1987–1990	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	ESP Tokyo factory	secondary^{[1, 2, 3]}
Kramer USA (Neptune NJ, BKL era)	1976–1990	BKL Corp. / Kramer Guitars	Kramer Neptune, 1111 Green Grove Road	secondary^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}

Other brands in the 1980s

Kramer, year by year

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Sources

Every numbered marker on this page points here: the document, its grade and the passages relied on. An era is computed, so it cites the facts it was derived from. A fact marked “no source” has no claim attached yet.

1
Kramer Guitarsgraded community
- The original Kramer company effectively came to an end in January 1991, mostly due to financial problems.Kramer in the 1980s: owners and plants
- By 1987, Kramer was using ESP Guitars exclusively for manufacturing its necks and bodies.Kramer in the 1980s: owners and plants
2
KRAMER Electric Guitarsgraded secondary
- the company went into bankruptcy in 1989Kramer in the 1980s: owners and plants
3
Kramer Company Overview and Storygraded community
- By Dec of 1989, Kramer had declared bankruptcy.Kramer in the 1980s: owners and plants
4
The Neck Page (Vintage Kramer)graded community
- Kramer stamped Neptune, NJ to give the illusion of a domestic made instrumentKramer in the 1980s: owners and plants

See something wrong, or know a better source?