Framus D-Series Diablo Pro

review
FRAMUS PRO SERIES & D-SERIES
106
GUITARIST JANUARY 2020
PROS Easy on the eye; loaded with
great hardware and pickups; great
option for those looking for a Les
Paul-style guitar
CONS The neck isn’t quite as fat as
it promises; let’s just say the silver
body stripes are an acquired taste
PROS The Seymour Duncan
pickups offer a superb range of
tones; tuning stability is good
CONS Yes , we like the pickups, but
the Diablo Pro doesn’t look or feel
enough like a £700+ guitar to us; the
neck joint seems a bit creaky, too
FRAMUS PRO
SERIES PANTHERA II
SUPREME
PRICE: £2,204 (inc gigbag)
ORIGIN: Germany
TYPE: Single-cut solidbody electric
BODY: Mahogany with AAA fl ame
maple top
NECK: Mahogany fat profi le, glued-in
SCALE LENGTH: 628mm (24.75”)
NUT/WIDTH: Graph Tech Black
Tusq/43mm
FINGERBOARD: Tigerstripe ebony,
305mm (12”) radius
FRETS: 22, extra high jumbo
HARDWARE: Chrome Tone Pros tune-
o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece,
Graph Tech Ratio locking tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 52mm
ELECTRICS: Seymour Duncan SH-11
Custom Custom humbucker (bridge),
Seymour Duncan APH-1N Alnico II Pro
humbucker (neck), individual pickup
volumes, master tone with push/
pull coil split function, 3-way pickup
selector toggle switch
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.7/8.3
RANGE OPTIONS: Panthera II Studio
Supreme with Seymour Duncan Alnico
II Pro humbucker (neck), Alnico II Pro
Staggered Single Coil (middle) and
SH-5 Custom humbucker (bridge) in
various colours (£2,294)
LEFT HANDERS: Nirvana Black
Transparent HP fi nish only (£2,204)
FINISHES: Nirvana Black Transparent
HP (as reviewed). Other Trans HP
colours: Ocean Blue, Amber, Antique
Tobacco, Lagoon Blueburst, Almond
Sunburst, Burgundy Blackburst and
Vintage Sunburst
FRAMUS D-SERIES
DIABLO PRO
PRICE: £773 (inc gigbag)
ORIGIN: China
TYPE: Double-cut offset solidbody
electric
BODY: Basswood
NECK: Maple, bolt-on
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Graphite/43mm
FINGERBOARD: Tigerstripe ebony
with dot inlays, 305mm (12”) radius
FRETS: 22, jumbo
HARDWARE: Chrome Framus-
branded Wilkinson vibrato, Framus
die-cast tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 54mm
ELECTRICS: Seymour Duncan TB-4
JB Trembucker (bridge), Seymour
Duncan SSL-1 RW/RP Vintage
Staggered single coil (middle),
Seymour Duncan SCR-1n Cool Rail
humbucker (neck), master volume,
master tone with push/pull coil split
function, fi ve-way pickup selector
blade switch
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.6/8.1
RANGE OPTIONS: Other Diablos
include the Supreme (£809) and
Diablo Progressive X (£790) –
both available left-handed, too
LEFT HANDERS: Nirvana Black
Transparent Satin fi nish only (£773)
FINISHES: Natural Transparent
Satin (as reviewed), Nirvana Black
Transparent Satin, Burgundy Red
Transparent Satin
8
6
5. In keeping with its
high-spec appointments,
the Panthera II Supreme
features a set of locking
Graph Tech ratio tuners.
Script on the rear of the
headstock also confi rms
that the guitar was built
in Germany. Not all
German guitar brands
do that…
The Diablo Pro is a bit tougher to love.
This Chinese-sourced model is a bit like
those souped-up hatchbacks you see
loitering in supermarket car parks, late on
a Friday night. Yes, they’ve got nice wheels
and a big stereo, but deep down these kids
know they’re posing in a basic Vauxhall
Corsa (or Opel Corsa, if you’re reading this
in Germany). That’s the problem we have
with the Diablo Pro. It doesn’t look or feel
like a £773 guitar. At this price point you’re
into Yamaha Revstar, Fender Vintera, even
entry-level Gibson territory.
These days, it takes a bit more than a set of
smoking Seymours to divert the attention of
guitarists looking for a sub-£1,000 budget
killer. Admittedly, the Natural Transparent
Satin finish evokes memories of Yamaha’s
groundbreaking – and way more affordable
– Pacifica 112. The optional Nirvana Black
Transparent Satin and Burgundy Red
Transparent Satin finishes do give the
Diablo Pro a bit more kerb appeal, too.
Bottom line? If you’re looking for a strong
contender for a list of Les Paul Standard
alternatives, you’re advised to check out the
Panthera II Supreme. As for the Diablo Pro?
There are more charismatic-looking rivals,
but it will become increasingly attractive
the sweeter the deal you can get.
The Panthera II Supreme exudes
class. It’s right in the kilogram
sweet spot and its neck shape will
make more friends than enemies
5
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GIT454.rev_framus.indd 106 28/11/2019 15:27