Kramer Assault 211

129
£299
£449
‘IMPROVER AXES’ UNDER £500 GROUP TEST
K
ramer ruled the 80s off
the back of Eddie Van
Halen’s striped 5150
model, but even the
official website admits it “slowly
burnt out” alongside the shoulder
pads and Police Academy
movies. Enter Gibson, with a
fistful of dollars and a new run
of models including this stylish
singlecut. It was acceptable in
the 80s – but is it now?
The Assault moves with the
times, concealing Superstrat
features within a modern
package that doesn’t scream,
“I love 1984!”. Best news is that
Kramer’s trademark neck speed
has come through, with the wide
mahogany profile delivering
velocity and comfort that
would be even more impressive
if we hadn’t just tested the
Hagstrom. Also welcome is the
versatility: with both pickup
formats, it makes a decent fist
of most rock styles. Granted, its
clean tone sometimes sounds
comparatively thin, and under
distortion it doesn’t match
the Scandinavian’s cultured
character, but it bites harder in
the high end and that (along
with the Floyd) has gotta make it
the virtuoso’s choice.
Conclusion: It might have been
barged off the podium in a tough
Group Test, but the Assault is
a solid choice for faster, more
technical players who crave tonal
clarity for quicksilver legato, a
floating vibrato to abuse and a
legendary name on the stock. If
that’s your criteria – and you’re
not expecting JEM performance
– then you’re unlikely to be
disappointed. Not a giant leap up
the ladder, but a definite step up.
■฀Volume control
There’s also a ‘bleed’ mod,
which retains the treble
even if you cut the volume
Kramer Assault 211 FR
Assault and battery
For: Price, versatility, keen sonic bite
Against: Tonal character bit lacking
✮✮✮✮✮
SUMMARY
TG says: White lightning
Italia Maranello Speedster1
S
mall boys of the 60s
either wanted to be Jimi
Hendrix or Stirling Moss.
Now we can be both
(sort of) thanks to the Maranello
Speedster1, which indulges dual
schoolboy fantasies with its
racing stripe and go-faster fret
inlays, combined with a spec
that’s been cut back to meet
weight regulations. Nice concept.
Like a Mercedes that’s been
parked in Moss Side, the Italia
Speedster1 has been stripped
of parts. But you won’t mind
when you’re ripping out solos.
The snub-nosed doublecut is
as functional as it is attractive,
the maple neck is a good all-
rounder, while the Wilkinson
bridge humbucker combines with
hefty helpings of korina (a sibling
of mahogany) for a punchy,
characterful tone that has a bit
more mid-range brightness than
your average Gibson derivative.
Good thing we like it, because
the lack of tonal options is
frustrating for £449. It will take
a good amp with a proper EQ to
get you a lush rhythm tone.
Conclusion: The Speedster1
is not perfect. It’s the most
expensive here. It offers fewest
features. You might even say
it looks a bit daft. But still,
there’s something about this
guitar’s cracking korina-fuelled
humbucker roar that marks it out
among a sea of faceless mid-
price sloggers. When you play
this guitar, you’ll remember it.
And when you gig it, people will
remember you.
✮✮✮✮✮
For: Memorable korina-powered tone
Against: Price, lack of sonic options
SUMMARY
TG says: It’s earned its stripes
■฀Body
The cultured singlecut
body conceals a host of
Superstrat features
■฀Pickup
We’re all for minimalism
but the lack of a neck
’bucker can be frustrating
■฀Stripe
Inspired by 60s motorsport,
the Speedster features a
cool stripe and fret inlays
“WE LOVE THE SWEDE: IT’S A
COOL MODEL BY A CULT HERO.
NOT BAD FOR A WEEK’S WAGES”
■ Pickups
This trio of pickups
covers most rock
scenarios
■฀Cutaways
The striking cutaways
are great for access:
you’ll motor right up to
the top frets
At a glance
BODY: Solid mahogany
NECK: Mahogany, set
FINGERBOARD: Ebony
FRETS: 24
SCALE: 25½-inches
PICKUPS: 2x singlecoils, 1x
humbucker
CONTROLS: 1x volume, 2x
tone, 5-way pickup selector
HARDWARE: Black nickel
FINISH: Pearl White
[pictured], Candy Red
LEFT-HANDED: No
C O N TA C T: Gibson UK
00800 444 27661
WEB: www.kramerguitars.
com
At a glance
Italia Maranello
Speedster1
TYPE: Solid korina
NECK: Maple, set
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood
with ‘accelerating’ inlays
FRETS: 22
SCALE: 24¾-inches
PICKUPS: 1x Wilkinson
vintage-voiced humbucker
CONTROLS: 1x volume
HARDWARE: Die-cast
FINISH: Blue [pictured],
Yellow, Red, Black, Cream
LEFT-HANDED: No
C O N TA C T: John Hornby
Skewes 0113 286 5381
WEB: www.jhs.co.uk
Kramer Assault 211 FR
Ciao bella!
TGR201.gear_test 129 24/3/10 2:04:33 pm