Kramer Assault 220 copper top

This is the Kramer Assault 220 "copper-top"guitar by Gibson. It's an 220 Assault-series model with a string-through- body bridge and a copper finish. This particular model is now discontinued and it's available in a dark redburst finish:

http://www.kramerguitars.com/Products/Assault/Assault-220.aspx

Check out the new Assault 220 models:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/kramer_guitars_assault_220_plus_candy_tan.htm?partner_id=73786

http://www.thomann.de/gb/kramer_guitars_assault_220_fr_black_2.htm?partner_id=73786

http://www.thomann.de/gb/kramer_guitars_assault_220_fr_tr.htm?partner_id=73786

Here are the official specs of this older model:
Solid Mahogany body and neck
Rosewood Fingerboard with Thorn Inlays
Dual Ceramic Humbucker pickups
Coil tapping tone knob for the neck pickup
24 Frets, 25.5" Scale, 12" fretboard radius
Premium die-cast tuners with efficient 14:1 turn ratio

Unboxing and first impressions:
This guitar was bought new for 199Euros and it's a value for money single-cut instrument. It's got some interesting features such as a satin finished neck. The back of the body is finished in glossy black but the neck is satin for better and quicker "feel". I like satin necks a lot. Many guitar companies use this finish trick to make their necks feel a bit "faster" and "woodier".
The body is a bit small and thin for a single-cut model but it's pretty comfortable. There are comfort contours on the back of the body for better neck access and weight reduction. The top finish is superb. It's not a gold top, it's more like a copper top and it looks great.
The guitar came in pretty well set up and there were no issues. The fretwork is excellent and I was able to set up the guitar for low action. The neck needed just a bit of extra neck relief.

Features and mods:
The string through body design combined with the recessed T-O-M bridge and the deep set-in neck joint offer lots of sustain and resonance, The stock passive ceramic pickups deliver all the output that's necessary for soloing and even shredding action. The push pull tone pot splits only the neck pickup.

MOD #1: Luckily, the push pull pot has a total of 6 pins and I was able to rewire it so that is splits both pickups when pulled up. I wonder why Kramer didn't wire it up this way in the first place...
I used the classic SD split wiring schematic:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/images/support/schematics/2h_1v_1t_3w_1pp.jpg


As I was checking the stock electronics, I noticed the "Epiphone" stamped pickup selector and output jack. Knowing that these electronics are bound to fail on many epiphone guitars, I toggled the selector back and forth and at one point it just lost contact... the bridge pickup position produced no sound. Time for a replacement!

MOD #2:
I replaced the stock selector switch and jack with brand new Korean-made parts or any quality-made ones. It was a 6$ upgrade that will last for long. I usually replace these components on every Epiphone and Gibson guitar with electronic issues.

Here's another classic replacement toggle switch by Goldo:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/mpa_toggleswitch.htm?partner_id=73786


Verdict:
This guitar is all about its wide and long 24-fret neck. The neck is designed for fast playing. It's not a typical LP/SG style neck. It feels more like an ESP neck rather than a Gibson one. Having tested many Epiphone and ESP/Ltd guitars, I'd say this is a very playable "Eclipse"style guitar made by Gibson. The latest models use a set of Epiphoen Alnico V pickups that I am not a fan of. The older ceramic pickups sounded hotter and modern, just like a set of ESP LH series pickups. I would certainly replace the stock Alnico pickups along with the pickup selector on a newer model.

Cheers,
Thanos