Framus D-Series Panthera Supreme

TOP GUN
Maple veneer vs maple
tops: what’s the
difference?
T
here is a reason why maple
veneers have been used
increasingly by guitar
producers for budget ranges
over the last decade – they off er
the aesthetics of the most
beautiful tonewoods on the
planet at a fraction of the cost.
Veneers are typically very thin
layers of wood, usually only one
or two millimetres thick, so
tend not to aff ect the sound of
a guitar in the way that a much
thicker cap or top does. Veneers
are more of a visual addition to a
guitar – recreating the elegance
of those mouth-wateringly
exquisite custom shop fi nishes,
renowned for their incredibly
detailed quilts and fl ames,
without breaking the bank.
ever made have utilised the allure
of aquamarine colours – from
Fender seafoams and Gibson
emeralds to PRS’s extravagant
Ocean Turquoises, there’s
something about striking about
these kinds of fi nishes – and
rarely do they part for less than
a grand. For those who prefer more
understated aesthetics, the other
options for a High Polish Burgundy
Burst or Nirvana Black Transparent
still exude a similar sense of class
– though it’s worth noting the
fl ames come from the maple
veneer rather than a ‘proper’ top.
The playability of the guitar isn’t
particularly great straight out of
the box, the neck relief and
factory-set action just about
capable of simple chordal playing
over anything ambitious. With
a little bit of straightforward
tweaking, however, it’s a machine
that quickly comes to life and
holds fort with stable tuning even
against the most extreme bending
you throw at it. The hardware and
components are all of high quality
– the Tune-O-Matic bridge,
graphite nut and Framus
machine heads are built to last.
Priced fairly close to Gibson’s
American-made Tribute series,
there are certain advantages with
the Framus, from its fi nishes to
the Seymour Duncan pickups. For
some, this D-Series model off ers
the Framus sound and look for less
money, while many others may
feel the price-tag is fairly sizeable
for an instrument constructed in
the Far East. Either way, this might
not necessarily be an instrument
for every type of player, but what it
does do, it does very well indeed.
Amit Sharma
GIBSON LES
PAUL TRIBUTE
Though it sits at the
bottom of the Gibson
Les Paul hierarchy,
there’s a lot to be said
for getting an
American-made
instrument at virtually
the same price point.
PAUL REED SMITH
SE 245 STANDARD
Manufactured in South
Korea, the SE series is
the PRS answer to
producing classy
guitars that
almost everyone
can afford.
ESP LTD
EC-1000 DELUXE
Though it’s only available in
vintage black,
complimented by gold
hardware and vintage
yellow binding, this
EMG-loaded ESP will
be tempting for
higher-gain
players.
ALSO TRY...
The Panthera Supreme
opts for a Les Paul-style
Tune-O-Matic bridge and
Seymour Duncan humbuckers
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
OVERALL RATING
SUMMARY
£999
£475
£845
92
TH
E G
AS
S
T
A
T
I
O
N
TOTAL GUITAR JANUARY 2020
TH
E G
AS
S
T
A
T
I
O
N
TGR327.gear_lead.indd 92 06/12/2019 18:12