Kramer Focus 420S

I aquired the Kramer Focus 420s bass guitar online from MusicYo.com. The main reason I bought this guitar was because we were starting a band and I was the bass guitarist who had no bass guitar. The Focus 420s was the cheapest bass they had. It costs around $99 which isn't very bad. I also bought some cables, a bag, a tuner, and a stand and altogether it came out to be a very outstanding $160.

I still have my Focus 420s and it has served me well over this past year. There is a lot of things i enjoy about it. The design of it makes it easy to hold. The neck is made of maple and is very durable. It is a very simple and straight forward instrument. You don't have to worry about it breaking because i have dropped it plenty of times and i haven't got a major scratch on it.

The guitar is very enjoyable but it does have a few draw backs. The first thing is that it only has 2 knobs. I feel that i don't have much control over the sound and feel very limited to controling most of the effects from my amp. The second thing is that it is quite heavy. I never had another bass before nor held another one in my hands besides the one I have so i don't know if it is like this with all basses. I do know that after a while you'll get used to it though. The third thing is that the plug for the cable is on the side and sometimes it causes a problem with my cable. The cable is bent at the ends because of it.

The construction of the unit is very well done. Very strong and I do not fear of breaking it. The guitar also provides a decent sound. You will however need to buy other equipment like a Bass Effects Unit or a good amp to have more control over the sound.

In conclusion, the Focus 420s is worth what you paid for. No more, no less. I like it because it is all i have. I have been shopping around for many other bass guitars and found that there are some like the Focus 420s but they are priced like $50 to $100 more. If your budget is somewhat limited and you just want to buy a bass, go for the Focus 420s. If you want something a little more professional, just be willing to pay A LOT more.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Purchased off the 'net from MusicYo.Com in 2001. $90. Sounds like it, too (i've owned better quality).

1. Fast neck.
2. Light weight (curse in disguise, see below).
3. Cheap price.
4. P-Bass style.

1. Sound is lifeless, like bass from a cheap, portable radio.
2. The volume control no longer works.
3. The volume knob came off with HALF OF THE POST STILL ATTACHED!!!

Turns out it's 1 3/4-inch plywood. I took the pickguard off to swap out the cheap pups and discovered the truth. This also explains the flat, cheap-portable-radio bass sound. I don't listen to music with my eyes, so I thought the pickups were responsible for the lifeless sound--until I removed the pickguard. I own (and have owned) quality basses and my ears have relagated this axe to the upstairs closet. If it was stolen I probably wouldn't notice for a couple of years.

This is OK for helping a beginner learn the fretboard. You can practice on it at the house and chuck it in the corner without worrying about putting wear and tear on your other instrumemts.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com