GARYKRAMERGUITARS
Leo Scala demonstrating proper leg placement
“I was introduced to Leo Scala, the most creative luthier I have ever met. He showed me the new
Delta Wing design, and at first glance I fell in love with it. I knew then that a design like this would
be a hard sell in America, because here we’re so traditional – the American market has always been
focused on traditional looking guitars. But it’s a different story in Europe and Asia. They are hungry
for a new and innovative looking guitar; the majority of our sales right now are overseas. It seems to
me that Europe and Asia have always been two or three steps ahead of America…”
we’re so traditional – the American market
has always been focused on traditional
looking guitars. But it’s a different story in
Europe and Asia. They are hungry for a new
and innovative looking guitar; the majority of
our sales right now are overseas. It seems
to me that Europe and Asia have always
been two or three steps ahead of America
with modern technologies, fashion, cars, etc.
in the past; a lot of the groundwork was
behind me, and now, with all the sophisticated machines available, things have gotten easier and easier. I didn’t have to find
a new building; I already had one. I didn’t
have to go out and look for working capital;
I had my own. I said to myself, “What could
be easier than this?”
the new Delta Wing
series, I know what I
have now.
Who is your
intended audience
for these guitars?
Who do you envision playing a Gary
Kramer?
What has Leo brought to the operation?
Do you work with him directly when it
comes to design and conception?
Let me put it this way, without Leo and his
young and innovative designs, we probably
wouldn’t be making guitars today, and yes, I
do work with him directly on every aspect
of this company, from drawing board concepts, to colors and electronics. Leo and I
make a good team.
The Delta Wing definitely falls under
the category of non-traditional design.
What kind of resistance have you faced
from the industry in bringing it to market? What kind of response have you
gotten from guitar consumers, who are
a notoriously traditional bunch?
How difficult is it to start up a new
guitar company, especially one that
emphasizes some rather unique
designs?
Well, the iPhone falls under a category of
non-traditional designs, and I’m sure that
Apple gets its share of resistance; however,
the iPhone is the future. The Delta Wing is
new; the aesthetics are different, and just
like anything new, it takes time to adjust.
I already started up two guitar companies
I can remember when the Travis Bean
aluminum neck came out, all I ever heard
was resistance but I couldn’t let that bother me. I knew what I had then, and with
The response I am
receiving from guitar
players who own a
new Delta Wing is
overwhelming. I don’t
think they will ever
put down
their tra-
ditional
looking
guitars,
just like I
will never
put aside
my muscle
cars; at least
guitar players
www.premierguitar.com
PREMIER GUITAR NOVEMBER 2007 19
