Framus D-Series Panthera Supreme

FRAMUS D-SERIES
PANTHERA
SUPREME
The Warwick-owned guitar brand rolls
out its new affordable single-cut…
T
hough they’re perhaps
better known for being
the guitar brand owned
by Warwick, the Framus
legacy is one that
stretches back all the way to
violin making in the mid-40s.
It was founder Fred Wilfer who
cunningly realised that the
Sudeten German luthiers expelled
from Czechoslovakia following the
Second World War could put their
skills to use at a rival production
base in Franconia (hence the fi rst
half of the company’s name). The
50s rock’n’roll revolution saw the
electric guitar become their
best-seller, and by the mid-60s
Framus were the biggest
manufacturers in Europe. A decade
later, however, the company fi led
for bankruptcy and lay dormant
for two decades until Warwick
brought the name back. As well
as usage by members of The
Beatles and The Rolling Stones in
their heyday, Framus instruments
have been seen in the hands of
contemporary artists including
Simple Plan and Funeral For A
Friend, with signature models for
Alice In Chains’ William DuVall,
Bon Jovi’s Phil X and prog-metal
mastermind Devin Townsend.
The Chinese-made D-Series
was originally unveiled at NAMM
2018, advertised as the more
aff ordable Framus experience,
retailing roughly around a third
of their Pro-Series equivalents at
under a grand. On fi rst glance, the
Panthera Supreme is notable for
its simple elegance. There’s
a three-way pickup selector and
then just one knob for tone and
another for volume; like a Les
Paul, but simplifi ed. The pickups
themselves also follow that spirit
of tradition with a Seymour
Duncan ’59 in the neck and the
much hotter JB in the bridge,
giving users the choice of cleaner,
more vintage style tones as well
as more modern crunch. Used in
higher gain settings, there’s more
than enough punch and sustain to
appease hard rock and heavy
metal players, and those who like
backing down a guitar’s volume
for a more bluesy drive will fi nd
these pickups respond in a way
that’s incredibly dynamic. In the
middle position with both pickups
on, the Panthera Supreme rings
a little less dark than a Les Paul
Standard and with more of a
bell-like emphasis than a Paul
Reed Smith. That could partly be
down to the weight and cut of the
Supreme series, with a more
modern build compared to the
monstrously heavy LP-type
guitars of the past, though
thankfully with few
compromises on sustain.
Perhaps one of the key selling
points of the D-Series Panthera
Supreme is the option for this
Bleached Ocean Blue Burst. Some
of the most eye-watering guitars
1
2
3
£825
BODY: Mahogany w/
AAAA Flamed Veneer
top
NECK: Mahogany
SCALE: 628 mm
(24.75”)
FINGERBOARD:
Tigerstripe Ebony
FRETS: 22
PICKUPS: Seymour
Duncan ‘59 SH-1n
Chromecover (neck),
JB SH-4b Chromecover
(bridge)
CONTROLS: Three-way
pickup selector, 1x
volume, 1x tone
HARDWARE:
Tune-O-Matic Bridge,
Warwick security
locks, Framus
machine heads
LEFT-HANDED: Yes
FINISH: Bleached
Ocean Blue Burst [as
reviewed], Burgundy
Blackburst and
Nirvana Black
Transparent
CASE: Rockbag
Student Line Plus
Gig Bag
CONTACT: High Tech
Distribution
htd-uk.com
AT A GLANCE
IT PACKS MORE THAN ENOUGH
PUNCH FOR HEAVIER PLAYERS
1
PICKUPS
Incorporating the
Seymour Duncan ‘59/
JB set may have added
to the overall RRP, but
they’re definitely
worth it
2
FINISH
This Bleached
Ocean Blue Burst is a
great budget
alternative to the
Lagoon Blueburst
options in the
Pro-Series
3
TUNE-O-MATIC
BRIDGE
Famously used on
Gibson Les Pauls
throughout the years,
this bridge helps the
Panthera Supreme
stay in tune
Photography: Olly Cur tis
REVIEW
91
JANUARY 2020 TOTAL GUITAR
TGR327.gear_lead.indd 91 06/12/2019 18:11