In the early 1980’s the guitar industry experienced a huge demand for guitars with locking tremolos. Specifically the Floyd Rose trem. It seemed like everyone out to buy a new electric guitar had to have one with a Floyd Rose. And some of the most asked-for guitars became the ones made by Kramer Guitars from Neptune New Jersey.
It was the “Floyd Rose" Tremolo that was the reason for the demand. It was THEE tremolo of its time and Kramer guitars was the only manufacturer that offered this trem unit. So, along comes Eddie Van Halen who made that style of guitar famous. His style showcased what that tremolo could do & it is what drove so many players to the Floyd Rose.
Because of the success Kramer guitars was having with the Floyd Rose tremolo they let Floyd create his own Kramer model. And in the early 1980’s around 1983 they introduced the “Floyd Rose Signature” model. The night it was released to the public a party was thrown at the Kramer Guitar factory & it featured all the execs of Kramer Guitars along with President Dennis Berardi & a very special guest, Eddie Van Halen. Everyone there got to hear Eddie & Floyd Jam & have a night of fun.
This guitar was the EXACT one Eddie played all that night. It was sold to The Music Gallery several years later. Dennis the President told me that during the evening Eddie etched his initials into the guitar.
It was the mid to late 1980s when I was offered a pallet of Kramer prototype guitars in various states of condition. While purchasing these guitars at the factory Dennis provided me with a few stories about the many one-of-a-kind guitars he was selling me. This was one I had to keep for myself. I was a huge Eddie Van Halen fan & it has been here at my guitar shop since it left the Kramer Factory.
I am sure there is someone out there who would love to add this one-of-a-kind guitar to their collection! We don't have any paperwork to validate the story, unfortunately as this was well before the documenting of such stuff became popular. - Frank
